Review: Subway's Fresh Fit Sandwiches Could Use Some More 'Wow' Factor

Did anyone else spontaneously spout the "Subway, eat fresh!" jingle as a kid? Oh ... just me? Perhaps it was such a semi-regular outburst because of the chokehold the chain had on my childhood. My dad and I would take the Metro into his office in D.C. on long summer days (I was under the guise I had a job, but I'm sure he was just giving my mom a break) and, in lieu of packing lunch, we'd walk down to the corner Subway store around noon. I don't frequent the chain as much in my adulthood; when a sandwich craving hits, I'm more likely to make my own Italian sub. Still, the brand — ever-adapting to the whims of modern diners — endures, and its latest venture offers a one-way ticket to protein land. 

September 10 heralds a new Subway era that sees the chain going back to its roots in a way. Subway is launching a Fresh Fit menu which, as its name would suggest, promises to serve up health-conscious subs that any consumer can feel good about eating. Four new sandwiches are gracing the lineup, so of course I had to give them a try. I was met with a mixed bag of offerings — while I downed one sandwich without hesitation, a couple others left me thinking I could have made something tastier at home. Want to know how the new sandos stack up? Stay tuned to find out. 

The good news is, if you find a new favorite among these offerings, you'll likely be able to get it for the long term. While we can't ensure each will be listed on the menu in perpetuity, all the sandwiches are made with ingredients that, to my knowledge, Subway has had for a while. So, worst case scenario, just make sure to note what's inside your favorite. That way, you can custom order it if need be. In terms of pricing, I got each sub as a 6-inch with no additions or substitutions, and each cost between $7.69 and $9.99, well within the typical range of sandwiches at my store.

What exactly makes these sandwiches "fresh" and "fit?" A couple things, actually. For starters, each sandwich is under 500 calories if you order a 6-inch. Second, each has at least 20 grams of protein; and lastly, each is piled high with various veggies. While I can't call these Subway's best sandwiches, there's something to be said for having an easy, reliably healthy order that you don't have to piece together yourself — for that, I'll gladly give the company ample credit. Without further ado, let's dig in. 

Despite its extraordinarily messy appearance (yes, I did have to do some reconstruction before chowing down on this bad boy), I found Subway's Grilled Chicken & Avocado sandwich to be my favorite of the four new offerings. This sandwich is packed with a whopping 35 grams of protein and includes grilled chicken, avocado, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and baja chipotle sauce on multigrain bread. 

Perhaps the reason I heartily enjoyed this sandwich is because baja chipotle is, in my humble opinion, the best sauce Subway has to offer. To be frank, I probably wouldn't have liked the sandwich as much without the sauce — after all, the right sauce can really make or break a sando, and this sauce brings all the elements together very nicely while adding a smoky appeal to the equation. In addition to featuring ample veggies, I also really liked the avocado spread. It added a creamy mouthfeel and was readily apparent rather than fading into the background. The grilled chicken didn't really beg for attention, but it was there nonetheless. All in all, I'd order this sandwich again. It was thoroughly satisfying and the 6-inch offering did a great job at filling me up. 

I'll admit to having a bit of a personal vendetta against Subway's Ham & Turkey Stacker, but we'll get to that momentarily. The sandwich is piled high with two different deli meats (ham and turkey, as you may have guessed) and also includes lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and yellow mustard, all on multigrain bread. All in all, you'll get 20 grams of protein from this sub. Not bad for a midday meal. 

Onto my vendetta: I loathe yellow mustard, and have previously called the sauce my least favorite sauce at Subway. If you're a fan of the condiment, feel free to disregard my opinion in favor of formulating your own. I'll give the sandwich this: I didn't mind the yellow mustard here as much as I normally do, and I can see why those less averse to the sauce would like this offering. I enjoyed the ample meat on the sandwich, but at the end of the day, it's really just a turkey and ham sandwich with veggies and mustard. It's nothing to write home about and feels like you're paying mostly for the convenience of not having to make your own sandwich, which may well be true. You won't dislike this sandwich (unless you share my mustard opinion), but you probably won't find it super noteworthy, either. 

My second favorite sandwich in the Fresh Fit lineup was undoubtedly Subway's Seasoned Steak & Avocado sub. This 6-inch sandwich features shaved steak, avocado, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, and red onion, all served on toasted multigrain bread. The result is a meal that packs 35 grams of protein — perfect for when you need a filling midday meal that's not calorically dense. 

My favorite part of the sandwich was definitely the shaved steak. I can't call it juicy by any stretch, but it was delicious and well-seasoned, in accordance with the name of this sandwich. As with my favorite selection, I thoroughly enjoyed the avocado here. It gave a nice, creamy contrast to the crunch of the veggies, and added ample flavor to boot. Still, I really think this sandwich would benefit from another flavor profile. Why isn't there any sauce on it? It could have been named my favorite with the simple addition of one of Subway's plethora of sauces — of course, you can always add one yourself at the store, but I feel sauce should be a standard topping. Nevertheless, it was still plenty flavorful, even sans condiments. 

I found this to be the most lackluster of the new offerings; even despite my writer's-brain-cringe at the purposeful misspelling of Delite (we get it, Subway, the sandwich is fresh and fit), I didn't really find it delightful. The meat in this sub is oven-roasted turkey, and it also includes lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, red onions, and ranch dressing on toasted multigrain bread. 

I thought the ranch would add some welcome flavor to this sandwich, and I suppose it did — unfortunately, it was just about the only thing that brought flavor to the sub. Rather than making all the difference, it just lifts this sandwich out of firmly subpar territory, and this is definitely a Subway sandwich you could just make at home. It was fine texturally and, as always, I liked the crunch of the veggies. And again, it's not bad. It's just nothing to write home about. It could pretty easily be elevated by adding some herbs or other seasonings, or even subbing the ranch for an oil and vinaigrette option. 

Two of the sandwiches stuck out to me as offerings I'd order again (though I'd have to add some sauce to the steak sando next time). Though the other two were fine offerings, they didn't boast anything special. If you find yourself sans ingredients at home and craving a health-conscious sub, you wouldn't go wrong with any of these, but don't expect them to knock your socks off. If you want to try them for yourself, by all means, go ahead — just keep your expectations in check, and look at the sandwiches as an easy way to get a healthy, protein-packed meal.