Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog: Food Network's Healthy Eats: Healthy Recipes, Weight Loss Tips & Nutrition Information

Cut (at least!) 100 calories from your lunch by making some easy sandwich swaps.

Packing your own lunch can save money and calories. Here are 5 ways to cut 100 calories when you pack up sandwiches.

Sandwich 1:  Tuna, Chicken or Egg Salad
Pitfall: Too much mayo
Smarter Sandwiches: Each tablespoon of mayo has 90 calories. These salad options can be nutritious and high in protein, but you need to watch the fat. Trim these salads by down-sizing the scoops of mayo or replacing half with nonfat Greek yogurt like in this recipe for 5-ingredient chicken salad.

Sandwich 2: Subs and Hoagies
Pitfall: Too much bread
Smarter Sandwiches: A 12-inch sub roll averages 450 calories, while 2 slices of bread will only set you back about 200. Choose whole grain breads for extra protein and fiber. Already use bread for your sandwiches? You can save 70 calories by opting for an English muffin instead.

Sandwich 3: Classic Deli Sandwich
Pitfall: Pounds of deli meat
Smarter Sandwiches: Deli meats like roasted turkey and ham average about 30 calories per ounce. Instead of loading up with a half pound of meat (it’s easier to do than you might think), keep portions to 3-4 ounces max and add lots of fresh veggies instead.

Sandwich 4: Grilled Cheese
Pitfall: Cheesy explosion
Smarter Sandwiches: Each slice of cheese has 80 to 100 calories. Use one slice less or switch to a low-fat version – they average about 50 to 60 calories per slice.

More tips for lightening up grilled cheese

Option 5: Chicken Cutlet
Pitfall: Fried chicken
Smarter Sandwiches: A 5-ounce piece of fried chicken breast typically has a minimum of 300 calories. Opting for a 4 to 5-ounce piece of grilled or roasted chicken breast will save at least 100 calories.

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition. See Dana’s full bio »

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