10 Things Better than Sliced Bread

Want a change from your usual sandwiches?  There are so many interesting breads available to us these days, it's easy to make a simple switch once in a while to stop your lunches getting boring.  In this post I will explore some different options for making your sandwiches more interesting, with just a change to the type of bread used.

1. Sliced bread - of a different variety.  There are so many types of bread available to us now; just off the top of my head I can think of white, brown, wholemeal, seeded, onion, sourdough, soda bread etc etc.  Why not choose something different next time you're doing your shopping, or if, like me, you make your own bread, try throwing different ingredients into the mix, such as oats, seeds, dried onion or herbs, or try out a different flour.

2. Bread rolls.  Again, there is generally a huge selection of rolls to choose from, and just switching your usual fillings to a bread roll can make a sandwich taste completely different.  Try adding 'features' to your bread roll to make it more fun!

3. French stick/baguette.  I absolutely love crusty french bread, especially when it's so fresh it's still warm.  A favourite in our house for sausage sandwiches at the weekend, it also makes a great alternative bread for sandwiches in a lunchbox.

4. Pitta pockets.  Pitta bread can be so versatile.  I like to toast a pitta bread, cut it in half and stuff it with fillings such as tuna, roast chicken, ham & salad.  I can always sneak a bit of lettuce into a pitta pocket, and Small Child always eats it, despite lettuce being classed as 'not one of his favourites' as he diplomatically puts it.  Try wholemeal pitta, seeded pitta, or mini pitta breads.  These tuna pitta 'boats' were made for a pirate lunch.

5. English muffins.  English muffins make a great sandwich.  They are also a handy thing to have in the freezer for last minute lunch making, as they can be popped straight into the toaster to defrost. I also use split English muffins as a base for mini pizzas (an easy meal for children to make themselves). 

6. Toasted sandwich/panini.  Although at their most delicious when hot, with a careful choice of fillings, toasted sandwiches can taste good cold too.  Try ham & cheese, brie & grape or goats cheese with red pepper.

7. Bagels.  Bagels are currently a favourite of Small Child's, and we've been having lots of fun recently coming up with new ways to decorate them.   They are usually readily available in different flavours; I like onion bagels best, although fruit bagels come a close second! This snail bagel was quick and easy to make.

8. Scones.  Although you might not instantly think of scones as being a lunch box food, savoury scones are delicious when split and filled with a variety of sandwich fillings. Try egg mayonaise, cheese or houmous.  This large cheese scone was buttered and had ham on the side for Small Child to fill himself.

9. Naan bread.  Although I haven't yet tried it myself in a lunch, I spotted this gorgeous lunch from Caren at bento-logy recently and will definitely be trying naan bread sandwiches very soon.  Naan bread is so delicious, and looks easy to cut into fun shapes for children's lunches too.

10. Wraps.  I love wraps because they can be stuffed with just about anything, and like pitta pockets they make a great vehicle for salad, which is usually eaten up with no complaints.  They look really beautiful when cut up into smaller pieces too. 

 I hope that I've managed to inspire you with some new ideas to make your sandwiches more interesting. If you have any other suggestions, please comment; I love hearing from you!

Grace