How Mounjaro works
Mounjaro works by mimicking hormones that regulate hunger and fullness, fundamentally altering how our body responds to food.
The medication reduces appetite and hunger, helping us eat fewer calories to support weight loss.
Mounjaro also slows gastric emptying, meaning food stays in your stomach longer. This creates a prolonged feeling of fullness and can make fast or ultra-processed foods difficult to enjoy, potentially worsening side effects such as nausea and bloating.
One of the most significant changes people notice is the reduction in ‘food noise’ – those constant thoughts about food and cravings that previously drove food choices.
Taste preferences often change on Mounjaro. Many people report losing interest in sugary snacks and heavy sandwiches, finding them too sweet or filling.
Best whole food options at Pret a Manger
When taking Mounjaro, we recommend choosing options that include vegetables, protein, fat from whole foods, and complex carbohydrates.
Pret’s fresh preparation style complements this approach well.
| Option |
Protein content |
Why it’s a good option |
Best for |
| Chef’s Italian Chicken Salad |
High |
Substantial protein + plenty of vegetables + easy to digest |
Full meal when appetite allows |
| Crayfish & Avocado Salad |
High |
Good protein + healthy fats + fresh vegetables |
Satisfying lunch option |
| Egg & Spinach Protein Pot |
High |
High-quality protein in small, manageable portion + leafy greens |
Light meal or when struggling to eat a meal |
| Vegetable Soups |
Medium |
Easy to digest + contributes to fibre intake |
Side dish or light meal |
| Fresh Fruit Options |
Low |
Natural fibre + vitamins + easy to digest |
Snack or to add fibre to protein-heavy meals |
High-protein, high-fibre salads are Pret’s strongest offerings for Mounjaro users. The Chef’s Italian Chicken Salad offers substantial protein while featuring plenty of vegetables.
The Crayfish & Avocado Salad offers good protein content with healthy fats and fresh vegetables that contribute to your daily fibre intake.
Protein pots are an excellent way to boost protein intake alongside options like their porridge pots or sandwiches.
The Egg & Spinach Protein Pot delivers high-quality protein in a manageable portion size, whilst including leafy greens that provide folate and fibre.
Soup and salad combinations offer a fibre-rich option that often comes with protein.
Pairing a vegetable-rich soup with a small salad creates a meal that includes multiple food groups.
For breakfast, egg-based options provide a good source of protein to start your day. These tend to sit well with people experiencing morning nausea from their medication and provide sustained energy without the blood sugar spikes that can worsen GI symptoms.
Managing side effects through food choices
Over 65% of people taking Mounjaro experience some gastrointestinal side effects, particularly nausea and constipation. You may find some of Pret’s choices trigger symptoms.
The fresh preparation at Pret generally makes their food easier to tolerate than heavily processed alternatives.
Their salads use simple dressings and fresh ingredients that tend to be easier to digest.
However, some items like dressings rich in added vegetable oils or very sweet options can still trigger nausea.
Constipation affects nearly half of Mounjaro users, making fibre intake important. Pret’s salads offer good fibre content through a mix of leaves, vegetables, and some include complex carbohydrates.
Their soups often contain vegetables that contribute to your daily fibre needs.
The key is choosing options that include plenty of vegetables, which moves you closer to the balanced plate approach we recommend: 50% vegetables, 25% protein, and 25% complex carbohydrates.
Pret’s salad-heavy menu makes this more achievable than at many other quick-service restaurants.
Timing your meal also matters. We recommend taking at least 20 minutes to eat your meal to allow your body to process food properly, reducing the risk of side effects.
What to order
For breakfast: An egg pot with a piece of fresh fruit creates a balanced start to your day. The protein helps stabilise blood sugar whilst the fruit provides natural fibre and vitamins.
For lunch: Focus on their salad options. The Chef’s Italian Chicken Salad offers a balanced meal with substantial protein and a variety of vegetables.
If you need something smaller, a protein pot with apple slices would be a good high-protein, high-fibre option.
When appetite is very small: A single protein pot alongside a vegetable soup might be enough.
