Wrap And Then Slice Your Sandwiches For Mess-Free Picnics

The sandwich is a picnic staple. Portable and easy to eat sans a fork and knife, it is the perfect meal to transport in a basket or bag and eat al fresco. However, picnic sandwiches are not without their perils. The very fillings you layer onto your favorite slices of bread to customize and make this meal so personal can cause the whole sandwich structure to deconstruct into a complete mess. However, there's an easy trick to ensure your all the goodness of your PB&J, club, and tuna salad sandwiches are intact for your next picnic luncheon. 

Simply by snuggly wrapping your sandwich in butcher or parchment paper, you can save your sandwich from this all too common mishap and not lose a single tasty morsel. You've probably seen this trick performed at your local deli by its sandwich makers. They wrap the entirety of a sandwich in paper and cut through the center. This practice is especially useful for sandwiches that have a lot of fillings or that can be a little messy. The paper helps prevent the fillings from falling out and can serve as a barrier for all the elements that can dry out a sandwich and give it a not-so-fresh taste.

While butcher paper is a go-to for many sandwich shops, if you don't have it on hand, don't stress. You can easily use parchment paper which is biodegradable, wax paper, or even foil. From there, the shape of your bread dictates the optimal manner in which you should wrap it. If you are having a baguette, hoagie, or sub, you should stick to the burrito method. Place your sandwich diagonally and completely on the paper. Pull one corner over so it covers the sandwich and then roll it. Tuck in the sides of the paper and secure with tape if needed.

But if you are using flat slices of bread from your favorite loaf, you want to place them in the center of your paper. Bring the top and bottom sides of the paper together and roll them down like you would a brown lunch bag. You want it snug, but not too tight. Then you are going to tuck the end pieces into the sides. Slice it down the middle and you can either place this wrapped sandwich in a ziplock bag or bundle it in some foil. Wrapping your sandwich in this manner will ultimately keep it fresh and keep your hands clean as you eat.