If you’re looking for a healthy and delicious snack, you might consider these best sandwiches to eat at lunch to lose weight. These sandwiches are perfect for packing and transporting to wherever you go, and are packed with protein and healthy fats to keep you energized and satisfied throughout your day.
What Can You Put In A Healthy Sandwich?
Choosing the right ingredients can get tricky, and it can be tempting to opt for less nutritious options. What most don’t realize is that getting healthy comes from just doing the basics. Here’s how you can keep your sandwiches well balanced:
- Use Whole Grain Bread
Whole-grain bread can contain up to 12 grams of fiber per slice. Whole wheat bread is fiber-rich, offering satiety and controlling weight gain. Whole grains increase the chewing time, which decreases the eating rate and reduces energy intake1,2.
- Add a Source of Protein
Proteins are the ingredients that will keep you fuller for longer. Include chicken, egg, turkey, ham, tuna, or cheese in your sandwiches.
If you’re a vegan, include hummus, mashed beans, and avocados in your sandwiches to up your protein and fat intake.
- Add Vegetables or Fruits
Veggies are both delicious and nutritious. So, when adding greens to your sandwiches, be generous as it adds flavor, texture, and color.
While fruits are not a traditional ingredient for sandwiches, some fruits can make great additions to certain sandwich recipes. You can even include fruits as they add an extra sweetness.
Best Sandwiches To Eat At Lunch To Lose Weight
Apple Cinnamon Sandwich
This is a quick and easy sandwich packed with apple’s goodness and juicy flavor. All you need to do to make this is cut an apple into flat, circular slices. Make sure to remove all of the seeds. Spread these on a slice of bread and generously sprinkle with cinnamon powder. If you want some sweetness in your sandwich, you can add some honey. Place another piece of bread on top, cut it in half, and serve!
Tomato Cucumber Sandwich
This sandwich is made with green chutney, tomatoes, cucumber, mint, salt, and pepper and is another delicious and quick recipe. The sandwich is tangy, crunchy, flavorful, super nutritious, and healthy, making it an ideal weight loss recipe. Ensure to serve the sandwich as soon as you prepare it, or it will become soggy.
Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich
This sandwich combines the delicious and mouthwatering flavors of peanut butter and bananas. Peanut butter is high in protein where 1 tablespoon of peanut butter contains 4 g of protein, and has been shown to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes3,4.
It is also a healthier alternative to cheese or chocolate spread. To make this recipe, toast the bread or leave it untoasted. Spread peanut butter on a slice of bread and top with banana slices.
Grilled Sandwich without Mayonnaise or Cheese
If you enjoy grilled cheese sandwiches, eating them without feeling guilty later if you are trying to lose weight can be difficult. However, you can enjoy their delicious flavor without using high-calorie cheese or mayonnaise by making a few changes to the recipe. The key is to use hung curd instead. Curd is extremely healthy because it contains probiotics that aid in digestion.
Chicken Sandwich
If you want a chicken sandwich but don’t want to add inches to your waist, you can make your own super healthy and delicious chicken sandwich that is lower in calories.
You’ll be using boiled chicken, cut into small pieces for this recipe. Combine with chopped bell peppers, chat masala, red chili powder, pepper, salt, and mayonnaise. Take a slice of bread and spread it with lettuce. Cover with another piece of bread and pile on more filling. Grill it for 2-4 minutes, and your delectable sandwich is ready.
Green Goddess Sandwich
A Green Goddess Sandwich is a delicious and nutritious sandwich that typically includes a variety of vegetables and a flavorful spread. This sandwich is nutritious thanks to the green goddess dressing, avocado, green zucchini, cucumber, sprouts, and lettuce.
BBQ Portobello Mushroom Sandwich and Smoked Gouda
Nothing beats a BBQ pulled pork sandwich, but it may not be suitable for a healthy diet. Using a meaty portobello mushroom instead of meat provides the same heartiness, and the BBQ sauce and smoked gouda elevates this sandwich5,6.
Roasted Shrimp Sandwich with Chipotle Avocado Mayonnaise
This is a delicious and protein-packed sandwich that features succulent shrimp roasted to perfection and a spicy chipotle avocado mayo that brings a bold and zesty flavor to the dish.
Spicy-Sweet Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Sandwich Recipe
Grilled chicken is nutritious and contains proteins7. This other healthy chicken sandwich recipe is ideal for weight loss because it boosts protein and sweetness without consuming calories. Choose a whole wheat bun high in fiber and low in added sugar for another healthier option.
Turkey Sloppy Joe Sandwich
With this sloppy Joe recipe, you can relive your childhood memories while staying on track with your weight loss goals. Because of the use of ground turkey, natural spices, and whole wheat buns, the sugar content is low, and the calories are around 340 per serving.
Asian-Inspired Tuna Burger with Wasabi Mayo
This tuna burger takes a little more effort to prepare, but the result is well worth it. You can also make a healthier side sauce by combining your favorite olive oil mayo with some wasabi.
Tuna is low in calories. A 1 oz. (28 g) contains only 31 calories and 7 g of protein, which provides satiety8.
Chicken Burger with Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli
With this chicken burger recipe, you can enjoy your favorite juicy burger without the red meat and extra calories. The best part of this recipe is the delicious sun-dried tomato aioli that goes on top.
