I keep hearing about this restaurant chain… how great they are and how easy it is to eat keto at Jimmy John’s. We don’t have a Jimmy John’s in Canada. I got excited for a moment when I searched and found one in Ontario – but it turned out to be Ontario, California; not Ontario Canada. Dang it.
Jimmy John’s was started in 1983 by an entrepreneur in Charleston, Illinois. It started out as a humble beginning by Jimmy John Liautaud. He began with 4 sandwiches – The Pepe, Totally Tuna, Turkey Tom, and Vito. These are still available today. He realized his location was not ideal, so he started doing deliveries of his sandwiches. In 1986 and 1987, he opened two new locations in Illinois. In 1993, he introduced the JJ Gargantuan – a sandwich set to fulfill even the hungriest of people. Then, in 1994 the first franchise opened and it took off from there. Today, there are nearly 3,000 locations across the United States, according to their website. In 2018, Jimmy John Liautaud was listed in Forbes magazine as being worth a staggering $1.7 billion.
Jimmy John’s Unwich
The defining point for keto people was in 2003 when Jimmy John’s introduced their unwich. This was before many places started catering to those with gluten and carb sensitivities. The unwich is all the great ingredients contained within a lettuce wrap. Every one contains 10 grams or less of net carbs. Jimmy John’s is known for their fresh ingredients. Their meats are minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients (with the exception of a caramel colouring on the roast beef). Their vegetables are fresh and sliced by hand. They hand slice their provolone cheese and meats. They use Hellmann’s mayonnaise, which is beloved by keto people.
Their nutritional information is available on their website and is very thorough. They have the information specifically for the unwich options, so there is no guessing. The unwich with the highest carb level is, of course, the JJ Gargantuan. It has salami, capicola, ham, roast beef, turkey, cheese, onion, oil and vinegar, and oregano-basil. Pretty much everything but the kitchen sink…and bread. Even this monster of an unwich only contains 10 grams of net carbs. The Spicy East Coast Italian and Italian Night Club both have 9 grams of net carbs. The Club Tuna and Vito each have 7 grams of net carbs.
How I Would Eat Keto at Jimmy John’s
I would probably get the Beach Club unwich. It comes with turkey, double cheese, avocado spread, and cucumber. It has 6 grams of net carbs. Sounds good to me! You can also make your own sandwich, using their choice of meats, vegetables and condiments. Their roast beef with cheese and avocado spread also sounds good. I’m getting hungry!
The nutritional information also includes the sides and condiments. The have a kosher dill pickle available as a side that has only 1 gram of net carbs. I don’t like dill pickles, but if you do, this one sounds like a winner. The avocado spread would be a must-try for me. Not only does it contain only 1 gram of net carbs, it also has 6 grams of fat and the reviews say it has a whole bunch of flavour. The Kickin’ Ranch also sounds good with 2 grams of net carbs and 15 grams of fat!
My only complaint about Jimmy John’s is that it is not in Canada. Why, Jimmy John? Why? I think the closest one to me is in Boston, Mass. Well, guess it’s about time for a road trip!
Wendy
