Hellmann’s feedback thread – non testers: talk leftovers and sandwiches for a chance to win a £50 hamper NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

This thread is for the 30 Mumsnetters who took part in the Hellmann's 'Sandwich of the Century' challenge as part of their
[[https://www.hellmanns.co.uk/tips/love_food_hate_waste.aspx/ Love
Food Hate Waste campaign]].

Non-testers: Hellmann's would love to know if you use leftovers in your sandwiches. Do you regularly use your leftovers in a sandwich for lunch the next day? If you don't, do you think it’s something you'd try? Every non tester who adds their thoughts will be entered into a prize draw to win a Hellmann's hamper worth £50.

Here's what Hellmann’s have to say, "For 100 years, Hellmann's Mayonnaise has been at the heart of the greatest Sandwiches but did you know that every day we throw away 200,000 loaves of bread and are even careless with our fillings for example, nearly three million tomatoes, and one million slices of ham are disposed of and not eaten?! At Hellmann's, we love food and we believe eating should be a moment of joy. That's why we hate food waste and are now encouraging you to use your lovely leftovers!"

Testers were sent some Hellmann's mayonnaise along with a welcome pack.

Testers: We've got a set of questions we'd like you to answer about making sandwiches and how you found the Hellmann's challenge. Please also feel free to add any other thoughts you may have.

1. How often do you make sandwiches for yourself and/or your family?
2. How many different types of sandwich filling do you have in one week?
3. Do you make sandwiches the night before or are you an early riser?
4. What are your hints and tips to keep your bread fresh?
5. What ideas did you/ your family come up with for using leftovers in sandwiches? What worked well/ what didn’t work out so well?
6. Do you have a favourite sandwich you already made regularly with your leftovers?
7. After taking part in the challenge do you think you will be more inventive in your sandwich fillings featuring Hellmann's Mayonnaise?

If you have made a particularly impressive sandwich, feel free to post a picture of it on this thread too! All testers who leave their feedback on this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £150 M&S voucher.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

[yeghoulsandlittledevils]

1. How often do you make sandwiches for yourself and/or your family?

4-5

1. How many different types of sandwich filling do you have in one week?

4-5

1. Do you make sandwiches the night before or are you an early riser?

The night before.

1. What are your hints and tips to keep your bread fresh?

Only buy what you need and freeze the rest. You can always use half a loaf and then freeze the rest. If bread goes stale (and not mouldy) dry out a bit more in the oven and make it into bread crumbs to use as toppings for savoury bakes and coatings for fish or chicken.

1. What ideas did you/ your family come up with for using leftovers in sandwiches? What worked well/ what didn’t work out so well?

What I find works is to plan using up the freshest cooked meats/fish in sandwiches and if these don't get used up within 2 or 3 days, cook the remainder up in an evening meal. this works well for leftover roast meats. Usually the white chicken meat gets used in sandwiches and the brown meat goes in curries and pasta bakes.

Salad ingredients get used for salads first, and then sandwiches (as they're hidden in a sandwich and don't have to look perfect.)

1. Do you have a favourite sandwich you already made regularly with your leftovers?

Chicken and salad - with Hellmann's of course!
Also love leftover roast lamb with mint sauce, mayo and rocket, and roast beef with horseradish and tomato.

1. After taking part in the challenge do you think you will be more inventive in your sandwich fillings featuring Hellmann's Mayonnaise?

I like the idea of keeping some of the chicken curry for a sandwich the next day, with some mango chutney. I've bought this type of sandwich ready made, but not tried making my own.

[lottietiger]

1.How often do you make sandwiches for yourself and/or your family? Me and my DH have sandwiches every day and my DS 3 or 4 times a week.

2. How many different types of sandwich filling do you have in one week? I like a different filling everyday or at least a different mixture of fillings. DS & DH doesn’t mind the same every day, or at least for a few days.

1. Do you make sandwiches the night before or are you an early riser?

We make up the pack lunch “extras” such as fruit, cake etc the night before and leave the actual sandwich making to the morning.

1. What are your hints and tips to keep your bread fresh?

We tend to get a large loaf Friday when we know it will get eaten Fri, Sat & Sun & a smaller loaf, rolls or bake your own ciabatta Monday to Thursday.

