You Won't Use Bread On Your Sandwiches Anymore After Reading This

Whether you like a basic ham and cheese, PB&J, or fresh vegetables and raw sprouts, you really can put almost anything inside a sandwich. In the U.S., grilled cheese is the most popular sandwich type, according to a YouGov survey. Still, it might be hard to find two people who agree on exactly what ingredients result in the very best sandwich. What nearly everyone might agree upon, though, is that whatever goes inside of it, a sandwich is made out of two slices of bread. Nearly everyone, that is, except Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND, author of the Wall Street Journal best-selling book, The Best 3-Ingredient Cookbook.

In an interview with Mashed, this award-winning nutrition expert explained how bread-free sandwiches can be absolutely delicious. "Instead of putting tuna salad, for example, or bread for a sandwich, I enjoy my tuna-stuffed tomatoes, where I hollow out a tomato and spoon the tuna salad inside," Amidor explained. "I also like to thinly slice Persian or mini cucumbers, zucchini or squash lengthwise and use them as bread or use a nice slice of bell peppers to use as 'bread' for your sandwich." Not sure you want to give up warm, soft bread for the crunch of veggies? "You can also use lettuce or cooked Portobello mushroom caps as a 'bun' for your burger," Amidor advised. "Sweet potatoes thinly sliced lengthwise and roasted is another option for bread you can use."

So...great tips about using mushroom caps instead of a brioche...but, why, though? There has to be a good reason why the world's been making sandwiches for bread for generations, is there not? According to Amidor, swapping out starches for vegetables is a good way to reduce your intake of carbohydrates, while increasing how many vegetables you eat. She's not anti-bread, however. "It's not about going carb-free but rather being mindful of how you balance your diet," Amidor explained. "Many folks are carb-lovers, may be over-consuming carbs, and are looking for ways to cut back on carbs."

Amidor's bread-free swap outs also reduce the calories in your sandwich. A typical slice of white sandwich bread has 110 calories, while grilled zucchini slices only have two calories each, according to MyFitnessPal. And while you're giving up carbs and calories, you're gaining all of the nutrients that are in vegetables, which most of us don't get enough of, Amidor explained. "Given that one in 10 Americans are not meeting the recommended daily fruit and vegetable recommendations, using vegetables or fruit in its place can help balance your diet," she said.