"It's Not JUST A Sandwich..."

Whenever I fly into or through Midway Airport in Chicago, I try to plan my flight connection around lunchtime because I am obsessed with the Potbelly Sandwich Shop located between the A and B gates there. And when I visit Chicago, even though the city is a mecca of amazing and different foods, I try to have at least one lunch at one of the many Potbelly locations there. When we first discovered it, we took the train into the city, dragged our suitcases down the steps and through the revolving doors at the Potbelly on State and Lake because we couldn’t wait to eat there.

So, I was so excited when I saw the sign go up in the former Provisions location on Olive and Old Ballas, announcing that we too were getting a Potbelly here in St. Louis. Now I know what you’re thinking, “Big deal. It’s just another sandwich shop like the 8 million others in every strip mall”, but you’re wrong.

Sandwiches usually don’t come to mind when we talk about a healthy eating plan, but if they’re made with the right ingredients and put together carefully, they are the perfect “My Plate” creation.

And Potbelly does it right from the start. They use oven-roasted turkey breast from the whole breast (not pressed), Black Angus roast beef, and all-natural chicken breast. Both the chicken salad and the tuna salad are made in the store daily. The breads are what make the sandwich amazing though. I’ve always gotten the multi-grain and it’s not just brown processed bread like some places. It’s a nutty, grainy and hearty bread that’s the perfect complement to the meat and/or cheese you order on it. They also have “regular” bread which is actually kind of a French sourdough, but still yummy. The Turkey Breast sandwich with Swiss or Provolone clocks in at 450 calories, and the Roast Beef and Provolone at 460. They really are filling enough to save a half for later in the day.

I was kind of disappointed that the St. Louis store doesn’t offer the “Skinnies”, which are thin cut bread and 1/3 less meat and cheese. The skinny TKY is only 294 calories and the skinny “Hammie” is only 332. I was told that since this location just opened, we’ll have to wait for the Skinny option to be offered.

If you’re not a sandwich kind of luncher (if that’s not a word, it should be), their salads offer high protein, filling combinations also made fresh to order. The Uptown Salad combines their chicken with fresh and dried fruits like cranberries, apples, grapes, greens topped with walnuts and blue cheese at 520 calories with 28 grams of protein, and the Farmhouse Salad mixes chicken veggies, greens and hard –boiled egg for 410 calories and 37 grams of protein.

Their soups change from day to day, but their 8 oz. Chicken Noodle for 150 calories, and their 8 oz. Garden Vegetable for 110 calories can be paired with a Mediterranean salad for 214 calories to make a meal.

Of course they do offer cookies and shakes and even a sandwich called Big Jack’s PB&J (and you DON’T want to know how many calories are in those), but it’s good to know there are lots of options that keep you from undoing your hard work in the gym.

And if you go in, ask them WHEN they are going to have the Skinnies on their menu. Maybe if enough people request it, they’ll put them on sooner!!
For now, I’m just happy I don’t have to wait for a trip out of town to have one of their yummy sandwiches!

To find a Potbelly near you, go to:
http://www.potbelly.com/Shops/ShopLocator.aspx