Handheld And Healthy

Sandwiches have been the mainstay of the American diet for a long time, so much so we could consider ourselves a hand-held culture. People eat at their desks, on the run and even driving their cars. We have begun to realize, however, that some of these quick meals are not too good for our waistlines or our health: They may pack a wallop of calories (many from fat), but they do not offer much else in the way of nutrients.

Efforts in years past by a number of quick-service chains to go lean haven't been all that successful. For example, in the 1990s, McDonalds' 320-calorie McLean Deluxe hamburger was a high-profile flop pulled 5 years after its debut, and customers turned off Taco Bell's Border Light Menu. But as Bob Goldin, executive vice president of Technomic, a Chicago-based restaurant consultant group, says, "The times and climate have changed." With consumers' renewed interest in eating good-for-you food, it's time to try the healthful approach once again. And that old mainstay, the sandwich, holds the most promise to deliver this lifestyle, keeping the calorie, fat or carb count low, and the taste satisfying. From fast feeders to fast-casual and beyond, the healthful sandwich is in the spotlight.

The definition of "good-for-you" food means different things to different people today. Who would have thought that a bacon burger without the bun would ever be considered healthful? Some who have adopted, at least for the short term, the newly popular high-protein and low-carbohydrate diets consider this perfectly acceptable. These low-carb eating patterns also mean the development of new products, like low-carb, high-protein breads.

To others, healthy means low-fat or low-cholesterol, leading to the design of lower-fat meats, poultry and cheeses, in addition to low-fat dressings and spreads to go on sandwiches. Healthy can also mean natural or organic foods, grown and produced without pesticides and made with as few additives as possible. Or it can mean high-fiber, nutrient-dense or just fresh, i.e., made with fresh ingredients cooked to order.

And finally, from a health standpoint, one of the biggest controversies in the food industry is portion size. On the one hand, consumer advocacy groups say that portion sizes are too large and that Americans have become accustomed to supersized everything. Much of the blame has fallen on the foodservice industry. They counter by arguing that consumers want a good value, expect to get a lot for their money and don't mind sharing or taking part of their order home for later consumption.  

Not only are the myriad ideas of what is healthful confusing to consumers, but also to foodservice operators who have to sort through what consumers want and don't want, what will sell and what won't sell, and if it makes sense to add something new to the menu when the latest health craze may be short-lived. After all, many low-fat, low-calorie foods fell flat because they really didn't taste all that good. The challenge today, then, is to come up with products that are wholesome and have a natural appearance and mouthfeel, fulfilling the desire for healthful eating.

Seemingly, every quick-service sandwich chain today is lightening up in an effort to improve its bottom line. Hardee's Food Systems, Inc., St. Louis, is testing low-carb burgers wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun. Oprah's personal trainer is pitching for McDonald's Corporation, Oak Brook, IL. And Burger King Corporation, Miami, is launching low-fat chicken sandwiches promoted by Chicago chef and natural-foods advocate Rick Bayless and Food Network celebrity Rachel Ray.

Subway Restaurants, Milford, CT, was at the forefront of this trend, quietly promoting its healthful alternatives until Jared came along and became a household name in weight loss. "We didn't look for Jared Fogle. It was just something that happened," says Les Winograd, public relations coordinator for the chain. "We found out about him in a magazine article and our advertising department called him to find out if he was a looney." It turned out, of course, that he wasn't and that he indeed had lost 245 lbs. by eating Subway sandwiches.

"We have always been the alternative to greasy, fatty fast food. We've been doing it since the beginning of the company. The only difference is we tell people about it now, we talk about all the healthy aspects," Winograd adds. He says one of the reasons the sandwich chain can claim to be a healthy alternative is that it uses fresh ingredients and lots of vegetables. The company has been recognized by the National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD, and Produce for Better Health Foundation, Wilmington, DE, which granted Subway a license to use its "5 A Day" logo.

