Sandwiches are, for most of us, like that first cup or tea or coffee in the morning, something that you have almost daily without even thinking about it. The key is ensuring that you are get the best nutrients from your sandwich and are inspired by what appears between the slices. Your choice of bread and fillings could make the difference to your running performance as well as your recovery.
Scroll to the bottom for 8 inspiring sandwich recipes
In the UK alone for example, approximately two billion sandwiches are purchased outside the home each year (no figures for South Africa are known). In addition, consumers are thought to make a further 6.24 billion sandwiches to eat within the home. The three most popular fillings in the UK are chicken, cheese and ham.
Sandwiches are great for those on the run as, not only, are they high in energy and often protein, but they are also easy to make and widely available. But your sandwich choice can also affect your total calorie and fat intake and therefore your weight.
Cheese fillers
- Fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese, add pickles or some chilli jam or mixed with finely chopped spring onions, walnuts and celery.
- Low fat crumbly cottage cheese with chopped dried apricots and 1 teaspoon of sunflower seeds or with banana slices and honey.
- Grated extra mature cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese with mango pickle, cucumber slices and fresh coriander leaves. A strongly flavoured cheese is also delicious with a teaspoon of basil pesto sauce and fresh tomato slices.
- Pickles or chutney are great for cheese sandwiches.
Meaty & fishy fillers
- Anchovy or fish paste, delicious with fresh slices of tomato and fresh coriander.
- Chicken breast (regular or smoked) diced with fresh parsley and a low fat mayonnaise, add few slices of mango or sundried tomato for variety.
- Parma ham with rocket lettuce leaves and sliced cherry tomatoes.
- Leftover savoury lean mince or eggs scrambled in a non-stick frying pan.
- Tinned Tuna, chopped onion and gherkins with trim mayonnaise and plain fat-free yoghurt mixed together. Serve with salted lemon.
- Smoked snoek or angel fish flaked into cottage cheese and drizzled with lemon juice.
Low fat or fat free condiments
- Tomato sauce, Chutney, HP sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, Salsa, Chili sauce, Piccalilli, Relish, Sweet & Sour sauce, Mustard, Pickles pickled in vinegar e.g. gherkins, pickled onion, peppadews, Balsamic vinegar, Fruit flavoured vinegar’s, apple or mint sauce or jelly, Cranberry jelly.
The great margarine debate:
- Choose a low fat or medium fat
spread such as the Flora Light or Extra Light spread, Canola light
margarine or Olive oil light margarine. (Yes, a tub margarine is better
than butter while a block type margarine is worse than butter) - Use low fat or fat free smooth cottage cheese instead of margarine to moisten your sandwich.
- Mustard,
low fat mayonnaise or oil-free salad dressings can also replace the
need for margarine especially for meat, chicken, tuna or egg sandwiches.
Calorie heavy options – beware!
- Anything made with regular mayonnaise
- Where there is more than one filler such as cheese and cold meats
- Pates
- Liver spread
- Processed or fatty meats such as salami and polony
- Butter and hard margarine’s
- Regular bacon
8 Great Sandwiches:
Calamari and coriander mayonnaise open sandwiches
Deli sandwiches
French bread open sandwiches
Fried ham and cheese sandwiches
Avocado and roquefort toasted sandwiches