The Subway Menu Item You Should Order If You Want A Protein-Packed Meal

Subway sends lots of healthy signals to its hungry customers. Its ads are always packed with foot-long, hoagie-style rolls with crisp, fresh veggies and juicy meat slices. Menu offerings are always changing, too, as Subway does its best to keep up with the times. The Seafood Sensation is one of the old-school fast food sandwiches that's since disappeared while even more major changes were made to Subway's menu in recent years. One of the changes Subway has incorporated is adding protein-dense options for customers.

Don't think too hard about whether fast food is 'healthy' –- it's safe to assume that it's not. Fast food wasn't ever meant to provide healthy meals that meet all nutritional goals; it's geared to be convenient, flavorful, and filling. Occasionally a nutritional powerhouse pops up on a fast food menu, though, and one of those outliers is Subway's Rotisserie‑Style Chicken Bowl. It's part of a line of protein bowls Subway released in 2020 as a way for customers to get the same flavors of a foot-long sub without the bread. There are about a dozen premade bowls on the menu that resemble popular Subway sandwich orders, but the Rotisserie-Style Chicken Bowl delivers 31 grams of protein — and that's just to start. The best thing about Subway's protein bowls is they're customizable so you can double the protein, if you really want. You just have to know how to place the order.

If you order the Rotisserie-Style Chicken Bowl at Subway as-is, you'll get 31 grams of protein, 8 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs, and 220 calories. Carb-loaded bread is swapped for leafy greens like spinach and lettuce which are topped with other veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, olives, and bell peppers. It's high in vitamin C, iron, and vitamin A and there are plenty of ways to customize the bowl to get even more nutrition for your money. Rotisserie-style chicken provides lean protein and plenty of calories to create a nutritionally balanced and filling meal. But that's just the version you order straight from the menu.

Anyone who has been to Subway knows a "sandwich artist" builds their meal as they place the order, so you'll have a few chances to customize your protein bowl. Double the meat on the bowl for a meal with 62 grams of protein; add pickles, jalapenos, and banana peppers for a little more flavor; and choose low-calorie dressings and sauces to finish off the bowl. Instead of higher-calorie Caesar dressing or Ranch, go for vinegar and ask for a light dose of dressing to keep your bowl on the healthier side.