Sandwiches are - and pretty much always have been – a lunchtime favourite. They're quick, convenient and often seen as a healthier alternative to fast-food takeaways. For many of us, a sandwich is the default lunch choice.
But new insights from our latest Sandwiches Report show unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Almost half (44%) of the sandwiches we assessed were high in salt and an overwhelming 97% failed to provide even a third of our daily fibre requirements. What's more, many rely heavily on processed meats or dairy as their main fillings. Taken together, the message is clear – many of the sandwich options currently available to us are neither as healthy nor as sustainable as they could, or should, be.
So, what would a better sandwich look like? And what role can food producers and government play in making healthier, more sustainable choices the norm rather than the exception?
Bread
Bread is the foundation of every sandwich, yet it’s also one of the biggest contributors of salt in our diets. Around 3 in every 4 slices of packaged bread contain as much salt as an entire packet of crisps, and as a daily staple, this adds up fast, positioning bread and sandwiches as some of the leading contributors of salt in children and adults alike. Reducing salt in bread would have a significant positive knock-on effect, with even minor reductions potentially removing over 900 tonnes of salt from the UK diet each year. Choosing brown, wholemeal or seeded breads can help lessen salt levels while often increasing fibre. As the Real Bread Campaign shows us, small changes to the base of a sandwich can ripple out positively for people and the planet - manufacturers and retailers should consider this, and measures such as sustainable grain production and shorter supply chains to strengthen both health outcomes and local food systems.
Processed Meats
What goes inside a sandwich matters just as much as the bread. Meat remains the dominant filling, with almost 3 in 4 sandwiches containing some sort of meat or fish, and around 27% of these containing processed meats. Comparatively, only 6% of sandwiches were vegan or plant based. There is clear evidence linking excess processed meat consumption to poorer health outcomes, namely increased cardiovascular risk, cancer and type 2 diabetes. Salt is a major part of this problem, as previous Action on Salt and Sugar research found that 1 in 4 chilled sliced meats were saltier than seawater, and two-thirds classified as ‘high’ in salt. The environmental impact is equally concerning, as over one-third of all global greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to derive from food systems - with meat production driving climate change, biodiversity loss, and water pollution.
Therefore, in the quest to make the healthiest, most sustainable sandwich, reducing salt via reformulation in processed meat is key. But importantly, as Eating Better’s ‘Better-By-Half' roadmap points out, fundamentally so is the consumption of less and better-quality meats. This is particularly relevant in the out-of-home (OOH) sector, where one-third (36%) of processed meat consumption takes place and where our research found sandwiches to be far saltier than their retail counterparts. In practice, this means better and more sustainable meat production, including reducing the number of meat-heavy options in product lines and swapping in meat-alternatives like vegetables and beans.
Plant-Based Alternatives
Switching meat for plant-based alternatives is often presented as a win-win for health and the environment, and in many cases, it is. Some sources suggest plant-based options can have up to a 50% lower environmental impact. However, our research shows that nutrition doesn’t automatically improve. Both our Meat-Alternatives Report and Sandwiches Report highlight the wide variation in salt content, with some products containing as much - or sometimes more - salt than the meats they replace. This means that simply increasing the quantity of plant-based selections isn’t enough. The focus needs to shift towards less processed ingredients and careful reformulation to ensure these choices genuinely support healthier and more sustainable diets.
Fans of the Bang in Some Beans campaign will be pleased to know that less processed alternatives such as beans, pulses, and grains offer a solution to both. Lower in salt, saturated fat, and calories, and higher in fibre, they are an effective, cheap, and under-utilised option for healthier, more sustainable sandwich fillings. Even small additions of extra beans or vegetables can help increase fibre and shift the balance away from meat. For this shift to happen at scale, businesses must prioritise these, alongside progressive and intentional salt reduction, working with retailers and food-outlets to make plant-based options more visible, appealing and affordable. Small changes in how products are positioned, described and priced can all make a big difference in uptake and give us access to the healthier sandwiches we deserve.
Cheese
Cheese remains the go-to filling for vegetarian options, but it too can present challenges. Even a small 30g portion can contain more salt than a packet of crisps and quickly push a sandwich into high-salt territory. As part of the dairy sector, cheese also carries a considerable environmental footprint, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, pollution, habitat destruction, and soil erosion.
Reformulating cheese to contain less salt is one important and easily achievable step, but the heavy proportion it takes up within the sandwich market risks undermining the health and planetary benefits of going meat-free. Moving beyond cheese to more diverse sources of plant-based protein would effectively support both the UK’s health and sustainability goals and no longer place cheese as the default vegetarian option. When cheese is used, prioritising soft cheeses (which are naturally lower in salt) and sourcing from local and welfare-focused markets would help reduce its negative impacts.
Cost
Cost remains one of the most important factors influencing diets, and if we want healthier and more sustainable sandwiches to become the norm, they need to be affordable. Yet as Eating Better’s 2022 report found, plant-based sandwiches were on average 8% more expensive than meat options, making the most sustainable choice also the most expensive, exacerbated further by the context of the cost-of-living crisis.
Pricing plant-based and environmentally conscious sandwiches competitively and fairly is therefore a key strategy in supporting better diets. In practice, this means investing in less processed ingredients (such as beans and wholegrains), rethinking price and promotion strategies, and making better use of local supply chains – doing so could help ensure that healthier sandwiches are accessible for everyone.
Conclusion
We’re unlikely to cut sandwiches out from diets any time soon. But because they are made up of so many components, they present a clear opportunity to shift the dial towards better health and a more sustainable food system.
Small changes across all these components will add up and lead to substantial impacts in overall salt. Reducing salt through reformulation, prioritising less and better-quality meat and dairy, and moving beyond fillings that have long dominated the market towards lower-cost, lower-impact alternatives all have the potential to reshape the everyday sandwich into one that supports both people and the planet and benefit everyone’s lunchbox.
