What's a Healthy Choice at Subway? A Guide to Nutritious Ordering

December 29, 2025 •

4 min read

Subway has long promoted itself as a healthier fast-food option, but a meal's true nutritional value depends entirely on your choices. With so many options available, knowing what's a healthy choice at Subway can be a challenge, as ingredients can quickly turn a meal from balanced to calorie-heavy.

Quick Summary

This guide provides expert-backed recommendations for building nutritious, low-calorie, and high-protein meals at Subway, from selecting lean proteins and high-fiber breads to choosing low-calorie sauces and maximizing vegetable toppings.

Key Points

Start with the right foundation: Choose a 6-inch sub or a salad bowl to manage portion sizes effectively.
Opt for lean proteins: Oven-Roasted Turkey and Rotisserie-Style Chicken are excellent high-protein, low-fat options.
Maximize your veggie intake: Load up on fresh vegetables like spinach, cucumbers, and peppers for added fiber and nutrients.
Be cautious with condiments: Use low-calorie options like mustard or oil and vinegar, and limit or avoid creamy, high-fat sauces.
Mindful add-ons: Skip cheese to reduce calories and sodium, or opt for Swiss in moderation. Consider adding avocado for healthy fats.
Choose healthier sides: Opt for apple slices and water over chips and sugary drinks to keep your meal balanced.
Limit processed meats and high-calorie toppings: Avoid options like the Meatball Marinara and the Chicken & Bacon Ranch to significantly reduce calories and fat.

Demystifying the "Eat Fresh" Slogan

Subway's marketing suggests a universally healthy experience, but careful consideration is crucial for making a genuinely nutritious selection. While the chain offers fresh vegetables and whole-grain bread, the addition of high-fat condiments, processed meats, and certain cheeses can significantly increase calories, saturated fat, and sodium. A seemingly healthy option can quickly become a less-than-ideal choice with the wrong add-ons. The good news is that with a few simple strategies, you can take advantage of the customization options to create a meal that aligns with your health goals.

Step 1: Choose Your Base Wisely

Your choice of bread or vessel is the first and most foundational decision when building a healthy meal at Subway. Opting for a whole-grain base provides more fiber, vitamins, and minerals than standard white options, promoting better digestion and satiety.

6-Inch vs. Footlong: Portion control is a key factor in managing calories. A six-inch sub is often sufficient for a single meal, whereas a footlong can easily double your calorie and sodium intake.
Breads: The Hearty Multigrain bread is a dietitian favorite for its high fiber content. Flatbreads can be lower in calories, but wraps often contain more sodium than subs.
No Bready Bowls and Salads: For those on a low-carb diet or simply seeking to reduce calories, the “No Bready Bowls” and salads offer all the fillings of a sub without the bread.

Step 2: Pick Your Lean Protein

Selecting a lean protein is essential for a balanced meal that keeps you feeling full longer. Steer clear of processed, high-sodium meats and prioritize options that are lower in saturated fat.

Leanest Proteins: Oven-Roasted Turkey and Rotisserie-Style Chicken are excellent, high-protein, low-fat choices. The Veggie Patty is another solid option, packed with vegetables.
Higher Protein Picks: The Roast Beef is also lean and offers a high protein count.
Beware of Tuna: While tuna offers healthy fats, Subway's tuna salad is mixed with mayonnaise, significantly increasing its calorie and fat content.

Step 3: Maximize Your Veggies

Loading up on vegetables is one of the easiest and most effective ways to boost the nutritional value of your Subway meal. Fresh vegetables are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Requesting extra vegetables will add bulk and nutrients without a significant calorie increase. Some of the best choices include spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers.

Step 4: Add Flavor Without the Fat

Condiments and dressings can drastically change a meal's nutritional profile. Many creamy sauces are loaded with calories and sugar, so it’s best to use them sparingly or opt for lighter alternatives.

Best Low-Calorie Options: Yellow mustard, oil, and vinegar provide excellent flavor with minimal calories. The Sweet Onion sauce can also be a lower-calorie, flavorful choice.
Avoid High-Calorie Dressings: Creamy dressings like ranch, mayonnaise, and chipotle southwest sauce should be used with caution or avoided entirely.

Step 5: Choose Smart Add-ons and Sides

For add-ons, toppings, and sides, prioritizing nutrition can help maintain the overall healthiness of your meal. Consider these tips:

Cheese: Opt for Swiss or provolone, and consider going light or skipping it entirely to reduce sodium and fat.
Avocado: This is a great addition for heart-healthy fats and extra fiber.
Sides: For a side, skip the cookies and chips and choose apple slices for a healthier, low-calorie alternative. Drink water or unsweetened iced tea instead of sugary sodas.

Comparison: Healthy vs. Indulgent Orders

To illustrate the impact of your choices, consider this comparison between a healthy, customized six-inch sub and a standard, more indulgent footlong option.


Feature	Healthy 6-Inch Sub	Indulgent Footlong Sub
Bread	Hearty Multigrain	Italian Herbs and Cheese
Protein	Oven-Roasted Turkey	Chicken & Bacon Ranch Melt
Veggies	Loaded with all fresh vegetables (spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers)	Standard amount of lettuce and tomato
Cheese	Swiss, light portion or none	American or Provolone, full portion
Sauce	Yellow Mustard or Oil & Vinegar	Ranch or Chipotle Southwest
Estimated Calories	~300-350 kcal	~1,200-1,400+ kcal
Estimated Sodium	~800 mg or less	~2,500+ mg

Conclusion: Your Choices Define the Meal

Subway's menu can indeed offer a healthy, balanced, and satisfying meal, but it's not a guarantee. The power is in your hands—or rather, your order. By prioritizing whole-grain breads, lean proteins like turkey and rotisserie chicken, and an abundance of fresh vegetables, you can create a nutritious meal. Avoiding high-calorie sauces and processed cheeses is just as important. The customizable nature of Subway is its greatest asset for the health-conscious consumer, so use it to your advantage to stay on track with your nutritional goals.

For more detailed nutritional information and to build your custom order, utilize Subway's official nutrition calculator on their website.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Veggie Delite is typically the lowest-calorie 6-inch sub, especially when ordered with no cheese or high-calorie sauces.

Not necessarily. Wraps often contain a footlong portion of meat and can have higher sodium content than a 6-inch sub. Choosing a 6-inch on multigrain bread or a salad is often a better option.

To reduce sodium, limit processed deli meats, choose a lower-sodium bread like multigrain or artisan flatbread, go easy on high-sodium condiments like pickles and olives, and limit or omit cheese.

Subway's tuna salad is mixed with mayonnaise, making it higher in calories and fat. While it contains healthy omega-3s, leaner protein choices like roasted turkey or rotisserie chicken are often better for low-fat diets.

For a healthy meal, opt for the Hearty Multigrain or Artisan Italian breads. These offer more fiber and tend to be lower in sodium than options like the Italian Herbs and Cheese bread.

Yes, salads can be a very healthy choice, especially if you opt for lean protein and stick to a low-calorie dressing like oil and vinegar. Be aware that the Protein Bowls contain more meat and, therefore, more sodium.

You should limit or avoid high-calorie, creamy sauces like Ranch, Chipotle Southwest, and mayonnaise. Opt for mustard, vinegar, or the Sweet Onion sauce instead.