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Sex Up Your Sandwich: Ideas for Budget Conscious Brown Baggers
Photo: stevendepolo / Flickr
Brown bag boredom got you down? Work at home lunch breaks bringing you the blues? If you need sandwich ideas to bust out of the boring box and keep you on track for healthy affordable eating this year, read on.
Sandwich Ingredients
I've chosen to list my favorites here and place them into simple categories. Feel free to add your suggestions below.
Spreads
These can include condiments for cold sandwiches such as homemade horseradish sauce for a sexier BLT, spicy squeezable mayo to take those leftover holiday turkey sandwiches to the next level, mashed avocado, guacamole, Dijon mustard, or hummus.
Spreads, for the purposes of this article, also include items you might use on a hot sandwich. Some of my favorites are buffalo sauce, marinara, pesto, pizza sauce, and brushed on olive oil mixed with zatyr.
Add-ons
These are the little nuggets of yum that help take your sandwich from hum-drum to hubba-hubba. One of my favorite items is those bulk jars of banana pepper rings you can purchase in the bulk aisle at Walmart. For under $5 you've got a bulk supply of a zippy little sandwich add-on that won't spoil quickly like certain produce items (cough — tomatoes). Other ideas include basil leaves, sliced bulk pickles, mixed organic spring greens, sprouts, and French-fried onions.
Pre-cooked bacon (a main ingredient in BLT sandwiches) is a flavorful accent in other sandwiches and upgrades them affordably to the status of "club." For around $8 at my local warehouse store, I can purchase a bulk bag of pre-cooked bacon that equates to four pounds of the raw equivalent. Since I can't buy uncooked bacon for two bucks a pound unless it's on a major sale and would have to deal with the stress of cooking it as well, I consider this a major bargain.
Main Events
This category basically includes any feature ingredient of your sandwich such as grilled vegetables, turkey breast, leftover ham, meatballs, Swiss cheese or chicken patties. Leftover roast chicken is also a common sandwich ingredient at our house.
I also include bread choices in this category, of which there are several. Yes, your basic sandwich loaf is convenient and fits handily into various airtight containers. And when toasted, I routinely find several whole grain varieties to be suitably sexy. That being said, it's difficult to handle a meatball sub between those types of slices and people getting bored with traditional sandwiches might be better served with bulky rolls, ciabatta, whole grain tortillas, or a nice baguette. Heftier breads also stand up better to sauces and thicker fillings.
Sandwich Ideas
Sides
Need a little something else to round out the menu? Consider a mug of homemade soup or some sort of crunchy side. Cream of tomato is hard to beat for versatility and affordability, as is cream of broccoli with cheese. Both are affordable and fall firmly into the realm of comfort food.
In warmer weather, we like to toss in a crunchy side dish or two when we are doing sandwiches for lunch. Potato chips, homemade crackers, veggie sticks, and apple wedges are all affordable, tasty ways to go, with or without an accompanying dipping sauce. (See also: Super Salad Add-Ins)
Preparation
How you prepare the actual sandwich contributes greatly to its overall sexiness. Even peanut butter and jelly gets groovy when you grill it in the frying pan. Feel like taking your basic ham and cheese to the next level? Try this version of a Monte Cristo, which provides a savory twist on the traditional French toast, or this Monte Carlo sandwich, a batter fried version of turkey and Swiss suitable for the work at home crowd.
Larger submarine sandwiches toast nicely in the oven on a foil-lined cookie sheet, eliminating cleanup. A toaster oven is helpful for heating up other sandwiches when you don't want to fire up the entire stove. Think English muffin pizzas and open-faced tuna melts.
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Combinations
It would be too tedious to list them all, and I doubt any of you busy folks would have time to read the list anyway. I'll just list a few of my favorites below.
- A toasted hot wing sandwich. Two-packs of the large jars of hot wing sauce are dirt cheap at the warehouse store. I use that as my condiment, leftover chopped chicken and crumbled blue cheese with a nice hearty bread (inspired by this hot wing flavored recipes post from Linsey). Tip: I go slightly heavy but not too over the top with the hot wing sauce. You want it to be a bit saucy and not all absorbed into the bread, but not drippy. You could also pull this off with a Panini press.
- Middle East style mini clubs. I have a hard time finding Haloumi here, so I use thick slices of mozzarella paired with a slice of Roma tomato and use party-sized club rolls, spreading each slice with a mixture of olive oil and zatyr. They are great little lunch items and with cocktail toothpicks on hand can look fancy and feed a crowd affordably at the same time.
- Toasted turkey and pesto with cheese. Actually, you can pull this one off with a basic whole grain sandwich loaf bread. Use the pesto as your spread and toss in the other two ingredients. I like to either grill them or toss them in the toaster oven for a bit.