1. What ideas did you/ your family come up with for using leftovers in sandwiches? What worked well/ what didn’t work out so well? We roast a joint every week but some weeks only use it for curries, casseroles etc and sandwiches. Bacon is great too as there is always a couple of pieces left over and some salad in the fridge. Fab with a big dollop of Hellmans. Not so keen on tomatoes as they make the bread soggy.

1. Do you have a favourite sandwich you already made regularly with your leftovers? I like a gammon joint, boiled up and then served in sandwiches the next day. Also chicken & stuffing orcold sausage as we never eat a whole pack for dinner or breakfast.
2. After taking part in the challenge do you think you will be more inventive in your sandwich fillings featuring Hellmann's Mayonnaise? Yes, I haven’t had mayo for ages as we normally only buy it in the summer for salads. I forgot how good it was on a BLT, or cold roast meat. Added calories though…!

[Titsalinabumsquash]

I've still not received anything.

[vincenta]

All leftovers usually end up on my husbands next day lunchbox. He just warm up at work! He likes it more as there always is a variety, bigger portion, everything is yummy! For me it is good too-moneysaving and no leftovers:)

[Justtrying]

Tester here.

1. Make sandwiches for dh 2-3 times a week, and about the same for myself. Both take them as packing for work. Will make sandwiches for lunch or tea at home for myself and dd in the summer twice a week.
2. Will make 3 different sorts of sandwich filling for myself as I don't like the same thing all the time but, dh is happy with ham or corned beef most of the time.
3. Make dh's sandwiches the night before and mine if I'm on an early shift otherwise they get made just before I leave for work.
4. Bread stays fresh if sandwiches are kept out of the fridge and I think wrapping them in foil is nicer than using cling film. Having a teenager in the house bread rarely goes stale as it gets eaten quickly, however if I've made bread in the bread maker it keeps best in a zip lock bag.
5. Leftovers. Any roast meat works well with some sauce/chutney/flavoured mayo works well. Favourite is roast lamb with Mayo mixed with some mint sauce and a little spicy chutney with some green leaves. Left over tuna or salmon also good mixed with some sweet corn, diced pepper, gherkins and mayo also a favourite. Cheese grated with some apple, celery onion and mayo works well.

Not so successful cold tempura prawns with Mayo mixed with chilli sauce, the prawns really need to be hot, if at home warming them in the oven then stuffing in crusty white bread with chilli mayo, lettuce, mint and spring onions yum.

1. Favourite sandwich already made granary bread leftover roast chicken and stuffing with salad and mayo, perhaps a little mango chutney or cranberry ( or lingonberry) sauce.

1. Will try and be more inventive when time allows but putting dinner on the table, making dh's sandwiches and getting a toddler ready for bed after being out the house 12+ hours and getting to bed myself at a sensible time ready to get up at 4 am isn't very conducive to creative thinking but will make an effort on days off.

[MrsPnut]

1. How often do you make sandwiches for yourself and/or your family?
I usually make 3 packed lunches every week day and these are mostly sandwiches.
2. How many different types of sandwich filling do you have in one week?
DD2 will only eat ham, cheese or chicken, OH is veggie so gets a rotation of hummus and cucumber, cheese and salad, fake meat and pickle and fake meat and salad. I tend to either have leftovers or rummage in the fridge for inspiration.
3. Do you make sandwiches the night before or are you an early riser?
I try to make them the night before and sometimes will make 2 days worth in one go on a sunday evening.
4. What are your hints and tips to keep your bread fresh? I buy breadrolls and freeze half the pack so there is fresh bread for the end of the week. I also use a mixture of different breads - wraps, pittas and sandwich thins to add variety.
5. What ideas did you/ your family come up with for using leftovers in sandwiches? What worked well/ what didn’t work out so well? I already use leftover roast meat in sandwiches and just carried that on - I have had left over pulled ham hock on a granary roll with salad leaves and mustard mixed with mayonnaise twice this week. I also use left over sausages with homemade apple and mint jelly in a toasted sandwich.
6. Do you have a favourite sandwich you already made regularly with your leftovers?
My absolute favourite sandwich is leftover roast chicken in a baguette with stuffing, bread sauce, mayo, lettuce and lots of salt and pepper. If you can have cold roast potatoes with loads of rock salt on them as well then so much the better.
7. After taking part in the challenge do you think you will be more inventive in your sandwich fillings featuring Hellmann's Mayonnaise?
I will certainly carry on using up leftovers in sandwiches, not sure about trying a pie sandwich but OH is keen.

