The 5 Most Affordable You Pick Two Combos To Order At Panera Bread

Panera Bread, known for its fresh-baked bread, sandwiches, and soup, has been around and has become a staple for comforting, simple food. Whether it's the much-talked-about mac and cheese or its unfortunate and controversial charged lemonade situation, the chain has been able to stick around since its inception in 1987 in Missouri, where the restaurant was initially named St. Louis Bread Company.

Although the chain hasn't been well-regarded as an affordable casual restaurant. All signs point to its higher quality ingredients being the reason prices spike very high, but regardless, it can be tricky to save money when ordering here. But the You Pick Two, a combination where you can mix and match a half-size of a sandwich, half-size of a soup, or half-size of a salad (or a bagel stack), can be an affordable way to get a balanced meal if you know the right items to choose. We're taking a look into the five most affordable combinations so you can get your money's worth. Now, these items might be slightly different in price depending on location, so take these prices listed as more of a general range and make sure to check your location's website for specifics when ordering.

Who knew that the most comforting childhood classic would also be the most accessible and affordable? We're starting this list off with a bang with the most affordable pair on this list, the grilled cheese and tomato soup. The half-sized grilled cheese comes on classic white miche bread and has American cheese, and generally runs for $5.19 (upcharges will be applied for choosing different types of cheese, proteins such as bacon, or if you decide to choose a bagel, so make sure to note that when customizing.) The cup of tomato soup, which is estimated at around $5.29, is a blend of tomato, cream, red pepper, and oregano, and comes with crunchy croutons to add some depth. If you want even more bread for dipping purposes, choose the French baguette as your free side (other free sides include a bag of chips or an apple.) In total, this You Pick Two combo equals $10.48.

The ultimate Greek/Mediterranean veggie combo, perfect for a vegetarian, comes in the form of this specific sandwich and salad pairing of the half-sized Mediterranean veggie sandwich and half-sized Greek salad. The sandwich, which is similar to the grilled cheese in price at around $5.19, comes with feta cheese, mixed greens, sweet red peppers, tomatoes, red onions, cucumber, and hummus on tomato basil miche bread. The half-sized Greek salad is very similar in terms of ingredients but adds some extra items that is typical of Greek cuisine. In addition to romaine lettuce, the salad features feta cheese, cucumber, red onion, kalamata olives, tomatoes, sliced pepperoncini, and a Greek dressing. This salad is estimated to be $5.39. If you're looking for a nice balance, a bag of chips as your side can perfectly pair with this duo. In total, this combo equals $10.58, only ten cents more than the first combination on our list, and just under $11.

A new, limited edition item comes at a lower cost than most of Panera Bread's sandwiches, at an estimated price of $5.69 is the cranberry walnut chicken salad sandwich, which features the same chicken salad base with walnuts and dried cranberries, tomatoes, and mixed greens on sourdough bread. If you end up finding yourself at Panera after this sandwich leaves the menu, you can always replace it with the same-priced, half-sized tomato basil BLT sandwich on tomato basil miche bread. As classic as chicken salad and a BLT can be, we knew we had to pair it with an equally affordable, iconic salad- the Ceasar. This salad has romaine lettuce, croutons, parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing and has an estimated price of $5.39.

Adding these two together will equal a total price of $11.08. If you're looking for another sweet and fruity addition more than just the cranberry, choose an apple as your free side!

The smokehouse barbeque chicken sandwich, although getting a slight upgrade last year as part of its "new era at Panera" reimagined menu that dropped last April, has remained a favorite amongst its menu for years. It features the same hearty pulled chicken with tangy and sweet barbeque sauce, white cheddar cheese, and red onions on ciabatta bread. This classic comes at a lower price compared to most of the chain's sandwiches, at around $5.89. Pair this sandwich with the newer rustic potato soup, which features chopped potatoes, bacon, chives, and asiago cheese.

If you're not a potato fan, you can choose another soup from the menu's roster. In fact, you can switch out any of the soups, like the French onion, broccoli cheddar, autumn squash, tomato, and even the hearty fireside chili. This is because, besides the mac and cheese, the chain's soups are all the same general price of $5.29. In total, this You Pick Two combination equals about $11.18.

Although an underrated combination, a salad and soup can get you a pretty good deal for under $12. You can swap out any similar-priced salad or soup, just like any other combination on this list, but for this pairing, we went for a good variety of flavors with the ranch cobb salad and cream of chicken and wild rice soup. The half-sized ranch cobb salad features mixed greens, romaine lettuce, bacon, tomatoes, feta cheese, a hard-boiled egg, pickled red onions, and ranch dressing and runs for a general amount of $5.99. 

The cream of chicken and wild rice soup includes chicken, onion, carrots, celery, wild rice, and grain all in a creamy stock/broth with some herbs to taste. This cup of soup runs for about $5.29. This final combination of these two items is the most expensive on our list at $11.28, but still decently priced. With a few swaps and creative ideas, you can access an affordable Panera Bread meal that will have all of the same taste and comfort.