How to Make Perfect Sandwiches for Lunch

A sandwich for lunch is far from boring. On its own, it can contain all the elements to create the perfect meal. If done well, it ticks all the boxes for texture and flavour. Just vary the bread, proteins and toppings, and follow a few rules to make it the king of the lunch box.

The basics of the sandwich

A complete sandwich should mix soft and crunchy textures in addition to presenting salty, spicy and even, sometimes, sweet flavours. Do not neglect the fat that brings body to the sandwich, thanks to cold cuts or mayonnaise. For a sandwich to be successful, you need to be excited to eat it.

1. The bread

To choose the base of the sandwich, think about how you will eat it. Will you be sitting at the table, will you have a plate or utensils, etc.? It will influence the bread format. A sandwich cut in half always handles better. Vary the bread to add novelty to your lunches. Here are some ideas:

• Crusty bread: with its tender crumb and crispy crust, you already have an interesting texture contrast.
• Bakery bread: a world of flavours is offered to you with breads with nuts, olives, cheese, etc.
• Individual rolls: ciabattas, egg bread or kaisers are easily frozen to be used on demand.
• Pita bread: As it is very thin, it is better to eat your sandwich immediately, because it gets wet very easily.

2. Meats

All meats can be put in a sandwich. Bet on deli meats for a compact sandwich, because they stack easily, and on roast beef, pork roasts or roast chicken for more generous sandwiches. Shred or slice the meats to give them a different texture and to hold them in place in the sandwich.

3. Toppings

To give colour, flavour and texture to your sandwich, use creativity in your toppings. There are plenty of interesting ingredients to incorporate besides just lettuce leaves. Vary the cut of the ingredients for a more interesting texture and distribute them evenly in the sandwich.

Fresh vegetables: zucchini in thin ribbons, julienned carrots, fennel minced on a mandoline, peppers in small cubes, onions marinated for a few minutes in vinegar, etc.

Lettuce: Opt for bitter lettuce such as radicchio, endive and watercress, or peppery lettuce such as arugula. If you’re using iceberg lettuce, leave it as a leaf rather than minced so it stays crispy.

Fruit: Add red grapes to a tuna salad or dried apples or fruit to a chicken salad. Chop the fruit to have only a few sweet hits in your mixture.

4. Spreads and condiments

The sandwich spread binds all the ingredients together. A simple jar of mayonnaise can be used for endless sauces for your sandwiches. Mix it with lemon zest, horseradish or sundried tomatoes. Your refrigerator door is overflowing with ways to create new flavour.

Explore the different mustards available on the market to give different taste profiles to your sandwich.

To save time, use creamy dressings from the store (Caesar, ranch, etc.) to spread like mayonnaise.

Knowing how to manage humidity

If you bring a sandwich that you prepare the night before or in the morning before leaving for work or school, be sure to choose ingredients that are not “wet” and that would soak the bread.

• Avoid tomatoes, cucumbers and some lettuce.
• If you make a sandwich with leftover meat, such as roast beef for example, slice it thinly so that its juice does not soak the bread.
• A leaf of curly or romaine lettuce placed between the bread and the filling also keeps the bread dry.

However, a preparation can be wet, without wetting the bread. This is the case with chicken, tuna or egg salads that are made with a mayonnaise base.