Prevent A Messy Sandwich Experience With A Cold Cut Folding Hack

There's nothing quite as satisfying as the perfect bite of a just-made sandwich. That one where you get a little bit of every topping, just the right amount of sauce, and a good bite of bread to hold it all together. But you probably know all too well that one perfect bite often leads to some of those toppings slipping out of the bread, quickly turning that joy into frustration. If you're eating a sandwich with cold cuts, there's an easy hack for making sure those slippery ingredients stay in place: fold them into the deli meat, as if you were tucking them into a little pouch.

It turns out cold cuts are for more than just flavor. They're also the perfect tool for keeping those toppings in place. And you can couple this tactic with a few other techniques to make sure you never have to worry about your sandwich falling apart again.

Instead of folding the deli meat into itself and using it as its own layer of the sandwich, take a different approach. Try unfolding the meat, then adding in those notoriously slippery toppings (such as pickles or tomatoes), and folding the remaining half of the deli meat over the top of those add-ons. The meat will help secure the toppings and add structural integrity to the sandwich so that you can eat in peace.

This technique works best with thin deli meat, such as cold cuts; thicker meat might not fold as easily, so keep that in mind when buying your ingredients. Keep in mind that you can also ask the butcher at the deli counter to slice it thinly. And as with any meat, deli meat does expire, so make sure you use it within about a week of opening the package. 

If you're tired of your sandwich falling apart, you can do double duty when it comes to wrapping those toppings. In addition to the deli meat, layer a piece of lettuce before you wrap your ingredients. This will hold them even tighter in place. You can also use a sub roll rather than two slices of bread, reducing the number of exits the toppings can slip out of. Swapping the bread out for a pita pocket sandwich is another great option.

Try not to put slippery toppings together, either. If you're using tomatoes and pickles, separate them with something like a piece of cheese, which will add a little bit of a grip. Finally, you can also treat the sandwich like a burrito. Wrap it in parchment paper or foil before cutting it, then you'll have a catch-all that will hold everything in place.