The first Subway restaurant opened in Canada back in 1986 in St. John’s, Nfld. Three brothers opened the sub shop together after one of them travelled to Subway’s Connecticut headquarters and fell in love with the product.
Back in the mid-’80s, it was a bit of a novelty for a restaurant to only sell one thing. But the concept quickly caught on, with Subway expanding throughout Atlantic Canada and beyond during the ’90s. By 2003, the number of Subway restaurants in Canada actually surpassed McDonald’s, cementing Canada as the brand’s largest market outside of the U.S.
Subway Canada has continued to lean into its identity north of the border — a new “ditch the inch” campaign launched this month saw the chain advertising a line up of “Canadian Classic” subs measured in the metric system — 15.24 cm long — instead of the usual six inches.
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Given its popularity with Canadians — there are now more than 3,000 locations, with 37 per cent of them in Ontario alone — Yahoo Canada asked a dietitian to weigh in on which menu items they’d recommend at Subway, and which ones to skip.
“Because Subway is customizable, you definitely have more control over what you’re adding,” says Lyndsay Lang, a registered dietitian who shares recipes and food reviews on TikTok. “There are healthier options, like salads and bowls, so you can have a more balanced meal compared to other fast food chains.”
A dietitian weighs in on which menu items to order at Subway — and which to avoid. (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images for Subway)
There are, however, some things to keep in mind while eating at the chain — especially when deli meat comes into the equation.
“As a registered dietitian, I do recommend limiting your processed meat intake as much as possible: bacon, sausage, or any kind of deli meats, turkey or ham,” she said. “There is research suggesting that intake of processed meats regularly can increase your risk of colorectal cancer.”
With this in mind, Lang tells people that eating processed meats is best done in moderation. To see which menu items Lang would actually order at Subway, and which ones she would avoid — according to the current nutritional information sheet — scroll below.
4 things a dietitian would order at Subway
Classic Rotisserie Chicken Power Bowl
“The power bowls, I would say, are the best options in terms of offering a balanced meal,” Lang said. In this case, there’s protein from the chicken and beans and corn, carbs from the rice and vegetables for fibre. “Those are the three things you would want in a meal to make it filling and balanced.”
While it can be difficult to know the exact calories without building your own bowl, the standard version online (served with rice, beans, chicken, shredded cheddar, and topped with lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, salsa and ranch) clocks in at 590 calories.
Like any fast food, Lang is still aware of the sodium content; in this case, it’s 1,060 mg. “It’s still quite high in salt, but compared to other options, I would say it was best in terms of calories and fat,” she said.
There’s also the option to cut back on dressing and cheese, which would reduce calories.
Tuna Salad
Another good option from Subway is the Tuna Salad. It has 430 calories with the following build: lettuce and spinach as a base, tuna as the protein, and topped with tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, black olives, red onions, and finally, the house sauce.
“Tuna in general is actually a good source of our healthy fats, which can benefit our heart health,” Lang said. “So tuna is always a good option.”
In this case, Lang suggests adding some healthy carbs to this standard dish with the addition of beans and corn, which can make the dish more balanced and keep you feeling fuller for longer.
“If you’re looking for a lighter meal or a meal lower in carbs, this is definitely a good one to go for,” she said. “But if you do want to make it a more complete meal, add some healthy carbs in there.”
Turkey Breast Sub
Though Lang still suggests processed meats be eaten in moderation, she says turkey breast is likely the best option. “It’s the leanest,” she said. Online, the six-inch turkey breast sub on multi-grain has 280 calories — though that does not include cheese or sauce. However, a six-inch turkey has 860 mg of sodium, which is notable.
If you’re going for a deli meat sub, Lang suggests sticking with turkey breast. (Photo via Getty Images)
Lang says another good option is grilled chicken, which is offered regionally, or rotisserie chicken, as mentioned before. Just be sure to choose a whole grain bread for extra fibre and be mindful of caloric add-ons, like cheese and excessive sauce.
Fiesta Beans & Corn Side Salad
For sides, Lang suggests the beans and corn side salad rather than cookies or chips. “This is a great option,” she said. It can add a bit of extra protein to any meal with six grams of fibre per serving, six grams of protein and 134 calories. Plus, it could be added to bowls or salads.
“It depends on the person, but we need anywhere from 25 to 30 grams of fibre each day. This could help get us there. It’s also important for our blood sugar, digestion and more. So that’s a good, healthy side dish.”
4 things a dietitian would skip at Subway
Bourbon Brisket Sub
Subway’s six-inch standard Bourbon Brisket sub features BBQ sauce and honey mustard, a double serving of cheddar cheese, plus crispy onions on top. Online, the standard six-inch version on white bread has 740 calories, but it’s the saturated fats and sodium that caught Lang’s eye.
“This sandwich is quite high in saturated fat, but the biggest thing is the sodium,” she said. The six-inch version has 1,600 mg of sodium, while the footlong would be nearly 3,200 mg. “That’s well over our recommended daily intake [of 2,300 mg].”
“For that reason, I would say it’s definitely best to skip this one,” Lang said.
Pizza Sub Melt
While it looks simple, the Pizza Sub Melt — made with Italian bread, pepperoni, processed cheddar and marinara sauce — is sneakily high in saturated fats. The 430 calorie sub has eight grams of saturated fats, which is approaching the 20 gram recommended daily limit.
But the other thing to keep in mind is that it’s a smaller sub, at only 146 grams per serving, yet it is high in sodium, with 1,500 mg for a six-inch sub. Plus, Lang notes it’s one of the subs lowest in protein, at 18 grams.
“It might not be as filling, but then you’re getting lots of fat and salt, so there are definitely better options,” she said.
Chicken Rancher Wrap
“At first, this might seem like a healthier option because there’s grilled chicken in it, but there is bacon and also quite a bit of ranch dressing,” Lang said. Indeed, online, the standard chicken ranch wrap has chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing, plus the wrap itself, and whatever veggies you desire.
What stood out to Lang was not only the processed meat, but the extra calories, extra fat and extra salt from the bacon, sauce and cheese.
This wrap has 650 calories and 1,340 mg of sodium – and that’s without sauce.
“There are better options where you can just get the chicken on a sandwich,” she noted.
The cookies
This dietitian suggests diners skip out on chip or cookie combinations altogether.
“It’s probably best to just skip out on the combos, because it’s extra calories that you don’t necessarily need,” she said. The cookies especially are of note, she said, since the combo comes with two.
If you’re getting a combo, Lang suggests skipping the beloved Subway cookies. (Photo via Getty Images)
“One cookie has about 30 grams of carbs,” she said. “So if we’re already having a sandwich, you don’t necessarily need the extra carbs and extra sugar — we’re getting more than enough in the sandwich.”
The cookies at Subway range from 28 to 30 grams of carbs for one serving, 200 to 220 calories and 16 to 20 grams of sugar. When you order two cookies, those totals are doubled, which makes cookies a skip for Lang.
The bottom line
Want a healthier Subway order? Keep sauces on the side, pick whole grain bread and cut back on processed meats. Of course, eating at the sub chain every now and then is just fine — like any fast food, it’s all about moderation — but keep in mind that many fast foods have higher sodium counts than you’d think.
“Even if it seems like you’re choosing the healthier option, usually the salt intake is much higher than if we were cooking at home,” Lang said.
Overall, Subway is a convenient option when you’re on the go, and its customizable menu makes it easier to create a meal that’s balanced and fits your health goals.
Checking the nutritional info and making small adjustments — like choosing whole grain bread or lighter sauces — can help you keep your order on the healthier side, while opting for high protein add-ons, like beans and corn, will make you feel fuller and more sated.
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