[ThePearShapedToad]

Non tester

The trick to a great leftovers sandwich is the Friends Ross sandwich idea- the moist maker

Eg: leftover roast chicken/ beef/ pork etc, with a good dollop of stuffing and veggies, but with a middle layer of gravy soaked bread in the middle

[Justtrying]

Today's lunch, mix some mint sauce with Hellmann Mayo spread over a wrap and topped with last nights leftover roast dinner warmed through with some gravy, lamb Boulanger potatoes, carrots and green beans.

Rather messy to eat but scrummy and economical.

[yeghoulsandlittledevils]

Discovered a new combination today: leftover peppered mackerel (most of it got used in a couscous salad last week) with a large slice of roasted red pepper (from a jar) and Hellmann's. Surprisingly delicious.

[tinypumpkin]

I have not really used leftovers in a sandwich to be honest but may well give it a whirl now.

[MummyBtothree]

I like mixing my mayo with some curry/tandoori powder and spreading on my bread before filling with leftover roast chicken and lots of salad...yum!!.

[ClaimedByMe]

tester

1. How often do you make sandwiches for yourself and/or your family?

Monday to Friday for pack lunches, weekends we usually try to have something other than sandwiches.

1. How many different types of sandwich filling do you have in one week?

Quite a few, dd will only have cheese but me and ds will eat nearly anything on a sandwich, chicken, beef, tuna, crisps..

1. Do you make sandwiches the night before or are you an early riser?

For packed lunches the night before!

1. What are your hints and tips to keep your bread fresh?

I just clingfilm, tinfoil if I run out of clingfilm, had no complaints.

1. What ideas did you/ your family come up with for using leftovers in sandwiches? What worked well/ what didn’t work out so well?

Roast beef and mushroom and onions from the gravy, bit soggy but tasty and roast chicken and stuffing.

1. Do you have a favourite sandwich you already made regularly with your leftovers?

I love Sunday roast cold on a Monday on a sandwich.

1. After taking part in the challenge do you think you will be more inventive in your sandwich fillings featuring Hellmann's Mayonnaise?

I hope so.

[DifferentNow]

If there's any chicken left after a roast, I have it with HP sauce on a white bread sandwich. I also sometimes keep leftover fajita in a wrap and eat it cold for lunch the next day.

[aristocat]

Tester

1. How often do you make sandwiches for yourself and/or your family?

DH and 2 DCs have sandwiches Mon-Fri. We also occasionally have sandwiches on a Saturday or one evening. I will have a sandwich probably 3-4 times a week.

1. How many different types of sandwich filling do you have in one week?

DH is happy with anything (almost) and the DCs like ham or chicken preferably. I like mine piled with salad.

1. Do you make sandwiches the night before or are you an early riser?

We are early risers but I need to organise packed lunches the night before. Making 3 lots would be too hectic and I get a satisfaction from knowing that it is all prepared.

1. What are your hints and tips to keep your bread fresh?

DH has brown/wholemeal cobs and the DCs have sliced bread. The bread is kept frozen and defrosted as and when we need it.

1. What ideas did you/ your family come up with for using leftovers in sandwiches? What worked well/ what didn’t work out so well?

This week I have made Chicken Tikka (and made extra so not essentially leftovers) for our sandwiches. It was divine. Tikka, salad and mayo
DH also made sandwiches with leftover Cottage Pie, which were very good. I also cooked too much bacon yesterday so today we had club sandwiches.

1. Do you have a favourite sandwich you already made regularly with your leftovers?

My favourite sandwich of all time is Roast chicken, salad and loads of mayo! Another one that I like is cheese and coleslaw or cheese/onion/mayo or cheese and apple.

1. After taking part in the challenge do you think you will be more inventive in your sandwich fillings featuring Hellmann's Mayonnaise?

Yes, it has reminded me how much I love mayonnaise. Thank you.

Can I just comment that I was rather surprised at the postage on my mayo parcel, it was sent Special delivery - at a cost of £6.55 for one mayonnaise jar and a leaflet

Fabulous test, thanks again!

[RueDeWakening]

Tester here :o

1. How often do you make sandwiches for yourself and/or your family? Most days, but DD has FSM so not for her.

1. How many different types of sandwich filling do you have in one week? A few - ham, cheese, salad, nutella, jam, sometimes egg.

1. Do you make sandwiches the night before or are you an early riser?

I don't make them in advance, I'm at home and DH works from home but we normally eat sandwiches for lunch so just make them on demand.

1. What are your hints and tips to keep your bread fresh?

It's not normally a problem, we get through almost a loaf a day!

1. What ideas did you/ your family come up with for using leftovers in sandwiches? What worked well/ what didn’t work out so well?

We had some leftover roast veggies that normally I'd chuck into couscous, but we had them as sandwich filling this week and they were surprisingly lovely :) the halloumi wasn't so great, it had been in the fridge and squeaked when we ate it, wouldn't use that again.
DH tried pickled cucumber sandwich, he claimed it was lovely but it stank and frankly I don't know that I want to encourage him :o

1. Do you have a favourite sandwich you already made regularly with your leftovers?

I've not made leftover sandwiches before, I think mostly because except for DD we are veggie so don't have roast meat to use up.

1. After taking part in the challenge do you think you will be more inventive in your sandwich fillings featuring Hellmann's Mayonnaise?

I will definitely do some extra veg next time we have roast veg, and save it for sandwiches. I've also been thinking about other fillings we could use that aren't strictly leftovers, and fancy trying things like grated carrot & cheese mixed together, and I'm keeping my eye out for other ideas too.

[Bubbles85]

Non-tester

I always use leftovers in sandwiches and my favourite is definitely chicken after the Sunday roast!

[ShatnersBassoon]

1. How often do you make sandwiches for yourself and/or your family?

Usually every day.

1. How many different types of sandwich filling do you have in one week?

Half a dozen, at a guess.

1. Do you make sandwiches the night before or are you an early riser?

Always made in the morning.

1. What are your hints and tips to keep your bread fresh?

I keep my bread bin in the pantry. It's a lot cooler than the kitchen and stops the bread getting sweaty inside the packaging.

1. What ideas did you/ your family come up with for using leftovers in sandwiches? What worked well/ what didn’t work out so well?

I tried some leftover Quorn chicken-style nuggets in a roll. It was OK, but not something I'd deliberately repeat!
The children took leftover roast chicken on Monday and Tuesday - it was mixed with mayo, lemon juice and black pepper. One didn't like it at all, saying it had made the bread soggy (fussy monkey, usually only likes plain foods) but was otherwise successful.

1. Do you have a favourite sandwich you already made regularly with your leftovers?

DH absolutely loves a cold sausage sandwich, so I make sure I cook enough sandwiches to allow him this small pleasure! He slices them and mixes them with something moist, like chutney and mayo, then puts them in a roll. He's easily pleased!
I'm not a huge fan of meat so enjoy leftovers that lend themselves less well to being put in a sandwich (see Quorn nugget disappointment above), but I really enjoy Quorn roast in a sandwich with stuffing, and I did use mayo as a moistening spread and enjoyed it more than usual.

1. After taking part in the challenge do you think you will be more inventive in your sandwich fillings featuring Hellmann's Mayonnaise?

Yes, as someone who was unsure if they even liked mayonnaise, I will start to use it to keep an otherwise dry sandwich filling moist, by using it like a spread.

[Jinty64]

Non-tester. Left over mince makes a great sandwich and haggis makes a good toastie.

[whattodoo]

I generally take a portion of leftovers in a Tupperware for lunch the next day.
Very rarely, I make it into a sandwich, adding mayo or chutney etc.

[CMOTDibbler]

tester - thank you for the Hellmanns!

1. How often do you make sandwiches for yourself and/or your family?

I'm gluten free, and the cost of nice gf bread is so high that I don't have sarnies more than once a week. Ds has school lunches, so has sandwiches at weekends and holidays.

1. How many different types of sandwich filling do you have in one week?

As many as we have sandwiches! As a sarnie is a treat for me I like to vary things, and ds is very easy going on what he'll eat.

1. Do you make sandwiches the night before or are you an early riser?

Made fresh or in the morning

1. What are your hints and tips to keep your bread fresh?

Mine is always in the freezer, the rest of the family get a loaf split and then frozen so it doesn't get wasted

1. What ideas did you/ your family come up with for using leftovers in sandwiches? What worked well/ what didn’t work out so well?

As its been half term, ds has had sarnies everyday. He liked left over spag bog in a roll (like a sloppy joe), a sausage sarnie with ketchup/mayo. DH tried making a roll with leftover bits from a roast with sliced cold roast potato, meat and carrot batons - the carrots didn't work but the dog ate those instead.

1. Do you have a favourite sandwich you already made regularly with your leftovers?

Roast chicken, sweet chilli sauce, Hellmans and avocado in a GF wrap.

1. After taking part in the challenge do you think you will be more inventive in your sandwich fillings featuring Hellmann's Mayonnaise?

Yes, we'll try harder!

[lilyloo]

Being a family of 5 we rarely have left overs. However we do sometimes use the left over meat from a roast dinner for packed lunch sandwiches.

[loumatt]

Non-Tester. My DW makes me the most fantastic roast dinner sandwiches (chicken, roast potatoes and stuffing) on a Monday to use up the leftovers from Sunday's lunch - made all the better with a healthy dollop of Hellman's Mayonnaise of course!

[Rockinhippy]

I have just replied to a reminder email, but my bottle was sent out late & didn't arrive until the beginning of this week & it's school holidays here & DD & DH are away visiting family, so no packed lunches & no left overs here this week as I'm ill & not eating much anyway or I wouldn't be here myself

We should be back to normal next week & happy to leave feed back then when I have some to leave, hope that's not too late

[Rockinhippy]

Doh - just spotted the questionnaire I can at least do that bit :)


thank you for the Hellmanns! - I will wade into that next week & add more when I do

1. How often do you make sandwiches for yourself and/or your family?

That would depend if you mean classic bread sandwiches or not - DH is the only one that really eats much bread, DD & I tend to mostly don't eat it but if we do have something akin to a sandwich it's more likely to be made with a wrap, but probably 2/3 times a week

1. How many different types of sandwich filling do you have in one week?

DD is a creature of habit & likes her favourites, so probably only 2 for her, DH likes lots of different ones, so he will have 2 different sandwiches each time he has them, I don't often eat sandwiches at all - so maybe 8

1. Do you make sandwiches the night before or are you an early riser?

Varies according to fillings & how knackered I am the night before - probably 50/50

1. What are your hints and tips to keep your bread fresh

Wraps keep better than bread, but with bread Keep it in the fridge & freeze half a loaf until needed - when making my own, bake it in small batches, keeping dough in the fridge

1. What ideas did you/ your family come up with for using leftovers in sandwiches? What worked well/ what didn’t work out so well?

I will be making various coleslaws with left over scraps of fresh veg which will go with both salads & sandwiches, I will add various spices to these depending on veg used, for example, grated pumpkin will be mixed with onion, cabbage or whatever, mayo & curry powder to make it more interesting, left over pasta will be used as cold pasta salad coated with mayo, left over fruits will be made into cake using mayo instead of eggs & fat

1. Do you have a favourite sandwich you already made regularly with your leftovers.

Yes, cooked smoked salmon trimmings left over from pasta & baked potato meals is great with lemon pepper, mayo & lettuce, leftover fish fingers the same, both in wraps

1. After taking part in the challenge do you think you will be more inventive in your sandwich fillings featuring Hellmann's Mayonnaise?

No, I'm always pretty inventive & use up leftovers where I can - might use more mayo though, lets see how it works with cous cous etc