Grab a Sandwich!
Grabbing a sandwich is a quick easy way to have a meal on the go or at home. It can
be filled with delicious, nutritious foods, can be cold or hot, grilled, open faced, closed,
triple decked, or wrapped. There are breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, and tea
or party sandwiches. According to the USDA "A sandwich is a meat or poultry filling
between two slices of bread, a bun or a biscuit." No matter how you define sandwich
there are millions eaten every day.
According to a 2019 YouGov survey the grilled cheese sandwich is the most popular.
The sandwich is named after John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. Legend has it
that in 1762, during a 24-hour gambling game, he asked for meat to be served between
slices of bread. This way he could eat with one hand, leaving the other free to continue
the game.
There are 3 main components of a sandwich: the bread, the spread, and the filling.
1. The bread holds everything together. The bread should not be overpowering, or
to soft or tough. A whole grain bread is the most nutritious.
2. The spread adds flavor and moisture, mayonnaise and butter add richness. The
spread also creates a moisture barrier, so the bread doesn’t get soggy. The main
types of spreads are mayonnaise, salad dressing, butter, and variety spreads
such as hummus, pesto and cream cheese.
3. The filling is the main ingredient of a sandwich and can be any kind of beef, pork,
poultry, seafood, cheese, vegetables, and fruits. It can also be a meat or egg
salad that have dressing holding everything together.
4.
Types of sandwiches include:
• Closed-two pieces of bread with filling in between.
• Open-faced-one piece of bread with the fillings put on top.
• Triple decker-THREE pieces of bread with fillings between each layer
• Finger Sandwiches-small fancy closed sandwiches in shapes, the crusts are
usually cut off.
• Wraps-flat breads wrapped around fillings.
When you create your own sandwich be creative, have different flavors and a good mix
of fruit, vegetables, bread, meats, and dairy. For your healthiest sandwich choose low
fat spreads, proteins, and cheeses.
1. Choose a bread remember whole grain breads are the most nutritious and
increase the fiber in your diet.
2. Choose a spread if you want.
3. Choose one or two protein foods.
4. Add your favorite cheese.
5. Add fruits and vegetables. Try to incorporate at least one, but this is one time
more is better.
6. Put the top bread on or roll it up if you are doing a wrap and you are ready to eat!
