Alternative to Subway

gp79
gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
edited September 23 in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone,

With my job, I find myself traveling 180 days per year which makes it hard to stay on a steady diet as if one were eating out of their refrigerator every day. When traveling I instantly resort to Subway for a couple of reasons.

1. They are everywhere.
2. They are cheap.
3. I am familiar with their menu and happy with their calorie counts

But with everything in life...there are three qualities that cannot be present in any item...."cheap, good and fast"

If it's good and cheap, it cant be fast
If it's cheap and fast, it can't be good
If its good and fast, it cant be cheap

I'm voting for subway being cheap and fast, but not good. Simply look at their sodium content, which comes primarily from their deli meats and certain condiments such as the pickles, jalapeno's, olives or other veggies that are stored in a preservative. I wasn't really aware of their sodium content until MFP came into my life. As I looked at my daily nutrition, wherever I consume subway, my sodium levels are through the roof. My food diary's are public if you're interested.

Tonight, while browsing here I found a link for a subway calorie counter. I entered in the sandwitch I usually order to find that it has a 118% sodium content....outrageous. I tweaked the condiments and got it down to 60% for a 12".

So talk to me about what you have found for alternatives while on the road.

Replies

  • jessieinblue
    jessieinblue Posts: 287 Member
    Perhaps seek out smaller, more local sandwich shops and delis? No doubt you can find them on Google, or just by asking people.
  • Meg28
    Meg28 Posts: 59
    I eat Subway nearly every day at work so I feel your pain. Go for a salad, avoid the chips and cheese, and get the fat free dressing. It gets kinda old, but on Fridays I'll treat myself to an actual sub (still no chips) haha
  • atomiclauren
    atomiclauren Posts: 689 Member
    While not the greatest, imo, but could be a nice change, might be Pita Pit if you come across one - they have an online "build a pita" that measures the nutritional information as you go. As with Subway, though, the sodium can get crazy!
  • tuskegee4
    tuskegee4 Posts: 110 Member
    I like Subway, but I love Moe's Triple Lindy or Art Vandalay or Salad. I usually get grilled veggies and sometimes to tofu. Eat half and eat other half later. Moe's says 396 calories for half a sandwich, but MFP says 427 I think for half.
  • yaafee
    yaafee Posts: 274 Member
    Not sure if you are out a day at a time, or a couple in a row. You may look like a dork, but pack along one of those soft-sided bag coolers in your carry-on. Stop at a local grocery for yogurt, tuna, fresh salads etc. It might be odd at first to make sandwiches on the hotel desk, but it can be done.

    If you really don't have time to pick up at the store... stay away from anything pickled and drink plenty of WATER not soda or tea with your meal.

    Good luck.
  • lanem688
    lanem688 Posts: 4 Member
    Yes I agree with Moe's whenever I go my fiance and I either split a burrito or I just order the junior burrito "streaker" no shell, and limit the chip intake. Chick-fil-A Chargrill Chicken Sandwich is also a yummy choice.
  • gummi212
    gummi212 Posts: 5
    Just playing around with some of my favorites, but if you go to Wendy's, you can get the Ultimate Chicken Grill (which comes with a light honey mustard sauce that you can leave off if you want, but I calculated the nutritional info. leaving it on) with a side salad (fat free dressing) for 430 calories, 8 grams of fat an 1270 mg of sodium. That was the first thing that came to my mind. Their chili is pretty good for fiber and protein, but the small does have 7 grams of fat and a fair amount of sodium.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
    Deli meat is typically pretty high in sodium, whether in the store or a fast food place, because it's used as a preservative. I usually try to find small local restaurants (not chains) as they often use more fresh items and make stuff from scratch. I don't really know of any chains that have more than one or two decent things. But unfortunately, eating out anywhere, fast food or restaurant, is usually a trade off for something, as you said.
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