10 Healthy Sandwiches to Enjoy in the New Year

A new year is upon us, which means it’s time to put the past behind you. And, yes, that includes last week when your coworker caught you scarfing down a greasy double-bacon burger from the local fast-food joint on your break.

We’ve all been there. We likely will be again at some point (because, hey, everything in moderation). However, the new year does bring with it the chance to recommit yourself to eating a more nutritionally well-rounded menu.

But seeing as we’re all tight on time these days, preparing healthy gourmet meals to eat on the fly isn’t always a possibility. Enter sandwiches. They’re quick, they’re easy and, as you can tell from the recipes we’ve compiled here, they can be irresistibly tasty and healthy too.

Greek yogurt chicken salad sandwich

A healthy sandwich that tastes just as good as its more indulgent OG version? Um, yes. So much yes. Damn Delicious has an ingenious secret for lightening up a classic chicken salad sandwich — swapping out high-fat mayo for Greek yogurt.

You may be dubious at first, but it’ll be love at first bite when you taste the tangy yet savory combo of the yogurt with plump grapes, rotisserie chicken and sweet cranberries.

Green goodness sandwich

What do you get when you jam-pack spinach, avocado, goat cheese, chives, cucumber and sprouts between two slices of toasted grainy bread? A whole lotta green goodness, that’s what. Hence, Seasons and Suppers delightfully straightforward name for this nutritious sammie.

Bonus? The recipe only takes 15 minutes to whip up, and it yields two to three sandwiches.

PB&J open-face sandwich

If you love a good PB&J sandwich but really want to stick to your clean-eating commitment, Tales of a Kitchen will be your new hero.

Instead of plain white sliced bread for this wholesome open-face sandwich, Tales of a Kitchen uses whole-grain rye sourdough. In place of store-bought peanut butter and jelly filled with sugar and preservatives, they use homemade unsweetened pecan butter with raw superfood jam.

And finally, whole pecans, banana slices, pepitas and chia seeds sprinkled on top drive the taste factor over the top.

Rainbow vegetable sandwich

Can we just take a minute to appreciate how gosh-darn gorgeous this rainbow vegetable sandwich from Two Peas and Their Pod is?

Artfully laid layers of arugula, cucumber, avocado, sprouts, yellow pepper, carrot sticks, red peppers, tomatoes, radishes, red onion and purple cabbage pack a nutrient-dense punch in this beauty.

Spicy carrot & hummus sandwich

If ever you need proof that vegetarian fare isn’t boring, look no further than this delicious sandwich from The Simple Veganista.

With antioxidant-rich, heart-healthy ingredients like garlic, carrots, caraway seeds and hummus, it’ll fill you up without any food guilt.

Buffalo chickpea salad sandwich

Whether you’re vegan or simply like to sample plant-based substitutes every so often, you’re going to love HealthNut Nutrition’s smart spin on spicy Buffalo chicken salad.

In fact, it’s not Buffalo chicken at all. It’s Buffalo chickpea salad, meaning its full of fiber, flavor and good-for-you plant protein. That classic Buffalo kick is still there too!

Balsamic-roasted beet sandwiches

Did you know beets are bursting with fiber, vitamins and nutrients? This root vegetable is woefully underutilized, which is why we’re huge fans of Oh My Veggies balsamic-roasted beet sandwich recipe. It puts beets squarely in the spotlight, which is precisely where they should be.

Here, their earthy sweetness pops against the tanginess of balsamic vinegar and creaminess of dill cashew cheese for a flavor profile that is out of this world.

Turkey pastrami Reuben with mustard aioli

Raise your hand if you can’t resist a classic Reuben. *Raises hand with gusto* Here’s the thing: There’s no denying they’re delicious… but there’s also no denying they aren’t exactly light on calories and fat.

Bless The Roasted Root, though, because they’ve whipped up a healthy alternative using turkey pastrami, gluten-free bread and mustard aioli (in place of super-indulgent Russian dressing) — with the sandwich’s signature ‘kraut, of course.

Radish & egg salad sandwich

Radishes are right up there with beets when it comes to veggies that get the cold shoulder, and it’s counterintuitive.

Red radishes are a nutrition powerhouse, packed with vitamins E, A, C, B6 and K as well as antioxidants, fiber, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, calcium, iron and manganese. Yes, really!

Kudos to A Couple Cooks for pairing them with protein-rich eggs to create a sandwich that’ll make you say yum and optimize your body’s health.

Cucumber-goat cheese grilled cheese

When it comes to guilty pleasures, grilled cheese sandwiches are right up there. Buttered toast, melted globs of gooey cheese… *sigh,* right?

Only, you don’t have to say goodbye to this classic comfort food entirely. Thanks to Sweetsonian, you can have your grilled cheese and eat it too. This lightened-up version features whole-wheat sourdough bread, goat cheese and (beautiful!) Japanese cucumbers.

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