Foods

Is there any way to make a grilled cheese healthier?

I like mine with tomato.

I am just craving tomato soup and a grilled cheese for dinner, and while Ill have the tomato soup, I like to keep my nutrition grade at an A- at the very least and while all the grilled cheeses they have are commerically prepared theyre still at Cs at the highest and mostly Ds

 

I was wondering if anyone had ideas/suggestions for a healthier/lower cal grilled cheese sandwich

other than lowcal ww bread and reduced fat cheese

I grew up eating "cheese on toast" which is probably marginally healthier.  Put the cheese directly on a slice of bread then grill in toaster oven until cheese is bubbly.  You can put slices of onion or sprinkle spices over the cheese if you like that sort of thing.  (I do.)

Alternately, if you have a sandwich maker, a cheese sandwich in it will also skip the butter/margarine but still be sandwich-y.

I can't wait to read the responses on this - I have been craving grilled cheese for months but haven't allowed myself to eat it because it just hasn't been worth the calories. This weekend, I had my neice and we went out for lunch. She ordered the grilled cheese and I swear I almost knocked her over and stole her lunch!

If you want to sacrifice some quality, you could use

Pam spray or butter flavoured spray instead of margarine/real butter 

Light Kraft single instead of real cheese or fat free cheese (which doesn't melt as well as full fat cheese).

and whole grain bread instead of white.

Or you could make a real one, add up the calories in the sandwich components, and only eat half. 

I'm not sure about grill cheese, but I have been eating say cheese (cheddar) on my hamburgers and I can't really tell the difference between it and the regular cheese.  I think it actually says on the package "kids love it melted!" so possibly it would make a good grill cheese sandwich. 

My daughter and I love grilled cheese and tomato!

First warm up the broiler in your oven!

Lightly toast your bread in the toaster (my daughter got me into that habit so the bread doesn't get soggy)

Then take your bread (obviously using lite or whole grain bread is the first step to making it healthier) spray a cookie sheet VERY lightly with cooking spray put the bread on the cookie sheet and top with cheese and tomato in what ever order you like and broil until bubbly. We use Cabot 50% reduced fat cheese (fat free has a funny consistency when it's melted).

Of course this would be an open face sandwich but very good for toasted cheese cravings. My 11 year old prefers it to traditional toasted cheese.

Usuing lite whole grain bread and reduced fat cheese and omitting the butter more than cut the calories in  half and still taste good

Eat the grilled cheese ladies but make it worth your while!

Open Faced Grilled Cheese w/ Veggies:

• Nice hearty slice of whole grain bread
• Spritz it lightly with 0 calorie becel spray.
• Cut a thin slice of sharp cheddar made with 2% milk, or dairy-free cheese (maybe 100-120 cals for a good size slice or ~1/3 cup shredded) and put it on top of the toast.
• Serve open faced with a few red or green pepper strips, slices of tomato, and alfalfa or broccoli sprouts on top. You could keep it around 200 cals this way.
• Add another slice of toast for a closed-face sandwich and add 90-100 cals.
• -OR- use a weight watchers bagel for a 250 cal sandwich
• -OR- use 2 slices of calorie-reduced toast for a 200 cal sandwich

If you think dedicating 100 - 120 cals for cheese is too much - use a tablespoon of fat free cheese whiz, or 1 - 2 slices of fat free kraft singles slices. (30 cals each) - it'll give you that 3rd grade processed taste.

Serve this with a cup of Gardennay or other healthy and hearty tomato soup (not the boring condensed kind), and some carrots/celery for snacking for a great 300 - 400 calorie lunch.

It's ALL GOOD!

Heather

LOL - I forgot to mention to either toast it in a toaster oven, broil in the regular oven, or fry (with the 0 cal spray) in a frying pan! I like the toaster oven best if you're going to add the tomato/sprouts/etc - you can actually toast the bread alone first with cheese on one side, take it out, add the veggies and put together!

 

Original Post by emmerj1:

I can't wait to read the responses on this - I have been craving grilled cheese for months but haven't allowed myself to eat it because it just hasn't been worth the calories. This weekend, I had my neice and we went out for lunch. She ordered the grilled cheese and I swear I almost knocked her over and stole her lunch!

I do this ... 2 slices SaraLee Delightful bread (90 cals for both) and a slice of Kraft Free American Cheese slices (31 cals) and you're set! Use a nonstick pan with a little cooking spray, and VOILA!

