Jersey Mike’s Subs is a popular sandwich chain that offers a variety of sub sandwiches on fresh baked bread. One of their signature subs is the Mini Club sub, which is a smaller portion of their regular Club sub. With its thin slices of provolone cheese, roast beef, turkey, ham, and bacon, along with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and Mike’s Famous House Vinaigrette, the Mini Club packs a lot of flavor into a convenient mini size. But how many calories are actually in a Jersey Mike’s Mini Club sub?
Calories in a Jersey Mike’s Mini Club Sub
The total calories in a Jersey Mike’s Mini Club sub depend on the size and bread choices:
On white bread:
– Mini (5 inches): 420 calories
– Regular (7 inches): 560 calories
On wheat bread:
– Mini (5 inches): 400 calories
– Regular (7 inches): 540 calories
So a Mini Club sub ranges from 400-420 calories, while a Regular Club sub ranges from 540-560 calories. The wheat bread options are slightly lower in calories than the white bread.
Jersey Mike’s also allows customization of subs, so additional toppings like extra cheese or bacon can increase the calorie count. Removing ingredients like the cheese or meat would lower the total calories. But the base Mini Club sub on white or wheat bread contains around 400-560 calories depending on size.
Nutrition Facts for a Mini Club Sub
Here is the typical nutrition information for a Mini Club sub on white bread:
Mini Club on White Bread (5 inches)
| Calories | 420 |
|---|---|
| Total Fat | 15g |
| Saturated Fat | 5g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 45mg |
| Sodium | 1560mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 46g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2g |
| Sugars | 6g |
| Protein | 28g |
As you can see from the table, the mini sub provides a significant amount of protein at 28g. The total fat and saturated fat contents are quite high though, at 15g and 5g respectively. The sodium is also on the high side at 1560mg.
When choosing bread, the wheat bread options can slightly improve the nutritional profile by reducing calories, fat, and sodium compared to white bread. Overall though, the Mini Club is a high protein sandwich but is also high in sodium, fat and cholesterol.
Calorie and Macronutrient Breakdown
Here is a breakdown of where the 420 calories in a Mini Club sub on white bread come from:
Calories from fat:
– Total fat in mini sub: 15g
– 1g fat = 9 calories
– 15g fat x 9 calories/g = 135 calories from fat
Calories from carbs:
– Total carbs in mini sub: 46g
– 1g carbs = 4 calories
– 46g carbs x 4 calories/g = 184 calories from carbs
Calories from protein:
– Total protein in mini sub: 28g
– 1g protein = 4 calories
– 28g protein x 4 calories/g = 112 calories from protein
So out of the 420 total calories, about 135 come from fat, 184 come from carbohydrates, and 112 come from protein. This makes the macronutrient percentage breakdown:
– 32% calories from fat
– 44% calories from carbs
– 24% calories from protein
The Mini Club sub gets a good amount of calories and energy from all three macronutrients. The carbohydrates make up the highest percentage, followed by fats, and then protein.
Ingredients in a Mini Club Sub
To understand exactly where those calories come from, let’s look at the ingredients in a Mini Club sub:
Bread
The base of the sub is Jersey Mike’s fresh baked bread. The white bread options are made with enriched wheat flour, water, yeast, high fructose corn syrup, wheat gluten, soybean oil, contains 2% or less of the following: salt, dough conditioners, guar gum, acacia gum, enzymes, vinegar, butter oil flavor.
A mini sub uses about 1/4 of a 7-inch white bread roll, which contains around 160 calories.
Provolone Cheese
Mini Club subs get a thin layer of provolone cheese. About 0.5 oz (14g) of provolone is used, adding around 50 calories.
Roast Beef
Roast beef provides a good amount of the protein in the sub. There is typically around 1.5 oz (43g) of roast beef, with 60 calories.
Turkey
The turkey also provides protein and flavor. About 1.5 oz (43g) is used, contributing around 45 calories.
Ham
Ham rounds out the trio of meats on the Mini Club. Another 1.5 oz (43g) of ham adds around 50 calories.
Bacon
For extra flavor, 2 slices of bacon are included in the Mini Club. 2 slices (18g) of bacon provides 55 calories.
Lettuce & Tomatoes
Fresh lettuce and sliced tomatoes provide texture, moisture and nutrients for very minimal calories. About 1/4 cup each of shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes adds less than 10 calories total.
Onions
Thinly sliced onions add crunch and flavor for only 5 calories in a couple slices.
Olive Oil & Vinegar
A drizzle of olive oil and red wine vinegar make up the Mike’s Famous House Vinaigrette, contributing around 40 calories.
Cooking Method
All of the Mini Club ingredients are placed on fresh bread and assembled cold, without any cooking required. So the calorie count is simply a sum of the prepared ingredients. This makes the Mini Club and other cold subs a convenient meal or snack, since no cooking or heating is necessary.
Tips for Reducing Calories in a Mini Club
While the Mini Club has a modest 400-420 calories for a sandwich, there are ways to further reduce the calories if desired:
- Choose wheat bread instead of white bread. The wheat has around 20 fewer calories per mini sub.
- Skip the bacon to remove 55 calories and 4.5g of fat.
- Ask for light cheese or no cheese to reduce up to 50 calories and 4g of fat.
- Get sandwiches without mayo or oil-based dressings.
- Load up on veggie toppings like spinach, peppers, cucumbers, etc. for extra volume and nutrients without many calories.
- Ask for double veggies instead of double meat to boost nutrition without excess calories.
- Order a low-fat meat like turkey or roast beef instead of higher-fat meats like salami or pastrami.
- Use mustard instead of mayo for added moisture and fewer calories.
Making some simple modifications like these when customizing your Mini Club can help reduce the calories, fat, and sodium while still enjoying the great Jersey Mike’s taste.
