Can You Meal Prep Sandwiches? (Yes, Here’s How)

With a wide array of dishes ranging from simple to more elaborate, there’s no shortage of selections you can try for meal prepping.

And if you’re wondering whether you can meal prep sandwiches, the answer is yes – you can, and should!

Meal prepping is an art and science in that you create systems in the kitchen with what you have to work with to match your tastes and cater to your lifestyle.

Getting into the habit of meal prepping will lead you to save more time, money, and energy in your daily life.

Depending on the ingredients you incorporate, sandwiches can be a healthy food option sustainable for regular consumption. Their simplicity and affordability make them an ideal choice for quick and effortless meal prep, whether at home or on the go.

If you’re interested in trying a new potential staple for your meal prep arsenal, sandwiches are your best bet. This article is a complete guide on everything you need to know about how to meal prep sandwiches.

We’ll cover:

• How to choose the proper ingredients
• Detailed steps for preparation
• A curated list of the best recipes to try.

Let’s get started!

Tips on How to Meal Prep Sandwiches Safely 

Meal-prepping sandwiches is a fast and convenient process, but without the appropriate precautionary measures, they can easily lose their freshness and go bad!

In this section, we’ll go through the most vital tips to make your sandwich meal prep as efficient as possible without letting anything go to waste.

Use Fresh Ingredients As Much As Possible

Processed foods contain preservatives and often give a bland taste. Going with fresh ingredients as much as possible for your meal prep will lead to a more flavorful and nutrient-dense sandwich.

Here are just some of the essentials that you can mix and match to your liking:

• Breads – white loaf bread, rye bread, sourdough bread, whole grain bread, cheese bread
• Meat and Seafood – tuna, sausage, salmon, ham, shrimp, chicken, prosciutto, roast beef, turkey, salami, eggs, sardines
• Cheeses – swiss cheese, mozzarella, cream cheese, cheddar, parmesan, ricotta
• Vegetables – cucumber, mushrooms, kale, tomatoes, onions, pickles, carrots, potatoes, peppers, olives, lettuce, arugula, spinach
• Fruits – avocados, bananas, pears, apples, strawberries
• Herbs – cilantro, rosemary, thyme, basil, green onion, fennel, parsley, dill
• Sauces – mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, sour cream, pesto, hot sauce, salsa, relish, guacamole, Caesar dressing, hummus, spicy aioli.

Wash All Vegetables and Fruits

Aside from keeping your ingredients germ-free, washing all produce is necessary because it helps prevent cross-contamination that can irritate your stomach.

• Step 1: Wash your hands, chopping boards, and utensils
• Step 2: Wash the vegetables and fruits under running water
• Step 3: Remove any bruised or damaged areas
• Step 4: Use a clean paper towel to dry
• Step 5: Refrigerate and store away from raw meat, seafood, or poultry.

Use Pre-Cooked or Canned Proteins

Although using fresh ingredients can enhance your sandwich, stocking up on canned or pre-cooked proteins in your pantry can significantly boost the efficiency of your meal prep.

It’s always a good measure to have pre-cooked meat in the fridge and canned seafood handy when you are in a rush! They are available in wide varieties, have a long shelf life, and only require heating to prepare.

Store Condiments Separately

If you combine the bread and fillings during meal prep but plan to store and eat it at a later time or day, you run the risk of sogginess and losing freshness.

To preserve the desired texture and quality of your sandwich, it’s best to pack condiments separately and fully assemble them right before consumption.

Wrap Tightly in Plastic Wrap or Foil

When meal-prepping sandwiches to store or take with you on the go, keeping them tightly wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic wrap will keep their shape secure and preserve freshness.

• Step 1: Place the sandwich on the center of your plastic wrap or aluminum foil
• Step 2: Fold the top and bottom edges towards the center and crease without squishing the sandwich
• Step 3: Form a triangle on either the left or right side, then proceed with folding and creasing the edge
• Step 4: Bring the triangle towards the middle and tightly but carefully press down
• Step 5: Repeat the last two steps for the opposite side.

Place in Airtight Containers

When storing your meal prep sandwiches, make sure to keep them in appropriately sized airtight containers before refrigeration.

This will help your sandwiches maintain their moisture and prevent them from getting crushed or absorbing odors.

