Preparing sandwiches for the weeks ahead can be an absolute time saver for busy mums once the kids are back to school. Make a weeks worth of sandwiches, put them in the freezer and then pull them out every morning. They are defrosted by lunchtime and everyone is happy.
While some mums aren't keen on the idea of freezing sandwiches for school lunch, other mums swear by it. The trick is what you can and cant freeze. Some ingredients won't thaw well, others make the bread soggy and some can even make you sick. So, to help you get ready for school (and not poison your little darlings) here is the definitive list of what fillings you can and can't freeze...
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Freezing sandwiches for school lunch- what can you freeze?
Meats such as chicken, ham, tuna, salmon, roast beef, turkey, meatballs, salami etc.
Butter, peanut butter, Nutella, almond butter and other nut butters.
Cheese such as cream cheese, goats cheese, mozzarella and cheddar cheese. But take note that if you freeze cheddar cheese you should grate it as it thaws better that way.
Spreads such as Vegemite, Jam, pesto, hummus.
Freezing sandwiches for school lunch- what can't you freeze?
You can't freeze anything water based. You've all seen what happens to veggies like lettuce and cucumber when they freeze at the back of the fridge. Unedible.
You also can't freeze fresh tomato, egg in any form, and fresh veggies at all. Also, don't freeze avocado, it will never be the same!
Freezing sandwiches for school lunch- what bread to use
Not all bread is created equal. The best bread to freeze is regular sliced white, multigrain or wholemeal bread, or pita bread. Tortillas work well too if your kids enjoy a wrap!
Freezing sandwiches for school lunch- did you know...
Did you know that you can freeze a toasted sandwich? I know, right? But it can be done. You can melt the cheese and cook tomato or use pesto, lunch meats and sundried tomato and then freeze them the same way you do regular sandwiches.
Freezing sandwiches for school lunch- tips and tricks
To get the best out of freezing sandwiches you need to do a few things. Firstly, use super fresh bread. Then wrap them tightly in cling wrap, removing all the air. Then, you need to make sure they are stored nice and flat in the freezer so they don't get bent out of shape.
Your sandwiches can be in the freezer for up to three months! Just think of the time you'll save doing three months worth of sandwiches at once!
Once you're all packed- pop in one of our free lunchbox notes!
Carolyn
I just cant do it to my kids. Their dad does it at his place& they hate it. I suspect it's the how as much as the what... but we make each night when we make ours. So while I like the idea... It's just not going to happen for us. That said, they're happy to eat cold curry leftovers, so all good!!
Maraya
Fair enough! I wouldnt eat sandwiches at all at school. I hated bread that went even slightly soggy! But some kids dont care at all.
April Meuth
Could you add a list of items that could make us sick? Id like to be sure to avoid them. Mayo ok to freeze?
Maraya
Hi April,
Sure! I'll update the info for you. Mayo shouldn't really be frozen because when it defrosts it separates.