“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”

You’ve probably heard that phrase a million times, and you’ve probably ignored it while guzzling down a few cups of coffee instead.

If you ask me, though, I really DO think that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In my life, breakfast isn’t just any other meal – it’s an important part of how I decide to start my day. Whoever you are, and wherever you are, morning is always the perfect opportunity to have a fresh start.

As someone who lives and works in New York City, my schedule can look completely different on any given day. There are some days where I work from home, and there are days where I’m running around town from one meeting to the next. Whatever my day might look like, though, I always do my best to have a morning routine that leaves me energized and equipped for the day ahead.

My typical morning routine usually looks a little bit like:

devotional “quiet” time
a 30-60 minute workout
getting caught up on emails
shower and get ready
and most importantly – breakfast!

I leave breakfast for the end of my morning – right before I’m about to head into the work day. To me, a good breakfast is the perfect way to jump start into whatever the day has in store for me. And the right breakfast has to be these three important things: healthy, filling, and delicious.

That’s why I was so excited when BlogHer and Panera asked me to try something from their breakfast line.

When I arrived at Panera, right away I noticed a sign for their new Power Hidden Menu, which has some great healthy options with lots of protein and less carbs.

 

I figured I’d give one of the Hidden Menu options a try, so I got the Power Egg White Breakfast Bowl with Roasted Turkey. It was delicious and perfect to power me through a long work day.

 

I also got a Bacon Egg & Cheese sandwich on Ciabatta for my mom. Obviously I took a bite…or 2

 

I typically get Panera for lunch or dinner, but now I’ll definitely make a point to visit when I’m on the go for breakfast. The bowl and sandwich were both delicious, and I could tell that they were made fresh – right there on the spot.

 

Learn more about the fresh meals at Panera by watching Panera’s head baker backstory.

You can also enter the Panera Breakfast Backstory Challenge, which allows you to learn about Panera’s passion for baking while you gain chances to win great prizes.

When you play the Panera Breakfast Backstory Challenge, you’ll be asked to complete 3 actions to win a badge. After a badge is earned you’ll be entered to win a prize. Collect all 3 badges and get a surprise loaded on to your MyPanera card plus a chance to win an all-inclusive, culinary experience trip to New York City for two!

How to play:

1. Complete any 3 actions to earn a badge and a chance to win prizes.
2. Collect all 3 badges to be eligible for the grand prize drawing.
3. Complete bonus opportunities for more chances at the grand prize.

Prizes you can win:

· Breville Juice Fountain Elite
· Breville Barista Express Espresso Maker
· KitchenAid Professional Stand Mixer
· Grand Prize - all-inclusive, culinary experience trip to New York City for two

Giveaway:

What is your favorite way to start the day? Leave your answer in the comments section for the chance to win a $100 Panera Gift Card!

Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner  will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 11/13/13 – 12/8/13.

Be sure to visit the Panera Bread’s page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!