What to Eat at Jimmy John's: Healthy Menu Choices and Nutrition Facts

Medically reviewed by Mia Syn, MS, RDNMedically reviewed by Mia Syn, MS, RDN

Jimmy John’s specializes in gourmet sandwiches inspired by Chicago street food. A small selection of classic sides and beverages are also available. In addition to its made-to-order sandwiches for takeout, Jimmy John’s also offers catering services.

At first glance, Jimmy John’s single-sheet menu looks basic, but any sandwich on the menu can be customized according to your tastes and dietary needs. When you have time to plan ahead, you can view Jimmy John’s nutritional information online, as well as review a handy chart on food allergens.

What Experts Say

“Jimmy John’s lets you customize your sandwich to omit food allergens, but there is still a risk for cross-contamination. You can make your sandwich healthier by using whole-grain bread and adding veggies, but the nutrition of each sandwich varies based on topping choices and can be high in sodium. If eating here regularly, order extra veggies and minimize the sodium content in your other meals to balance out your daily nutrient intake.”
—Willow Jarosh, MS, RD

Navigating the Menu

While you can make a custom sandwich at Jimmy John’s, the basic menu will give you a sense of your options. You can choose from traditional sandwich ingredients, like deli meat, cheese, veggies, and sauces.

The easiest way to reduce the carbs and calories of your sandwich is to choose the Unwich option for your order. These clever sandwiches contain all your favorite fixings, but swap out bread for lettuce. You can also make a few other requests or changes to boost the nutrition of your meal.

• Scoop out the sub. If you'd prefer the bread over the lettuce wrap, consider asking the employee who is making your sandwich to scoop the filling from the top half of a French bread sub. This simple request can easily save 100 calories.

• Cut your sub in half. While cutting a sandwich doesn’t change its calorie or carb count, it might encourage you to eat less. A whole sub may have more calories than you need for lunch or dinner. Portioning your sandwich from the start makes it easier to save half for another meal.

• Choose leaner meat options. Turkey, ham, and roast beef are the best meat choices if you’re trying to keep your calories in check. High-calorie options, like tuna salad made with mayonnaise and processed meat like salami, can be high in fat and sodium.

• Use toppings wisely. To reduce calories and fat, skip mayo and cheese. If you want to change up the texture and taste of your sub, try adding a thin layer of avocado instead. This swap makes for a savory sandwich with less saturated fat but all the benefits of healthy fat. To add crunch without adding a lot of calories, pile on nutritious veggies.

Most Nutritious Option

The Little John #4 sandwich with turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise is the most nutritious item to order, thanks to its smaller size and lean protein filling.

Favorites

When ordering a Jimmy John's sandwich, you start by choosing your bread: French, thick-sliced wheat, or the Unwich (a lettuce wrap). You then order from the sandwich menu with opportunities to customize all along the way. The favorites menu at Jimmy John's includes meat- and cheese-loaded combinations commonly served with lettuce, tomato, and onion.

? Bootlegger Club

The Bootlegger Club sandwich at Jimmy John's features roast beef and turkey breast and comes topped with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. Served on a regular 8-inch French sub, it delivers 680 calories, 23g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 71g carbohydrates, 44g protein, and 1,890mg sodium.

Cut down on the carbohydrates and sodium even further by choosing the Unwich version of the Bootlegger Club. It has 330 calories, 20g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 5g carbohydrates, 31g protein, and 1,180mg sodium. And you can save calories and fat by skipping the mayo (which accounts for 160 calories and 16g fat on the 8-inch sub.

Takeaway

Each pre-made Jimmy John’s Unwich contains 10g of carbohydrates or less, making them a great choice if you’re on a low-carb diet or are watching your carb intake as part of a diabetes-friendly diet plan.

? Spicy East Coast Salami

The Spicy East Coast Salami sandwich comes with two servings of Genoa salami, capicola, and provolone cheese and also includes lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, sauce, onions, and hot peppers. Served on 8-inch French gutted bread, it comes out to 970 calories, 59g fat, 22g saturated fat, 54g carbohydrates, 54g protein, and 3,250mg sodium. Choose the Unwich version to eliminate 43g carbohydrates.

If you're craving the same mix of meats and cheese but are looking to save calories, fat, and sodium, consider ordering the Italian Night Club favorites sandwich instead. It features the exact same meats as the Spicy East Coast Salami option, just a single serving of each. It has 930 calories, 46g fat, 14g saturated fat, 77g carbohydrates, 48g protein, and 2,850mg sodium on an 8-inch regular sandwich.

Related: 5 Healthiest Substitutes for Bread Crumbs

Originals

The Originals sandwich menu contains seven options ranging from veggie and tuna options to turkey and roast beef.

