What's the healthiest item from Subway? Your guide to a nutritious fast-food meal

November 23, 2025 •

3 min read

With a wide variety of ingredients, navigating the Subway menu to find a healthy meal can be challenging, but many options are available to build a nutritious meal. Finding the healthiest item from Subway depends on making smart, informed choices about your bread, protein, and condiments, prioritizing freshness and lower calories over convenience.

Quick Summary

The healthiest choices at Subway often involve custom 6-inch subs or salads with lean proteins and plentiful fresh vegetables. Learn how to build your meal with better ingredients and avoid common pitfalls like high-fat sauces and processed meats to eat nutritiously.

Key Points

Veggie Delite Salad: This is the lowest-calorie item, maximizing vegetable intake for a low-fat, high-fiber meal.
Custom 6-inch Sub: A sub with oven-roasted chicken or turkey on 9-Grain Wheat bread is a balanced, high-protein option when customized correctly.
Lean Proteins are Key: Prioritize oven-roasted turkey and chicken over processed meats like salami to reduce saturated fat and sodium.
Smart with Sauces: High-fat and sugary dressings can ruin a healthy meal; choose mustard, vinegar, or Sweet Onion instead.
Build Your Own Bowl: A protein bowl with double meat and extra veggies offers a high-protein, low-carb meal without the bread.
The Healthiest Choice is a Custom Choice: The 'healthiest item' is not fixed but is created by making a series of smart, conscious decisions during your order.

The Healthiest Pre-Built Options

For those seeking a quick, healthy option without extensive customization, Subway offers several pre-defined choices that stand out for their nutritional profiles. These items are typically lower in saturated fat and calories than other menu items.

Veggie Delite

The Veggie Delite is a low-calorie vegetarian option. When ordered as a 6-inch sub on 9-Grain Wheat bread with fresh vegetables and no cheese or mayo, it provides fiber, vitamins, and minerals. As a salad, it offers a lower-carb option.

Oven Roasted Turkey

Oven Roasted Turkey is a lean protein choice. A 6-inch sub on 9-Grain Wheat with fresh veggies is a classic healthy option. Choosing this over processed meats reduces unhealthy fats and sodium.

Subway Fresh Fit® Menu

Subway's Fresh Fit menu features items generally under 500 calories for a 6-inch portion, with a full serving of vegetables and at least 20g of protein. These include options with lean proteins like grilled chicken or turkey, such as the Grilled Chicken & Avocado.

Building Your Own Healthy Subway Meal

Customizing your order is key to eating healthy at Subway. A 6-inch sub on whole grain bread is recommended, and salads or protein bowls offer low-carb alternatives. Wraps may have more calories and carbohydrates than a 6-inch sub. Lean proteins like Oven Roasted Turkey, Oven Roasted Chicken Breast, or Rotisserie-Style Chicken are the best choices, while tuna salad should be chosen in moderation, and processed meats like salami avoided due to high fat and sodium. Adding fresh vegetables boosts nutrients with few calories. Low-calorie sauces like Yellow Mustard or Red Wine Vinegar are best, while creamy sauces should be avoided. Avocado adds healthy fats but also calories.

Comparing Healthy vs. Unhealthy Subway Orders

This table shows the difference in nutritional content between a healthy and less healthy 6-inch sub:


Item	Bread	Protein	Cheese	Sauce	Estimated Calories	Estimated Fat	Estimated Sodium
Healthy Choice	9-Grain Wheat	Oven Roasted Chicken	No Cheese	Yellow Mustard/Vinegar	~320	~5g	~610mg
Less Healthy Choice	Italian Herbs & Cheese	Italian B.M.T.	Provolone	Ranch Sauce	>600	>30g	>1500mg

The Healthiest Item from Subway: The Final Verdict

The healthiest item from Subway is not a single sandwich but a custom-built meal using the healthiest ingredients. A Veggie Delite salad is very low in calories and packed with vitamins. A 6-inch sub with Oven Roasted Chicken or Turkey on 9-Grain Wheat with plenty of vegetables and a light dressing like mustard or vinegar is also a nutritious choice. Your personal healthiest choice depends on your diet goals, but focusing on these principles is key.

Conclusion

Subway can be a healthy fast-food option if you make smart choices. Customization is a major advantage. By selecting whole-grain bread, lean proteins, low-calorie sauces, and lots of vegetables, you can create a balanced meal.

Customizing for a Healthier Meal

Tips for a healthier meal include choosing a 6-inch whole-grain sub or a salad, prioritizing lean protein like oven-roasted chicken or turkey, maximizing vegetables, selecting light sauces like yellow mustard or red wine vinegar, and skipping cheese and creamy dressings.

Frequently Asked Questions

The 9-Grain Wheat bread is generally considered the healthiest option at Subway due to higher fiber and lower sodium compared to most other choices.

Wraps can sometimes have more calories and carbohydrates than a 6-inch sub roll. A 6-inch whole-grain sub or a salad are often lower calorie/carb options.

Avoid creamy, high-calorie dressings like Ranch and Chipotle Southwest. Opt for low-calorie alternatives such as yellow mustard, red wine vinegar, or Sweet Onion sauce.

Yes, the Veggie Delite is a healthy, low-calorie item, especially as a salad or on whole-grain bread. It's packed with vegetables and low in fat.

Choose lean meats like turkey or chicken over deli meats, skip cheese, and avoid creamy, high-sodium dressings. Adding fresh vegetables also helps.

Yes, salads remove the bread and maximize vegetables. Be cautious with creamy dressings and extra cheese which add calories.

A 6-inch Oven Roasted Chicken or Turkey sub on 9-Grain Wheat with veggies and light dressing is a good choice. A protein bowl with these meats is another.