August is National Sandwich Month!

• Date posted:  07/19/2022 
• Posted in:
• Nut Usage Ideas,

It’s officially National Sandwich Month! And who doesn’t love a great sandwich or have their own personal favorite? Whether it’s a multigrain veggie feast, a meaty Sloppy Joe, a New Orleans Po Boy or a classic turkey sourdough club, this is the month to celebrate the grand sandwich.

Though many will attribute the creation of the sandwich to the “Earl of Sandwich” in the 1700s, who feasted while gambling, the first recorded sandwich was by the famous rabbi, Hillel the Elder, who lived during the 1st century B.C.  He started the Passover custom of sandwiching a mixture of lamb, chopped nuts, apples, spices, and wine between two Matzos to eat with bitter herbs. Nowadays that may seem like an exotic creation!

Today there are many ways to incorporate a healthy dose of tree nuts in your sandwich, whether mixed into your tuna salad, toasted and scattered over an open Danish sandwich, or mixed into a burger to enjoy as a patty melt. One of the easiest ways is to start with a nut butter which you can make at home (see our recipe here).

Here are some ideas for nut rich sandwiches:

Walnut, Apple and Celery – A great one for back to school, grate apple and toss with lemon juice, sliced celery, a spoon of mayonnaise or yogurt and toasted walnuts. Fill a sealed container with the salad for your child’s lunch box and add some bread, tortillas or crackers wrapped separately on the side for easy assembly.

Macadamia Butter, Banana and Honey – A fabulous and filling breakfast sandwich to get the kids or adults off to school and work and keep them full until lunch – they’ll never know it’s not really butter.

Pistachio, Grated Carrot, Arugula and Currants – This is a great sandwich to take to work on thick multigrain bread. Either make pistachio (or your favorite nut) butter, or dice roasted nuts and toss with grated carrot, arugula and currants.

Pecan Butter, Roast Beef, Peppers and Cabbage –  The depth of the pecan butter is delightful with roast beef and the crunch of fresh shredded cabbage.

Almond Butter, Avocado and Soft-Boiled Egg – The classic Avo toast is made so much better with the addition of almond butter!

Pine Nut Pesto, Tomato and Burrata – Take a leaf from the Italians healthy cap with a bruschetta at its most classic and finest. Spread sliced toasted ciabatta with pesto, and top with vine ripened tomatoes and burrata.

Hazelnut and Dill Cream Cheese with Smoked Salmon on Rye – The crunch of some toasted hazelnuts in a cream cheese spread is wonderful with smoked salmon or even canned sardines, served in that typical Danish style, open faced.

Brazil Nut Butter and Turkey Club – Brazil nuts are unsung heroes when it comes to adding a delicious unique nuttiness to sandwiches. Lovely with turkey or any other lunch meats.

Cashew, Shrimp and Cilantro Wrap – You can wrap this in lettuce leaves, rice paper or tortillas. Combine chopped cashews, chopped or small cooked prawns, cilantro, lime juice, shredded romaine and a few dashes of chili sauce.

So, whether it’s a picnic, food for your hike or road trip, or just sending the kids back to school, don’t forget to add some nuts for a nutritional and sustaining boost!

Bon Appétit!