Today is National Sandwich Day, making it a good excuse to upgrade your desk lunch. We asked Gilli Rozynek, owner of New York City’s Brown Bag Sandwich Co., to share tips for building better sandwiches at home, along with the kitchen tools she uses to chop, toast, slice and store them.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts
“One of the biggest mistakes people make is stacking a bunch of delicious ingredients together without thinking about how they’ll actually eat them,” Rozynek says. “You might get the meat in one bite, the lettuce in the next and the sauce at the end. That’s why we love chopping our sandwich ingredients.”
This technique helps distribute each ingredient and condiment throughout the sandwich.
Balance the flavors and texture
Rozynek believes the best sandwiches combine richness, acidity, texture and freshness.
“If you have something rich like cheese, mayo or fatty meat, you probably want something acidic to cut through it, like a pickle, cherry peppers, mustard or a vinaigrette,” she says.
Don’t underestimate the bread
Bread is a key component of any sandwich, so it’s important to choose the right loaf.
“Look for something that can stand up to the fillings without being so tough that everything gets pushed out when you take a bite,” Rozynek says.
Must-have kitchen gear
Shop expert-recommended essentials to elevate your next sandwich.
Wusthof Gourmet 5-inch utility knife: $38 (24% off)
Original price: $50
A good serrated knife can make it easier to slice delicate tomato skin, bread and sandwich fillings without crushing them.
KitchenAid classic pizza wheel: $15 (6% off)
Original price: $16
A pizza cutter is one of Rozynek’s favorite tools at Brown Bag Sandwich Co.
“We use it to chop ingredients together inside a bowl,” she says. “The rounded blade works with the shape of the bowl, making it easy to mix and chop ingredients without needing a large cutting surface.”
Kewpie mayonnaise: $10
Ask a chef for their favorite mayonnaise and you’ll get several answers, but Kewpie comes up often for its rich flavor and texture. Its high egg yolk content, along with MSG, gives it a distinctive taste.
Zyliss sandwich spreader: $9
Spread condiments such as mayo, mustard and pesto with this wide, rounded blade from Zyliss. The 4-inch knife has a rubber handle and can also help you spread sticky toppings like peanut butter or goat cheese. Its sharp blade can halve a sandwich or trim the crusts.
Mecity touchscreen toaster: $45 (12% off)
Original price: $50
According to Rozynek, sandwich bread shouldn’t be an afterthought. “A little toasting can make a big difference, especially for hot sandwiches,” she says.
This two-slice toaster lets you choose a preferred toast shade and bread type. Its touchscreen design also adds a modern touch to the countertop.
Hamilton Beach hot sandwich maker: $45 (10% off)
Original price: $50
If you like the original Hamilton Beach breakfast sandwich maker, this newer model offers a larger cooking surface for standard sandwich bread. It can prepare hot sandwiches with or without eggs in about five minutes.
Lodge 8-inch cast iron skillet: $18
A cast-iron skillet can help create a crisp grilled cheese and handle recipes beyond sandwiches. With proper care, cast iron can last for decades. Use it for fried eggs, seared steak or cornbread, too.
Uncrustable sandwich cutter and sealer: $8
Make crustless sandwiches with this cutter and sealer. Add peanut butter, jelly and your preferred bread, then place the sandwich between the cutters and crimp it closed. You can freeze the sandwiches for a quick snack later.
Mercer Culinary 10-inch bread knife: $16
As a culinary school graduate who has used a version of this serrated knife for 20 years, I’ve found that it cuts through loaves of bread with minimal effort. Rozynek agrees: “You want to slice through a crusty hero or roll without crushing the bread. It’s especially helpful when cutting a fully assembled sandwich in half.” At $16, it’s an affordable addition to any knife block.
Rubbermaid Pack n Go sandwich container, 3-pack: $17
These containers help prevent homemade sandwiches from getting smushed in your lunch bag. Each one has a secure locking lid and is safe for the top rack of the dishwasher.
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Hamilton Beach automatic bread machine: $110
Fresh bread can make a sandwich feel more special, but baking a loaf from scratch may seem intimidating. This Hamilton Beach bread machine handles the kneading and baking for you. Add the ingredients, select a cycle and choose your preferred loaf size and crust setting. The machine then prepares a warm loaf for sandwiches and toast.
