Keys to a healthy sandwich
1. Choose the bread
Best choices:
- Wholemeal
- Wholegrain
- Multigrain
Also try:
- Rye bread
- Sourdough
- Fruit bread
- Mini dinner rolls, rolls or bagels
- English muffins or crumpets
- Flat breads/wraps, pita or tortilla
- Focaccia or Turkish bread
- High fibre white bread
2. Choose the spread
Choose low fat and reduced salt where possible.
- Hummus, spring onion dip, tzatziki, vegetable based dips, salsa
- Cream cheese, cottage cheese, ricotta
- Creamed corn, mashed avocado
- Pesto, mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce, cranberry sauce, gherkin spread, chutney, mustard, relish
- Tomato sauce
- Margarine
3. Add some vegetables
- Coleslaw
- Chargrilled zucchini, eggplant, capsicum
- Shredded lettuce, baby spinach leaves or salad mix
- Grated carrot
- Thinly sliced vegetables (e.g. tomato, cucumber, capsicum)
- Beetroot
- Corn kernels
4. Add some protein
- Chicken or turkey
- Tuna (in springwater) or salmon
- Egg, boiled, scrambled, sliced or mashed
- Lean ham or pastrami
- Grated cheese, cream cheese, cottage cheese
- Roast beef, beef rissoles or burgers
- Baked beans (salt-reduced)
- Peanut butter (if policy allows)
- Baked falafel
- Sliced meatballs or bolognaise sauce
Healthier ingredients
Small changes can make a big difference to the foods and drinks in your early childhood service.
| 1. Bread | 2. Spread | 3. Vegetable | 4. Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wholemeal | Mayonnaise | Coleslaw | Roast chicken or turkey |
| Pita bread | Pesto | Chargrilled vegetables | Roast chicken |
| Mini dinner rolls | Salsa | Corn kernels and grated veggies | Tuna |
| Bagel | Chutney | Salad | Roast beef |
| Sourdough | Cream cheese | Tomato | Lean ham |
| English muffins (toasted or open sandwich) | None | Baked beans | Grated cheese |
| Wrap (pita or tortilla) | Hummus | Salad | Grated cheese |
| High fibre white bread | Margarine | Grated carrot | Grated reduced fat cheese |
| Fruit loaf or raisin bread | Cream cheese | Grated carrot and sultanas | Cream cheese |
| Fruit loaf or raisin bread | Honey | Banana and currants | Ricotta |
Fresh tips
- Cut sandwiches into triangles or squares to make it easy for little hands.
- English muffins make great healthy pizza bases. Split the muffin in half and use each piece as a base. Try making faces out of the toppings – this makes adding veggies more fun!
- Include bread and fillings in lunchboxes and allow children to construct their own sandwich.
- Children are more likely to try new sandwich combinations if they have catchy names, such as:
- Zebra or tiger sandwich: One slice of white bread and one slice of wholemeal bread with your choice of toppings. It’s a great way to add wholemeal/grainy bread to the menu!
- Traffic light sandwich: Two slices of bread spread with red, orange and green fillings. Cut the sandwich into fingers, and then cut three circles out of the top slice of each finger to reveal the ‘traffic lights’.
- Pinwheel or sushi sandwich: A slice of bread with a spread and fillings (e.g. avocado, cheese and grated carrot), rolled up, cut in half and displayed with the filling showing.
For more information please phone 1300 22 52 88 or email heas@nnf.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 National Nutrition Foundation, with support from the Victorian Government.
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The Healthy Eating Advisory Service acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we operate. We pay our respects to them, their culture and their Elders past and present.
The Healthy Eating Advisory Service is delivered by experienced nutritionists and dietitians at National Nutrition Foundation, with support from the Victorian Government.
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