Turn A Kids' Brown Bag Lunch Into Desktop Dining For Adults
Adults
are spending more time at their desks at lunchtime;
grabbing a quick bite rather than a well-balanced
lunch. By packing a midday meal at home, you can make
sure your lunch is as healthful as what goes in your
child’s brown bag lunch. The same ham sandwich
that’s a standard with the cafeteria crowd is
ready for desktop dining with a few substitutions.
As You Like It
Be creative when assembling a ham sandwich. Remember, accompaniments like chutneys, salsas and mustards can be the perfect condiments for great ham sandwiches -- and a welcome change of pace.
"There’s lots of room for creativity when making a ham sandwich," says Ceci Snyder, M.S., R.D., Director of Nutrition Communications for the Pork Information Bureau for the National Pork Board. "The smoky and slightly sweet flavor of ham makes it the most appealing sandwich meat choice."
Variation to a Classic
Experiment! You can go either mild or robust with cheese: from brick to provolone, Swiss, cheddar or anything you prefer. Alternate your bread choice for a multitude of flavors -- try traditional rye, focaccia, black bread or a submarine roll. And don’t forget the condiments: Mustards, greens, dried tomatoes, olives, minced raisins or cranberry dressing, all of which provide a unique complement to ham. Snyder recommends these sandwiches for starters:
- Go
with Gruyère -- Spread the inside
of a sourdough roll with hot mustard and layer in
the ham and thinly sliced Gruyère cheese. A
garnish of sweet pickles transforms the old classic
into a tasty gourmet sensation.
- Make
it Mediterranean -- Fill a pita pocket
with julienne ham, goat cheese, chopped tomato, sliced
peppers, chopped artichoke hearts and sliced olives.
Drizzle with vinaigrette.
- Keep
it in Wraps --
Spread a large flour tortilla with salsa, layer with
thinly-sliced ham and shredded cheese. Roll up the
tortilla and wrap in foil or plastic for a perfect
desktop meal that makes great use of the office microwave.
- Sweet
Chutney and Cheese -- Split a baguette
and spread with cream cheese. Pile on shaved ham and
dress with mango chutney, add sliced pineapple, avocado
and alfalfa sprouts.
- Make
Use of the Microwave -- Mix shaved ham,
barbecue sauce and chili powder in a plastic container.
Simply warm ham in the office microwave and serve
on an onion roll for a hot sandwich in seconds. Enjoy
this tangy sensation with cole slaw, potato or pasta
salad.
- Eiffel
Towering Treat --
Pile a croissant with thinly-sliced ham, smoked Gouda
and top with a dollop of Dijon-style mustard.
- Add
Pacific Pizzazz -- Enjoy this California
club sandwich. Spread mayonnaise on whole-wheat bread,
top with ham, turkey, bacon, tomato, lettuce, avocado
and alfalfa sprouts. Serve with pickle chips.
- Mini Submarine Sandwich -- Pile a split submarine roll with slices of ham, salami, mozzarella and provolone cheese; top with yellow mustard, lettuce, sliced tomato, sliced black olives and pickle.
Keeping It Healthful
Ham is also a healthy lunch option. Compared to many other lunch alternatives, ham is lower in both fat and calories.
A ham sandwich stacks up as a lean choice with 263 calories and 5.71 grams of fat as compared with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with 456 calories and 18.1 grams of fat.
"The hearty favor of ham is sure to satisfy," says Snyder. "And people can feel good about their lunch choice for themselves and their family because ham is as lean as it is delicious."
Courtesy of the National Pork Board.
