Critique: Subway's Cold Cut Combo!

At some point last summer, I stopped at a Subway located near my home in Forsyth Missouri and fell in love with their Cold Cut Combo 6” meal deal! (A great lunch time selection and hopefully a  healthy addiction over time)!

And so it was on one of the coldest mornings of the 2015- 2016 winter, that I stopped at the 14974 US Hwy 160 venue, just to the north of Forsyth Missouri on Highway 160, to get a midday fix!

The Combo is just one of many sandwich offerings to be found at Subway, but it had tickled my fancy mostly because it was a combo of veggies and meats on bread - simple and wholesome, just like myself. OK. So, maybe I'm just simple.

I arrived at the popular eatery a little bit early on a Monday morning, around11:30 AM, in order to skirt the crowds that show up at about the noon hour. I ambled on in to the always spotless eatery and found that there was only one person at the order counter. Perfect. Now a word of caution! As you approach that counter, there is a great looking display of all kinds of chips-in-bags, just begging to be snatched up. Don't do it! These little bags of joy are actually 'caloric bombs'! And when they detonate, they can wreck even the most carefully devised diet! Thus, as I approached the counter that morning... I quickly grabbed myself a bag of Lays chips! [So, go ahead and sue me]!

Bag in hand, I then got the attention of the person I like to call the 'Facilitator'. (That's the guy or girl who assembles your sandwich according to your instructions). From a strictly procedural standpoint, you first call out the base and style of the sandwich. 'White bread, 6 inch cold cut combo,' I stated assertively that morning. The Facilitator eyed me casually and then asked, 'Ya'll want that toasted?' 'Yes, I do', I answered right back. (My mouth had began to drool a bit, at that point. A troubling, but well understood development from past visits).

That chore done, the last item in the order process was what most always got me flustered. My 'virginal bun' had just come out of the flash oven and it smelled terrific! It was hot-to-trot and merely awaited my personal selection of veggies from what looked to be a cornucopia of mouth watering selection bins. (On this day, excessive drooling, forced me to forego normal speech in favor of animalistic grunting and pointing. Thankfully, the Facilitator interpreted these strange gyrations correctly). [FYI - I prefer hot peppers, mayo, lettuce and onion on my cold cut combo]. In no time, the meal was expertly 'wrapped up'  and I then paid up.

OK, just a word about Subway and the cost of their food. It's atrocious! Seriously, I sometimes feel like an addict scoring some drug for a hundred dollars. OK, may be not as bad as all that. Still, the 6 inch sub and the bag of chips cost $5.25 including tax! Personally, I think that a little costly! But hey, I'm a true culinary addict, like I said...

Eating healthy in America today!

It's really no secret that Americans currently lead the world in terms of being overweight (a whopping 74%). And it's no wonder. Even as children starting out in grade school, practically zero classes are directed at proper nutrition, exercise and weight management. And yes grade school is not too soon to start beginning to educate kids. Proper maintenance of your health is a life long pursuit!

Did you know that the percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period. I find those figures troubling and they are getting worse (not better) every year! Even Michelle Obama's well intentioned school lunch program has faltered in many schools across America. The National School Boards Association reported in late 2014 that 83.7 % of school districts around the country have seen an increase in wasted school lunch food since a 2010 law was passed mandating new nutrition rules. So, something needs to be changed and changed soon. After all, today's pudgy will soon turn into tomorrow's cardiac arrests and burdens on the healthcare system!

increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly

Dressing was a mix of olive oil and vinegar!

One thing that moms and dads can do early on is to teach their children about the wonderful world of salads! There are virtuously endless ways of making highly nutritious and filling salad creations that not only will kids like, bet even learn to crave. And, while I'm no model of physical health, I have enjoyed a lifetime of salads. As a matter of fact, I enjoy a custom creation just about every day! Oftentimes, my choice of ingredients are limited by what I have on hand. Yet, even a very basic romaine salad with a few veggies tossed in can do wonders over time. The basic 170 gram lunch salad pictured here contained romaine lettuce, onion, bell pepper, shredded cheese, celery and croûtons made out of toast!

Fresh salads make my day!

Of all the foods I enjoy eating, nothing compares to a good old fashioned salad that I’ve thrown together myself. Other than the possible exception of my homemade ‘ranch style’ dressing, there are absolutely no health warnings out about salads. (I know because I’ve check all the media outlets. There’s nothing – zip! Trust me)!!

Now while I often have agonized over getting Mad Cow disease after eating beef or a case of dreaded trichinosis from pork or even Type I diabetes from too much pasta, I feel I’m pretty much in the clear when it comes to chopping down on a plate of lettuce sativa, onions and celery! (Something that makes watching mainstream TV ads, as I eat, a little more doable).

“Are you feeling a little run down lately? Doctors have now shown that three out of ten may be suffering from Early Brain Tumor Onset or EBTO! Now, while absolutely nothing can be done about curing EBTO, you can slow it down and live a relatively ‘normal’ lifestyle. Ask your doctor if Tumorset® might be right for you!” Yeah, right? No, wrong actually! (God, please save me from these sorts of visual downers that are designed to scare us to death)!

The other thing about a good old fashioned salad is the endless combinations that are out there! Every sort of vegetable or fruit is fair game and if you find yourself wandering too far afield (Sausage? Cheese? Oh My!), you can always quiet any nasty thoughts by using this great power word – preponderance. As in, ‘the vast preponderance of my salad was composed of some really healthy shit!’ Just be careful here that the ‘preponderance part’ of the ingredients doesn’t slip over to the dark side. After all, someone remarking, ‘My Gawd, girl! Is that a slab of ribs in your salad there?’ - will not go over very well when you get to thinking about it later on!