Packing a Lunch Without a Soggy Sandwich

I recently went on an airplane and bought one of the sandwiches they had available. The sandwich was not thrifty, but was actually very good, and was not at all soggy like most pre-packaged sandwiches.

The secret was that they placed the meat and cheese on the bread and wrapped it in one baggy. Then they placed the lettuce and tomato in another baggy. Finally, mayonnaise and mustard were provided in condiment packages.

This same technique would work well for school lunches or any packed lunches. By separating the soggy items from the dry items the resulting sandwich can be very crisp and good.

[fletcher] from Bellevue, WA

Answers:

No More Soggy Sandwiches

Tired of soggy sandwiches? Instead of making the sandwich before you leave, pack the sandwich ingredients separately. Put the bread, meat and cheese in one bag or container and the lettuce and tomato in another. Use small reusable condiment containers to bring your favorite condiments. It will only take a minute or two to put the sandwich together and it will never be soggy. (07/15/2005)

By ThriftyFun

Packing a Lunch - Not Soggy Sandwiches

I do pack the lettuce separately but I put the cheese & meat against the bread. And then I put the mayo/mustard on the cheese or meat. As long as it's not on the bread they don't get soggy. (07/15/2005)

By Vicki

Packing a Lunch - Not Soggy Sandwiches

This works with tuna sandwiches as well - pack 2 slices of bread, but put the tuna/mayo filling mixture in a small tub (half cup size Rubbermaid worked well for me) and then put the sandwich together at lunchtime. No more soggy sandwiches, and it stops your lunch box from getting that fishy smell, too! (07/19/2005)

By Nicola

Packing a Lunch Without a Soggy Sandwich

Vicki has the right idea. I layer my sandwiches in this order- 1st a drier meat such as salami or Genoa, then juicier meats such as ham or roast beef. Be sure to lay the whole slice out against 2 slices of bread. Add condiment, fold over the other half of the meat on top, add another layer of drier meat, and then cheese.

You can then just remove the top slice and throw on your separate veggies at a later time. Be sure to wrap sandwich in a paper towel before putting in a Tupperware container. Perfect sandwich every time, I can even make them the night before and enjoy the next day. (04/08/2008)

By KMC