Busy parents can make sandwiches healthier and more interesting by presenting them creatively and filling them with various ingredients.
Sandwiches are often part of a healthy school lunch. However, not all sandwiches are created equally. Some are nutritious but boring, and while quite a few are sinfully delicious. If children are to bring homemade sandwiches to school, their parents will have to find ways to make the sandwiches both healthy and interesting. Here are some tips for busy mums and dads to try. There are so many creative lunch ideas for kids out there you should get them eating everything in no time.
Presenting Sandwiches Creatively
These days, there is more than just plain white bread for making sandwiches. There are many wholegrains or wholemeal bread that are excellent choices too. If your child is not too fond of the wholegrain varieties, try using one slice of white bread and one slice of wholegrain bread to make a “zebra sandwich.”
Other ideas include:
- Making sushi sandwiches by rolling up a slice of bread with fillings and then cutting it into half.
- Making multi-layered sandwiches.
- Cutting sandwiches into various sizes and shapes. Bigger cookie cutters will be useful here.
- Using mini dinner rolls, pita, or other wraps instead of bread to make sandwiches.
Healthy and Interesting Sandwich Fillings
Try to vary the fillings for the sandwiches, especially if your child will be bringing sandwiches to school every day. Savory fillings featuring tuna mixed with salsa or low-fat mayonnaise; lean bacon with lettuce; ham and low-fat cheese with tomato; egg mashed with low-fat mayonnaise and cucumber; as well as chicken with avocado and tomato are great choices.
For something different, why not experiment with fruit and vegetables? Some of these more unusual fillings may appeal to some children:
- Peanut butter, sultanas, and alfalfa sprouts.
- Ricotta, sultanas, and grated carrot.
- Peanut butter and banana.
- Ricotta, banana, and honey.
- Ricotta and roast vegetables such as sliced courgette, aubergine, and pepper.
Preventing Soggy Sandwiches
One of the biggest challenges in the sandwich-making is preventing it from becoming soggy. A thin layer of low-fat spread on the bread is often helpful. Also, put wet fillings such as tomato and beetroot in the center and dryer items such as pat-dried lettuce against the bread. Keep sandwiches fresh by wrapping them as soon as they are made.
Another way to prevent sogginess is to pack the bread and the fillings separately. Choices of fillings also become more varied if they can be packed separately. Now your child can bring small cans of tuna, sardine, salmon, baked beans or creamed corn or any fillings he personally likes and some bread to make the sandwich during lunchtime at school. However, this option only works for older children.
Sandwiches are easy to make and easy to eat. Parents can make them more nutritious and appealing by presenting them creatively and filling them with a variety of healthy ingredients. To keep the sandwiches cool until lunchtime, put them in an insulated lunchbox or pop in a frozen water bottle in the lunchbox if it’s not insulated.
There are so many easy lunch ideas you really don’t have to do the same each day!
