Panera removes over 150 unhealthy chemicals from its food

Panera Bread is performing an overhaul of its menu.  Last year, the company removed a bunch of items from their restaurant's profile, dubbing the banned list of foods the no-no-list.

Ranging from aspartame to sodium benzoate, the company removed over 150 dangerous chemicals from their foods.  The CEO, Ron Shaich, is taking the company in a new direction regarding children's health.

“Frankly, the typical restaurant-industry kids meal doesn’t serve our kids well,” he said. “We shouldn’t be marketing to kids. Toys and games distract from honest food choices. They come with poor options like fries and sugary beverages. This is not food as it should be. The meals we serve our children should be good food.”

He's got a point and the new Panera kid's menu reflects some of the changes.  For starters, they're serving simple meals, like mac & cheese, chicken noodle soup and buttered noodles, taking it up a notch and even offering clam chowder.

Shaich believes it is up to the food industry to take charge and make the changes toward a healthier service.

Rather than serve them crap they will one day live to regret, or flash toys and objects at them, set them up on a path of healthy living.  It starts with a meal.