20 EASY SANDWICH FILLING IDEAS FOR LUNCHBOXES, PICNICS AND PARTIES

Bored of the same old sandwich? Here are easy sandwich filling ideas for lunchboxes, picnics, afternoon tea and parties.

A good filling is what makes a sandwich worth looking forward to. These are quick to mix, most keep well in the fridge for a few days, and they work on everything from soft white bread to croissants.

For a creamy chicken option, try our chicken salad with grapes and apples.

You’ll find classic fillings, vegetarian options, high protein chicken fillings and one sweet one for the kids.

If you prefer your sandwiches hot, our toasted tuna melt is a must.

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SANDWICH FILLING IDEAS

1. Classic Egg Salad

Creamy chopped eggs with mayo, a little mustard and fresh chives. It’s the filling most of us grew up with, and it still disappears first.

Chop the eggs roughly instead of mashing them. The texture is so much better.

Ingredients:

• 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices soft bread

Instructions:

1. Chop the eggs into small pieces.
2. Mix with the mayo, mustard, chives, salt and pepper.
3. Spread onto 2 slices of bread and top with the rest.
4. Cut into halves or quarters.

2. Creamy Chicken Salad with Grapes (28g Protein)

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/215046950926829572

Tender chicken, sweet red grapes, crunchy celery and pecans in a light creamy dressing. It’s great on croissants for a brunch or baby shower.

Use rotisserie chicken to save time. Half Greek yogurt and half mayo keeps it creamy but lighter.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chicken, diced
• 1 cup red grapes, halved
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• 4 croissants

Instructions:

1. Mix the mayo, yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
2. Fold in the chicken, grapes, celery and pecans.
3. Chill for 20 minutes.
4. Split the croissants and fill generously.

3. Tuna Mayo with Sweetcorn

The British lunchbox classic. Flaky tuna, sweet corn and mayo on soft bread is simple, cheap and filling.

Drain the tuna really well, or the bread goes soggy by lunchtime.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (5 oz each) tuna, drained
• 1/2 cup sweetcorn, drained
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Black pepper
• 4 slices bread

Instructions:

1. Flake the tuna into a bowl.
2. Stir in the sweetcorn, mayo, lemon juice and pepper.
3. Spread onto bread and close the sandwiches.
4. Cut and serve.

4. Coronation Chicken (30g Protein)

A mildly spiced curry mayo with chicken, mango chutney and golden raisins. Sweet, savory and a little bit fancy.

Toast the curry powder in a dry pan for 30 seconds first. It takes away the raw spice taste.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp mild curry powder
• 2 tbsp mango chutney
• 2 tbsp golden raisins
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 4 slices bread or 2 soft rolls

Instructions:

1. Toast the curry powder briefly and let it cool.
2. Mix with the mayo, yogurt and chutney.
3. Fold in the chicken, raisins and cilantro.
4. Fill the bread or rolls.

5. Cucumber Cream Cheese and Dill

Thin cucumber slices on a dill and lemon cream cheese spread. Cool, light and perfect for tea parties and showers.

Salt the cucumber slices and pat them dry for 10 minutes. It keeps the bread from going soggy.

Ingredients:

• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• Salt and pepper
• 8 slices white bread, crusts removed

Instructions:

1. Lightly salt the cucumber and pat it dry.
2. Mix the cream cheese, dill, lemon zest and pepper.
3. Spread on the bread and layer the cucumber on top.
4. Close, trim and cut into fingers or triangles.

6. Smashed Chickpea Salad

Mashed chickpeas with celery, pickles and a creamy dressing. It’s a vegetarian take on chicken salad that’s full of fiber and protein.

Leave some chickpeas half whole for texture. It’s much nicer than a smooth paste.

Ingredients:

• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise or vegan mayo
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 2 tbsp chopped dill pickle
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• 4 slices whole grain bread
• Lettuce leaves

Instructions:

1. Roughly mash the chickpeas with a fork.
2. Stir in the mayo, mustard, celery, pickle, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
3. Add lettuce to the bread and pile on the filling.
4. Top with the second slice and cut.

7. Turkey Cranberry Cream Cheese

Sliced turkey, tangy cranberry sauce and cream cheese. It tastes like the holidays, but it works any day of the year.

Spread the cream cheese on both slices so the cranberry doesn’t soak into the bread.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz sliced turkey breast
• 4 tbsp cream cheese, softened
• 4 tbsp cranberry sauce
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 4 slices sourdough or 2 rolls

Instructions:

1. Spread cream cheese on all the bread slices.
2. Add cranberry sauce to half of them.
3. Layer the turkey and spinach.
4. Close and cut in half.

8. Pesto Chicken and Mozzarella (32g Protein)

Basil pesto, sliced chicken, fresh mozzarella and tomato. Eat it cold or press it into a warm panini.

If you’re packing it for later, put the tomato in the middle so the bread stays dry.

Ingredients:

• 2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced
• 3 tbsp basil pesto
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 4 slices ciabatta

Instructions:

1. Spread pesto on the ciabatta.
2. Layer chicken, mozzarella and tomato.
3. Close the sandwiches.
4. Toast in a panini press for 4 minutes if you want it warm.

9. Pimento Cheese

The Southern favorite with sharp cheddar, cream cheese and diced pimentos. Spread it thick and it’s an instant lunch.

