14 Of The Healthiest Things You Can Order At Quiznos

Quiznos is the little sub restaurant that could. While it may not have the sheer presence that competitors like Subway have, Quiznos has managed to carve a place for itself in an already crowded niche. Starting in 1981 as a single shop in Denver, Colorado, Quiznos has expanded over the years. And while it's had its ups and downs, with a notable drop-off in locations in the 2010s, the franchise has seen a resurgence in popularity overseas in recent years and still has over 150 locations across the United States.

And, of course, a huge part of why Quiznos remains in the game is because of its food. Quiznos' menu offers a range of customizable sandwiches, made fresh to order. In addition, the chain serves up a range of salads, sides, and desserts and caters to a variety of dietary requirements, keeping every taste covered. But there's no escaping the fact that Quiznos is, at its core, a fast food joint — and fast food isn't exactly healthy. So how can you be sure that nutritious-looking sandwich is actually as good for you as it looks? Join us as we give you the lowdown on all of the healthiest options you can order at Quiznos, and why you should pick them.

Of all the subs on the Quiznos menu, the Spicy Monterey may be the healthiest you can choose. Now, granted, at first glance, it may not seem this way, with the sandwich relatively heavy on meat. But that turkey and ham, along with its provolone cheese, delivers a satisfying and important boost of protein.

Each 4-inch Spicy Monterey sandwich has 19 grams of protein, an excellent amount for its serving size and calorie count. And ensuring that we get enough protein, particularly from lean sources like turkey meat, is vital for our well-being. Our entire bodies are built on and maintained by protein, from our deepest bones to the tips of our hair. The nutrient also helps to bolster our immune systems and keep our cell function consistent, according to WebMD.

As adult women need roughly 46 grams of protein daily, and adult men need around 56 grams, the Spicy Monterey goes a long way toward covering this. And that's all in a sub that clocks in at only 300 calories, with 8 grams of fat and just 3 grams of saturated fat. Ordering a larger size, though, will naturally raise all of these values, so to maintain these nutritional quantities, keep it to 4 inches.

We don't think salads get enough credit for the way that they combine sweet and savory ingredients. And there are few better, or healthier, examples of this sweet-savory partnership than the Apple Harvest Salad at Quiznos. This nutritious meal provides an abundance of fruits and vegetables, including romaine lettuce, apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, and craisins. The Apple Harvest Salad also includes chicken for a hit of protein, with the half-salad size coming in at 9 grams of protein in total.

But while we're into the number of veggies and fruits in this salad, what we're really excited to see is the inclusion of pumpkin seeds. These seeds are a veritable superfood and are high in necessary minerals, including manganese, copper, and magnesium. Its magnesium levels are particularly important for maintaining heart health, may have a positive impact on type 2 diabetes risk, and could also be beneficial for your sleep health, according to Healthline. And if that wasn't enough, pumpkin seeds are also bursting with fiber. This fiber not only further benefits your heart health and diabetes risk but also keeps your gut healthy and happy and can stop you from getting hungry too quickly after eating. And if you feel like you'll miss your sub too much, never fear — you can also get the Apple Harvest Salad in sandwich form.

Okay, so we know what you're thinking. Broccoli cheese soup may be a mouth-watering treat, but it's not exactly the healthiest thing you can order in a restaurant. Well, that may be true — unless you're in a Quiznos. Its Broccoli Cheese has the second-lowest calorie count among all of its soups. And if you're ordering it in a small size, which is the perfect amount to accompany a lower-calorie sandwich or salad, it only has 120 calories.

The Broccoli Cheese is also pretty low in carbs, with just 10 grams per small serving, and has 4 grams of protein, which isn't bad for its size. And let's not forget about all of that broccoli swimming around in the soup. Although the small-size Broccoli Cheese probably isn't abundant in the vegetable realistically (this is a fast food place, after all), there's no getting around the potential benefits of its inclusion. Broccoli is full of nutrients that could have a positive impact on your heart and eye health and can help you build a higher level of overall immunity, per BBC Good Food. To add to this, certain substances that occur naturally in broccoli have been found to have protective effects against cancer.

Wait ... Huh? Even the most reckless nutritionist probably wouldn't count tater tots as a portion of healthy food, so why have you included them in this list, we hear you cry? Well, at Quiznos, the tater tots could be one of the better things to order — if you're looking for sides, that is.

Let's break it down. An order of Classic Tots contains 210 calories. This is, as you might expect, lower than some of its other side dish offerings, like its Cheesy Garlic Bread or tots loaded with bacon, cheddar, and jalapeño. But incredibly, it's lower in calories than Quiznos' Side Garden Salad, which has 270 in total, making the tater tots the lowest-cal option.

Furthermore, the Quiznos tater tots only have 11 grams of fat per serving and 3 grams of saturated fat. This is, again, lower than the chain's other side orders. And just take a look at the sodium level in this dish. With just 410 milligrams, it's not only the side dish with the lowest salt levels but one of the lowest-sodium offerings on the entire menu. Given that adults should be aiming for a maximum of 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, these tots are a canny choice that will stop you from sneaking too much salt in one go.

