Healthy fillings for sandwiches, wraps and rolls

Workplaces & Tertiary education Sport & recreation

Sandwiches, rolls and wraps are a staple feature of many cafés, kiosks and catering platters. Try these healthy filling ideas to ensure that healthy options are always on offer.

Numerous salad sandwiches

The Healthy choices: food and drink guidelines classify foods and drinks into three categories according to nutritional value:

GREEN – best choices

AMBER – choose carefully

RED – limit

General tips

  • Include at least one, but preferably three, vegetable or salad fillings, such as lettuce, spinach, tomato, cucumber, capsicum, carrot, beetroot, mushroom, pineapple, red onion or alfalfa.
  • Select wholemeal and multigrain bread, instead of white.
  • Offer a variety of sandwiches, wraps and rolls on a platter.
  • Grilled vegetables add flavour and texture, but use only minimal amounts of vegetable oil (a brush or a spray) when cooking. Try zucchini, eggplant, pumpkin, mushrooms or red capsicum.
  • Replace butter with small amounts of poly- or mono-unsaturated margarine. Even better, replace margarine with avocado, mustard or reduced fat ricotta, cream cheese or cottage cheese.
  • Provide approximately one and a half sandwiches, two half wraps or one roll per person if catering for lunch.
  • Provide a variety of fillings with a focus on vegetables. Include vegetarian and non-vegetarian options.
  • Take care with appearance, and try using fresh herbs to garnish the platter.

This is to be used as a guide only. Any variations to the combinations listed (including spreads and condiments) may change the classification.

For an accurate classification of food and drinks, use FoodChecker to assess your recipes.

Filling suggestions

Try the following GREEN and AMBER combinations on your next catering platter.

(V) = vegetarian * = aim for three vegetable or salad ingredients

Egg (V)

  • Egg with lettuce and mayonnaise (reduced fat) = GREEN
  • Sliced egg, and salad* = GREEN
  • Curried egg with carrot and lettuce = GREEN

Cheese (V)

  • Cheddar cheese (reduced fat) with tomato = GREEN
  • Cheddar cheese (reduced fat) with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, chutney = GREEN
  • Cheddar cheese (reduced fat) with salad* and mayonnaise (reduced fat) = GREEN

Falafel (V)

  • Falafel (baked) with tomato, cucumber, baby spinach and tzatziki (reduced fat) = GREEN
  • Falafel (baked) with sun dried tomatoes, mixed lettuce, red onion, and hummus (reduced fat) = AMBER

Vegetables (V)

  • Grilled mixed vegetables (in minimal oil) with pesto = GREEN
  • Grilled mixed vegetables (in minimal oil) with feta (reduced fat) = GREEN

Tuna

  • Tuna (in spring water) with sweet corn, capsicum, tomato, cucumber and lettuce = GREEN
  • Tuna (in spring water) with tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise (reduced fat) = GREEN
  • Salmon (canned) with cucumber and lettuce = GREEN
  • Smoked salmon with cream cheese (reduced fat), spinach, red onion and capers = AMBER

Beef

  • Lean roast beef (visible fat trimmed) with tomato, baby spinach and horseradish = GREEN
  • Lean roast beef (visible fat trimmed) with lettuce, tomato, red onion and fruit chutney = GREEN
  • Lean roast beef (visible fat trimmed) with salad* and wholegrain mustard = GREEN

Ham

  • Lean ham with salad* and mayonnaise (reduced fat) = AMBER
  • Lean ham, tomato, lettuce and fruit chutney = AMBER
  • Lean ham with cheese (reduced fat) and tomato or pineapple = AMBER
  • Note: Using reduced sodium ham (<750mg per 100g) would make these GREEN.

Chicken or turkey

  • Lean chicken breast with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise (reduced fat) = GREEN
  • Lean turkey breast with salad* = GREEN
  • Tandoori flavoured lean chicken breast with cucumber, spinach and yoghurt (reduced fat) = GREEN
  • Chicken schnitzel (baked) with tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise (reduced fat) = AMBER

Note: Avoid providing large serving sizes of schnitzels. Often half a fillet is adequate for one sandwich.

To receive this document in an accessible format phone 1300 22 52 88 or email heas@nutritionaustralia.org.au

Except where otherwise indicated, the images in this document show models and illustrative settings only, and do not necessarily depict actual services, facilities or recipients of services. This document may contain images of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In this document, ‘Aboriginal’ refers to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ‘Indigenous’ or ‘Koori/Koorie’ is retained when part of the title of a report, program or quotation. Copyright © State of Victoria 2016

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For more information please phone 1300 22 52 88 or email heas@nutritionaustralia.org.au

Except where otherwise indicated, the images in this document show models and illustrative settings only, and do not necessarily depict actual services, facilities or recipients of services. This document may contain images of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In this document, ‘Aboriginal’ refers to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ‘Indigenous’ or ‘Koori/Koorie’ is retained when part of the title of a report, program or quotation. Copyright © State of Victoria 2016

Written and reviewed by dietitians and nutritionists at Nutrition Australia, with support from the Victorian Government.

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