This week is British Sandwich Week, but what is the history of the week, and what are the top fillings and best breads to make them?

British Sandwich Week began in 1990 thanks to the British Sandwich & Food to Go Association.

Super seven sandwich fillers:

According to Hovis (a British bread institution!)* 2024 survey, the top fillings that consistently dominate all the sandwich polls are as follows:

  1. The BLT 28% – crispy bacon, lettuce and tomato with mayonnaise (made from eggs!)
  2. Chicken Salad/Chicken & Bacon 24% – a classic, Chicken is the number one protein choice in a sandwich – often paired with bacon, sweetcorn and/or salad.
  3. Tuna Mayonnaise 24% – Around 10-11% of all sandwiches (bought and made at home) in the UK are tuna – either as Tuna Mayo or with cucumber. It is estimated that Tuna makes up a staggering 1.1 billion sandwiches.
  4. Fish Fingers 23% –
  5. Cheese and Pickle (Ploughman’s) 22% – Grated cheese or just chunky slices? Whatever you choose, it goes well with a tangy ploughman’s pickle. There may be well-known brands out there – but locally, there are some fantastic Cumbrian pickles – try Hawkshead Relish Westmorland Chutney that includes dates and ginger, or their smoother Cheeseboard Chutney with Pinot Noir and Cranberries. Another favourite is a local brand that is a relative newcomer – Wild & Fruitful Cumberland Chutney with local molasses.
  6. Egg Mayonnaise / Egg & Cress 19% – high ranking amongst many – and not just vegetarians. Make them with hard-boiled eggs (our Laid With Love eggs give a very golden colour), and mayonnaise. Great topped with ground black pepper – or with cress if you prefer.  Did you know that cutting the crusts off is a historical tradition designed to give a dainty presentation and make them easy to eat? This tradition is still part of modern etiquette and is very practical too. The soft texture of white bread and egg mayonnaise creates a melt-in-the-mouth moment – and the bite-sized sandwiches create zero mess – the filling is less likely to ooze out.
  7. Coronation Chicken 18% – did you know it was created for HM Queen Elizabeth II 1953 coronation? It includes cheicken shredded in a creamy mayonnaise sauce flavoured with mayo, mild curry powder, fruity mango chutney and either sultanas or raisins for sweetness. (In salads, we love to add flaked almonds too).

What is missing from the list? We’d also include 2 more:

Bacon Butty /Breakfast Triple – What could be better for breakfast than a butty filled with sausage, bacon and egg – a triple decker of a breakfast that will sustain you all morning! It frequently tops the surveys but on this occasion, it missed out. It is however, the most enduring!

Ham and Cheese – it is a safe bet for all ages – but what kind of ham (we like honey roast), and a good Cumbrian strong Cheddar Cheese that you can get from Appleby Creamery or The Torpenhow Cheese Company – sold in many regional grocers including Booths and Cranston’s. Sainsbury’s also does a Strong Cumbrian Cheddar cheese too.

Eggs in sandwiches and using mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is a key component in many sandwiches, but how many eggs are needed to make the mayonnaise?

According to Market Growth Reports, an estimated 84,000 tonnes of mayonnaise are sold in the UK each year. That includes retail and food service channels. They estimate that it requires 84 million to 168 million eggs to produce!

Using your loaf for sandwiches – what are the top Sandwich Carriers in Great Britain

  1. Soft White Sliced  Preferred by 53% of British consumers.
  1. Sliced Wholemeal Preferred by 30% of buyers.
  1. Seeded and Malted loaves are preferred by 22% of shoppers.
  1. Baps and Rolls are loved by 24% of the market.
  1. Crusty Baguettes only make up 10% of lunchtime sandwich sales.
  1. Artisan Sourdough – once considered a niche artisan product, sourdough is now the fastest-rising bread category and, according to Tesco, accounts for roughly one in every 13 bread products sold across the UK.

 Sandwich week - egg sandwich options

What is the most popular bread for an egg sandwich?

According to the British public, the top container for an egg sandwich is soft white bread – with crusts cut off if it is a dainty afternoon tea, or just as it comes for most.

Other options depend on how you like your eggs:

  • Malted Granary Sliced: This provides a malty, nutty flaked bread that is strong enough in texture to contrast with creamy egg salad and won’t overpower the egg and salad flavour.
  • Soft White Baps / Rolls: MMMMmmm, if you want a hot egg sandwich – these are the best – great holders for egg and bacon or egg and sausage and any egg with a runny yolk.
  • Brioche Bun: Trendy cafes like these, for gourmet breakfast sandwiches. We tried them with fried and scrambled eggs and cannot decide which goes best.