Keep Refrigerated

As soon as you finish preparing your sandwiches, make sure to keep them refrigerated, especially if they have any perishable ingredients.

They need to be kept at around 40°F or 4.5°C to slow down bacterial growth. Otherwise, the quality of your sandwiches could be immediately compromised!

Consume within 3-4 Days

Even with proper storage and refrigeration, meal prep sandwiches over 3 to 4 days old become highly susceptible to bacterial growth, and you may risk getting food poisoning.

Avoid Ingredients Prone to Sogginess

Condiments or sauces and wet ingredients like tomatoes are the number one culprit for soggy sandwiches.

Avoid moisture-rich components altogether and stick with drier fillings, or take a few precautionary steps to minimize the release of liquid.

Simply removing excess liquids, using a paper towel to pat ingredients like tomatoes, layering wet and dry ingredients, and separately storing sauces are effective measures to prevent sogginess.

Freeze for Longer Storage

If you plan to make larger batches of meal prep sandwiches or want to store them for longer periods, make sure to keep them in the freezer! Their quality and flavor can last for up to three months when frozen.

Avoid Repeated Freezing and Thawing

Although keeping your meal prep sandwiches in the freezer is the best way to preserve them, constantly thawing and refreezing them can affect their quality.

As moisture escapes and tissues break down, flavor and texture will significantly deteriorate.

How to Meal Prep Sandwiches: 4 Best Recipes

The most exciting aspect of learning how to meal prep sandwiches is that customization is endless!

You can let your creativity shine when it comes to both ingredients and preparation. Below is a handpicked list of highly delectable and easy-to-make meal-prep sandwiches:

Tuna Salad Sandwich

This recipe embodies the classic tuna salad sandwich. It is the ultimate comfort food and can be prepared in just 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of 6 oz. tuna in water
• ¼ cup of chopped onion
• ½ cup of mayonnaise
• ½ cup of chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of pepper
• 8 slices of bread

Instructions:

Step 1: Except for the bread, mix all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl

Step 2: Spread mixture on the bread slices and serve.

Peanut Butter Banana & Honey

This simple recipe can be served as an open-faced or regular sandwich. It is the perfect light meal you can have at any time of the day!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
• 1 banana
• 2 slices of bread

Instructions:

• Step 1: Slice the banana into small and even pieces
• Step 2: Toast the slices of bread
• Step 3: Spread the peanut butter onto the slices
• Step 4: Place the bananas on top and drizzle the honey.

Turkey Avocado Club

This recipe is set for 4 servings and is the ideal lunchtime treat:

Ingredients:

• 8 slices of toasted whole-grain bread
• 8 tomato slices
• 8 small romaine lettuce leaves
• 12 oz. of sliced deli turkey breast
• ½ sliced cucumber
• Salt
• Pepper
• ½ cup of Greek yogurt
• 1 pitted and halved avocado
• 8 slices of turkey bacon
• ⅓ cup of sliced red onion
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

• Step 1: In a small bowl, toss the onion and vinegar with 2 tablespoons of water. Drain after letting it stand for 15 minutes
• Step 2: Cook the turkey bacon until crisp
• Step 3: Mix the yogurt and avocado in a separate bowl until smooth and season with the salt and pepper
• Step 4: Spread the avocado mixture on the slices of toast, then top with tomato and lettuce
• Step 5: Add a layer of bacon, turkey breast, red onion, and cucumber
• Step 6: Close the sandwich slices and serve.

BLT with Pesto

This is a deliciously cheesy rendition of the BLT pesto sandwich and only takes 12 minutes to make:

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of bacon
• 1 – 4-inch baguette
• 1 ½ teaspoons of pesto
• 1 spear romaine lettuce
• 2 slices of heirloom tomato
• 1 slice of mozzarella
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons of mayonnaise

Instructions:

• Step 1: Slice the baguette and leave a hinge
• Step 2: Cook the bacon until crispy and drain on paper towels
• Step 3: Mix the mayonnaise and pesto, then spread it on the bottom part of the bread
• Step 4: Add the lettuce, bacon, and mozzarella
• Step 5: Season with salt and pepper.

FAQs on Meal Prep Sandwiches