Subway: Eat Fresh and Vegetarian Friendly

A Vegetarian's Guide to Subway

photo courtesy of vegwise.wordpress.com

The world of fast food is a scary, dark, mostly deep fried place best avoided by those of us who value quality food and fresh vegetables and avoid meat. I avert my eyes when I pass a McDonald's (unless I have to use the bathroom. They have surprisingly, reliably clean bathrooms.) My one major exception? Subway.

Subway was way ahead of the game when it came to disclosing calories. They have many veggies to choose from, and they are all delivered fresh each day (I particularly like their tomatoes). And for a "limited time" they're offering freshly sliced avocado (I hope that limited time extends forever!) I don't pretend that these are the best veggies around. I could certainly find better in a grocery store and make my own sandwich, probably for less money. But the point is that, sometimes, fast food is just that: fast and convenient. But most of it is really bad for you and not at all vegetarian friendly. Subway is slightly ahead of the fast food race to cater to vegetarians.

It used to be all about the Veggie Delight sandwich, aka whichever bread you choose plus cheese and however many veggies you could stuff in there. While that was great, it wasn't exactly a satisfying sandwich.

And then, a breakthrough. Subway started offering "veggie patties," which are basically veggie burgers. But God, are they delicious. I am obsessed with this sandwich. I get a six inch on wheat, toasted, no cheese, with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, avocado, oil, and vinegar.

photo courtesy of learningvegan.blogspot.com

The veggie patty has 160 calories on its own. Definitely no match for a Boca Vegan burger, which clocks in at just 70 calories. The sodium count is a bit high as is the fat. But again, convenience. Most of us don't have a microwave in our car on those long road trips and it's preferable to chewing one's own arm off. (No nutrition info available for a human arm, but I'm sure it's very fatty and not at ALL vegetarian friendly.)

Vegans beware: the subway veggie patty contains milk and egg products.

The moral of the story? If you're looking for a fast food restaurant, look no further than Subway for a satisfying and (pretty) healthy option.

Subway Veggie Patty nutrition information:

Serving Size: 1 patty

Calories: 160 calories

Carbohydrates: 12 grams

Fiber: 3 grams

Sugar: 2 grams

Fat: 5 grams

Protein: 6 grams

Sodium: 520 milligrams

nutrition info courtesy livestrong.com

But of course, choosing the patty is only the first step. Making healthy choices begins with the patty and ends with the bread and toppings.

Here is some information on the bread, cheeses, and sauces available at Subway courtesy of their well-organized website:

Breads 6" 9-Grain Wheat Bread 78 210 20 2.0 0.5 0 0 310 40 4 5 8 0 0 30 15 6" Hearty Italian Bread 75 210 20 2.5 0.5 0 0 290 41 2 5 7 0 0 30 15 6" Honey Oat 89 260 25 3.0 0.5 0 0 330 48 5 9 9 0 0 30 15 6" Italian (White) Bread 71 200 20 2.0 0.5 0 0 290 38 1 5 7 0 0 30 15 6" Italian Herbs & Cheese 82 250 45 5.0 2.5 0 10 490 40 2 5 9 2 0 40 15 6" Monterey Cheddar 82 240 50 6.0 2.5 0 10 360 38 2 5 10 2 0 40 15 6" Parmesan Oregano Bread 75 220 25 2.5 1.0 0 0 440 40 2 5 8 0 0 35 15 6" Roasted Garlic 82 230 25 2.5 0.5 0 0 1260 45 2 7 8 4 45 35 15 6" Sourdough Bread 78 210 25 3.0 1.0 0 0 210 41 3 2 8 0 0 4 6 Flatbread 87 220 40 4.5 1.0 0 0 450 38 2 2 7 0 0 8 15 Mini Italian (White) Bread 47 130 15 1.5 0 0 0 190 25 1 3 5 0 0 20 8 Mini Wheat Bread 52 140 15 1.5 0 0 0 200 27 3 3 5 0 0 20 8 Condiments & Extras Avocado 35 70 60 7.0 1.0 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 4 0 0 Bacon (2 strips) 9 45 30 3.5 1.5 0 10 190 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 Cheddar Cheese (2 triangles) 15 60 45 5.0 3.0 0 15 95 0 0 0 4 4 0 10 0 Light Mayonnaise (1 T) 15 50 45 5.0 1.0 0 5 100 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mayonnaise (1T) 15 110 110 12.0 2.0 0 10 80 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mustard, Yellow & Deli Brown (2 tsp) 10 5 0 0 0 0 0 115 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Olive Oil Blend (1 tsp) 7 45 45 5.0 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pepperjack Cheese (2 triangles) 11 50 35 4.0 2.5 0 15 140 0 0 0 2 4 4 10 0 Processed American Cheese (2 triangles) 11 40 30 3.5 2.0 0 10 200 1 0 0 2 4 0 6 0 Provolone Cheese (2 half circles) 14 50 35 4.0 2.0 0 10 125 0 0 0 4 2 0 10 0 Ranch (amount on wrap) 4 25 20 2.5 0 0 0 40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Shredded Monterey Blend 14 50 40 4.5 3.0 0 15 90 1 0 0 3 4 0 10 0 Swiss Cheese (2 triangles) 14 50 35 4.5 2.5 0 15 30 0 0 0 4 2 0 15 0 Vinegar (1 tsp) 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Select Sauce (1.5 T) Chipotle Southwest 21 100 90 10.0 1.5 0 10 220 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fat Free Honey Mustard 21 30 0 0 0 0 0 120 7 0 6 0 0 0 0 2 Fat Free Sweet Onion 21 40 0 0 0 0 0 85 9 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 Vegetables Banana Peppers (3 rings) 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 Cucumbers (3 slices) 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Green Peppers (3 strips) 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 Jalapeno Peppers (3 rings) 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 70 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Lettuce 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Olives (3 rings) 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Onions 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pickles (3 chips) 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 125 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tomato (3 wheels) 34 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 4 6 0 0 Sides Fresh Fit Apple Slices - 1 package 71 35 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 2 7 0 0 30 4 0 Baked Lays® 32 130 15 1.5 0 0 0 150 23 2 2 2 0 2 4 2 Dannon Light and Fit® Yogurt 170 80 0 0 0 0 5 80 16 0 11 5 8 0 15 0 Raisins - 1 package 43 130 0 0 0 0 0 0 33 2 30 2 0 0 0 6 Tables courtesy of Subway.com