In Support Of The Cracker Sandwich
Routinely running out of bread has caused me to create cracker-based sandwich substitutions that I've come to enjoy. Think about it before you accuse me of being too lazy to walk literally across the street to the bodega. Have you ever seen the cracker selection at, say, a Whole Foods? Dare I say there are more varieties of crackers than bread? I dare. It's true. And some things that go in a sandwich would rather go on a cracker, given the chance. Not to blow up their spots or anything, but some sandwich fillings definitely swing that way. Let's take a peek into this crazy little lunch subculture.
Stoned Wheat Thins
Teehee, stoned. Owing to the nutty toasted wheat kernels, these little buddies are great for sweet/savory combinations like any of these 14 and cheese pairings, particularly goat cheese and strawberry. Seriously, try goat cheese and strawberries (or strawberry tomato relish) on stoned wheat thins plus a little of whatever's left over from dinner last night. I call it "the Freelancer's Budget-tacular Smorgasbord." I'm not a freelancer anymore, but I remember those days fondly-ish.
Egg Salad
Here's something that is vastly better on a cracker: egg salad. During a lengthy fries vs. chips debate during Lobster Roll Week, one of our junior editors made a very good argument in favor of chips. Lobster salad — some lobster salad — can be mushy, particularly if there's a lot of mayo (which is fine), so texturally, chips work better than fries. Same case here, these 5 awesome egg salad ideas taste even better on a crunchy seeded rye cracker or pumpernickel bagel chip. See also: whitefish salad, ham salad, pimento cheese.
French Cheese et Crackaires
That's not actually the French word for cracker. But a smear of European-style cultured butter and nice thick slice of stinky fromage on a few of those, plus whatever's still viable in the veggie bin and you'll be tapping the lasts of that box wine before you know it (like, around 2 p.m.)
Bagels and Lox Without The 2:30 P.M. Food Coma
Which may or may not be influnced by the 2 p.m. box wine raid. Simply slap the duo on a poppy seed cracker instead. You'll cut like, half the calories and hit that afternoon wall slightly less squarely.
And that's just four examples! Make a Reuben cracker! I think pita chips count as crackers (we can debate after), so make these spicy guys and go to town on some baba ghanoush. Be adventurous with your cracker selection, let the toppings follow suit and leave saltines in their own dust.
More sandwich alternatives for lunch on Food Republic: