-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 T3A2mcwPJ4jz2y7akH81Sp0mmoRGQfquomhY5gLuL11/WSKGx0KTU7r1phojbbfO
 474rmjh+PyUUuCbnsrqb+w==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-009307.txt : 20030701
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-009307.hdr.sgml : 20030701
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030701104934
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-009307
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030629
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030701

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CHADEN LEE A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001218954

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-03344
		FILM NUMBER:		03766718

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O SARA LEE CORP
		STREET 2:		70 W MADISON ST
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60602

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LEE SARA CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000023666
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	FOOD & KINDRED PRODUCTS [2000]
		IRS NUMBER:				362089049
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MD
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0630

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		THREE FIRST NATIONAL PLZ
		STREET 2:		STE 4600
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60602
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3127262600

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		THREE FIRST NATL PLZ
		STREET 2:		SUITE 4600
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60602

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	CONSOLIDATED FOODS CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19850402

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	CONSOLIDATED GROCERD CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19731220
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-29</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000023666</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LEE SARA CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SLE</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001218954</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CHADEN LEE A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>common stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>10894</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>18.635</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>94294</value><footnoteId id="F3" /><footnoteId id="F5" /></sharesOwnedFollowin
gTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>phantom stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-29</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>10894</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>18.635</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F4" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F4" /></expirationDate><un
derlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10894</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>18394</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Pursuant to the Sara Lee Corporation deferred compensation plan, the reporting person has deferred the receipt of shares of Sara Lee common stock that would have been issued upon the vesting of restricted stock units.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The phantom stock units will convert into shares of Sara Lee common stock on a one-for-one basis.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Does not include 158 shares held by the reporting person indirectly in his Sara Lee Corporation 401(k) Plan account as of January 9, 2003 (the date of the most recent Pla
n report).</footnote><footnote id="F4">The reporting person will receive shares of Sara Lee common stock, on a one-for-one basis, at future dates specified by him. </footnote><footnote id="F5">Does not include vested interest in 428 shares of ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock and 418 shares of common stock beneficially owned as a participant in the Sara Lee Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan as of June 30, 2002 (date of the Plan???s last report). </footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Helen N. Kaminski
For Lee A. Chaden pursuant to power of attorney previously filed.</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-01</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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