Original Post by tattooed_kitty:

I do this ... 2 slices SaraLee Delightful bread (90 cals for both) and a slice of Kraft Free American Cheese slices (31 cals) and you're set! Use a nonstick pan with a little cooking spray, and VOILA!

 Same here, SaraLess (45 calorie) bread, but I use the 2% cheese versus the totally fat-free and spray bread/pan w/cooking spray.  VERY satisfying and healthy

Original Post by masonpips:

Original Post by tattooed_kitty:

I do this ... 2 slices SaraLee Delightful bread (90 cals for both) and a slice of Kraft Free American Cheese slices (31 cals) and you're set! Use a nonstick pan with a little cooking spray, and VOILA!

 Same here, SaraLess (45 calorie) bread, but I use the 2% cheese versus the totally fat-free and spray bread/pan w/cooking spray.  VERY satisfying and healthy

 I also use light whole-grain bread (70 cals for 2 slices), and a slice of 2% American and f/f no cal spray to heat in a pan.  Its about 130 cals for the sandwich.  I do the same for a tuna melt by adding tuna salad made with reduced fat mayo.  However, I must say, next to the 'real thing' these are nearly flavorless and not as satisfying.  But decent if you have that craving.  I love melty sandwiches.

I make a grilled cheese with low fat laughing cow union cheese. 1 wedge is 35 calories, I believe.

Spread the cheese on a slice of light grain bread, add slice of ham (turkey is good too), tomatoes and herb de provence. Top it with another slice of bread and pop it in the foreman grill... Sometimes I add one slice of union that I sauteed...

I actually beef mine up a little to make it more like the real thing from when I was a kid. I use wonder bread for kids...its white bread but has all the nutrients like wheat at 120 cal for 2 slices..I use deli sliced American cheese..I just weigh out 1 oz which depending on how it is sliced is usually about 2 slices..heat up a pan spray lightly the bread with cooking spray and same for the other side..if you like add your tomato in there also. I would say this whole sammy is about 215 calories and your not sacrificing much..if you really like the butter on the bread thing you can use land o lakes light whipped butter 45 calories per tbs only putting you up to about 260. It may not be the lowest fat version but the calories are low...fat is not the enemy after all overindulging is! I need to go make myself one now :0)

Use whole grain, low fat or fat free bread. Spray one side of the bread with no-fat olive oil cooking spray. Put one or two slices or Bordens fat free sharp cheddar cheese  on it. I also put a slice of turkey or some tuna in it sometimes, If I use tuna I spice it with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, red pepper and other spices I like. So good with no mayo at all. I also cut up jalapeños and dill pickles sometimes. Put in frying pan and brown each side. Put a tomato in after cooking. Sooo good. The Bordens cheddar is really good and fat free.
The cheese is processed and I try to stay away from that but it is ok now and then.

 

http://www.iateapie.net/reviews/archives/2008 /02/borden_fat_free.php

i was browsing through jessica seinfelids book about how to trick kids into eating more healthily and she mixes in butternut squash into grated cheese. it looked like normal grilled cheese. maybe try experimenting with that?

I love butternut and acorn squash. I make butternut squash French fries and they are delicious. Baked and very good for you.

Also cut up squash and zucchini in my spaghetti sauce.

Steam zucchini and squash, bake a sweet potato, cut up, mix together and eat for lunch. Yum. And very filling.

First to grill the sandwich use canola oil, not vegetable, butter or margarine, thats extra calories and fat. Second use really grainy or whole wheat bread. And lastly use soya cheese, my brother loves cheese and when he tried the soya cheese he barely noticed a difference between the real stuff. Hope this helps! Enjoy:)

 

Original Post by emmerj1:

I can't wait to read the responses on this - I have been craving grilled cheese for months but haven't allowed myself to eat it because it just hasn't been worth the calories. This weekend, I had my neice and we went out for lunch. She ordered the grilled cheese and I swear I almost knocked her over and stole her lunch!

HAHAHAHA lol nice. Probably glad you didn't do that though eh?

this is how i make it:

1) toast the bread
2) sandwich in cheese slice
3) nuke in the microwave til cheese has melted....

It is a bit dry..but you get kinda used to it.. but i eat mine with ketcup :P so yah

Similarly to some above, this is my recipe:
toast low-cal bread
add low-cal cheese and tomato
microwave if neccessary to melt cheese

Sometimes, I spread a wee bit of brummel and brown on it for the buttery taste. But honestly, if youre using healthy bread and cheese and you dont use much butter, the calories are about the same if you make a real one in a pan. just use less butter!