What should I order at Subway for high protein?
A footlong 5 Meat Italian carries the most protein on the menu, 80 g. For a smaller appetite, the 6 inch Steak and Fresh Avocado or Grilled Chicken and Fresh Avocado, both from the Fresh Fit range, land at 35 g for under 450 calories. Figures come from Subway's official US nutrition PDF, current as of January 2026.
Key takeaways
- A footlong is roughly double a 6 inch in every number, so the size you order matters as much as which sandwich you pick.
- The Fresh Fit range, built around leaner proteins, produces the best protein-to-calorie 6 inch sandwiches: Steak and Fresh Avocado or Grilled Chicken and Fresh Avocado both hit 35 g under 450 calories.
- Protein Bowls swap the bread for extra filling, which is why the 5 Meat Italian Protein Bowl carries almost as much protein as its footlong sandwich version for 400 fewer calories.
- Salads are listed without dressing on Subway's own nutrition information, same as the sandwiches without extra sauce.
Subway's sandwiches, salads, protein bowls and pockets are all pre-defined named items on the official menu, not builds put together on the spot, which is why the figures below are exact rather than approximate. They come from Subway's official US nutrition PDF, dated January 2026.
The highest protein items
- 80 g5 Meat Italianfootlong, 1360 kcal
- 70 gChicken & Bacon Ranchfootlong, 1160 kcal
- 66 gMeatball Pepperonifootlong, 1380 kcal
- 66 g5 Meat Italian Protein Bowl1 bowl, 960 kcal
- 62 gSubway Clubfootlong, 1000 kcal
- 62 gRoast Beeffootlong, 1000 kcal
High protein, low calorie: better for a smaller appetite
The Fresh Fit sandwiches and the Protein Pockets are built around leaner fillings, which is where the best ratios on this menu turn up.
- 35 gSteak & Fresh Avocado, Fresh Fit6 inch, 430 kcal
- 35 gGrilled Chicken & Fresh Avocado, Fresh Fit6 inch, 450 kcal
- 26 gTurkey & Ranch Delite, Fresh Fit6 inch, 380 kcal
- 26 gGrilled Chicken Salad, no dressing1 salad, 440 kcal
- 24 gBaja Chicken Protein Pocket1 pocket, 330 kcal
- 23 gSweet Onion Teriyaki Chicken Salad, no dressing1 salad, 300 kcal
Ordering it
- A 6 inch Fresh Fit sandwich is the most reliable smaller-appetite order: real protein, a defined menu item, no guessing at a custom build.
- Adding cheese or a creamy sauce to any of these changes the numbers, sometimes by more than you'd expect.
- The Protein Bowl format is worth trying if bread isn't the point of the order for you.
If Chick-fil-A is more often on your route, the Chick-fil-A high protein menu works the same way.
If you're managing a GLP-1 prescription and unsure how a heavier order fits your plan for the day, that is a question for your prescriber or dietitian rather than a menu page.
More questions about Fast food
What's the highest protein item at Subway?
A footlong 5 Meat Italian, at 80 g of protein for 1,360 calories, which is Subway's own figure for doubling the 6 inch version. That's a large order, worth splitting across two meals rather than eating in one sitting.
What should I order at Subway if I'm on a GLP-1 medication?
A 6 inch Fresh Fit sandwich, Steak and Fresh Avocado or Grilled Chicken and Fresh Avocado, both give 35 g of protein for well under 450 calories. If bread feels like too much, the Baja Chicken Protein Pocket is a smaller option at 24 g for 330 calories. Check bigger changes to how you eat around your prescription with your prescriber or dietitian.
Do the Protein Bowls actually have more protein than a sandwich?
Not more, but a better ratio: the 5 Meat Italian Protein Bowl is 66 g for 960 calories, close to the footlong sandwich's 80 g but for 400 fewer calories, since the bread is gone.
