Deli sandwiches can make for a quick and easy meal but aren’t always the healthiest options. The trick to healthy deli choices is to know which starches and proteins are your best options, which toppings are the most nutritious, and what to always avoid.
Here are a few healthy lunch ideas to consider when building your deli sandwich:
-
Bigger Is Not Better At The Deli:
A traditional foot-long submarine sandwich can be equivalent to nearly six slices of bread, so keep portions controlled by splitting a six-inch sub with a friend, ordering a “mini-sub” version, or requesting an open-faced sandwich. Instead of rolls, croissants, or bagels, enjoy flatbread, tortillas, or sliced bread, and choose whole grain options versus white grains to increase your intake of fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
-
Think Veggies First:
When building your sandwich, make sure you use as many vegetables as you can! Choose from a variety of toppings including cucumber, tomato, lettuce, peppers, sprouts, onions, jalapenos, and whatever other veggies the deli counter has to offer. Although pickles are made with cucumbers, they aren’t counted as a Vegetable, if you’re on a Herbal Magic Weight Loss Program, because they are salty, so 2 medium pickles counts for 1 Extra serving.
-
Go Lean Machine:
Always stick with lean protein options such as turkey, lean ham, roast beef, or chicken. Popular deli slices like corned beef, hot pastrami, and salami, are high in fat and salt. Keep in mind, you can make simple substitutions, like turkey bacon over regular bacon, or roasted versus smoked deli meats when available. For more information on deli meats, we recommend reading Mclean Meat’s article: What is the Healthiest Deli Meat?
-
Easy-on-the-Cheese Please:
Choose carefully when adding cheese; also important to consider the type you’re selecting. Always choose lower-fat varieties when available, those that contain 20% or less milk fat. If you’re on a Herbal Magic Weight Loss Program, keep in mind that fresh cheese counts as 1 Dairy serving per 1 oz. (28g), while two slices of processed cheese counts as 1 Dairy service per 1 oz. (28g).
Here are a few healthy lunch ideas to consider when it comes to condiments:
Now that you’ve got the bulk of your deli sandwich, sub, wrap, or whatever you want to call it, it’s time to personalize your condiments. Deli shops have a variety of tasty sauces but most are full of salt and fat. For healthy lunch ideas, we recommend you choose condiments like:
- Fat-free mayonnaise
- Mustard
- Red wine vinegar
- Avocado spread
If you’re on a Herbal Magic Weight Loss Program, for mayonnaise, remember that 2 tsp. of regular mayonnaise equals 1 Fat or 1 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise equals 1 Extra, and for avocado, 4 tbsp. equals 1 Fat.
Here are a few healthy lunch ideas to consider at the register:
Now that you’ve made your healthy deli meal, it’s time to consider: to combo or not to combo?
Sandwich combos often come with a soft drink and your choice of chips or cookies. We recommend opting for water to drink, and choose a side salad or pre-sliced fruit instead of the chips. When ordering a side salad, pick a spring or mixed green salad. Caesar salads, macaroni salad, potato salad, and coleslaw can have hidden fats like mayonnaise, adding numerous calories to your meal. So, if you want to combo because it’s typically more bang for your buck, now you know the healthier way to do it.
We hope you found these healthy lunch ideas for the deli helpful! If you’re looking for more healthy lunch ideas, try making one of these Herbal Magic recipes at home to enjoy or prepping them to take with you:
