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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Freezing sandwiches

69 replies

MermaidTears · 15/08/2016 14:53

Very boring post, but DD is about to go into year 4 and school dinners are no longer free at her school.
Just in time for arrival of dd3.
I can't afford school dinners and to be honest dd1 is pleased at the idea of packed lunch everyday!
Does anybody actually freeze sandwiches?
It would massively save me time, but I keep thinking they will be awful and dry once it's defrosted?
Inspiration from eat well for less TV show

OP posts:

YelloDraw · 15/08/2016 15:30

Also it's a pain buying fresh rolls every day - so much easier to buy the rolls at the weekend fresh, make sandwiches and freeze.

Arfarfanarf · 15/08/2016 15:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

kaitlinktm · 15/08/2016 15:40

I used to freeze them for my XH and DS1 and 2. As PP have said - plain cheese/ham with pickle (mustard or sweet), pâté or sandwich paste, sliced cooked meats were all fine as long as they weren't with salad or tomato or onion (apart from in the pickle). I don't remember trying it with tuna or egg/mayo, but these might be OK too.

I used to make them on Sunday so Monday's was "fresh" - although I feel tomato goes soggy even overnight. They just used to take them out of the freezer in the morning and they were defrosted by lunch time.

DS1 sometimes used to complain as they were limited as to fillings (although it was a different one most days) but he was older by that time so I felt justified in telling him to either put up or make his own.

I just wouldn't have made them at night or in the morning. I know PP have said it only takes a few minutes, but it is when those few minutes are and how you feel at those times which matters. Usually I had work to do in the evening for the next day and the mornings was such a rush and I never feel like messing around with cheese and pickle at that time of day.

Original poster

MermaidTears · 15/08/2016 15:40

Luckily she loves rolls, they both do. Also me. Dh goes bakers anyway in Saturdays so he can get the rolls and I am freeze them for us all. Like I say different things are a pain to different people. I can get them all out at 6 when I get up. Dd1 goes in her lunch box. Sorted. Then when I have my lunchtime slump and am knackered with toddler and newborn, our rolls are ready made to grab and eat. Same goes for dinners, I make the kids in individual takeaway style pots, get them out in morning and heat up at night. Works for me, or maybe I'm just lazy hahah

OP posts:

MrsFrankRicard · 15/08/2016 15:41

So from frozen at say 8am, are they at perfect eating temperature by 12?

kaitlinktm · 15/08/2016 15:41

Sorry - "mornings were such as rush" - can't even blame my phone.

Original poster

MermaidTears · 15/08/2016 15:46

mrsfrank I'm assuming they are, it's what I heard anyway. I'm up at 6am so I will just chuck it in her lunch box (all other bits already in there from nigjt before, drink/snacks etc) and should be ok by lunch. I'm going to do a practice run for our picnic tomorrow.

OP posts:

KoalaDownUnder · 15/08/2016 15:46

I don't take packed sandwiches to work cos of the bread.

I only like bread the day it's made, unless it's toasted. Sandwiches made with day-old untoasted bread = grim.

Am I just a fussy bastard?

acasualobserver · 15/08/2016 15:47

So from frozen at say 8am, are they at perfect eating temperature by 12?

Yes, no problem.

ArnoldRimmerBSc · 15/08/2016 15:49

My Mum always froze our sandwiches. We used to have soft rolls with grated cheese and pickle on. I honestly don't think you would be able to tell they had been frozen.

zofranks · 15/08/2016 15:49

I have no clue but now I want to test sandwich freezing to see what freezes best....

Can the child make their own maybe if they are simple fillings (although you would still probably have to watch them)

smoothieooo · 15/08/2016 15:52

DS2 and I did a test where he agreed to eat a pre-frozen cheese sandwich for his school lunch. He said it was absolutely no different to fresh and he is very fussy. So I now make 5 sandwiches on a Sunday evening - he takes them from the freezer and makes up the rest of his lunchbox with fruit, cereal bars etc. I love that 15 mins on a Sunday means I don't have to think about his lunch for another week!

Iwantamarshmallow · 15/08/2016 15:53

why don't you try making one and see if your dd will eat it

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 15/08/2016 15:55

I agree frozen sandwiches are fine as long as you don't use any salad. I've always heard that boiled egg doesn't freeze well, and nor does mayonnaise. After Christmas I buy some extra bread and make up lots of sandwiches with the leftover ham and lots of mustard. Then I make another batch with the leftover turkey breast, stuffing and cranberry sauce. Into the freezer they go and on a work morning I just take one out and put it in my bag with some fruit, bingo, lunch sorted. The cranberry sauce does make the bread a bit soggy but I don't care because it tastes great. These two between them keep me going for work packed lunches for ages.

Other ideas for super quick packed lunches - pork pie or quiche (mini or slice)? Mini tub of hummus and mini pitta, crackers or breadsticks? Cheese and crackers/oatcakes? Add some salad/raw veg and a piece of fruit and you're done.

FeelingSmurfy · 15/08/2016 15:59

I wouldn't mention it if you are going to try it, get a true idea of whether they are OK without everyone automatically being fussy because they know before they eat it

leoniethelioness · 15/08/2016 16:04

Sometimes I make sandwiches with frozen bread in the morning. They are always fine to eat by 1 pm.

Freshprincess · 15/08/2016 16:10

I do this. The only complaint Ive had is about tuna mayo, which sometimes doesn't defrost all the way through.

The main advantage for me is that Im not scrambling around in the morning looking for sandwich stuff because someone ate all the ham the day before.

Original poster

MermaidTears · 15/08/2016 16:13

Nope we are off to a farm picnic tomorrow. I've just chucked sandwiches in freezer (had no rolls) so I will quietly see their reaction/relish in tricking them tomorrow lunchtime

To be honest I get where people coming from saying get her to do it herself, she is very good for her age and does do bits around house BUT would be a pain in the arse for her to make such a bloody mess five times a week, plus id have to remind her constantly and hear 'yep in a minute mum's it's just more agro for me at a time when I am desperately trying to make life easier.

Sunday morning partner takes kids and doggies for long forest walk. I use this time to quickly do my batch cooking. So making few extra rolls won't make much difference

OP posts:

EnterFunnyNameHere · 15/08/2016 16:14

Frozen sandwiches are fine, they are only soggy if they aren't wrapped properly in the freezer (as the ice crystals get inside the wrapping).

I make a loaf's worth at t time and freeze them and find, as per pp, most meat / fish are fine (ham, chicken, turkey etc) and most condiments which aren't too sloppy (pickle, mustard, chutney, marmite). Salad is not good as it is really floppy when defrosted so either add that later or miss it out.

I've never tried but I've heard eggs and mayo do not freeze well - the eggs go rubbery and the mayo can split when defrosting. Not sure if that would extent to tuna mayo as well?

zofranks · 15/08/2016 16:33

I have a question - what do you actually wrap the sandwiches in when you do this - proper sandwich zip seal bag or clingfilm?

Jellybean83 · 15/08/2016 16:38

Making a big batch at the weekend seems more soul destroying than taking the 3 mins in the morning it takes to make a fresh sandwich.

CathFromCooberPedy · 15/08/2016 16:45

I'm back to work tomorrow and have just made 3 lots of lunches (DH, DD1 and DD2), this is going to be a ballache for sure! But what I normally do is prepare all DD1 snack food for school on a Sunday and then just make her sandwiches the night before. DH only takes sandwiches and sorts his other stuff out. DD2 will be a bit of a pain at the mo as she's only 10 months so lots of baby (fresh) food which I'll have to make nightly.

Packed lunches and fecking laundry is the reason I'm stick with 2 dc

bloodyteenagers · 15/08/2016 17:03

Why do you have to do everything whilst dh just seems to take them out once a week?
Surely he could knock his children some lunches together everyday. You've already cooked all the meals, he can sort lunches.

Eating around half frozen sandwiches? Not a chance. Eating cheese or ham sandwiches every single day? Personally I would just stop having lunch after 2 weeks, but then I like variety.

MrsGsnow18 · 15/08/2016 17:11

I'm intrigued to see how this goes.
I don't think i would like a defrosted sandwich as much as a fresh one but having freshly bought bread/rolls every day is a hassle and expensive/a waste if bread isn't used/thrown out.

Roygrace · 15/08/2016 17:20

Try it.

I do 14 Warburtons rolls with butter and ham take them out night before and put in fridge, kids don't know and have never said a word, I also take to work. Taste great.

So time saving just try it and see what you think

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