Way back in the 1760’s, a guy named John Montagu sat at a card game gambling table as he liked to do. Not wanting to interrupt his gaming that day, he asked the house cook to bring him something that he could eat easily from where he sat. It may seem a little weird, but history books tell us that this is how the modern day sandwich was born and then grew in popularity in England.
The cook brought Montagu, who happened to be the 4th Earl of Sandwich, a piece of beef between 2 pieces of toasted bread and he continued his gaming for hours. History books tell us that Montagu got the idea for a sandwich from his earlier travels to Turkey and Greece where there were quite a few small plates of fish, cheese and vegetables that were eaten with bread. Even before this, French laborers were eating bread with a meat or cheese filling and as long ago as 100 BC in Jerusalem, there was a symbolic flatbread sandwich eaten with herbs as part of the Jewish Passover feast.
The Modern Sandwich
With the hurry-up pace of life today, one of the easiest and most portable meals to choose is a sandwich. Visit any school lunch room and count the PB&J sandwiches you see. Or, in a school that now bans peanuts and peanut butter from the cafeteria, count ham and cheese sandwiches or tuna salad. Lunch seems to be the perfect eating event to have some kind of a sandwich, no matter what age group, with business colleagues or after-work friends. But wait, dinner sandwiches are also now a go-to thing and when’s the last time you had a breakfast sandwich? Yes, all meals can lend themselves to bread with filling and all sandwiches can be made to include good nutrition as well as easy and quick.
How to Make a Healthy Sandwich
Here are a few strategies to make a healthy sandwich whether it’s hot, cold, wrapped, open-face, grilled, pressed or anything else. As you read, think about how your sandwich will evolve.
- Choose a bread or wrap that is made with whole wheat flour or sprouted grain flour. These are full of quality nutrition like healthy carbs, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
- Decide if you want to enjoy an open-face sandwich and to save 80-100 calories. When you take away one slice of regular bread, there is a calorie savings.
- Build your sandwich with lean turkey or chicken, tuna salad made with light mayo, or a colorful mixture of veggies. These are the healthiest fuel for your body.
- Cook your grilled or pressed (panini) sandwich with extra virgin olive oil on the bread. Here’s an easy way to make a healthier Grilled Cheese and to love it.
- Add a light beverage to your sandwich to sip between bites and help with digestion. Here’s a super tasty and easy recipe for Less Sugary Lemonade.
Are you feeling hungry for a sandwich right now and how will you make it a healthy one?