8 quintessentially British forgotten sandwiches only your grandparents will remember - did you have any?


While some sandwiches like a BLT or a cheese and pickle are timeless, others arent' eaten as much. Discover the lunches that only your grandparents will now remember


An elderly man and child sat on a bench eating sandwiches© Getty Images
Matthew Moore
Matthew MooreSenior Evening Writer
1 hour ago

Sandwiches have been a key staple of our lunches since childhood, with our parents often sending us off to school with a ham and cheese or jam sandwich in our lunchbox.

Even as we grew into adults, sandwiches were still one of our main meals for lunch, whether grabbing a BLT in a meal deal, or even going adventurous with something like prawn mayo.

However, while certain fillings have been placed into the slices of bread for centuries, others now rarely feature. Discover the classic sandwich fillings that now <span class="fr-deletable" contenteditable="false" data-type="mention/article"><a class="--edited" contenteditable="true" data-id="886047" data-name="only your grandparents will remember" data-slug="886047" href="articles/886047">only your grandparents will remember</a></span>.

1/8

A slice of crusty baguette topped generously with smoked sprat fish spread and garnished with a sprig of fresh dill, with dried red chillies and more bread in the background.© Getty Images

Would you be tempted for this?

Potted meat or fish paste sandwich

Another World War II relic that continued to be in lunchboxes for a little bit was the potted meat or the fish paste sandwich. However, given the spreadable texture wasn't massively appealing to the younger generation, it's no surprise they fell out of use.

Meat paste itself isn't entirely gone, and people still enjoy pate in high-end restaurants and from the stores, although now this is typically found on toast as opposed to standard soft bread.


2/8

Two halves of a toasted sandwich on a white plate, filled with fried spam and melted cheese, sitting on a wooden table.© Getty Images

Spam was a popular choice for many

Spam sandwich

Spam was once the go-to meat for everything, so it should be no surprise that it used to feature in many sandwiches, especially given that it didn't need to be refrigerated.

While Spam is still eaten around the world, the product doesn't have the same allure that it once did, and you're more likely to see ham or beef in your sandwich than you are a few slices of Spam.


3/8

Overhead view of a rectangular block of beef dripping with several cut pieces beside it, sitting on opened waxed paper printed with branding, against a pale green background.© Alamy

The Sunday roast staple ended up in your sandwich

Beef dripping sandwich

When it comes to beef dripping, the first thing the mind goes to is chips in fancy restaurants, but back in the olden days, if you needed a quick sandwich after a Sunday roast, then the beef dripping sandwich was the perfect choice.

But now, could you imagine a sandwich filling that is essentially just the leftover fat from your meal the day before? Now a full Sunday roast sandwich, that's an idea!


4/8

An open gold-coloured tin containing a salmon fillet sits on a pale blue textured surface, with two seed-coated breadsticks resting across and beside it.© Getty Images

Might you brave this old staple?

Tinned salmon sandwich

When you think of tinned fish, your mind would instantly head for tuna, and while people might expect to find them in a salad or on a pizza, a sandwich is heavily unlikely. And that's doubly the case when it comes to salmon, with fillets often enjoyed on their own.

However, most of the time, the tinned salmon sandwich wasn't something you stuck in a sandwich, but something to be enjoyed on a special occasion, like a birthday or Christmas. Salmon has, however, generally always been an expensive fish, so it's no surprise that these fell out of favour.


5/8

A hand holds half a toasted peanut butter and banana sandwich, with a plate of food blurred in the background.© Getty Images

Perhaps eaten freshly, this sandwich would work

Banana sandwich

Many of us will have a little bit of fruit to get us through the day, with the banana being a prime example. In fact, it's often enjoyed in breakfasts, being sliced for cereal or porridge, but it used to feature in sandwiches.

However, given their oxidation rate and general soggy texture, they were never the ideal fit for a pre-prepared lunch, given by the time midday hit, they'd often resemble brown mush and have soaked through the bread. But fresh ones would still provide a good hit.


6/8

Two slices of bread spread with peanut paste and sesame seeds sit on a grey plate beside a knife, with a jar of peanut butter in the background.© Getty Images

Peanut paste was eaten before peanut butter

Peanut paste sandwich

Now before things get muddled, yes, I'm well aware that peanut butter is still a popular sandwich filling, especially in the United States, but peanut paste was its predecessor, and it's certainly less widespread.

The paste, which can sometimes be a key ingredient for peanut butter nowadays, was thicker and more savoury than its modern day counterpart, but tasted just as nutty as the jars we now pick up from store shelves.


7/8

A small tower of white sugar cubes stands atop a heap of granulated sugar, with loose cubes scattered around it on a pale surface.© Getty Images

We can't imagine getting away with this today

Sugar sandwich

It sounds like a dentist's worst nightmare, but yes, people used to just put sugar and margarine between two slices of bread and eat it as a sandwich.

The former meal was a staple of economic hardship, and has widely fallen out of fashion, especially with further awareness about how sugary treats impact our dental health.


8/8

A bottle of Heinz Salad Cream Original with a green lid stands against a plain white background.© Getty Images

Salad cream was enjoyed just on its own

Salad cream sandwich

While I'm sure salad cream will still make it into many sandwiches across the nation, it'd be more as an additional flavour rather than being the star of the show. Imagine having solely just ketchup or mustard sandwiched between the bread.

Favoured for its tangy flavour, occasionally lettuce was added to the sandwich, but normally it was just the condiment that solely featured. This quick-to-make sandwich was often used by people who were just managing, but nowadays, salad cream accompanies the sandwich rather than starring in it.


More Food
See more
Conversation

For more information on our conversation section, please read our Community Guidelines. Comments featured and views shared are not endorsed by HELLO!.