Freezing sandwiches

[jabbur]

DH is teaching 4 nights a week and goes from work directly to the classroom. No time to stop and eat dinner. He doesn't like to eat when he gets home after 9:00pm because he then has difficulty sleeping. I'm thinking of making a bunch of cold cut sandwiches and freezing them so all he has to do is pull one or two out of the freezer in the morning and it will be thawed by the time he eats it later around 4:30 or 5:00. I would want to put the spicy mustard and mayo on it he likes. He doesn't usually have lettuce or tomato. Only meat, cheese and condiments. Do you think I could do this and the sandwiches would hold up okay? TIA

 

[lovergrill]

The best way to tell if it's a good idea is to make one sandwich freeze it, thaw it and eat it. You will be the best judge of the results.

Otherwise:
Real mayonnaise does not freeze well.
Use a mayonnaise substitute.
The spicy mustard, meat and cheese shouldn't be a problem freezing.
Pack the sandwiches as air tight as possible.

I have personally eaten frozen and thawed pastrami sandwiches with regular yellow mustard and I am still alive to talk about it.
The thawed sandwich was a little "wetter" then normal, other then that it made a good lunch!

 

[bowlingshirt]

The thawed sandwich was a little "wetter" then normal, other then that it made a good lunch!

Probably because ice crystals formed on it during the freezing process, then thawed into water and made the sandwich a bit soggy.

 

[lovergrill]

Probably because ice crystals formed on it during the freezing process, then thawed into water and made the sandwich a bit soggy.

That's what happened, I imagine.
Perhaps it was too loosely wrapped in my bag and when warm air hit it, condensation occurred. That's a possibility too.
It was not frozen for very long. A couple of days max.
That's why I think you need to pack a sandwich air tight as possible.
One is not going to cook off extra moisture before eating it.
A vacuum sealer would be good for packing and freezing sandwiches I think.

You would think the prepared food industry would have solved this and frozen ready to eat sandwiches would be a standard part of every kids lunch box.
It solves two problems at once; 1- you get lunch and 2- you get a free ice pack with every purchase

 

[GotGarlic]

I would suggest using a dryer type of bread, like focaccia, that would absorb some of the excess moisture. I would also suggest getting some little plastic containers with the condiments in them, that he can add when he's ready to eat. They don't need to be refrigerated - even mayo!

Also, aged cheeses and preserved meats like most Italian cold cuts don't need to be refrigerated, so they can be held at room temp till needed. If he likes them cold, he can use an insulated lunch container with an ice pack in it. HTH.

I would also add some cut fruits and/or veggies, maybe with dip, so he's getting all necessary nutrients and not just carbs and protein

 

[jabbur]

thanks everyone. Today I picked up some sub rolls that are bit harder than sliced bread. I hope to put together six sandwiches and freeze them this weekend as an experiment. GotGarlic, DH loves celery. He takes that with him already along with apples or bananas his fave 2 fruits. He's not usually very picky but tends to stick with plain food. His mother has food issues so he grew up in household without much variety. He could eat the same thing everyday of his life and be satisfied. Me, I want different stuff all the time! Leftovers are okay but I don't really care for the same meal two nights in a row!