Tag: lunch

The best sandwich meal prep hits on all three, affordability, flavor, and easiness. There are great sandwiches out there that don’t store or travel well. Although they’re delicious they’re not suitable for meal prep. Avoid hot sandwiches, overly wet sandwiches, or sandwiches with too many elements. Stick with the classic options and you’ll find it’s much easier and all around works better.

Sandwiches have been a popular staple for lunches for hundreds of years because they are portable. Easily eaten on the go or enjoyed with a bag of chips or veggies, the ease of eating continues to make sandwiches a go-to choice. Sandwiches don’t require special utensils or create a large mess. This means you can easily eat lunch at your desk without fear of ruining papers or electronics. 

The Best Affordable Sandwich Meal Prep

Choosing the right components

Bread: Depending on the sandwich you’re making you may want to change up the bread for a more sturdy option if you’re meal prepping days in advance. Light breads tend to dry out faster or lose structure before you’re able to eat it. You can toast your bread ahead of time if you plan on using wet ingredients. This can help avoid soggy bread.

• Whole grain bread: High in fiber and resistant to sogginess.
• Ciabatta or sourdough: Dense breads that maintain their texture well.
• Wraps or pita: Alternative bread options that won’t become soggy easily.

Layer Your Ingredients

Layer your ingredients to manage how the moisture is contained and the freshness of the sandwich is maintained.

Use spreads as a barrier: condiments like mustard, mayo, and hummus spread on the bread can act as a barrier to moisture in vegetables or meats, maintaining the texture of the bread better. If you can assemble your sandwich before eating, save the condiments on the side and spread them later for a better bread consistency.

Middle layer: place meats and cheeses directly on the condiment layer. This layer tends to be a little more sturdy or doesn’t require the same delicateness as the vegetable layer.

Vegetable layer: Add vegetables last. Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and any other ingredients that are wet should go on top. You can also pack these separately and add them before eating for a better overall sandwich. It maintains the bread and vegetables much better.

Sandwich Ingredients

• Proteins: Turkey, ham, chicken, and roast beef
• Cheeses: Cheddar, Swiss, and Havarti – harder cheeses work better than soft cheeses.
• Vegetables: Lettuce, spinach, and tomatoes or pickles packaged separately to avoid making your sandwich soggy.
• Spreads: Mustard, Mayonnaise, hummus, and bean spreads

Prepping and Storing

Sandwich meal prep is only as good as the sandwich storing is.

Use airtight containers or sandwich bags: Wrapping sandwiches tightly helps lock in freshness. For added protection, wrap the sandwich in parchment paper before placing it in a container.

Store in the fridge: Always store prepped sandwiches in the fridge. If you plan on eating them later in the day, consider adding an ice pack to your lunchbox.

Freeze Sandwiches for Long-Term Storage: If you’re prepping sandwiches far in advance, you can freeze certain types of sandwiches. Ideal fillings for frozen sandwiches include:

• Peanut butter and jelly (PB&J)
• Deli meats and hard cheeses
• Nut butter and bananas

Avoid freezing ingredients that have high water content, like lettuce or cucumbers, as they can turn mushy after thawing. When you’re ready to eat, just thaw the sandwich in the fridge overnight.

Affordable Sandwich Meal Prep

Sandwich meal prep is extremely affordable and on average probably one of the cheapest ways to feed yourself on a budget. The ingredients to a basic sandwich are just so affordable. You can easily get a sandwich down to below $2, even these days with inflation hitting grocery stores hard. 

Peanut Butter and Jelly (PB&J) – No need to overcomplicate lunch every day. A PB&J sandwich is delicious no matter who you are. Pair it with veggies on the side for a more adult lunch but always be ready to throw a PB&J into your meal routine and be happy with the memories of childhood it brings back.

