This post was written by an external contributor. Welcome to the Sandwich Solver – 5 fillings for your lunchtime munch that’ll stimulate your senses and leave you with more money in your pocket. Christian Lynn reports.
Breakfast and dinner. Those are the two meals we normally get right, opting for something cheap and cheerful like a bowl of Fruit and Fibre for brekkie, followed by a serving of spag bol for your tea. But lunch? Considering this recent Evening Standard article on the excess costs of eating lunch out, ‘lunch on a bdget’ seems to be a real problem for us ‘millennials’.
So I come to you with a little solution, or should I say, a little big-up for the often forgotten thing that is the sandwich.
Sandwiches are brilliant and the ideal meal to quench your library lunchtime hunger. But they’re avoided as an alternative to buying lunch out because we can’t figure out what to put in them: the filling is the essential part. So, to save you the aggro of spending surplus amounts of student funding on Sainsbury’s meal deals, here’s a little list of some sandwich combinations that will save you time and money, so you can put it towards something a little exciting. (To give you a good idea of costings, I’ve accumulated the price of the ingredients from the four major supermarkets, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons, and created an average).
Firstly, the essentials:
Hovis Wholemeal Loaf = ВЈ1.05
Bertolli Low Fat Butter Spread = ВЈ1.40
Bacon, lettuce and tomato
- 2x little gem lettuce = ВЈ0.69
- 8 Pack of smoked bacon rashers = ВЈ1.81
- 1 Bag of cherry tomatoes = ВЈ0.86
- Optional: Supermarket’s Own mayonnaise = ВЈ0.85
Total [inc. butter and bread] = ВЈ 6.66
The vital sandwich filling and my personal favourite. The BLT is a British classic and packs a heap of flavour. With the smoky saltiness of the bacon, the sweetness of the tomatoes, the bitter hints of the lettuce and the sour finish of the mayo, the BLT has your taste buds covered, literally and figuratively.
Bacon, avocado and egg
- 8 pack of smoked bacon rashers = ВЈ1.81
- 2 pack of avocados = ВЈ1.75
- 6 pack of free range eggs = ВЈ0.94
Total [inc. butter and bread] = ВЈ6.95
For all those avocado lovers out there, this might be the perfect combo for you. Boil an egg, mash it with your avocado to create a creamy texture that’ll blend seamlessly with the crunch of your bacon rashers. No overpowering flavours either: simple yet delicious.
Ham, Gherkin and Salad
- 1 Pack of Honey Roast Ham Slices = ВЈ1.73
- 1 Jar of Whole Gherkins = ВЈ0.97
- 1 Bag of Fresh Baby Leaf Salad = ВЈ0.90
- Optional: Supermarket’s Own Salad Cream = ВЈ0.92
Total [inc. butter and bread] = ВЈ6.97
Everyone loves a gherkin, surely? If you can love them in your McDonald’s cheeseburger, you can appreciate them in this awesome little sandwich. Be sure to go for the honey roast slices of ham.
The subtle sweetness contrasts perfectly with the sourness of the pickled gherkins. Plus, you can never argue with a bit of green salad to add the necessary crunch. I recommend a dollop of salad cream to go with: could easily be replaced with mayo or left out completely, depending on preference.
Egg and cress
- 6 Pack of Free Range Eggs = ВЈ0.94
- 1 Pack of Salad Cress = ВЈ0.24
- Supermarket’s Own Mayonnaise = ВЈ0.85
- Total [inc. butter and bread] = ВЈ4.48
While the BLT is a classic sandwich, the egg and cress is a staple for anyone growing up. And it comes so affordably. Not a difficult task to make. Simply boil your egg, cut it up and mash it down a bit, mixing it with a handful of cress and a tablespoon of mayo. Delicious and doesn’t overstuff the sandwich either, which can always be a messy problem.
Falafel, salad and sweet chilli sauce
- 1 pack of 12 falafel = ВЈ2
- Supermarket’s Own sweet chilli sauce = ВЈ1.13
- 1 bag of fresh baby leaf salad = ВЈ0.90
Total [inc. butter and bread] = ВЈ6.48
Now, this may seem a little unusual. But I needed to show a little love for the vegans out there. Falafel is a perfect substitution for any protein products. But, to avoid the common accusation of dryness, I’d add a little spoonful of sweet chilli sauce, just to moisten up the mixture and give a little tingle of heat as an exciting dynamic. And again, for those veggie lovers, salad is always the ideal sandwich filler.
These are just a few ideas that I think work quite nicely. And it’ll save you money in the long run: it might not seem like much of a save, but with the ingredients I’ve suggested, you could make three times as many sandwiches as you’d get with a single sandwich, from a meal deal, for its extortionate price of about ВЈ2.50 each. All if you just give that little extra time to making your own lunch. And be bold with your flavour combinations, try and experiment. It shouldn’t just fill a hole: make it exciting. Uni is a thrilling time for us, and so it should be with your food.
Let us know if you have your own sandwich filling ideas as well. Spread the love. Let’s bring back Lunch, and more importantly, let’s get the real hashtag going: #MakeTheSandwichGreatAgain.
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