? Turkey Tom

The Turkey Tom sandwich has a simple ingredient list. It features only turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise and comes out to 480 calories, 19g fat, 2.5g saturated fat, 48g carbohydrates, 23g protein, and 1,160mg sodium on an 8-inch regular French bread sandwich. Swap mustard for mayo to cut calories and fat.

? The Veggie

Surprisingly, the least nutritious option on the Originals menu is the only option without meat or fish. With provolone and avocado spread, as well as tomato, lettuce, cucumber, and mayo, the Veggie sandwich is the highest-calorie Originals sandwich and contains 670 calories, 39g fat, 13g saturated fat, 50g carbohydrates, 27g protein, and 1,160mg sodium.

Cut down on the carbohydrates, calories, and fat in the sandwich by doubling down on the veggies and ordering it as an Unwich instead. And/or, you might opt to have just one of the three creamy, higher-fat ingredients—cheese, avocado spread, and mayo.

Related: Bread Swaps to Make Your Sandwich Healthier

Little Johns

Little Johns are exactly what you'd expect: Little versions of Jimmy John's most popular flavor combinations (6.5 inches long instead of 8). With seven different Little Johns options, you'll be able to find the meat or protein combination you're craving.

? Little John #4

Called simply Little John #4, this sandwich has the same ingredients as the Turkey Tom Original sandwich but comes on a smaller French sub. Jimmy John's notes it's the ideal size for kids or as a mid-day snack. The turkey Little John has 240 calories, 10g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 24g carbohydrates, 12g protein, and 580mg sodium.

? Little John #6

The Little John #6 sandwich has provolone cheese and avocado spread (just like the Veggie Original sandwich) and contains 340 calories, 20g fat, 7g saturated fat, 25g carbohydrates, 13g protein, and 580mg sodium.

For another meat-less option, consider the Little John #3, which comes with tuna salad, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber and provides 250 calories, 11g fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 26g carbohydrates, 10g protein, and 590mg sodium.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free Deli Meats

Plain Slims

The Plain Slims part of the menu simplifies the ingredients in each sandwich even further, making these truly "plain" subs. Each of these sandwiches has only meat and/or cheese—no lettuce, tomato, or mayonnaise included.

? Slim 4

The Slim 4 sandwich features hand-sliced turkey breast on a French sub. This simplified sandwich has 420 calories, 3g fat, 0g saturated fat, 68g carbohydrates, 27g protein, and 1,250mg sodium when served on an 8-inch French sub.

? Slim 5

The Slim 5 sandwich packs more meat with capicola, salami, and provolone cheese. It provides 630 calories, 23g fat, 10g saturated fat, 69g carbohydrates, 35g protein, and 1,960mg sodium.

If you're craving a meat-and-cheese sandwich and want to stick to the Plain Slims menu, look to the Slim 1 sandwich, which has ham and provolone cheese and 90 fewer calories than the Slim 5.

Sides

Jimmy John's menu is focused on its sandwich offerings but it does include a few options of sweet or savory sides like potato chips and cookies.

? Jumbo Kosher Dill Pickle

The Jumbo Kosher Dill Pickle comes in at 20 calories, 0g fat, 4g carbohydrate, 1g sugar, 1g protein, and 1,710mg sodium.

? Chocolate Chip Cookie

The chocolate chip cookie offers 410 calories, 19g fat, 12g saturated fat, 56g carbohydrate, 32g sugar, 5g protein, and 290mg sodium. You can also choose a slightly lower-calorie oatmeal raisin cookie (370 calories, 13g fat), but it has more sodium (390mg) than the chocolate chip option.

Potato chips are another classic sandwich side at Jimmy John’s. One bag of chips contains about 300 calories (150 calories per serving), whether you get regular, BBQ, salt and vinegar, or jalape?o. Jimmy John’s Thinny Chips have 130 calories per serving, making them lower in calories, but they are actually slightly higher in carbohydrates (20g) than the regular potato chips (17g).

Takeaway

To satisfy a craving for an after-lunch treat, skip the cookies and instead reach for a naturally sweet piece of fruit, which provides fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Drinks

Jimmy John's offers a typical range of cold bottled and fountain drinks, including soda, juice, iced tea, and water.

Dasani Bottled Water

Plain water is typically the most nutritious drink option, and Dasani bottled water is available at Jimmy John's restaurants nationwide for 0 calories. Fuze unsweetened iced tea is another zero-calorie, zero-sugar option.

Dr Pepper

Dr Pepper (22oz) comes in at 280 calories, 0g fat, 74g carbohydrates, 0g protein, 74g sugars, and 95mg sodium.

While diet soda is a calorie-free option, these options aren't the best choice if you're avoiding caffeine, carbonation, food additives, preservatives, or artificial sweeteners like aspartame.

Related: 6 Reasons to Drink Plenty of Water

Diet-Specific Options

Jimmy John’s menu offers choices for gluten-free, low-carb, low-FODMAP, vegetarian, and vegan diets. However, you won't find many low-fat or low-sodium options at Jimmy John's.

