Making a sandwich is very simple but if you rely on a sandwich as a meal you might be doing it wrong. In this article you will learn how to sandwich using components that will cover your nutritional needs.
How to sandwich
In its simplest form, a sandwich is a filling between 2 slices of bread. This is fine as a snack or as part of a meal. However, if you are having a sandwich as a main meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) you want to make sure it is substantial and nutritious.
The bread
Normally, the bread is the main carbohydrate-containing component of a sandwich. For most people in most circumstances, it is recommended to choose lower GI varieties of bread such as multigrain or sourdough instead of commercial fluffy white bread.
If you are following a low carbohydrate or ketogenic diet, you will find some lower carbohydrate/keto/paleo options in health food shops to suit your needs. Just be prepared to pay a lot more money for them. You can also find plenty of recipes on the internet to make your own.
Some breads can also be a decent source of protein. There are currently several options in supermarkets, health food shops and some bakeries.
When comparing the nutrient content of different breads, compare based on the serving size you are likely to eat, e.g. for a sandwich a serving size is 2 slices.
The condiments
You don’t need to add condiments to a sandwich but condiments fulfil important roles. Some condiments help to insulate the bread from wet ingredients and prevent it from getting soggy. Condiments also act as glue to help keep sandwich elements together. Last but not least, condiments add flavour to your sandwich.
Condiments typically don’t contribute much protein but can be a significant source of fat and energy. If this is a concern for you, choose lower fat condiments and/or use a small quantity. In addition, if sugar content is a concern for you, read labels to ensure there is no added sugar.
Possibly the most common condiments people put in sandwiches are butter, mayonnaise, tomato sauce (a.k.a. ketchup) and mustard. I have listed below several more options, including vegetable-based ones that you can use to boost your veggie intake.
- Hummus made with chickpeas, another legume (e.g. beans, lentils) or vegetables (e.g. zucchini, cauliflower, beetroot, pumpkin)
- Baba ganoush
- Tahini or tahini sauce
- Pesto, preferably homemade with basil, other herbs or sundried tomatoes
- Tzatziki
- Smashed avocado or guacamole
- Tapenade
- Ajvar
- Mayonnaise, preferably homemade or mayonnaise-based condiment (e.g. tartar sauce, aioli)
- Mustard (e.g. Dijon, grainy, American, hot English)
The protein
What most people think of as the “protein” in their sandwiches is not really that high in protein. For example, one slice of deli meat and one slice of cheese can have as low as 5.45 grams of protein. To put things in context, most people should be aiming at a minimum of 25-30 grams of protein per meal.
- Deli meats (a.k.a. processed, cured or cold meats). In epidemiological studies, there are associations between processed meats and bad health outcomes. Therefore, I recommend not eating on a regular basis just as a precaution.
- Sliced cheese, reduced-fat if concerned with cholesterol levels and/or excess energy intake
- Canned fish (e.g. tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel), preferably packed in water or extra virgin olive oil, then drained
- Sliced smoked salmon or trout
- Leftover cooked meat (e.g. chicken, beef, lamb, pork)
- Eggs cooked your way (e.g. boiled, scrambled, omelette)
- Veggie burgers, preferably homemade using beans or lentils
- Tofu or tempeh
The vegetables
While adding one cup of vegetables to a sandwich to tick off one serve of veggies for the day sounds like a great idea, the truth is that too many vegetables in a sandwich can make it messy to eat. You can get around this hurdle by including some vegetables in the sandwich and some on the side.
Vegetables in the sandwich
- Leaves (e.g. lettuce, baby/regular rocket, baby/regular spinach, cabbage), whole or sliced/shredded
- Sliced vegetables (e.g. tomato, cucumber, radish, cooked beetroot, onion)
- Pickled vegetables (e.g. dill pickles, pickled jalapeños, sauerkraut, kimchi), make sure to drain them to prevent the sandwich from getting soggy and/or leaking
- Vegetable-based condiments (see above)
- Roasted vegetables (e.g. capsicum, eggplant, pumpkin)
- Vegetable-based condiment (see above)
Vegetables on the side
- Salad
- Snacking vegetables (e.g. mini cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, celery sticks, capsicum sticks, gherkins/cornichons)
- Vegetable soup (e.g. pumpkin, tomato, borscht, onion, mushroom, carrot)
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