Related Readings
Those reducing meat and dairy in their diets should also enjoy this list of vegan sandwiches. We also have several other posts here on Wise Bread that you will likely find of interest:
- DIY Flavored Water
- Soup Garnishes with Style
- 12 Affordable Ingredients to Add Gourmet Flair
- How to Brown Bag It with Pizzazz
What are your favorite sandwich ideas? Do you have any favorite ingredients that balance budget and scrumptiousness?
Best of Wise Bread
Glad you found it helpful.
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I LOVE a sexy sandwich! Spreads like hummus and other bean-based spreads are a great way to make the sandwich moist without adding as many calories as mayo.
My boyfriend is an amazing cook, and he does great things with roasts in the slow cooker. One of my favorite sandwiches is leftovers from the night before: meat, veggies, a little sauce, all atop a baguette with some melted cheese. Truly, truly delicious.
I don't know what zatyr is either - Google suggested "satyr", which apparently is an entirely different matter altogether.
Putting a little mayo, pepper, and sprouts on any turkey or chicken sandwich makes it for me.
There are a bunch of cheap breads you can get besides your standard white or wheat for cheap. I usually go between the three: kaiser roll, french baguette, or marble rye(baguette mostly) to sex up my sandwiches. The croissants at Costco are also pretty good for making sandwiches, but they can get to buttery for my tastes.
This is perfect for me, I always have the same lunch every day and love brown bagging because it helps me save money.
Hi Guys,
Thanks for the ideas and for keeping the conversation going. Zatyr is one of the many ways to spell it, but it's a Middle East spice blend often served on those yummy and sometimes cheesy flatbreads you can get at the street stalls in that part of the world. They use it for other things too, but here in the United States I just mix it with olive oil and keep it in an air-tight jar in the fridge. Other ways to spell it at zatar, za'atar and zhatar. Since the alphabets are so different, it's one of those words that you see spelled differently depending on where you're reading about it.
Andrea, I'm sure Amir will know what it is.
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In the Ziyad brand that they have so much stuff in in the local "Oriental Store" it is spelled za'atar. It is really good on flatbread.
This a late comment but if anyone is still interested,
Za'atar is a thyme mix: thyme, pistachio, sesames, sometimes shredded coconut. You can get the mix at just about any middle eastern grocery store.
Mix the 'mix' with olive oil and spread it over flat bread and put it in the toaster over. Toast it a bit and if you like add olives, cucumbers, and or dip it in sour cream. YUMMM!
I've added flavour (and avoided boredom) to my sandwich by using various chutneys. I prefer fruit chutneys that include peach and mango with liberal amount of pepper (the kind people is warmer climates use).
Great idea with the chutneys. I keep meaning to use more of those.
I have at least started using more fruit in dinner menus, which was a goal this year. Maybe this will be my year to get there with the chutneys.
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Khurt has a point about chutneys- I was going to bring up acchar, actually (but I am writing an article about it, so was going to keep my cards close to my chest and all that). Have you ever had acchar? It's also called "pickle" in India and Pakistan, and it's green (unripe) mangos (and sometimes garlic, carrots, chili peppers, and another fruit called amla) that has been preserved in mustard oil and spices. I cannot begin to describe how happy it makes my tastebuds - just mix it into a little cream cheese. A tiny bit goes a long way, so it's a VERY frugal choice.
No Andrea, I've never had acchar. Sounds delish, though. Looking forward to your post on the topic.
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Not exactly healthy, but I used to like to put a bit of French Onion Dip on turkey sandwiches (in lieu of mayo, which I detest). It's best to take the dip seperately in a little container rather than spread it on the sandwich if you're taking it to work or school.
That onion dip sounds delish. Taking it in a separate container is definitely the way to go, as you say.
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This post is so relevant to me right now. I have a new blog post about saving money on groceries and I talk about packing lunches a little bit. Great ideas here!
Glad you enjoyed it. Would love to see what you've written on the subject as well.
On a side note, I'm thrilled to see the article being well received. I've been meaning to write it for a couple of years now, and this is the first time I've gotten all my notes in one place to crank it out. Guess everyone eats a few of these a week, so why not get the discussion rolling?
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I've spiced up many of my sandwiches by using arugula instead of lettuce. One of my favorites is argula with chicken salad and a slice of tomato on toasted bagel. You could also use arugula with tuna or egg salad.
BTW, I love the title of this post!
Oil & Garlic,
I agree. Arugula is great on sandwiches. Pleased you enjoyed the title. We try to keep it snappy here on Wise Bread. You also mentioned another great bread option: bagels. I especially like them for open faced sandwiches.
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I just bought huge jars of artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers at Costco - some of my favorite things to put on a sandwich. For the $3-4 a pop for a tiny jar of artichoke hearts, I hardly ever eat them but if you plop down the $8 at Costco (or ask a friend to pick them up), you get a massive jar of artichoke hearts. It will take you forever to whittle it down, they're delicious and low-cal, and I couldn't find an expiration date on the jar, which to me says they'll last as long as it'll take you to eat them. Man, I love artichoke hearts!