Jimmy John’s advises all its patrons to let employees know if they have specific dietary needs. Given the highly customizable nature of its menu, Jimmy John’s can cater to many preferences and diets.

Gluten-Free

Jimmy John’s doesn’t have designated gluten-free bread, but the lettuce Unwich can be a good swap. Many ingredients that can be used to fill a sandwich do not contain gluten. However, these ingredients may be cross-contaminated through shared storage, utensils, and preparation. Possible gluten-free sandwich ingredients and sides include:

• Condiments: Avocado spread, Kickin’ Ranch, mayo, mustard, oil & vinegar

• Fillings: Ham, turkey, roast beef, salami, capicola, bacon; vegetables

• Chips: Regular chips, Jalape?o chips, and Thinny Chips

• Unwich lettuce wrap

If you have gluten intolerance or celiac disease, let the employee making your meal know. For a healthy option, order the Plain Slim #4 with turkey on an Unwich lettuce wrap.

Related: Guide to Gluten-Free Fast Food

Low-Carb

The Unwich option provides a great low-carb swap. You can get any Jimmy John's sandwich wrapped in lettuce, but the lowest-carb options include:

• Hunter's Club Unwich

• J.J.B.L.T Unwich

• Bootlegger Club Unwich

• Club Lulu Unwich

• Turkey Tom Unwich

For the best combo of low carbs and higher protein, opt for the Turkey Tom Unwich (480 calories)

Low-Fat

If you are on a low-fat diet, there are some options for you at Jimmy John's. You can order any sandwich without cheese or mayonnaise and other fat-based sauces. Low-fat menu options include:

• Slim ham and cheese (omit cheese)

• Slim roast beef

• Slim turkey

• Slim cheese unwich

Choose the slim roast beef for plenty of protein (30g) and fiber (4g) with little fat (5g).

Low-FODMAP

Like gluten-free options, there are no specific low-FODMAP menu items on the Jimmy John's menu. But you can build a low-FODMAP sandwich with the following ingredients that are safe on this diet:

• Unwich wrap

• Turkey, ham, or roast beef

• Lettuce, tomato, cucumber (and other veggies as tolerated)

• Mayo, mustard, or oil and vinegar
  

Choose an Unwich wrap with turkey, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber for a nutritious option that's free from FODMAPs.

Diabetes-Friendly

At Jimmy John's, you can make a diabetes-friendly (low-carb, low-sugar) sandwich with any of the following ingredients:

• Unwich wrap

• Provolone cheese

• Roast beef, turkey breast, or bacon

• Avocado spread, mustard, mayo, or oil and vinegar
  

• Veggies (including lettuce, tomato, sprouts, peppers, cucumber, pickles, and onion)

To keep to a diabetes-friendly diet at Jimmy John's, choose the turkey breast protein with veggies (as in a Turkey Tom) sandwich.

Vegetarian and Vegan

Jimmy John’s doesn’t designate specific menu items as being vegan. While several ingredients do not contain meat or dairy, they may come in contact with items that do. Items on Jimmy John’s menu that do not contain animal products include:

• Avocado spread

• Classic, BBQ, or Jalapeno Jimmy Chips; Thinny Chips

• Oil & vinegar and yellow mustard

• Unwich wrap and French bread

• Veggies (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, sprouts, peppers)

Jimmy John's menu offers two vegetarian subs: the Veggie Sub and the Little John #6. You can also customize your own vegetarian-friendly meal using Jimmy John’s selection of bread, cheese, and veggies.

Related: Gluten-Free Vegetarian and Vegan Food Guide

Food Allergies and Safety

Jimmy John’s provides information on its website about which food allergens may be present in its menu items, including:

• Milk

• Eggs

• Fish and shellfish

• Peanuts and tree nuts

• Soy

• Wheat

• Gluten

For people with nut allergies, the chart also indicates if an ingredient may have been produced in a facility that also produces tree nuts or peanuts. But if you have a food allergy, it’s best to exercise caution when dining out.

Jimmy John’s Allergen Statement

"Please note that because individual foods may come into contact with each other during the preparation of your sandwich, and because of shared utensils and equipment, we cannot guarantee that our food is free from any allergens. If you have any special requests or concerns related to allergies or other dietary restrictions, please inform your cashier when placing your order."

A Word From Verywell

Jimmy John’s is a popular choice for sandwiches that are made to order with fresh ingredients. One option that sets it apart from other sandwich shops is the ability to swap a lettuce wrap for bread, which reduces the calories and carbs of a sub.

Jimmy John’s makes it easy to customize a sandwich to suit your dietary needs and preferences. Once you know the nutrition info of the ingredients on the menu, you can create a tasty, satisfying, and relatively healthy meal.

Related: Subway Nutrition Facts & Healthy Menu Choices

Read the original article on Verywell Fitness.