"There is a believability factor. People like the taste of our sandwiches and know that there are seven sandwiches that contain 6 grams of fat or less," says Winograd. When prepared to standard formula, a typical 6-in. Subway sandwich provides two servings of vegetables, while the foot-long version provides four servings. The low-fat sandwiches include flavorful selections like Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki and Red-Wine Vinaigrette Club with Honey-Mustard Ham. Customers can choose fat-free sauces for any sandwich.

Subway has begun to offer two Atkins® Nutritionals, Inc.-endorsed low-carbohydrate wraps: the Turkey and Bacon Melt Wrap, with Monterey Cheddar cheese, and the Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap, with Swiss cheese. Both have 11 grams Net Carbs or less. The flatbread wrap itself, which is made with wheat gluten, cornstarch, oat, sesame flour and soy protein, has only 5 grams Net Carbs.

Arby's, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, FL, is taking an aggressive stance toward developing more-healthful products. While many of its sandwiches are already on the lower-fat side, the company's philosophy is to create menu items and products that will appeal to every healthful desire. "We are aggressively developing products that will make it apparent to consumers that they can practice any chosen diet at Arby's, whether they are looking for low-fat, low-carb or a basic balanced diet. We want to offer everything for a healthful diet," says Michael Welch, senior vice president, operations.

Some of the new products include developing a low-fat bread carrier -- a baguette bread roll that is artisan-baked and contains only 2.3 grams of fat. In the made-to-order Market Fresh deli-style-sandwich line, Arby's plans to introduce lower-carb, reduced-fat sandwiches that include fresh spring greens and freshly sliced cucumbers.

The company is also testing low- to no-fat sauces for sandwiches and lower-fat cheese, and developing leaner roast beef. "We never want to compromise on flavor. That's what all of us in the industry have to be careful with. Consumers will visit you for a lot of reasons, but they want the flavor they have come to expect. When you go visit a brand, it's because they are doing all the right things," Welch says.

Burger King has entered the market with a new baguette line that includes three chicken sandwiches, each with 5 grams of fat and 350 calories. The Santa Fe Chicken is topped with roasted peppers, onions and fire-roasted Southwest sauce; Savory Mustard Chicken has mustard sauce, lettuce and tomatoes; and the the Smoky Chicken Baguette offers grilled peppers, onions and barbecue sauce.

Some of the newer fast-casual venues started out with a more-healthful profile, but are now touting that aspect and developing more products that fit into that category. Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, Thousand Oaks, CA, for example, recently introduced lighter, low-fat fare that includes Enchiladas Verano -- charbroiled chicken with peppers, chiles, onions, rice, beans, lettuce, Jack cheese and salsa that provides 580 calories with 9 grams of fat -- and even more-healthful Baja Style tacos -- mini soft corn tortillas with chopped onion and cilantro, salsa and choice of chicken or shrimp at 190 calories and only 5 grams of fat.

Chipotle Grill, Denver, was launched by a chef dedicated to serving "Food With Integrity," which translates to finding and using the best-quality ingredients, such as naturally raised pork, romaine instead of iceberg lettuce and freshly ground cumin. While Chipotle burritos are large, they can be ordered without the tortilla and are cut in half, allowing patrons to take half home if they desire. Employees make the burritos to order directly in front of customers, who can choose to eliminate higher-fat additives, like sour cream and guacamole, and opt for fresh tomatoes, onions and salsa.

For sandwiches, eating healthy is often about getting to the meat of the matter. The chicken industry thought it had a corner on the healthful market for a while due to the meat's low fat content. Then, the turkey folks jumped on the bandwagon. Soon, pork producers began breeding leaner animals, resulting in pork 31% leaner than it was in 1983. And now, beef producers are launching a new healthy-eating campaign.

