For the majority of us, we’ve had times in our life when we were broke. We put our change in a plastic bag, made our way to the Harris Teeter and waited for the Coinstar machine to spit out our beer or parking money for the week. I can still hear the clattering of the machine and looks I received from shoppers in the check out line.
At the risk of losing my audience of loyal readers, I’m going to throw out another list today. This isn’t just any list. We’re going to explore the wonderful world of cheap sandwiches. What can you buy with that loose change you ask? A plethora of salty meats, canned food products and plenty of tasty (and unhealthy) food options.
Unlike the cheap beer list from last week, we’re not going to rank anything. Let’s just have fun exploring cheap sandwich options instead.
Tuna Fish
The old staple. Tuna fish was always on the menu when I was a kid. I used to go to a friend’s house where they had the “dark” or “non-albacore” tuna. I would ask my mother to buy the same kind because I loved it so much. Needless to say, she was aghast. Only white albacore tuna, Bumble Bee to be exact, was allowed in my house. Little did I know, I loved the taste due to the miracle whip and not the tuna. I’m always a sucker for the sweet things in life. As I’ve gotten older, it’s only Hellmanns and albacore for me as well.
Vienna Sausage on a Bun
Once again, we used to have this all the time when I was a kid. Vienna Sausages are the canned equivalent of a cheap hot dog. You don’t want to know what’s in them but many of us eat them anyway. I stay away from these completely nowadays due to health concerns. Having said that, if you were to throw a Vienna sausage sandwich on a toasted bun with mayonnaise my way, I’d be hard pressed to say no. Gross? Maybe, but they make for a good protein option in a pinch.
Grilled Cheese
There is an art to making a good grilled cheese sandwich. I know this because I’ve burnt quite a few of them in my day. When made correctly, golden brown with the cheese oozing out of the sides, you’re instantly transported to when you were six years old. Pair a sandwich with a can of Campbell’s soup and you’ve got yourself a meal. The whole thing will cost you less than $2. Even if you put fancy cheese on there instead of the wax American kind we’re all familiar with, it’s still pretty darn cheap.
Egg Salad
Incredibly, I’ve met quite a few people who aren’t fans of egg salad. I somewhat understand it. The texture can be a bit off-putting and there’s obviously tons of mayonnaise to help hold it all together. But if you’re looking for a cheap option with lots of protein, anything with eggs is a good choice. I usually make it with a dozen eggs, Hellmanns mayo, a teaspoon or so of yellow mustard and salt/pepper to taste. For something so simple, it can be incredibly addictive.
Bologna
Although this is similar to the Vienna sausage sandwich I mentioned above, there’s one very big difference. For this sandwich, you’re going to fry it. There’s a reason so many BBQ joints throughout the South have started adding this to the menu. It’s cheap to make, easy and delicious. Plus, it’s cost effective. You can buy a pack of bologna for under $5 and eat sandwiches for the next 2-3 weeks as long as you spread out when you’re eating them. I’d recommend toasting the bread and perhaps adding a dab of BBQ sauce once you’re ready to eat. You really can’t go wrong.
To be fair, none of these are very healthy for you. I’m not advocating for you to eat these sandwiches everyday of the week; however, they are a great option to supplement what may be a strapped budget.
As the saying goes, “man cannot live on bread alone.”
I agree. The key is to put something in between the bread.
Sign up for our Sunday Spectator. Delivered to your inbox every Sunday, with all the news from the week.