Sometimes, at a fast food restaurant, you just want the classics. But you also probably want those classics to not be unhealthy. And that's where Quiznos gets things right, with its Turkey Ranch Swiss sandwich. Combining the classic flavors of turkey meat, ranch dressing, and Swiss cheese, this sub keeps things relatively wholesome, with only 340 calories per 4-inch sandwich. For context, that's one of the lowest calorie counts on the whole menu.

It helps, too, that a lot of these calories are provided by lean protein, through the sandwich's oven-roasted turkey breast. This meat, as well as the Swiss cheese, fills the sub with 20 grams of protein. The sandwich also benefits from the inclusion of fresh tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. If you want to make the Turkey Ranch Swiss even healthier, you can ask for it on wheat bread. People who are conscious about the fat levels in their sub can also request that the sandwich is made without Swiss cheese, or that the ranch dressing is swapped out for a lower-calorie option. Keep in mind that this will probably reduce its flavor a little, though.

Who says that you have to eat meat all the time? It feels like fast food restaurants get better at offering up vegetarian options as each day goes by, and Quiznos is clearly focusing on that, too. And if you're keeping meat off the menu, the Veggie Guacamole is the sub you should go for. This sandwich is positively bursting with vegetables, with mushrooms, green peppers, black olives, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions all crammed between two pieces of bread. That's all in addition to the creamy guacamole and the cheddar and provolone cheese that deliver 14 grams of protein.

This sub is pleasingly low in sodium when compared to some of Quiznos' other sandwiches, with 810 milligrams per 4-inch portion. It also has 410 calories in that serving size, enough to keep you satisfied for lunch. But beyond all of this good-looking nutritional info, it's useful to remember that the very absence of meat could be a health benefit. Opting for vegetable-heavy or meat-free meals is a great way to boost your vitamin and mineral intake, as well as your fiber levels. Give that ham a miss, and say hello to guac.

If you've ever wished that your lunchtime sandwich could have a little bit more luxury in it, then the Lobster Classic sub is for you. One of Quiznos' periodically available seafood offerings, this sandwich combines lobster seafood salad with mayo, lettuce, and French bread, for a fresh lunch that's brought together by a spritz of lemon juice. But aside from just being a plain yet classy option to order, it's also super healthy.

At 290 calories for a 4-inch sub, the Lobster Classic is the lowest-calorie sandwich on Quiznos' menu. It's also pretty low in sodium, with 760 milligrams in each small sub, which is especially pleasing given how salty seafood can sometimes be. The Lobster Classic also doesn't contain any trans fats, which can be a worryingly common occurrence in fast food. The Mayo Clinic notes that trans fats can be one of the worst things you can eat for your cardiovascular health and can make your cholesterol levels worse, simultaneously raising bad cholesterol while lowering the good stuff. You don't have to worry about that with the Lobster Classic, though — it's a lean choice that'll still taste good.

If all else fails, grab yourself a bowl of chili. This is a rule that applies in a lot of areas of life, but it's particularly true at your local Quiznos branch. Quiznos' chili is a winner in the nutritional game, with a small portion having a pleasing 11 grams of protein. This protein makes up a large section of the chili's calories, which only clock in at 160. That's not bad for a smaller portion of soup, y'all.

The chili also has just 19 grams of carbs, and a mere 50 of its calories are from fat. But the thing we love about Quiznos' chili? It's the fiber content. A small bowl contains 6 grams of dietary fiber, from all of those nutrient-packed beans nestled in the cup. And getting more fiber in your diet is almost always a good thing to aim for. Fiber not only benefits your gut, which keeps your digestion running smoothly and reduces gastrointestinal issues, but it also affects your blood sugar in a positive way, according to Medical News Today. By slowing down how quickly we digest sugars, fiber stops blood glucose from spiking and keeps everything balanced. And one small bowl of Quiznos' chili could cover almost 25% of the entire recommended daily fiber allowance for women. Let's hear it for those beans.

So, there's a lot of talk about red meat not being good for you. And a lot of that talk is true, with red meat in high quantities potentially negatively impacting your health in general and raising cancer risk, per the Cleveland Clinic. But it's also true that in small quantities, red meat can be an excellent source of nutrients, and, of course, protein. So, if you're looking for a weekly steak fix, try Quiznos' Black Angus Steakhouse sub.

As servings of red meat go, they don't get much healthier than this. A 4-inch Black Angus Steakhouse is just 390 calories per serving, with a saturated fat content of 6 grams. It's worth pointing out that although that may seem a little high, it's no higher than a fair few other Quiznos subs which aren't centered around red meat. Additionally, the Black Angus Steakhouse is a protein powerhouse, thanks to, well, all of that steak (as well as the provolone and cheddar cheese included in the sandwich). With 23 grams of protein per serving, this is a sub that'll keep you going for the whole day.