Ingredients:

• Sliced bread (white or whole wheat)
• Peanut butter
• Jelly or jam

Cost: $0.50-$1 per sandwich

Egg Salad Sandwich – Eggs are high in protein and affordable. These are a great option for batch meal prep and is different from your typical meat, cheese, bread sandwich.

Ingredients:

• Hard-boiled eggs
• Mayo (or Greek yogurt)
• Bread (any kind)
• Optional: mustard, celery, salt, pepper
• Cost: $0.75-$1.25 per sandwich

Grilled Cheese – One of the easiest sandwiches to make, a classic, and easily customized, the grilled cheese is a perfect option for sandwich and soup or chips. Change out the usual american cheese for any other cheese that melts well for a new flavor.

Ingredients:

• Bread (white or whole wheat)
• Cheese slices (American or cheddar)
• Butter or margarine
• Cost: $0.75-$1.50 per sandwich

Ham and Cheese Sandwich – Whether you meal prep the sandwich in pieces and assemble at lunch or make the sandwich and wrap it all assembled, ham and cheese is a basic sandwich that travels well, lasts a while, and is affordable.

Ingredients:

• Bread
• Deli ham (or pre-packaged sliced ham)
• Cheese slices
• Optional: mustard or mayo
• Cost: $1-$2 per sandwich

Tuna Salad Sandwich – Canned tuna is affordable and a great source of protein. It can also be  bought in bulk and easily stored until you’re ready to eat it. This makes it an easy sandwich to throw each individual component in a bag and assemble at lunch. 

Ingredients:

• Canned tuna (in water)
• Mayo
• Bread
• Optional: celery, onions, pickles
• Cost: $1.25-$1.75 per sandwich

Vegetable and Hummus Sandwich – A less common sandwich but still a delicious option, the vegetable and hummus are very affordable and provides a unique flavor to the classic options above.

Ingredients:

• Bread or pita
• Hummus
• Sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce
• Cost: $1-$1.50 per sandwich

Sandwich Pairing Meal Prep

Sandwich meal prep is also endlessly customizable. Substitute an ingredient here or there and you’ll find a whole new set of flavors that match what you’re feeling that week. Tweak the options to better match your side dish. Flavors, textures, and nutrition are all important to consider when designing your lunch and different styles compliment each other in unique ways. Here are some classic pairings and how to match the right sandwich meal prep.

Sandwich with a Salad

When pairing a sandwich with a side salad consider the ingredients in the salad and the dressing you’ll be using. Turkey, avocado, hummus, or mustard are great sandwich options to pair well with common side salad options. Since you’ll be getting your veggies in the salad, you can focus more on the protein in the sandwich which opens up options for a lot of sandwich recipes. 

Sample Pairing:

• Sandwich: Turkey, avocado, and spinach wrap with hummus.
• Side: Mixed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette and walnuts.

Sandwich with Chip or Fries

Chips or fries are probably the most common side option to sandwiches. A bag of chips is easy and adds a texture missing in many sandwiches, the crunch. Fries pair well with anything. Both bring the salt and so the sandwich should balance out the sodium level and can provide more of a saucy element. Try including a creamy sauce on the sandwich if you don’t have a dipping sauce for the fries.

Sample Pairing:

• Sandwich: Pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw.
• Side: Sweet potato fries with a sprinkle of paprika.

Sandwich with Soup

Perhaps less portable, but still a great option for lunch, sandwich with soup is a classic pairing. From grilled cheese with tomato soup to roast beef with a hearty stew or au jus, some of the best combinations are sandwiches with soup. The soup helps a dry sandwich while the sandwich brings the crunch. The flavors should compliment each other allowing for dipping. Avoid creamy sandwiches with creamy soups, stick to a crispy, light, simple sandwich. 

Sample Pairing:

• Sandwich: Classic grilled cheese sandwich.
• Side: Tomato basil soup.

