BellaOnline Forums Food and Wine Sandwiches Tomato & Other such items

Connie, no doubt, will give you the perfect answer here, but I can share what I have been taught to do:

My mother always put a light coat of butter on the bread slices before making sandwiches. That is what is done for tea sandwiches. But I don't like that butter layer on my sandwiches!

I used to keep the tomato slice wrapped separately and just place in inside the sandwich before eating.

Also, you can place the tomato in between the other ingredients. Keep the lettuce, cheese or meat directly on the bread slice and put the tomato on the inside so it won't get the bread soggy.

Another tip is NOT to put salt, pepper or other seasonings directly onto the tomato. Salt will draw out the moisture and liquid from the tomato.

I LOVE tomato and will take the time to wrap it in another piece of plastic wrap or place in a baggie or small reusable container. Will do the same with wet fillings such as tuna salad.

It is worth it to have nice, fluffy sandwich bread.

I do what Lori does. I use baggies or very small plastic containers. I pack my tomato separately, usually in a baggie with a paper towel inside to absorb the extra tomato juice, because once it is cut the tomato will keep weeping. That way I can pull out my tomato when I need it and it won't be dripping. Pickles, roasted red peppers from a jar, or any other wet toppings are packed the same way in their own individual baggies.

Often I pack the sandwich fillings and the bread separately, because if I have cold items I find that my bread gets soggy just from being stored in the cold and getting condensation. Cold items like meats and cheese, veggies, etc., get packed separately in a cold insulted bag with large ice pack, and the bread is in a separate plastic bag or container to stay room temperature, nice and soft and not damp.

I find that egg, chicken, or tuna salads stay true to their character when assembled on the bread at lunchtime, so I like to keep everything separated until it is time to eat.