Lunch Sandwiches?

Hi... like many others I am busy and had decided to eat a sandwich and some fruit for lunch.  However the meat and cheese are so high in sodium, and that is something I want less of, due to a rise in my blood pressure.

Any suggestions for a good low sodium lunch foods, easy to make?  I have acess to a refrigerator and prefer to make foods.  Also I have a low budget- thus the sandwiches.  If nothing else any suggestions for low(er) sodium chesses and meats???

Thanks,

Liz

I like natural peanut butter and 100% whole wheat bread.  The only ingredients in the natural peanut butter I buy are peanuts.  So, not at all high in sodium.  1 tbsp PB is 100 kcal; the bread I buy is 150 kcal for 2 slices, so 250 kcal sandwich.

Hope this helps!

You can try cooking and slicing your own meats instead of using deli/packaged lunch meat. That way you can control the sodium.

How do you feel eating low-sodium cottage cheese?  I know cottage cheese really isn't cheese, but it kind of has the flavor.

You could roast a chicken or turkey and use the leftovers for sandwiches.  Roasting a small chicken is very economical.  I get 2-3 meals and a couple lunches out of a 5 lb. chicken.

Also, try basing your sandwich around vegetables instead of meat.  Hummus is pretty low calorie.  I like roasted red pepper hummus on a sandwich as my "protein".  Actually, I like it as a wrap on a WW tortilla.  Or do a vegetarian sandwich with some reduced fat cheese, avocado, tomato, onion, peppers, a little olive oil & vinegar.

How about a big salad? You can really load up on vegetables for low low calories and it keeps me full forever.  Top it with beans & other veggies, eggs, sunflower seeds, chicken, etc.

I am like you in that I really don't have the money to buy the most nutritious ingredients for my diet, and if I did, the rest of my family wouldn't eat it anyway.  Trust me, I've tried.  I basically end up having to buy two kinds of milk, bread, cheese, etc.....  I also have little time to cook up something gourmet for breakfast and lunch, so I deal with what I'm given.

Today for lunch, I made a sandwich which included two pieces of regular old white bread, 1 can of tuna in water (drained, of course), 1 tablespoon of regular mayo (bad, I know), and 1 small fresh tomato from our measly garden (chopped up and added to the mix).  The total calorie count was 295, and I don't THINK the sodium is too bad - but then again, I'm just now learning to look at more than just the calories.

Just an idea.  It was easy, cheap, and yummy (my favorite). 

I cook chicken or turkey over the weekend and make a sandwich in a wrap (60) calorie wrap and add veggies. I also eat tuna. I buy it in the can which does have a lot of sodium but I put it in a strainer and rinse it really well. Then I put it in a bowl and add red pepper, paprika and onion powder. Then I open a can of pinto or black beans put them in the strainer and rinse them well then mix with the tuna. I put that in a wrap with veggies and sometimes taco sauce. Love it.

I almost everyday eat a baked sweet potato mixed with fat free cottage cheese. Does not sound good but it really is.

I also make peanut butter sandwiches. I use Natural peanut butter and make a sandwich out of that and banana or kiwi. Really good.

Boca burgers are also good but do have some sodium.

I love sandwiches made with 1 slice cheese, tomato, spinach, and a spread of artichoke hummus.  Sometimes I had a slice or two of low-sodium turkey or some leftover grilled chicken breast.

If you're really into meat at lunch, try making extra when you cook for dinner and use that rather than the saltier sandwich meats.  I also love making steak wraps with leftover steak.

Canned beans are my staple.  If you rinse them, the sodium content is greatly reduced.

I like to mix beans with corn or peas and tuna.

what about grilled veggies on a whole wheat wrap? You can grill your own and then refridgerate them. It is so good and depending on the wrap, its low calorie and low sodium.  To make it a little more tasty you can put hummus or balsamic vinegar on the wrap as well.

I make an HLT. Hummus, lettuce and tomato on light wheat bread (40 cals a slice). 2 tbsp hummus with a few slices of tomato and lettuce makes this only about 150 calories and it's so good. 

you can buy reduced sodium turkey at Trador Joe's (if there is one around). it is about 4 dollars for 8 servings of good low-sodium meat

My favorite is a whole wheat Lender's bagel (180 calories, 0 sodium) toasted with a wedge of Laughing Cow Light Swiss Original (35 calories, 260 mg sodium).  Extremely tasty!