Subway, one of the largest and most popular sandwich chains, offers a wide variety of subs to choose from. One of their classic options is the Subway Melt – a 6-inch sub filled with melted Monterey cheddar cheese, ham, bacon, and your choice of veggies on Italian or honey oat bread. But how many calories are actually in a 6-inch Subway Melt?
Calories in Subway Melt Bread
The first thing to look at when determining the calorie count is the bread. At Subway, you can choose between 9-grain wheat, Italian white, or honey oat bread. Here is the calorie count for a 6-inch sub with each bread option:
- 9-grain wheat: 210 calories
- Italian white: 210 calories
- Honey oat: 220 calories
So the bread alone contains between 210-220 calories, depending on which option you select. The honey oat tends to be slightly higher in calories compared to 9-grain wheat and Italian white.
Calories in Subway Melt Meat
Now let’s look at the meat. The Subway Melt contains two types of meat – ham and bacon. Here is the calorie count for a 6-inch serving of each meat:
- Ham: 60 calories
- Bacon: 45 calories
So in total, the ham and bacon together contain about 105 calories per 6-inch Subway Melt.
Calories in Subway Melt Cheese
Cheese is another major component of the Subway Melt. Specifically, it contains Monterey cheddar cheese. A 6-inch serving of Monterey cheddar contains about 180 calories.
Calories in Subway Melt Veggies
You get to customize your veggies on a Subway Melt, so the calories will vary depending on what you select. Here is the calorie count for popular veggie choices:
| Veggies | Calories (6-inch serving) |
|---|---|
| Lettuce | 5 |
| Tomatoes | 10 |
| Green peppers | 5 |
| Red onions | 10 |
| Pickles | 0 |
As you can see, most veggie toppings add only minimal calories to the Subway Melt. The vegetables combined likely contribute no more than 25 calories to the total calorie count.
Total Calories in a Subway Melt
Now that we’ve looked at the calories in each component, let’s put it all together to determine the total calories in a 6-inch Subway Melt:
- Bread (Italian white): 210 calories
- Meat (ham + bacon): 105 calories
- Cheese (Monterey cheddar): 180 calories
- Veggies: ~25 calories
Add those all up and the total calories in a 6-inch Subway Melt comes out to around 520 calories, assuming Italian white bread and typical veggie choices like lettuce, tomatoes, etc.
This calorie count can vary by around 100 calories depending on your specific ingredients choices. For example:
- Honey oat bread adds about 10 extra calories.
- Adding more vegetables like spinach or banana peppers would increase the count slightly.
- Opting for extra cheese adds about 45 calories per serving.
- Extra meat also tacks on additional calories.
Ways to Reduce Calories in Your Subway Melt
If you’re looking to lighten up your Subway Melt, there are a few easy ways to reduce the calorie count:
- Choose 9-grain wheat or Italian white bread instead of honey oat.
- Load up on lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and other low-calorie veggies.
- Go easy on high-calorie veggies like olives, banana peppers and jalapeños.
- Opt for a single meat like ham or bacon.
- Ask for half the regular portion of cheese.
- Use mustard instead of mayo-based sauces.
- Skip the chipotle southwest or ranch sauce.
Making some of these substitutions can bring down the total calorie count by 100 calories or more. For example, getting Italian white bread, double veggies, and half cheese might add up to only 420 calories total.
How the Subway Melt Compares to Other Subs
The Subway Melt contains around the same number of calories as many other classic Subway subs. Here’s how it compares:
| Sub | Calories (6-inch) |
|---|---|
| Black Forest Ham | 480 |
| Meatball Marinara | 560 |
| Oven Roasted Chicken | 490 |
| Spicy Italian | 480 |
| Steak & Cheese | 440 |
| Subway Melt | 520 |
As you can see, the Subway Melt falls right in the middle calorie-wise. It contains slightly more calories than subs like the Steak & Cheese or Black Forest Ham. But it’s lower in calories than the higher-fat Meatball Marinara.
Nutrition Facts for Subway Melt
Looking beyond just calories, here are the full nutrition facts for a 6-inch Subway Melt:
- Total Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
- Sodium: 870mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 55g
- Dietary Fiber: 4g
- Sugars: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Vitamin D: 15%
- Calcium: 35%
- Iron: 15%
- Calories: 520
The Subway Melt provides a good amount of protein from the ham, bacon, and cheese. It also contains some vitamin D, calcium, and iron. It’s moderately high in sodium, mainly from the ham, bacon, and cheese.
Tips for Making Your Subway Melt Healthier
While the Subway Melt has a decent nutritional profile, there are some easy ways to make it an even healthier choice:
- Ask for extra veggies to increase fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
- Opt for whole wheat or multigrain bread over Italian white.
- Choose leaner meats like turkey, roast beef, or chicken breast.
- Request light mayo or mustard instead of regular mayo-based sauces.
- Limit high-sodium ingredients like bacon, ham, and cheese.
- Skip the chips and choose a side salad, apple slices, or yogurt instead.
- Order a 6-inch sub instead of a footlong to cut calories in half.
Making combinations of these substitutions can really maximize the nutritional value of your Subway Melt. For example, getting it on whole wheat bread with double veggies, turkey instead of ham/bacon, light mustard, and apple slices makes for a filling, lower-calorie meal.
Conclusion
A 6-inch Subway Melt contains about 520 calories, depending on your choice of ingredients. It provides a substantial amount of protein as well as important vitamins and minerals. While not the lowest calorie sub that Subway offers, there are many ways to customize your Subway Melt to fit your dietary needs. Choosing whole wheat bread, loading up on veggies, and limiting high-fat cheeses and sauces can go a long way towards lightening up your Subway Melt.