Health Benefits of a Mini Club
Despite the high sodium and fat content, the Mini Club does provide some important health benefits:
High Protein
With 28g of protein in a mini and 38g in a regular, the Club gets you over halfway to the recommended daily intake of around 50g. The turkey, roast beef and ham provide lean protein to help maintain and repair muscles.
Vitamins and Minerals
The turkey, lettuce, tomatoes and wheat bread supply vitamins like A, C, K, folate, and minerals like iron, calcium and potassium. These support the immune system and many bodily functions.
Grains and Fiber
The whole wheat bread contains important nutrients from whole grains, as well as 2g of fiber per mini sub. The fiber aids healthy digestion.
Healthy Fats
Although high in total fat, the Club does provide heart-healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats from the olive oil based dressing. These types of fats may help lower bad LDL cholesterol.
So in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet, the Mini Club can be a good source of protein, nutrients and energy. Just balance it out with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole foods at other meals. And consider ordering it with whole wheat bread and easy customizations to reduce sodium, fat and calories.
Comparisons to Other Sandwich Chain Mini Subs
How does Jersey Mike’s Mini Club compare to mini subs from other popular sandwich chains? Here is a calorie and macronutrient breakdown:
Mini Club from Jersey Mike’s (5-inch on white):
- 420 calories
- 28g protein
- 46g carbs
- 15g fat
Roast Beef Mini from Arby’s:
- 370 calories
- 18g protein
- 34g carbs
- 22g fat
Oven Roasted Chicken Mini from Subway:
- 230 calories
- 12g protein
- 38g carbs
- 5g fat
Mini Ham & Swiss from Firehouse Subs:
- 410 calories
- 18g protein
- 36g carbs
- 24g fat
The Jersey Mike’s Mini Club is moderate in calories compared to other mini subs. Subway’s oven roasted chicken mini is the lowest in calories and fat. Firehouse Subs and Arby’s have higher fat and sodium. In terms of protein, the Mini Club provides the most.
So if you are looking for a mini sub that delivers lots of protein without quite as much fat and sodium as some other chains, the Mini Club from Jersey Mike’s is a good option.
Price of a Mini Club Sub
In addition to nutrition facts, another consideration for many customers is cost. Here are the current prices for a Mini Club sub from Jersey Mike’s:
| Mini Club Sub | Price |
|---|---|
| Mini Club on White Bread | $6.25 |
| Mini Club on Wheat Bread | $6.50 |
| Add Cheese | + $0.75 |
| Add Bacon | + $1.25 |
| Add Extra Meat | + $1.50 – $2.00 |
As you can see, the baseline Mini Club sub starts at $6.25 on white bread or $6.50 on wheat bread. Additional customizations like extra cheese, bacon, or extra portions of meat range from $0.75 up to $2.00 extra.
Compared to other sandwich franchises, this puts Jersey Mike’s on the pricier side. For example, a mini roast beef sub is around $5.29 at Arby’s and a mini ham and Swiss sub is $4.99 at Firehouse Subs. But Jersey Mike’s focuses on quality ingredients and often has coupon codes available through their app for discounts.
Overall, considering a regular Club sub can cost over $10 at Jersey Mike’s, the mini version gives you a more affordable way to enjoy the flavors of a Club without breaking the bank. Splitting a regular size sub can also help reduce costs while still getting great value from the quality meats, cheeses, and produce that Jersey Mike’s is known for.
Should You Eat the Whole Mini Club Sub in One Sitting?
Now that we know a Mini Club contains around 400 calories, is it recommended to eat the entire 5-inch mini sub in one sitting or save half for later? Here are some factors to consider when deciding:
- Your individual daily calorie needs – If you require around 2000 calories per day, then a 400 calorie mini sub is reasonable as part of a daily balanced diet. But for those with lower calorie needs, half the sub may be plenty.
- Your hunger level – If you are extremely hungry, the whole sub may help satisfy your appetite. If you are just mildly hungry, half may be filling enough.
- Portion distortion – With huge restaurant portions today, it’s easy to lose perspective on proper serving sizes. A 5-inch sub is quite modest compared to a foot-long, so adjusting portion expectations can allow you to feel satisfied with less.
- Meal timing – Eating the whole sub at once may be fine if it’s your only larger meal of the day. Splitting may be better if you also have a hefty dinner planned later.
- Nutrient needs – Getting all the protein and nutrients in one meal may work well if lighter snacks are planned for later. Saving half for another meal can space out nutrition.
- Food safety – Leftovers should be refrigerated within 2 hours and eaten within 3-4 days to prevent spoiling.
In general, listening to your hunger cues and eating mindfully until satisfied is the best approach. One whole mini sub or splitting it are both perfectly reasonable options. Having the flexibility to enjoy the sub in a way that fits your unique schedule, appetite and nutrition needs for the day is ideal.
Conclusion
Jersey Mike’s provides a more moderately sized and nutritious sub option with their Mini Club sandwich. Made with thin slices of provolone cheese, roast beef, turkey, ham, and bacon on fresh bread, the Mini Club delivers big flavor at around 400-420 calories. It provides 28g of protein per mini sub but is also high in sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat.
Customizing your Mini Club by choosing wheat bread, removing bacon or cheese, and adding extra veggies can reduce the calories, fat, and sodium content. In moderation, the Mini Club can provide protein, vitamins, minerals, and satisfaction from high quality ingredients. Paying attention to your hunger, portions, and daily nutrition needs will help determine if the whole mini sub or splitting it is right for you.
Overall the Jersey Mike’s Mini Club is a convenient, handheld meal that can be customized to your tastes and diet preferences. So if you are looking for a delicious sub in a right-sized mini portion, the Mini Club is a satisfying sandwich choice.
