The WRI’s leading-edge methodology quantifies a maximum recommended daily carbon budget for an individual’s diet, which aligns with globally recognized goals to curb climate change. The carbon budget is split across three daily meals plus snacks. Breakfast must be no more than 20% of the recommended daily carbon footprint of a person’s diet, and a lunch or dinner must be less than 30% each. If the meal is below the threshold and it meets a nutritional guardrail, it is certified as a low carbon Coolfood meal. This equates to no more than 3.81 kg CO₂e for breakfast and 5.71 kg CO₂e for lunch or dinner.

Importantly, Coolfood options are also labeled in a way that is easy to understand. The Coolfood certification mark indicates a meal that is low-carbon and a great choice for delicious climate action.

Low Carbon Meals tend to feature lots of grains, legumes, fruits and veggies and have lower levels of saturated fat and sodium — similar to a classic Mediterranean diet — but some also include modest, savory portions of lower carbon impact proteins, like poultry, eggs and dairy. See all the low carbon meals available at Panera.

Going forward, we plan to  continue collaborating with the WRI on  the Coolfood initiative.

*The Coolfood meal certification mark, used by Panera Bread in connection with select U.S. menu items, designates that a menu item has 38% lower carbon emissions than the average meal, as determined in accordance with the rules, procedures and requirements established by World Resources Institute. For more information about Panera Bread’s Coolfood meals, visit Panerabread.com/CoolFoodMeals. For more information about World Resource Institute’s Coolfood initiative and related rules, procedures and requirements, visit eatcoolfood.org.