I agree, they definitely have cool add-ons at Costco for killer prices. We have a big jar of the artichoke tepenade for entertaining on the fly. Dirt cheap.
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I use a Chipotle spread recipe to add zip to my sandwiches. The user can make it as spicy as desired by controlling the amount of the ingredients.
The recipe and notes can be found on my blog:
http://www.gardeningonthemoon.com/2008/09/29/chipotle-spread-recipe/
I also make a great Thai spread with Saracha sauce!
[ Jeff ]
I was having a lot of trouble choking down the same sandwich with cold (from the refrigerator) ingredients until I finally got the bright idea to use the toaster and the microwave in the staff break room to literally heat things up.
Ideally, it would be better if we had a toaster oven in there, but failing that, I toast the bread on my sandwich then assemble and microwave for about a minute. The cheese gets melty and meat is warm and then I put on lettuce (and sometimes sprouts) and dig in. It's so much better hot, especially in the winter!
I'm with you, Ahren.
It's so much nicer to have a hot meal when it's chilly outside. When I still did classroom teaching, I know many of us would have things like toaster ovens, microwaves and rice cookers in the classroom. It was nice to have something warm at work, especially after a chilly recess duty.
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Hi Myscha,
If you want to fake halumi, cut the moz slices into whatever feta brine you have for a day or two (it may get a little slimey - careful) and then add some dried mint.
The easiest way to find halumi is to check the phonebook for a Greek Orthodox church. Call and ask for the name of a Cypriot family . Seriously. They will help you.
There are loads of Cypriots in Tarpon Springs, if you're close, you may just drive up there and ask around.
And don't overlook the breads: lots of different kinds and shapes of breads available, and they can perk up a sandwich a lot.
What a slamming idea about checking through the Greek Orthadox community. Also, there's a Greek meat shop and deli up the road. I picked up some sausage there once but never even looked for Haloumi as it didn't even cross my mind they might have it. But I noticed that had incense and stuff for orthadox ceremonies on one of their displays, so just maybe . . .
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@#4 (Andrea Dickson,)
"Spreads like hummus and other bean-based spreads are a great way to make the sandwich moist without adding as many calories as mayo."
Wow...really? You're worried about the calories you get from the 1/2 oz of mayo you would use in a sandwich? It's not like hummus is calorie-free...it's BEANS.
I would venture that a given mass of hummus actually has MORE calories than (real) mayo, since mayo is whipped eggs...they gain in volume (2 eggs easily make a 1-2 cups of mayo). Even mass-produced mayo is made from soybean OIL, which means you don't have the bean BODY in the mayo, while hummus uses the whole bean...so you retain the protein from the bean...which equals calories.
Nevermind that calorie counting isn't very accurate for the average person, since protein calories don't contribute to total calories at a 1:1 ratio, since our bodies break them down into their constituent amino acids to use them.
...ignorance of the masses that have vilified things such as mayo, without really understanding them.
My husband will appreciate this! He has been getting basically the same lunch for 4 years, this is great!
another great site for guides is Hostelworld.com they have free 2-4 pg. gudies for most of the main cities of the world, where to get cheep food, entertianment, and great student/backpacker deals.
another great site for guides is Hostelworld.com they have free 2-4 pg. gudies for most of the main cities of the world, where to get cheep food, entertianment, and great student/backpacker deals.
This a great post, thanks for this! It is always helpful to find articles like. People would not want to get stuck to eating the same sandwich everyday that it why it nice to get the ideas from blogs like this. Thanks for this again! Hope to read more!
I'm getting hungry just thinking about these. Thanks for the recipes, will have to try a few.
Dwight Anthony
Financially Elite Blog dot Com
You are such a wonderful and witty writer. Not only can you squeeze a few nickles - you can also squeeze quite a few smiles. This article was very enjoyable to read. Great tips, organization, advice, humor and articulation. Thank you!
Ps. Sent this comment twice because I'm not sure if the 1st one went through... and am adding some of my delights too.
I've found that a great sandwich must first consist of quality bread. Bread can really make or break a sandwich. Next is the sauce and then the fillers. I love to layer fillers, it becomes like a culinary building experience. I say, be creative with you sandwiches and don't be afraid to jazz them up... I prefer crunchy sprouts over lettuce... thin slices of red onion, thinly sliced tomatoes - big slices tend to fall out of the sandwich and I like mine in tact even when drippy wet from sauce overload... avocado, peppercini and depending on the sandwich - sliced cucumber, sliced bell pepper - sweet - cranberry, thinly julienned carrots... there are so many options. Artichoke hearts are a real treat to add too! and fresh herbs! Yum~
Aw shucks Dude 4 Food, thanks! This is probably the nicest comment I've had in a while. Glad you liked the piece and its style. Really like your cranberry and thin slicing tips, too. Thanks for stopping by.