Grate the cheddar yourself. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t blend as smoothly.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sharp cheddar, freshly grated
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 jar (4 oz) diced pimentos, drained
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• Pinch of cayenne
• 4 slices white bread

Instructions:

1. Beat the cream cheese and mayo until smooth.
2. Stir in the cheddar, pimentos, garlic powder and cayenne.
3. Spread thickly on bread.
4. Close and cut into halves.

10. Hummus Roasted Veggie

Thick hummus with roasted peppers, zucchini and spinach. It’s colorful, filling and fully vegetarian.

Roast a tray of veggies on Sunday and you’ve got fillings for the whole week.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup hummus
• 1 roasted red pepper, sliced
• 1 small zucchini, sliced and roasted
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta (optional)
• 4 slices whole grain bread

Instructions:

1. Spread hummus on all the bread slices.
2. Layer the roasted pepper, zucchini and spinach.
3. Sprinkle with feta.
4. Close and cut.

11. Cheese and Pickle

Sharp cheddar and tangy pickle relish. It’s a British pub classic that takes two minutes to make.

Slice the cheddar thinly instead of grating it, so it holds together when you cut the sandwich.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz sharp cheddar, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp pickle relish or chutney
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 4 slices crusty bread

Instructions:

1. Butter the bread.
2. Spread the pickle on two slices.
3. Layer the cheddar on top.
4. Close and cut.

12. Buffalo Chicken Salad (29g Protein)

Shredded chicken in buffalo sauce and ranch with celery and carrot. Spicy, cool and very satisfying.

Serve it on soft rolls or wrap it in lettuce for a low carb option.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 3 tbsp buffalo sauce
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp ranch dressing
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 4 soft rolls

Instructions:

1. Toss the chicken with the buffalo sauce.
2. Mix in the yogurt, ranch, celery and carrot.
3. Pile into the rolls.
4. Serve right away or chill.

13. Avocado Egg Salad

Mashed avocado replaces the mayo for a creamy, green egg salad. Lime juice keeps it bright.

Make it on the day you eat it, since avocado browns over time.

Ingredients:

• 5 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper
• 4 slices toasted bread

Instructions:

1. Mash the avocado with the lime juice, salt and pepper.
2. Fold in the eggs and cilantro.
3. Spread on toast.
4. Close and cut in half.

14. Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese and Chive

Silky smoked salmon on a chive cream cheese with cucumber. It feels fancy but takes five minutes.

Rye or pumpernickel bread is the classic pairing, but a bagel works too.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz smoked salmon
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp chopped chives
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 4 slices rye bread

Instructions:

1. Mix the cream cheese, chives and lemon juice.
2. Spread on the bread.
3. Layer the salmon and cucumber.
4. Close and cut.

15. Roast Beef Horseradish Cream

Thin roast beef with a creamy horseradish spread, cheddar and arugula. Bold, peppery and filling.

Start with a little horseradish and add more. It’s strong.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz thinly sliced roast beef
• 3 tbsp sour cream
• 1 to 2 tsp prepared horseradish
• 4 slices sharp cheddar
• 1 cup arugula
• 4 slices sourdough

Instructions:

1. Mix the sour cream and horseradish.
2. Spread on the bread.
3. Layer the roast beef, cheddar and arugula.
4. Close and cut.

16. Caprese Tomato Basil Mozzarella

Ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Simple and summery.

Use the ripest tomatoes you can find. They make all the difference here.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• Fresh basil leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic glaze
• Salt and pepper
• 4 slices ciabatta

Instructions:

1. Drizzle the bread with olive oil.
2. Layer mozzarella, tomato and basil.
3. Season and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
4. Close and cut.

17. Curried Egg and Chutney

Egg salad with a warm curry kick and a spoon of mango chutney. A fun twist on the classic.

Add a handful of watercress or spinach for color and crunch.

Ingredients:

• 6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp mild curry powder
• 1 tbsp mango chutney
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 4 slices bread

Instructions:

1. Mix the mayo, curry powder and chutney.
2. Fold in the eggs and cilantro.
3. Spread on bread.
4. Close and cut.

18. Greek Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Spread

Creamy feta blended with hummus and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, then layered with cucumber and olives.

It’s also great grilled. Press it in a pan until the bread is golden.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz feta
• 1/4 cup hummus
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• 2 tbsp sliced olives
• 4 slices whole grain bread

Instructions:

1. Mash the feta with the hummus until smooth.
2. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.
3. Spread on bread and layer cucumber and olives.
4. Close and cut, or grill until golden.

19. Turkey Bacon Avocado Ranch

Sliced turkey, crispy turkey bacon, avocado and a ranch spread. It’s a club sandwich that actually fills you up.

Cook the turkey bacon until crisp so it doesn’t go chewy in the sandwich.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz sliced turkey breast
• 4 slices turkey bacon, cooked crisp
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 2 tbsp ranch dressing
• Lettuce and tomato
• 4 slices toasted bread

Instructions:

1. Spread ranch on the toast.
2. Layer turkey, turkey bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato.
3. Close the sandwiches.
4. Cut in half and serve.

20. Peanut Butter Banana Honey

Peanut butter, sliced banana and a drizzle of honey. The sweet option kids always ask for.

A sprinkle of cinnamon makes it taste like dessert.

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 tbsp honey
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 4 slices whole wheat bread

Instructions:

1. Spread peanut butter on all the bread.
2. Layer the banana on two slices.
3. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle cinnamon.
4. Close and cut.

Pick two or three fillings, make them on Sunday, and lunch is sorted for the whole week.