Is Firehouse Subs Safe For Pregnancy What To Order?

Yes, you can eat at Firehouse Subs during pregnancy, provided you choose items that are fully cooked and served hot. The main risks at any sandwich shop come from deli meats, unpasteurized soft cheeses, and pre-cut produce that may carry listeria. Firehouse Subs steams its meats and toasts its sandwiches, which helps, but the safest approach is to order hot meatball, chicken, or turkey subs and skip cold deli-style options.

Is Firehouse Subs Safe for Pregnancy and What to Order?

The short answer is that it depends almost entirely on what you order, not on the restaurant itself.

Firehouse Subs is a fast-casual sandwich chain known for steaming its meats and toasting its bread. That steaming step is relevant during pregnancy because heat kills listeria, the bacterium that makes Listeria monocytogenes infections so dangerous for a developing fetus.

Cold deli meat is the classic concern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has long advised pregnant women to avoid cold deli meats unless they are heated until steaming hot. Firehouse Subs steams its meat as part of the standard preparation, which brings it into a safer temperature range. But the chain also offers cold-cut options and condiments that are not heated, so not every item on the menu is equally low-risk.

The practical rule: choose a sub that is fully hot, skip anything served cold, and pay attention to the cheese and toppings.

Why Is Deli Meat a Concern During Pregnancy?

Listeria is the reason. This bacterium is uncommon in healthy adults but can cross the placenta and cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or serious infection in a newborn. Pregnant women are roughly 10 times more likely than the general population to get listeriosis, according to CDC data.

Deli meats, soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk, and refrigerated smoked seafood are the foods most often linked to listeria outbreaks. The bacteria can grow at refrigeration temperatures, which is why cold storage does not eliminate the risk.

Heat is the reliable solution. Listeria is killed by cooking to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). When Firehouse Subs steams its meats, it reaches temperatures high enough to reduce this risk. The catch is that the meat is then placed on bread with cold toppings, and cross-contamination or handling after heating is theoretically possible. This is not a documented problem specific to Firehouse Subs, but it is a general principle worth knowing.

What Should You Order at Firehouse Subs While Pregnant?

Focus on hot, fully cooked subs. The safest choices are the ones where every component has been heated.

• Meatball sub — meatballs are cooked and served hot, and the marinara is heated
• Chicken breast sub — grilled or steamed chicken, served hot
• Turkey sub (hot) — the steamed turkey is heated through, though you may want to ask for it extra hot
• Steak and cheese sub — the steak is cooked to order and served hot
• Veggie sub (hot) — grilled vegetables with melted cheese, served hot

Ask for the sandwich to be steamed or heated until the meat is steaming hot, not just warm. If the employee confirms the meat has reached that point, the listeria risk from the meat itself is largely addressed.

What Should You Avoid at Firehouse Subs During Pregnancy?

Cold deli subs are the main items to skip. That includes any sub served with cold turkey, ham, roast beef, or salami that has not been heated. The Italian-style subs with cured meats like salami and pepperoni fall into this category if served cold.

Other items to be cautious about:

• Cold-cut combo subs — unless you specifically request the meat be heated until steaming
• Soft cheeses — check whether the cheese is made with pasteurized milk; most commercial cheeses in the US are pasteurized, but soft varieties like brie or feta are worth confirming
• Unwashed or pre-cut produce — leafy greens and cut fruit can carry listeria from soil or processing; this is a general food safety concern, not specific to Firehouse Subs
• Undercooked or runny eggs — if any menu item includes egg, make sure it is fully cooked
• Certain seafood — if the chain offers tuna salad or seafood subs, these are typically served cold and should be avoided unless heated

Condiments like mayonnaise, mustard, and oil and vinegar are generally fine. Mayonnaise made with pasteurized eggs is not a listeria risk.

Does Steaming the Meat Make It Safe?

Steaming raises the temperature of the meat, and heat kills listeria. That part is well established.

What is less clear is whether the steaming process at a fast-food restaurant consistently reaches 165°F throughout the meat, and whether post-heating handling introduces any risk. No published studies have specifically tested Firehouse Subs’ steaming process for listeria reduction. The evidence for the general principle — that heating deli meat until steaming hot reduces listeria risk — is strong. The evidence for this specific restaurant’s process is not available.

That is why some clinicians still advise pregnant women to avoid deli meat entirely, even heated, while others say heating until steaming is sufficient. Both positions exist in clinical practice. The CDC’s guidance supports heating until steaming hot as a risk-reduction step.

What About the Bread, Toppings, and Sides?

The bread is toasted, which is a minor plus but not a significant safety factor. Toppings like lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles are raw and can carry listeria or other pathogens from soil or handling.

Washing produce at home reduces risk, but you cannot control how a restaurant washes its vegetables. This is a general limitation of eating raw produce away from home, not a Firehouse Subs-specific issue.

Sides like chips and cookies are shelf-stable and low-risk. Fountain drinks and bottled beverages are fine. The main concern remains the meat and any cold protein items.

How Does Firehouse Subs Compare to Other Sandwich Shops?

Firehouse Subs steams its meats, which is a meaningful difference from shops that serve cold deli meat straight from the refrigerator. Subway, for example, offers toasting but does not steam meat as a standard step. Jersey Mike’s slices meat to order and serves it cold unless you request it heated.

That said, no sandwich chain is risk-free during pregnancy. The safest approach at any of them is the same: order hot, fully cooked proteins, ask for extra heating if possible, and avoid cold deli meats and unpasteurized soft cheeses.

What Do Health Authorities Recommend?

The CDC advises pregnant women to avoid cold deli meats and to heat them until steaming hot if they choose to eat them. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists offers similar guidance, noting that listeria can be killed by thorough cooking.

Neither organization has issued guidance specific to Firehouse Subs. The recommendations are general food safety principles that apply to all deli-style restaurants.

If you are unsure, the most conservative choice is to avoid deli meat altogether during pregnancy. The next safest choice is to eat only meat that has been heated until steaming hot. Both approaches are reasonable, and the decision is one to make with your healthcare provider.