Panda Express Portion Sizes Explained

With bins of sweet fire chicken, broccoli beef, chow mein and orange chicken constantly refilled and ready for the taking, it’s no wonder Panda Express is many Americans’ go-to for convenient, crave-worthy Chinese fare. However, the generous portion sizes that make this fast-casual chain so beloved can also lead to serious overeating if you’re not careful. In this post we talk about Panda Express Portion Sizes.

This comprehensive guide breaks down Panda’s famously large portion sizes by dish, compares them to optimal serving recommendations, provides tips for controlling portions, and shares strategies to get your fill while maintaining balanced nutrition.

Coming to Terms with the Shocking Serving Sizes

While Panda serves fresh, customizable pan-Asian cuisine using woks to quickly prepare dishes, nutrition and restraint don’t always take center stage. A typical Panda plate piles on entrees spanning salty, sugary, fatty, and carb-heavy dishes all in one go. To put their staggering serving sizes into perspective:

– A single 16-ounce entrée provides nearly 850 calories and up to 2,000 mg sodium – about 80% of daily limits
– Side dishes average 300 calories and 600 mg sodium each
– Even lighter soups and small plates still supply 260-400 calories per bowl
– A full Panda plate with just ONE entrée and ONE side already exceeds 1,000 calories

With recommended personal meal calorie intakes hovering around 500-700 calories, you can see how easy it is to double or even triple that in just one Panda Express visit. Let’s analyze specific portion sizes by category next.

Investigating Serving Sizes by Dish

While calories, fat, carbs, and sodium vary widely across Panda’s menu, nearly all dishes provide 2-4 servings worth of food in standard portions. Here’s a breakdown:

– Entrée bowls: 16 oz, averaging 700-850 calories each
– Smaller Entrée Plates: 9 oz, about 400-500 calories per plate
– Side Dishes: 8 oz, averaging 300 calories and 600mg sodium
– Soups: 12-20 oz, typically 300 calories and 800mg sodium
– Desserts: 2-4 pieces, 120-680 calories depending on dish
– Drinks: 30 oz, 120-830 calories depending on lemonade vs. teas

Essentially, a single trip through the line picking up just an entrée, side and drink can already provide nearly an entire day’s worth of calories and sodium intake.

Tips For Controlling Portions

While Panda’s portions may seem reasonable for the price, resist the temptation of the “more bang for your buck” mentality. Here are tips for keeping servings in check:

– Share larger entrees or get smaller side portions
– Request half portions of lighter veggie dishes like mixed veggies
– Split or skip dessert – fresh orange slices are just 50 calories
– Choose broth-based soups over fried rice or chow mein sides
– Load up on lower-calorie veggie add-ins like broccoli, peppers, etc.
– Save half in a to-go box before digging into your meal

Essentially, stick to single entree plates or split larger dishes. Complete your meal with lower-calorie produce rather than doubling up on carb-and-sodium-heavy sides which drives up totals fast.

Strategies to Balance Your Meal

Here are two examples of balanced Panda orders:

Sweet & Sour Chicken Plate (490 calories)
– Small Chow Mein Side (320 calories)
– Unsweetened Green Tea (0 calories)
= 810 calories

Teriyaki Chicken Bowl (700 calories)
– Mixed Veggie Side (90 calories)
– Water
= 790 calories

This shows pairing lighter sides with moderately sized entrees keeps meals around 800 calories while still feeling fully satisfied. Add some fresh pineapple or apple slices if wanting something sweet!

The Takeaway: Enjoy Panda Portions In Moderation

While sticking to single plates or bowls may seem skimpy next to those heaping bins of food, remember Panda’s servings cater more to teenage football player appetites and less everyday balanced nutrition. But with smart splitting strategies, veggie mixing and match, and controlling extras, you can fill up on favorites within reasonable calorie limits. It just takes mindfulness when navigating Panda’s infamously generous portions. I hope this Panda Express Portion Sizes post helps you.