Listen to your body’s signals. When you feel comfortably full, stop eating rather than forcing yourself to finish everything.
For hydration: Choose water, herbal teas, or their fresh vegetable juices. Mounjaro can reduce your thirst as well as your appetite, so make a conscious effort to stay hydrated.
Avoid very sugary drinks, as these are easy to overconsume.
Always pair your main choice with something that adds vegetables, if possible. Apple slices, a small side salad, or vegetable soup help balance your meal towards the 50% vegetables target.
Building sustainable habits beyond Pret
Mounjaro isn’t a magic solution that allows you to eat convenience food without considering your health.
The medication works best when you’re actively building healthier habits that will support long-term weight loss.
Pret represents a better choice among convenience options, but we wouldn’t recommend eating there regularly.
Their fresh preparation and inclusion of vegetables make them preferable to heavily processed alternatives; however, home-prepared meals remain the ideal choice.
The core focus of using Mounjaro successfully is to calm down food noise, lower your cravings, and use this clarity to build healthier habits.
Occasional Pret visits won’t derail this process, but they work best as part of an overall pattern based on whole foods.
Use the mental space that reduced food cravings provide to focus on learning to prepare simple, nutritious meals at home. This is where lasting change happens, not in perfectly navigating every meal.
When you do visit Pret, view it as practice for making mindful choices under real-world constraints.
The skills you develop – choosing protein-rich options, including vegetables, listening to hunger signals – transfer to all eating situations.
Frequently asked questions
Will eating at Pret stop Mounjaro from working?
No, occasional Pret visits won’t interfere with Mounjaro’s effectiveness. The medication is most effective when combined with a diet based on whole foods, and occasionally eating out won’t harm your progress.
However, consistently choosing convenience foods over freshly-prepared meals makes it more challenging to develop eating patterns that support long-term weight maintenance.
What’s the best Pret option for someone on Mounjaro?
Their salads with protein are typically the best choices, particularly the Chef’s Italian Chicken Salad or Crayfish & Avocado Salad.
These provide good protein, include plenty of vegetables, and are less likely to trigger side effects.
Why do some Pret foods make me feel nauseous on Mounjaro?
Dressings with added vegetable oils, very sweet items, or large portions can trigger nausea because Mounjaro slows your digestion.
The fresh preparation at Pret generally makes their food easier to tolerate than heavily processed alternatives.
Can I eat Pret sandwiches whilst taking Mounjaro?
You can, but we recommend pairing them with a salad or soup to ensure you’re getting enough vegetables and fibre in your meal.
You could also pair a sandwich with a protein pot to ensure you’re getting the protein you need from the meal.
Take home message
Eating at Pret a Manger occasionally won’t harm your weight loss progress on Mounjaro.
When you do visit, focus on their salads and protein pots whilst listening to your body’s hunger and fullness signals rather than worrying about making perfect choices.
The real benefit of Mounjaro is how it quietens food noise and cravings, giving you the headspace to build healthier long-term habits.
Use this clarity to focus on developing a sustainable eating pattern based on whole foods, with plenty of vegetables, high-quality proteins, and complex carbohydrates.
Mounjaro works best when combined with sustainable lifestyle changes. The medication can help silence food-related thoughts and give you time to understand why your body may have struggled to lose weight before.
Pret visits are part of real life, but they work best when they’re occasional choices within an overall pattern of nutritious eating.
The most important thing is not to stress about occasional convenience food visits. When life happens and you end up at Pret, make choices that feel right for your body, focus on options with vegetables and protein, eat slowly, and stop when you feel satisfied.
Second Nature’s medication programme
Second Nature provides Mounjaro as part of our Mounjaro weight-loss programme.
Why should you choose Second Nature over other providers assuming you’re eligible?
For peace of mind.
Second Nature has worked with the NHS for over 6 years, providing weight-loss programmes across the UK.
While our Mounjaro weight-loss programme is private and not currently used by the NHS, we’ve built the programmes focusing on scientific evidence, patient safety, and data security.
We hope that our 6+ years of working with the NHS and building a track record of effective weight-loss results will give you peace of mind to give us a try.
