Sandwich Ideas from Breads, Fillings and Spreads
Once upon a time sandwiches were boring affairs. But all that has changed with the arrival of so many new bread varieties, fillings and spreads.
No longer are sandwiches confined to just a few slices of white bread. The vast array of different breads, rolls, bagels, flat breads, tortillas and wraps now available brings a new dimension to the humble sandwich elevating it to new culinary heights and means that finding new sandwich ideas is relatively easy.
But sandwiches, like everything else, can be made healthy or unhealthy. To make your sandwiches healthier, use whole wheat or grain bread. Rather than using butter try one of the reduced-fat margarine spreads. When choosing fillings choose low fat cheeses and opt for lean cuts of meat such as ham, chicken or turkey.
Tips for Packing
How do you ensure that your lovingly prepared sandwiches last until lunchtime without becoming crushed or soggy?
- Packing them in a plastic container will prevent them becoming crushed in overloaded school bags.
- If the weather is warm and humid using an
insulated bag with an ice pack will keep them much fresher and prevent
fillings from spoiling.
How to Avoid Soggy Sandwiches
Have you ever opened your lunch box to soggy sandwiches? Not very nice or appetizing. So how do you avoid the dreaded soggy sandwich?
- The first trick is to form a barrier
between the wet fillings and your bread. Butter or margarine forms a
natural barrier preventing moisture from seeping in.
- If using condiments or spreads, place them between the meat and cheese rather than on the bread.
- The other alternative of course is to
pack the wet ingredients in a separate container and assemble the
sandwich just before eating.
Crisp, crusty Italian-style loaf.
Flat Italian loaves, can be split and filled.
Indian bread. Split and fill or use with dips.
Split and wrap fillings, or halve and fill pockets.
Danish, dark rye bread. Top with savoury fillings.
A dense, yeast-free loaf, good for sandwiches and toast.
Butter can be high in saturated fat so you may want to avoid it. But there are so many other low fat alternatives that are tasty and low in fat.
Dips such as hummus or tzatziki
Reduced-fat cream cheese
Sandwiches can be filled with almost any
combination of cheese, meat and vegetables. The trick is getting the
right balance of flavor and texture while keeping the sandwiches fresh
Soft cream cheese can be used as a spread
or as part of the filling. Slices of mild cheddar are ideal for
children’s lunches and can be combined with almost any salad vegetable
and other meats.
Sliced, grated or finely chopped celery
Green or red pepper
(Red onions have a very strong flavor and may be too potent for children’s lunch boxes)
Now it's time to put it all together. Here are a few sandwich ideas to give you
inspiration next time you are wondering what to prepare for school
lunches. Remember you can mix n’ match any of the above ingredients.
- Multigrain bread, sliced corned beef, mustard pickles, lettuce, tomato and Swiss cheese
- White bread, roast beef, baby rocket, cheddar cheese and tomato chutney
- Whole wheat bread, sliced meatloaf, chutney and cheese
- Turkey slices with cranberry sauce, lettuce and alfalfa sprouts
- Ham, mustard, semi sun-dried tomatoes and tasty cheddar cheese
- BLT sandwich - Bacon, lettuce and tomato with mayonnaise
- Ham, corn relish, sliced cucumber, cheddar cheese, alfalfa sprouts
- Ham, pineapple, diced celery, grated cheese
- Spread bread with peanut butter, top with sliced banana and drizzle over 2 teaspoons honey
- Cheese and chive dip, grated cheddar cheese and sliced cucumber
Don’t forget to use fresh herbs such as coriander, chives, parsley and basil for extra flavor.