When I was growing up, my family had dinner together every night.  We all had very busy schedules but we always made an effort to have dinner together.  Now that I am on my own, I try to emulate this tradition with my boyfriend.  Most nights I try to make dinner because we try to eat healthier and it fits in our budget.  Making dinner every night can be tough because when I get home at night it’s 6:30-7 after a full day of working I am often tired, hungry, and not in the mood to cook.  This is why when I plan our menu for the week, I try to pick simple and healthy recipes and leave one day open for Panera Bread.  We love Panera because it fits into both our diet plans and is very affordable.

My favorite pick at Panera is their Broccoli Cheddar soup.  I feel like this soup gets a bad reputation because it’s so creamy and delicious that it seems unhealthy.  When you get the soup in a Pick Two combo with a Salad, it easily fits into my diet plan.  I use the Panera website beforehand to look at the nutrition calculator and determine what I can order that is within my calories left for the day.  Most days, I order the Pick Two with the Broccoli Cheddar soup and the Half Greek Salad.   For sides, I switch it up between an apple, Baked Lays, or occasionally the oh, so delicious French bread.

My boyfriend’s dinner of choice is the Pick Two with a half sandwich and the French Onion Soup.  He usually has the Sierra Turkey Sandwich, but recently he has been getting the Big Kid Grilled Cheese with Bacon.   He is a big fan of Panera’s French onion soup.   He likes that the French Onion Soup is not as heavy with cheese like when you get it at a diner or restaurant.

The great thing about Panera Bread’s soups is that the combinations are practically endless.   With Panera having different soups available every day of the week, you can try a different type each day.   Haven’t been in a while?  Check out their soup page and daily soup menu.  What’s your favorite soup at Panera?

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Panera Bread.  However, all opinions are my own.