The perfect salad has a balance of fresh-tasting, nutritious ingredients and works to kill your appetite without feeling too heavy. By those criteria, you could do a lot worse than the Classic Italian Salad from Quiznos. This salad amps up the flavors of the Mediterranean, with red onion and black olives sitting alongside romaine lettuce and tomato. As well as these vegetables, it's also full of Italian meats and cheeses, with capicola and provolone cheese, as well as pepperoni, ham, and salami.

The meat and cheese element of the Italian Salad causes this meal to be high in protein, with 16 grams per half-sized portion. You'll also get a few grams of essential dietary fiber. The Classic Italian Salad is a particularly good choice for folks who are trying to keep their carb intake low, as the majority of its calories come from protein and fat. With only 9 grams of carbs per half-salad serving, this meal can fit into a range of low-carb diets, which Healthline notes may assist in controlling blood sugar and weight. By asking for the red wine vinaigrette on the side, and putting on slightly less, you may also bring the carb count down even further.

If you're in the market for something a little smoky, Quiznos is here to provide it. Its Mesquite Chicken combines flavor-packed chicken breast with smoky bacon alongside crunchy vegetables, cheddar cheese, and ranch sauce, all placed on a toasted sub. Sounds good, huh? And it'll sound even better when you hear that it's also pretty healthy.

The 4-inch size of the Mesquite Chicken sub delivers 400 calories per serving, making it a great option for a quick lunch. Part of these 400 calories is made up of 27 grams of protein, one of the highest amounts of all the Quiznos subs, which keeps this sandwich filling. The Mesquite Chicken also gets a proportionally low amount of its calories from fat compared to the other sub options on the menu.

And if you want to make it even healthier, why not try ordering it as a salad? Upgrade your Mesquite Chicken to a full salad, and you'll get way more vegetables and a much higher amount of protein. Plus, you'll reduce its carbohydrate content by leaving the bread out. Bear in mind, though, that doing this may amp up the amount of fat in the dish. But, if you wish, you can ask your server to add less dressing to avoid drowning it in ranch sauce.

Fast food places that offer quality seafood options are a big tick in our book. And at Quiznos, its menu doesn't just stop at tuna salad sandwiches. Quiznos periodically offers several seafood subs and plates, and its Lobster & Seafood Salad sub is a fine choice for those who want a nutritious option.

Part of the Lobster & Seafood Salad sub's appeal is how simple it keeps things, with the lobster and seafood mixture combined only with shredded lettuce. This leads to a sandwich that stays on the healthy side. It's particularly low in calories, with 300 in each 4-inch sub. Only 100 of those calories come from fat, too, and with a mere 5 grams of saturated fat, it's one of the leanest sandwiches that Quiznos has on its menu.

The Lobster & Seafood Salad sub also has a fairly moderate sodium level, with 850 milligrams per 4-inch sub. The combination of lobster and other seafood means that you'll get 12 grams of protein in your meal, too. And, if you want to boost your fiber intake, ordering this as a half salad rather than a sub will deliver an extra gram of roughage.

In a world of deceptively salty and fatty kids' fast food options, it can be hard to know where to take your little ones to eat out. Fortunately, Quiznos is a pretty solid choice. At Quiznos, along with its regular menu choices, you also have the option to create your own sandwich. For your kids, this means that you can keep an eye on what's going into their sub, and it also means that they have the joy of selecting items they really want.

We'd recommend keeping things simple and opting for a 4-inch sub full of lean protein like turkey breast, which, on its own, has 45 calories and 9 grams of protein per serving. Centering a meal around protein is especially important for kids, as it plays such a vital function in their growth and hormone production, according to the Middlesex-London Health Unit. Quiznos' turkey breast is also lower in sodium than its other meats. If your kid wants some cheese on their sub (and who wouldn't?) go for provolone, as it has the lowest calorie count and fat level, while remaining delightfully cheesy. Finally, ensure that their sandwich is full to the brim with vegetables, so they're getting some of their five a day.

While it might not be too hard to find something healthy on fast food menus, desserts can be a lot of people's downfall. Unless you're willing to order fruit to finish off a meal, you're faced with a lot of sweet things that aren't necessarily that good for you. At Quiznos, however, there are some healthy choices to be made for dessert, and the Chocolate Chunk Cookie is probably your best bet.

The 1.5-ounce version of the Chocolate Chunk Cookie provides a fairly reasonable 190 calories and can form part of a complete meal when combined with one of the chain's leaner subs. And this cookie's saturated fat amounts are one of the best things about it. It has only 4 grams of saturated fat per serving, which, for a dessert, is not bad going, as many sweet foodstuffs are often laden with cream or butter. Seeking out items that are lower in saturated fats is paramount to keeping heart disease at bay, as consuming them may cause cholesterol buildup, according to the American Heart Association. Just don't be tempted by the larger version of this cookie — it'll more than double the number of calories in it, and almost triple its saturated fat levels.