The sandwiches are served with Horizon Organic Squeezable Yogurt and a choice of Horizon Organic milk or chocolate milk, or organic apple juice.

John Taylor, Panera's director of new product development, said the menu was developed in about a year and a half, including taste tests by kids at Panera restaurants.

"What really drove the development of all of the items was food that kids say 'Whoa, hey I really like this and I'll eat it' but food that parents felt provided a better option than what they could get out there today," he said.

The Panera Kids menu makes its debut just as a new report funded by the US Food and Drug Administration said that restaurants can help prevent obesity by offering and promoting more low-calorie, healthy items.

Kids' menus are often brought under fire for being high in fat and calories as childhood obesity rates have soared. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18.8 percent of children aged 6 to 11 were overweight in 2004, up from 7 percent in 1980. The rate among children aged 12 to 19 jumped to 17.1 percent from 5 percent over the same period.

Hamburger chains have also added options to make their meals more attractive to those looking for healthier fare. At McDonald's Corp., children can get apples and low fat caramel dip instead of French fries and drinks such as apple juice and milk can be substituted for soft drinks.

At Wendy's International Inc., healthier Kids' Meal choices include a turkey and cheese sandwich, yogurt with granola, mandarin oranges and reduced fat milk.

The Panera Kids meals do not include toys or prizes, which are familiar components in meals at those fast food chains. Taylor said that Panera is not into such "gimmicks."

The meals are priced at US$4.49 at company-owned locations, or a couple of dollars below the average price of meals aimed at adults. The Panera Kids menu hit all US restaurants on May 24 after tests in Dallas Ft. Worth and Nashville. Panera said it was still too early to gauge the results.

The kids' menu follows other health-related changes made at Panera. Since February, items have been free of trans fats except where they occur naturally. Panera also began selling antibiotic-free white meat chicken in most of its sandwiches and salads last year.

Panera is promoting the organic and all-natural elements of the kids menu in some parenting magazines and on small signs on tables at its restaurants.

The company is also offering an online coupon for a free kids' meal when

parent buys a regularly priced menu item. The coupon, promoted as a thank you to parents for preparing children's lunches during the school year, will only be valid on June 21, the first day of summer.

Panera, based in Richmond Heights, Missouri, has about 900 US outlets.