To respond to the needs of those looking for more grain options Panera plans to introduce a greater variety of white and wheat flour alternatives.

The days when whole wheat was considered the gold standard of healthy carb options have, for some consumers, passed.

To respond to the needs of those looking for more grain options Panera Bread plans to introduce a greater variety of white and wheat flour alternatives.

The first to successfully pass the testing phase and get a scheduled May premier date is the sprouted-grain bagel. It’s made with spelt, oat groats, and rye.

If you’re already lost, sprouted grains are seeds like spelt that have been soaked and allowed to germinate. They’re typically lower in calories and carbs than regular grains, plus they often have more protein.

Oat groats aren’t as processed as most, making them generally more nutritious.

Some of the other alternatives the company is experimenting with aren’t quite ready for general consumption.

Panera’s head baker has been hard at work perfecting tastes and textures, but a few ingredients have proven to be more problematic than others.


Nonetheless, he’s excited, saying, “This is very much a dream come true not to deal with white flour all the time.”