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), Centennial, CO, launched an advertising campaign in May 2003 that compared the nutritional benefits of lean beef to skinless chicken breast. It claimed that lean beef compares favorably to skinless chicken breast in terms of fat, and provides more essential nutrients. The ads highlighted six widely available cuts of lean beef: eye round roast, top round steak, top sirloin steak, boneless shoulder pot roast, round tip roast and shoulder steak. These cuts weigh in at one more gram of fat than chicken breast per serving. For example, a 3-oz. serving of roasted skinless chicken breast provides 165 calories, 3.57 grams total fat and 1 gram of saturated fat, while top round beef trimmed of fat and braised provides 169 calories, 5 grams of total fat and 1.7 grams of saturated fat.   Says Mary K. Young, M.S., R.D., executive director, nutrition, NCBA, "The truth is, lean beef is a nutrition powerhouse."

Soy products have been instrumental in helping to develop healthful products.   Soy protein isolate has the highest protein "score," as high as egg whites and casein and higher than beef. Moreover, soy products have been shown to help prevent heart and renal disease, osteoporosis and prostate cancer. A recent study conducted by the United Soybean Board   found that the awareness of the health benefits of soyfoods rose significantly in 2002, with 74% of Americans perceiving soy as healthy compared to 69% in 2001. Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike have accepted soy burgers as wholesome alternatives to hamburgers. In addition, soy flour can help create   products marketed as low-carb breads.

Now, tofu is appearing on foodservice menus. High Tech Burrito, a Northern California quick-service chain that is soon to go national, uses braised tofu made by Wildwood Organic Tofu, Watsonville, CA, in its burritos. Premade cubed, marinated tofu is lightly sautéed with fresh vegetables and folded into a variety of sauces. Wildwood also supplies tofu veggie burgers and baked tofu to Whole Foods Market delis and commissary kitchens, and to manufacturers developing tofu products for various restaurant chains.

Protein may be the mantra of low-carb-diet enthusiasts, but fat is the bane of those trying to follow the lean lifestyle. Fortunately, developers can replace fatty ingredients with fiber, starches and gums.

Consumer demand for lower-fat foods has led to the development of leaner meat products. However, these often lack the desirable organoleptic properties of higher-fat products. To get the proper taste and texture profile, manufacturers have had to develop formulations using various fat-replacement or fat-mimetic additives. Modified potato starch lends a better bite and mouthfeel to low-fat and nonfat hot dogs and other low-fat processed meat and poultry products by holding in moisture.

Other fat-reduction ingredients include: Oatrim, a fat substitute made from enzyme-treated oats and barley, which is used in baked products; Soytrim, a hydrocolloid blend of soybean flour and oat bran, which can reduce saturated fat, and provide soy protein and beta-glucan fiber; and Fantesk(TM), a stable emulsion of starch, water and oil, that can mimic fat in baked goods and meats. The latter has also been used in a 75% reduced-fat cheese.  

Chefs are constantly looking for ways to compensate for less fat in products. For a sandwich, that often means revising formulations for sauces, dressings or similar toppings. Michael Garnero, chef/instructor at St. Andrew's Café at the Culinary Institute of America's Hyde Park, NY, campus, discovered a number of ways to substitute for oil and cream in products. To replace oil, he recommends broth or stock thickened with a slurry of arrowroot. For dressings, he suggests flavored vinegars, or citrus and other fruit juices to add flavor; these can be thickened by boiling down. Also, vegetable purées, such as tomato, carrot, cucumber and red pepper, add flavor and texture, as do chopped olives, celery seed, mustard seed, chopped herbs, chopped shallots, scallions, garlic, leeks and bell pepper. As substitutes for cream, he recommends nonfat or lowfat yogurt; puréed drained, part-skim ricotta cheese; and nonfat buttermilk.  

What is the future of healthful hand-held foods? Some of that depends on the future perception of "healthful." New formulations and ingredients will be developed to help make tasty and consumer-acceptable new low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-carb or high-protein products possible. As long as Americans want a quick and easy way to lose weight and stay healthy, and as long as they continue to enjoy the quick and easy handheld meal, there will be opportunities for reinventing the sandwich.

Nancy Backas is a Chicago-based freelance writer and chef. She has been writing about the foodservice industry for 20 years and can be reached at [email protected].

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