McClellan: Ham perfect for salad or sandwich

Published 5:30 am Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Is your lunch kit (or brown bag) packed or ever ready and nearby? Now, I don’t mean just for school, students, teachers and other personnel. I am talking about lots of us in various situations.

Many areas of work have break rooms with fridges and microwaves so you can practically prepare a gourmet meal. Others might have a vehicle or just a desk at which to have your “away from home” meal at whatever time of day or night it might occur. I don’t know whether I have been living in the past when breakfast was never more than $3, lunch was close to $5 and dinner comparably priced. When we had breakfast out a couple of weeks ago and the bill was close to $25, I realized our eating habits needed to be revisited.

Even if I am simply going to be out running errands, shopping, visiting a friend or participating in our main social life — waiting for doctor’s appoints — I needed to plan and stop this “running by to pick up something.” I have learned it takes little time to keep sliced apples and cheese cut and wrapped in plastic wrap ready to pack in a bag into which a frozen bottle of water or drink can be placed to keep the food cool.

If you are preparing a child’s school lunch or a spouse’s lunch for work, just make something for yourself at the same time. I must quit justifying grabbing a milkshake instead of lunch. Those are expensive in money and calories. In my opinion, healthful eating whichever diet or food plan you are on demands planning ahead. As a lifetime Weight Watchers member, I’ve learned that is lesson number one in success. I realize we all do not have the same eating schedule or food needs. I still scream it from the rooftops — planning ahead shopping, preparing, cooking, freezing or preserving in some way until ready to consume is much easier in the long run. OK, I admit I have not always practiced what I preach but thank goodness some benefit comes with old age. I am learning that making life easier any way I can is better.

I guess sandwiches are the first thing we think of when “carrying a lunch.” Of course, there are thousands of sandwich choices. I have recently begun to put avocado slices on almost any kind of sandwich. This year and for the past few, avocados have been a healthful fruit for us to use in many ways. Hurry though, you never know when that opinion will change. Remember when we should not eat eggs? Then suddenly we can and should. The same is true for coffee. I think the best way of healthful eating might be sensibility and moderation.

I have never been a fan of ham salad but I have recently found a recipe I like to use for leftover ham from a large dinner ham.

Ham Salad

Ingredients

3 cups chopped ham

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 bunch fresh green onions with tops, chopped

1/3 cup sweet pickle relish

1 teaspoon mustard

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 can (1.5 ounces) can shoestring potato sticks

Steps

Combine all ingredients except potato sticks. Chill until ready to serve. At serving time, fold in potato sticks. You can serve it on lettuce, kale or cabbage leaf. Or, it can be used for sandwich fillings. Almost any time you are making sandwiches to eat later, spread a thin layer of soft butter on bread to keep from having a soggy sandwich.

Add fresh veggies or fruits for a nice meal.