Lunch on Toast
Not Quite a Sandwich, Or Is It?
Perhaps it was the sheer amount of PB&J sandwiches I ate in my early years of teaching, but I really don’t care for sandwiches. I know I’m not alone in this opinion either. Well, maybe I am in my house. My husband loves sandwiches and builds epic turkey clubs that sometimes even sway me back to being a fan of the common sandwich. Many of you noted in my Instagram survey that you too were looking for lunch options that were not sandwiches.
What about things on toast? I love those. Open-faced tuna melts. Avocado toast. A thick slab of fresh tomato and mozzarella cheese with some basil on a slice of fresh Italian bread, yes please! So what is the difference? Is a sandwich no longer a sandwich if you take the top off? I’m not sure I can decide and find this nuanced debate a bit daunting. (If you have thoughts, please share!) But for now I’m going to classify “things on toast” as non-sandwich - in the traditional sense - lunch option. If you think beyond lunch meat, lettuce and cheese there is a whole world of easy work from home lunch ideas. After all, that is what I promised to help you with in this series. Before I suggest some easy, tasty options, let’s talk about your lunch expectations.
Great Lunch Expectations
When our expectations don’t match up with intentions meals. like relationships, shopping, and exercise, can be quite stressful. Last week I asked you to consider the answers to these questions:
How much time do you want to spend making lunch on any given day?
Are you ok eating leftovers for lunch?
Are you willing to do a little meal prep?
How many dirty dishes can you tolerate creating?
Your answers should help you to define your expectations and guide you to be more intentional around lunch. You may even realize that you need to recalibrate your expectations to be more realistic. For example, if you answered:
5 minutes
Yes, leftovers are ok
No, I don’t like to meal prep
2 or less dishes
Your expectations will line up if: you’re expecting to eat leftovers from dinners earlier in the week. You’ll intentionally make a little extra to save a portion for lunch or save a slice of pizza to quickly reheat and you won’t be disappointed.
However, your expectations will not match your intentions if you: are expecting a fresh Cobb Salad (too many dishes) or Instant Pot Chili (longer than 5 minutes and more dishes) or One Pot Pasta with Salmon and Peas (longer than 5 minutes). Sure, you can work around these by doing some meal prep. But if you answered that you have no intention to meal prep, your expectations for lunch conflict with the effort you are willing to put into making lunch. And that’s a good thing to realize! Adjust your unrealistic expectations helps to get rid of stress, disappointment, and unnecessary guilt around meal.
So let’s get back to things on toast as a lunch option. They can open a whole world of creative ideas. Some are more involved than others, so you need to know what your expectations are to find your perfect toast match. However, if you’re working from home and looking for some fresh ideas they may just be a game changer.
And perhaps it goes without saying but when the meal centers around the toast, having a bread you really enjoy is important. I love a fresh, chewy sourdough which I can easily get during Farmer’s Market season.
12 Ideas: Lunch on Toast
Brie and Fig - as simple as it sounds, no prep needed
Smoked Salmon BLT - if you make the bacon in advance this comes together quickly. Add avocado, sliced smoked salmon, tomato, lettuce and bacon crumbles to a thick slice of toast.
Roasted Brussel Sprouts over Herbed Goat Cheese - roasted Brussel Sprouts take about 12 - 20 minutes, depending on how small you chop them, and are best fresh and not reheated. Top with fresh pomegranate seeds for a well balanced flavor.
Avocado Toast with Chèvre - this is my favorite! Check out the recipe for more info.
Roasted Vegetables with Parmesan Cheese - easy to meal prep by roasting vegetables cut into a bit sized dice (carrots, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash). Spread the pre-roasted vegetables over bread and toast until both are warm. Grate the cheese on after you remove from the oven/toaster oven.
Caprese -Vegetarian. Tastes like summer perfection, build a Caprese salad on a slice of toast you’ve slathered with fresh pesto. A Balsamic glaze goes very nicely on this.
Tuna Melt - Pescatarian. Classic but delicious. Tuna salad can be meal prepped or use leftover from another meal.
Sautéed Mushrooms - Vegan. my favorite vegan and dairy-free option. Even more delicious over white bean dip or humus. If you’re ok with dairy, try this Mushroom and Whipped Ricotta Toast recipe.
Apple Slices & Cheddar - simple, perfect! Add a thin spread of Dijon mustard for some extra zing or a drizzle of honey for some sweetness.
Almond Butter, Fruit Slices and Honey - this is also a fun breakfast idea. Bananas and strawberries work the best.
Beans and Spinach - veggie forward and super savory.
Prosciutto, Cantaloupe and Arugula with Parmesan Shavings - a classic Italian combination. This is also one of my favorite white pizza toppings.
For more ideas for things on toast and recipes, please see one of my favorite cookbooks Good and Cheap by Leanne Brown (pages 68-71). You can download it for free but if you purchase a copy, they donate a book to someone in need. Learn more here.