Get a Healthy Sandwich at Chick-fil-A, Panera, and Jersey Mike's
Skip the ones that just sound like they're good for you, and order our picks instead
If you’re headed to a sandwich shop for a quick lunch and looking for the healthiest-sounding option (Maybe a chicken wrap? Or the veggie special?), watch out: Some are actually packed with calories, saturated fat, and sodium. But it’s hard to know that unless you dig for the nutritional info (much of which is buried online). So we checked out popular chains to uncover their surprising diet bombs, and the healthier choices to go for instead.
Chick-Fil-A
Cool Wrap
- Calories 660
- Saturated fat 9 g
- Sodium 1,420 mg
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Calories 390
- Saturated fat 2 g
- Sodium 770 mg
Bottom line: Both of these contain grilled chicken, which is healthier than fried, but the wrap, which contains cheese, has about double the sodium and calories, and much more saturated fat.
Panera
Toasted Garden Caprese
- Calories 890
- Saturated fat 16 g
- Sodium 1,300 mg
Tuna Salad Sandwich
- Calories 550
- Saturated fat 4.5 g
- Sodium 1,060 mg
Bottom line: Going meatless is usually a smart move, but this caprese option is high in calories, salt, and saturated fat. The tuna, while still high in sodium, has far less saturated fat.
Jersey Mike’s
The Veggie #14*
- Calories 900
- Saturated fat 21 g
- Sodium 1,244 mg
Grilled Portabella & Swiss #16*
- Calories 590
- Saturated fat 10 g
- Sodium 756 mg
Bottom line: Just because it’s called “The Veggie” doesn’t make it virtuous. This sub has far more calories and about 500 mg more sodium than the portabella mushroom and cheese sandwich.
*Regular size.
Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the March 2025 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
