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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,
 ScKX6Yoie88iLHU35wp+USamPjnHZLxYb5h0lks4/OGIzvwWfFik1Wswz1Z7MUFg
 givHW6P1FkF2Bazle46kIw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-019474.txt : 20030829
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-019474.hdr.sgml : 20030829
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030829124340
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-019474
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030828
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030829

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

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:		03873273

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O SARA LEE CORP
		STREET 2:		70 W MADISON ST
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60602
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-28</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <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>THREE FIRST NATIONAL PLAZA</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>70 W. MADISON STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60602-4260</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>common stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-28</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15000</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>18.505</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>109294</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTrans
action></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>common stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-28</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>15000</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>18.505</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>124294</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndire
ctOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>common stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-28</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5100</value><footnoteId id="F3" /></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>18.505</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>119194</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownersh
ipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>common stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-28</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>8500</value><footnoteId id="F4" /></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>18.505</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value><footnoteId id="F4" /></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>110694</value><footnoteId id="F5" /></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivat
iveTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>common stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>914</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By 401(k) Plan</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>phantom stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F6" /></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-28</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>21316</value><footnoteId id=
"F7" /></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F8" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F8" /></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>21316</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>39710</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Award of restricted stock units that may be settled only for shares of common stock on a one-for-one basis. Restricted stock units vest in full on August 31, 2006 to the extent predetermined performance targets h
ave been achieved.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Award of restricted stock units that may be settled only for shares of common stock on a one-for-one basis.  Restricted stock units vest in three equal annual installments beginning on August 31, 2004.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Represents performance-based restricted stock units that did not vest at the end of the performance period.</footnote><footnote id="F4">The reporting person has deferred the receipt of shares of common stock that would have been issued upon the vesting of restricted stock units.</footnote><footnote id="F5">Does not include vested interest in 483 shares of ESOP Convertible Preferred Stock beneficially owned as a participant in the Sara Lee Corporation Employee Stock Ownership Plan as of August 20, 2003 (date of the Plan???s last report). </footnote><footnote id="F6">The phantom stock units will convert into shares of Sara Lee common stock on a one-for-one basis.</footnote><footnote id="F7">The reporting person has deferred receipt of 12,
816 shares of common stock issuable in lieu of a portion of his annual cash bonus and 8,500 shares issuable upon the vesting of restricted stock units.</footnote><footnote id="F8">The reporting person will receive shares of Sara Lee common stock, on a one-for-one basis, at a future date(s) specified by him pursuant to the deferred compensation plan.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Helen N. Kaminski
For Lee A. Chaden, pursuant to power of attorney previously filed.</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-29</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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