Sandwich with Fruit

Sandwiches with fruit is a great option for a lighter lunch, especially when it’s hotter outside. The refreshing fruit balances out sandwiches that are too heavy or strongly flavored. The fruit can cleanse the palate and allow for a more enjoyable experience overall. It can also be a healthier option over chips while still being fun to eat. Consider turkey, ham, or cheese sandwiches as they pair easily with a wide range of fruits. Fresh herbs on the sandwich can help bridge the flavors with fruit. Keep the fruits simple, apples, berries, or grapes is all you need. No need to go overboard with it.

Sample Pairing:

• Sandwich: Turkey, Swiss cheese, and cranberry sauce on whole wheat bread.
• Side: Mixed fruit salad (with apples, oranges, and berries).

Our Favorite Sandwich Meal Prep Recipes

As the temperature outside cools down you should consider some easy picnic meal prep for a change of venue and to improve your weekly lunches. Picnics are a great way to change up the routine while eating healthy, saving money, and getting some fresh air. Plus you can incorporate many picnic meal prep ideas into your weekly work lunches.

Portable Meal Prep Foods

Portable foods are essential for easy picnic meal prep. Picnics should be easy and fun and you don’t want to deal with foods sloshing around and making a mess. There are some easy picnic meal prep tips, avoid soups, avoid foods that require too much assembly, and obviously avoid food that require being warmed up or kept cool.

Foods that do work well for easy picnic meal prep can be pre-assembled like wraps or eaten with a fork like pasta. You can also include snackable foods like fruits, nuts, and veggies. Foods that you can eat with your hands and keep well at room temp are perfect for easy picnic meal prep. 

Serving Sizes

When prepping foods for picnics consider if you’re portioning out individual servings or providing a single bowl that will serve multiple people. Individual portions can be great for small groups or for controlling serving sizes. This can also be ideal for making sure there is enough for everyone. Pre-cutting pies and sandwiches or making individual fruit cups can be a great way to serve foods for easy picnic meal prep.

Cool & Room Temp Foods

Keep a reusable ice pack ready in the freezer for easy picnic meal prep or focus on foods that don’t require any temperature management. Consider the temperature as well. Even room temp foods may require some cooling if it’s hot enough. Regardless, keep foods out of the sun to avoid spoilage.

• Pasta & Greek salad
• Wraps & Sandwiches
• Salad
• Fresh fruit
• Fresh Vegetables
• Breaded chicken
• Tamales
• Quesadillas
• Falafel
• Empanadas
• Stuffed peppers
• Samosas

Dips

Dips are great for veggies or chips and can add an additional dimension to your meal.

• Hummus
• Peanut butter
• Salsa
• Pesto

Containers & Waste Reduction

Good food containers can make a big difference in how fun and easy picnic meal prep can be. Insulated containers, thermoses, and ice packs are necessary for keeping picnic foods safe to eat. Freezing water bottles can act as ice packs while doubling up as refreshing drinks later. Good containers can greatly reduce food waste as well as avoid the plastic containers that often get thrown away. Investing in containers can pay for itself. Read our container recommendations post for more information.

Don’t Forget Snacks & Dessert

Snacks are a quick way to build out easy picnic meal prep. Include snacks and desserts to round out a good meal but remember to choose foods that travel well. From simple fruits and veggies to trail mix and chips, snacks are easy. For desserts, cookies, cookie bars, brownies, baklava, these travel well and keep well at a range of temperatures.

Keep it simple

Easy picnic meal prep is best when you keep it simple. Consolidate into fewer containers, bring less variety, focus on foods that can be eaten without cutlery, overall minimize the cleaning and the necessary utensils. Pack nuts, seeds, crackers, popcorn, or dried fruits to satisfy hunger pangs between meals. These are simple to throw into bags and can be eaten at your pace.

Plan ahead for your picnic meal prep to save time, money, and stress. Easy picnic meal prep can be enjoyed in a park as well as weekday office lunches. Simple, portable dishes are a great addition to your meal prep routine and the flexibility in how and where you eat is a great way to mix things up.