Craft Your Own Healthy & Low Calorie Breakfast Sandwich

Enjoying a Low Calorie Breakfast Sandwich

Breakfast sandwiches make for a convenient and portable morning meal that can be eaten on-the-go. However, traditional breakfast sandwiches tended to be high in calories, fat, and sodium. As more people become concerned about their health and nutrition, the demand for lower calorie breakfast sandwich options has grown.

What Makes a Breakfast Sandwich Unhealthy

Traditional breakfast sandwiches get most of their calories from unhealthy ingredients like:

• Fatty meats like sausage, bacon, or fried ham
• Buttery biscuits, croissants, or bagels
• Full-fat cheese like cheddar or Swiss
• Protein-packed but high-calorie egg patties made with butter or oil

While tasty, these traditional options tend to be high in saturated fat, sodium, and calories. For example, a 550 calorie breakfast sandwich made with a fried egg, cheese, bacon, and sausage on a buttery biscuit could contain up to 36 grams of fat.

Building a Better Breakfast Sandwich

Luckily, its easy to create or order a breakfast sandwich with fewer than 300 calories by substituting some healthier ingredients, including:

• Canadian bacon, turkey, or vegetarian sausage patties
• Egg whites or chopped hard boiled eggs instead of fried eggs
• Light cheese slices or shredded low-fat mozzarella
• Whole wheat English muffins, bagels, or sandwich thins
• Avocado, tomato slices, spinach, or roasted veggies

Combining 3 or 4 of these healthier ingredients can lead to a satisfying breakfast sandwich containing way less fat, sodium, and calories than a classic bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit.

Tips for Ordering a Healthier Breakfast Sandwich

If you frequently grab breakfast on-the-go, try ordering a customized sandwich from your favorite coffee shop, deli, or fast food joint. Here are some healthy tweaks to order:

1. Ask for a whole grain bagel, English muffin, flatbread, or even a lettuce wrap instead of a buttery croissant or biscuit.
2. Opt for egg whites or sliced hard boiled eggs instead of full fat fried eggs.
3. Order a vegetarian sausage patty or Canadian bacon for less fat and calories than pork sausage or bacon.
4. Request low-fat cheese or avocado instead of full-fat American or cheddar cheese.
5. Add tomato slices, spinach, roasted red peppers or other veggies to pack in nutrients and flavor.
6. Ask for light butter or margarine on your bread rather than full-fat butter.
7. Choose salsa, hot sauce, or mustard for a flavor punch instead of calorie-dense sauces like mayo or special sauce.
8. Order a side of fresh fruit or low-fat yogurt instead of hash browns or other fried sides.

Build Your Own Healthy Breakfast Sandwich

For the ultimate control over nutrition and ingredients, start making breakfast sandwiches at home. This makes it easy to tweak recipes to keep calories, fat, and sodium in check. Some tasty combos to try:

• Egg whites, sliced tomatoes, avocado, and salsa on a whole wheat English muffin
• Scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, roasted red peppers, and pesto on a sandwich thin
• Hard boiled eggs, hummus, cucumber slices, and spinach on whole grain toast

Get even more creative by trying zucchini slices instead of bread, mashed chickpeas instead of egg salad, or thinly sliced apple or pear instead of cheese. The possibilities are endless for building nutrient-packed sandwiches at home.

5 Tips for Low Calorie Breakfast Sandwiches

By following these simple suggestions, you can feel good about enjoying a grab-and-go breakfast sandwich:

1. Prioritize whole grains over white flour breads or buttery pastries
2. Load up on veggies like tomato, avocado, spinach, and roasted red peppers
3. Limit fatty meats and cheese or switch to lower-fat varieties
4. Swap out fried eggs for boiled eggs, egg whites, or tofu scramble
5. Dialling back on condiments like mayo and butter saves calories and fat

Breakfast sandwiches make for a tasty and convenient meal, even when you're focused on healthy eating. Follow these tips to enjoy flavorful on-the-go sandwiches that provide protein, fiber, and key nutrients without the excess calories.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.