Sandwiches

Options
ftsolk
ftsolk Posts: 202 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've been trying to make some changes to my eating habits to get back on track with my weight loss goals. I'm buying materials to make mason jar salads for lunches Wednesday-Saturday (Dinner Sunday), and I'm trying to figure out a good option for lunches and dinners on Sundays (after church, before work), Thursdays (babysitting after work), and Fridays (youth group after work). Those days, I don't have the option of heating up any food, and I'm often pressed for time.

So, I thought: Sandwiches. Sundays at church, I can pack a sandwich and supplement it with the fruit and vegetables that they serve alongside the pastries and other treats after service.

I'm just a little stumped at some ideas for sandwiches. I usually use sprouted grain breads, though I like a good whole grain tortilla or wrap (whole wheat or sprouted grain). Unfortunately, my sandwiches with a couple ounces of Applegate Farms meat are pretty sad looking. What are some tips for better looking sandwiches- ones that look like stock photos of sandwiches? Ordering shaved deli meats that can be piled on higher?

I'm also looking for some ideas for sandwiches so I don't get bored. I'm generally a grilled cheese or PB&J kinda gal (though I also love Almond Butter and Jelly). I don't like bologna, mayo, or mayo based salad sandwiches (tuna salad, egg salad, chicken salad). One of my favorite wraps are the Costco Swiss and Turkey rolls (sans the tomato- yuck!), but I haven't been able to replicate the cranberry cream cheese very well. I've tried yogurt cheese and mixing cream cheese with all-fruit spreads. It's good, but not quite the same.

So, any sandwich ideas? Or non-sandwich ideas for cold meals? I could also use some fun salad combos for my mason-jar lunches. I love adding things like nuts, cheese, and fruit to my salads.

Replies

  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
    edited December 2014
    Options
    I'll cook up about 3-4 ounces of chicken in either:

    1.) a little olive oil, with crushed red pepper, black pepper, kosher salt, and garlic powder. Sometimes a little cayenne pepper if I'm feeling wild and crazy that day.

    2.)water until complete cooked. I'll then shred it, before tossing it in buffalo sauce.

    Toss that together with some crumbled reduced fat blue cheese, a tiny squirt of ranch dressing, and put it in a wrap, and you've got a great Buffalo chicken sandwich. Mine tend to fit perfectly into my meal allowance. Easy 500 calorie or less lunch/dinner, including pretzels/fruit on the side.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Options
    community.epicurious.com/post/turkey-rollups-with-cranberry-cream-cheese-costco-copycat

    This might be the costco recipe you have in mind.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    Options
    Marinate some chicken tenderloins, or sliced chicken breast, in Mediterranean spices and a little vinegar. Meanwhile, mash an avocado and add a squirt of lemon or lime, sliced tomato and onion, and feta cheese. Mix it up really well with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken til done and put on a tortilla. Add the avocado feta mix, wrap, and enjoy.

    Marinate a small salmon filet in balsamic vinegar, add a little crushed garlic, bake or sautee until done, put on bread or a bun with a little balsamic glaze swirl and some fresh sliced tomatoes.

    Caramelize some onions, add to bread with some ham and brie, and grill it like a grilled cheese.

    Bake a chicken breast and add goat cheese and sliced pears and a slice of bacon.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,017 Member
    edited December 2014
    Options
    You can pretty much choose anything to put between 2 slices of bread.

    allrecipes.com/recipes/main-dish/sandwiches-and-wraps/
  • dawnmcneil10
    dawnmcneil10 Posts: 638 Member
    Options
    You could make meat and cheese roll ups, I use string cheese and roll up with ham and/or turkey. Hard boiled eggs, grapes, apple wedges and sliced veggies are all great side options. If you like to dip your veggies you can make a greek yogurt based dip or grab PB or hummus. One of my favorite "sandwiches" is a veggie wrap, spinach, tomatoes, onions, sprouts, peppers, black olives, pickles, cheese and a little ranch or thousand island dressing in a flavored wrap.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Options

    My first sandwich after I started counting calories was a few ounces of boars head turkey, an arnolds 100 calorie roll, and a probably less than 50 grams of avocado and I thought it was AMAZING ( I didn't eat a sandwich for at least 2-3 months when I started). Now I add an ounce or half and ounce of mozzarella to it too and the whole thing is like 240 calories. Not very exciting, but when you try not to compare it to a huge deli sandwich, and enjoy it for what it is, it does the trick.
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
    edited December 2014
    Options
    Slow cooker meals are great. I think your Sundays where you have limited time after church but before work would be a great day for it. The slow cooker takes usually at least 2-4 hours to cook the meals, but it is a set it and go type of thing and it could shake up your meals. You can find meals that take even longer in the slow cooker though. I love the slow cooker! I use it at least one night a week (physical trainer nights) so that I can just get home and almost immediately start eating.

    Be careful of cold cuts. My sodium was OUT of WHACK when just eating those sandwiches. I've snacked on hard boiled eggs my first few weeks of weight loss so that my appetite was satisfied. Instead of cold cuts, perhaps try some avacado to get that creaminess with sliced hard boiled eggs and bacon (combine with grilled chicken breasts, yum!). :D Bacon has some sodium, but the rest won't really. Don't forget to get your protein count in. I personally try to stay away from constantly eating sandwiches because the bread doesn't satisfy me for long. Nowadays, I'll eat one slice of bread with all the fixings of the sandwich and some fruit or veggies to balance things out.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Options
    Just about anything you can put in a salad, you can put in a sandwich wrap.

    Canned tuna, hard boiled eggs, mashed beans, hummus, leftover meat or fish, are all good proteins to start with, then just add a big handful of salad greens and chopped veggies, dress with hot sauce, mayo, mustard, vinaigrette, or whatever you like and roll it up.
  • siobhanmoo
    siobhanmoo Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    Ever tried cream cheese and marmite? It's LUSH. Or cream cheese and ground black pepper.
  • ftsolk
    ftsolk Posts: 202 Member
    Options
    Crock pot meals would be great...if I went home after church. I go straight from church to work, so my lunch is eaten at church. I'll admit, this past Sunday, my lunch was a bagel, cookies, grapes, and cheese.

    SnuggleSnacks- Those ideas sound pretty good. I wish I could get more into a cold grilled cheese though because that one with ham, brie, and onions sounds great!

Categories