Easy Panini
This panini recipe is delicious, simple, and only 350 calories per sandwich! You won’t have to sacrifice flavor to get a healthy meal option this way.
Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Chimichurri Sauce
This grilled chicken sandwich is a great low-calorie alternative to your favorite fried chicken. The greens and bell peppers provide additional health benefits, and the chimichurri sauce is flavorful.
Chicken Salad Sandwich with Raisins and Curry Powder
Chicken salad doesn’t have to always be unhealthy and full of fat. With this sandwich recipe you’ll get the creaminess and bold flavors of your favorite chicken salad but with far fewer calories and fat.
Blackened Fish Sandwich
Fish is a great source of “healthy fats” and makes an excellent addition to your diet when trying to lose weight. This blackened fish sandwich recipe is easy to make and a better choice than grabbing a fried fish sandwich from your favorite fast-food chain.
Grilled Buffalo Chicken and Blue Cheese Sandwich
Most buffalo chicken sandwiches are breaded and fried, which adds a lot of extra fat calories. However, this sandwich is great for weight loss because grilling your chicken instead of frying it saves a lot of calories. That way, you can enjoy the creamy blue cheese guilt-free.
Low-Calorie Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich
This healthy Philly Cheesesteak has all of the comforting flavors of the classic sandwich but is lower in calories. One method is to use 2% Greek yogurt as the main base, with only a couple of tablespoons of olive oil mayonnaise.
Tips On Making Healthy Sandwich
To keep yourself from unintentionally adding ingredients to your sandwich that might deter your weight loss progress, here are tips to keep in mind:
- Lay Down a Lighter Spread
High-calorie spreads like full-fat mayonnaise ruin many healthy sandwiches. Instead, look for ways to add flavor without a lot of fat.
Use low-fat condiments like mayo or salad dressing, mustard, or hummus to add moisture to your sandwich while keeping it within a reasonable calorie range. A few slices of avocado are another excellent option; while it is high in fat, it is a healthy monounsaturated. Add guacamole and a splash of olive oil vinaigrette to the list of light-yet-flavorful dressings.
- Eat a Smaller Sandwich
Avoid the monster sandwiches available at many restaurants in favor of a smaller portion, which is one of the simplest ideas. A footlong adds twice as many calories.
Eating a smaller sandwich can be a simple yet effective way to aid in weight loss. By reducing the portion size of your sandwich, you can lower your overall calorie intake without sacrificing essential nutrients.
- Don’t Load up on Cold Cuts
Although cold cuts are the most convenient sandwich filling, you should be cautious because many traditional prepackaged “luncheon types of meat” are high in fat, sodium, and preservatives. Saturated fat and sodium may increase your risk of cancer, obesity, and heart disease. If you go the deli meat route, choose fresh over prepackaged and low-sodium when available.
- Don’t Layer on the Cheese
Another simple way to make an otherwise healthy sandwich unhealthy is to add cheese. Make sure you’re using real cheese, not a cheese product.
Avoid American cheese slices at all costs because they are classified as a cheese product rather than simply cheese. Bleu cheese and feta are better choices, though they’re more commonly found on hot sandwiches than cold sandwiches.
Alternatively, you can omit the cheese entirely in favor of a flavorful sandwich spread like hummus or various delicious fruits and vegetables.
- Avoid White Bread
White bread is one of the worst sandwich bases you can use. White bread with preservatives and processed flour have very little nutritional value.
White bread is depleted of fiber, protein, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals. Whole-wheat bread, other whole-grain bread, and healthy wraps made of whole grains are healthier alternatives — look for the word “whole” on the package and ensure entire grains are listed at the top of the ingredients list.
You can even avoid carbs entirely by wrapping your sandwich fillings in lettuce; ensuring you have enough ingredients to satisfy your appetite.
- Don’t Overdo it on Grilled Sandwiches
These grilled sandwiches may be tasty but can also be diet busters. Grilled or panini sandwiches are popular but typically prepared with many oils or butter to give them a crusty texture. If you want the flavor of a hot sandwich with fewer calories and fat, have the bread toasted.
- Don’t Eat Prepackaged Sandwiches
Because it’s normal to be frequently pressed for time at lunch, avoiding pre-packaged sandwiches in almost all shapes and sizes is best. Most are not ultra-fresh, are made on white bread, and use the cheapest meats, cheeses, and spreads.
Premade sandwiches are also low in vegetables because they can become soggy. Instead, spend a few minutes preparing a healthy sandwich for lunch that day. Homemade is generally more nutritious. More options, such as different vegetables, can be added to a sandwich. Furthermore, takeout portions are typically larger than those prepared at home, making overeating easier.
Summary
Sandwiches can be a healthy and convenient choice for lunch when trying to lose weight. They are simple to make and will help you feel more energized.
By selecting the right ingredients such as proteins, fiber-rich vegetables, and whole-grain bread, you can create a well-balanced meal that helps keep curb hunger effectively. It’s also important to pay attention to portion sizes and opt for lower-calorie condiments. With a little bit of creativity and mindful eating, sandwiches can be a delicious and effective tool in your weight loss journey.
