We can prepare it at home. Here’s how – Corriere.it

Rush, meetings, busy schedule, work tasks outside the office: sometimes lunch break It is not merely a hurry, but by force of circumstances it has been “reduced” to a sandwich.

There are no more or less balanced meals in the canteen, not even healthy salads: eating a sandwich (brought from home or bought outside) is sometimes a necessity. It is a meal that can become High in calories but not very nutritious Or on the contrary, Very small If you make bad choices.
However, it is possible to eat healthy and balanced sandwiches, and with the right precautions, you can try to eat a balanced diet even with this type of lunch break, although it would be better not to make it a habit.

Let’s start with how to compose a song at home A “perfect” sandwich.Knowing that the same rules will apply later when choosing al Cafewhere we will try to buy an option that is as close as possible to the one that we would have formed in the kitchen.

«The first rule to make a sandwich healthier and more balanced is to add vegetables – advises Ilaria Brandoni, biologist and nutritionist at Palazzo della Salute from the San Donato Group: vegetables It is necessary to increase and prolong sensation glutBecause those who eat the classic sandwich often feel hungry during the afternoon. So tomatoes, salad, grilled zucchini and the like are good. A more complete effect is obtained by bringing “second vegetables” from home: small bowls with clean and chopped fennel, carrots, peppers or celery to eat in addition.

For the base it is better to choose A Simple bread (Not focaccia, which is rich in oils and fats that weigh it down) of good quality, and better if it is made from whole grains: “Good quality bread is one that is prepared with as few ingredients as possible, three or four – the expert recommends and urges -. We read labels if we buy them coated: even those identified as “wholemeal” should have the phrase “wholemeal flour” on the label, not “wheat flour” with percentages of bran or mid.

Good quality bread and vegetables and then? The temptation is to fill the sandwich with more ingredients, usually different protein sources (the classics are cheese and ham): “In fact the filling should consist mainly of One of the protein options (Fish, meat, bacon, cheese, eggs) – the nutritionist explains – provided that it varies during the week according to the recommended consumption frequencies. In this regard, we remember that sliced “It should be eaten less than once a week.”

Finally, sauces are the least suitable condiments because they contain sugars, fats and salt and are often the enemy of appearance: the filling can be seasoned with a little salt. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (Except when there are actually avocados or oily dishes involved), a little mustard (Those that do not contain added sugar) A pinch of salt and aromatic herbs.

The size/quantity of the overall sandwich (or sandwiches) depends on Power requirementsOf individuals, they must allow themselves to consume a sufficient amount of calories to reach dinner without suffering from hunger and over-indulgence during its preparation.

And at the bar you can take one as a basis Piadina? “The calories compared to bread don’t change much, but lard was likely added to the piadina,” says Brandoni. However, in the supermarket, you can choose pidine without lard with extra virgin olive oil and then the quality of the product you consume improves. In this regard, the suggestion is to end the lunch break with a fruit salad. Fruit naturally contains sugar, but it also contains vitamins and minerals. “If we’re not satisfied with our meal, instead of grabbing a snack from a vending machine in the afternoon, a fruit salad with no added sugar is best.”