30 sandwiches to make for lunch, dinner and the week ahead

The short answer: the sandwiches worth making are the ones that match the moment: cold sandwiches for packed lunches, hot sandwiches for dinner, and freezer sandwiches for busy mornings. This page has 30 ideas with the bread, filling and sauce for each.

• Cold: 10 sandwiches that travel well
• Hot: 10 melts, grilled and baked sandwiches
• Vegetarian and make-ahead: 10 more
• Rules for building a sandwich that holds together
• Next step: Plan lunches with the Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99).

A good sandwich is a balance of bread, a main filling, something creamy, something crisp and something sharp. Once you know that, you can build almost any of the sandwiches below from what is in the fridge.

Cold sandwiches for lunch

1. Turkey and Swiss on rye. Sliced turkey, Swiss, lettuce and honey mustard.
2. Italian sub. Salami, ham, provolone, lettuce, tomato and an oil and vinegar dressing on a long roll. Our sub sandwich guide covers layering and bread.
3. Chicken salad sandwich. Shredded chicken, mayo, celery and grapes on a croissant. Use our chicken salad recipe.
4. Tuna salad sandwich. Tuna, mayo, pickle relish and celery on toast. Start with our tuna salad.
5. Egg salad sandwich. Chopped hard-boiled eggs, mayo and mustard on soft white bread. See our egg salad recipe.
6. Ham and cheddar on a baguette. Add butter and a little Dijon.
7. Roast beef and horseradish. Thin roast beef, arugula and a horseradish mayo on a hoagie roll.
8. BLT. Crisp bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo on toast. Pack the tomato separately for lunch boxes.
9. Turkey club. Turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo on three slices of toast.
10. Cucumber and cream cheese. Thin cucumber slices, cream cheese and dill on white bread.

Hot sandwiches for dinner

11. Grilled cheese. Butter the outside of the bread, use two kinds of cheese and cook low and slow until the cheese melts and the bread is golden.
12. Tuna melt. Tuna salad and cheddar on an English muffin or rye, broiled until bubbly.
13. Patty melt. A burger patty with Swiss and caramelized onions on griddled rye.
14. Philly cheesesteak. Thin steak, peppers, onions and provolone on a hoagie roll.
15. Chicken sandwich. Crispy or grilled chicken, pickles and a creamy sauce on a bun. Our chicken sandwich guide covers both.
16. Meatball sub. Meatballs and marinara with melted mozzarella. Our meatball recipe works for it.
17. Sloppy joes. Ground beef in a sweet-tangy tomato sauce on a bun. Use our sloppy joes recipe.
18. Chicken parmesan sandwich. A breaded cutlet, marinara and mozzarella on a roll. Start from our chicken parmesan.
19. Cuban sandwich. Roast pork, ham, Swiss, pickles and mustard, pressed in a hot skillet.
20. Pulled pork sandwich. Shredded pork with barbecue sauce and slaw on a soft bun.

Vegetarian and make-ahead sandwiches

21. Caprese. Mozzarella, tomato, basil and balsamic on ciabatta.
22. Hummus and veggie wrap. Hummus, shredded carrot, cucumber, spinach and feta in a tortilla.
23. Avocado toast sandwich. Mashed avocado, tomato and sprouts on whole grain bread.
24. Chickpea salad sandwich. Mashed chickpeas with mayo or yogurt, celery and mustard. See our chickpea salad.
25. Roasted vegetable and goat cheese. Zucchini, peppers and goat cheese on focaccia.
26. Egg and cheese breakfast sandwich. Make a dozen and freeze them. Our breakfast sandwich guide has the method.
27. Peanut butter and banana. Add honey and toast the bread for a sturdier lunch.
28. Pimento cheese. Sharp cheddar, cream cheese, pimentos and mayo on soft bread.
29. Turkey and cranberry. Leftover turkey with cranberry sauce and stuffing. See our leftover turkey recipes.
30. Pizza pocket. Pizza sauce, mozzarella and pepperoni in folded dough, baked and frozen for later.

Building a sandwich that holds together

1. Start with bread that suits the filling: a sturdy roll for wet fillings, soft bread for delicate ones.
2. Spread a fat such as butter, mayo or cream cheese edge to edge to make a moisture barrier.
3. Put cheese or lettuce next to the bread, then the main filling.
4. Add something crisp (lettuce, pickles, onion) and something sharp (mustard, vinegar, hot peppers).
5. Season each layer lightly, since the bread dilutes the flavor.
6. Cut it on the diagonal with a serrated knife so it does not squash.

Make sandwiches ahead

• Pack wet items separately. Tomatoes, pickles and sauces go in a small container.
• Wrap tightly. Foil, parchment or beeswax wrap keeps the bread from drying out.
• Freeze the right ones. Breakfast sandwiches, pizza pockets and sandwiches with sliced meat and cheese freeze well. Skip lettuce, tomato and mayo-heavy fillings.
• Thaw in the fridge. Move a frozen sandwich to the fridge in the morning or reheat it from frozen.

Keep sandwiches safe

Per the USDA's leftovers guidance, perishable food should not sit out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it is above 90°F. Pack sandwiches with a cold pack in an insulated bag for lunch boxes and picnics. Cooked meat and poultry leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, according to FoodSafety.gov's cold storage chart.

For more lunches, see our lunch ideas and lunch meal prep guides.

Plan the week's lunches

Sandwiches are cheapest when you buy bread, meat and cheese once and plan three different lunches from them.

• Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. A weekly menu planner and an aisle-sorted grocery list.
• Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Keep the sandwiches your family asks for again.

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