Americans are mostly into grilled cheese, chicken and toasty bread when it comes to their sandwich preferences, new research has shown.
In a survey of 2,000 Americans commissioned by lunch and deli meat brand Buddig and conducted by Talker Research, 42 percent chose grilled cheese sandwiches as their favorite. Chicken sandwiches came in as a close second, with 40 percent saying it was their top pick.
The survey conducted between September 25 and September 30, ahead of National Sandwich Day on November 3, showed that grilled cheese and chicken were followed by turkey (30 percent), ham (27 percent), and tuna (24 percent) in the top five ranking of American's favorite sandwiches.
Other top picks in the mix included egg (preferred by 21 percent), peanut butter and jelly (21 percent) and meatball sandwiches (19 percent).
Sandwiches were reported to comprise 30 percent of Americans' diets, with nearly half (46 percent) revealing that they could live on sandwiches alone for the rest of their lives.
Americans were also reported to eat, on average, six sandwiches a week, requiring people an average time of around 10 minutes to assemble the perfect dish.
So, what's the reason for the country's obsession with sandwiches?
More than half (60 percent) consider sandwiches a staple in their diet. Some popular reasons are that they can be eaten hot or cold (54 percent) and don't require cooking (42 percent).
Around three-quarters (74 percent) of Americans always keep the ingredients to make a quick sandwich on hand.
Others (43 percent) noted that it's easy to switch out the ingredients, so you won't get tired of eating the same type of sandwich, while nearly half (46 percent) said sandwiches have been a staple because they simply "taste amazing."
The Perfect Sandwich
Among the "most critical" elements that make a sandwich flawless were high-quality meat (named by 64 percent), airy bread (55 percent), using all the right condiments (54 percent) and fresh vegetables (40 percent).
Just under a third (30 percent) were said to have a "secret sandwich recipe," with meatball (39 percent) and chicken sandwich lovers (32 percent) being most likely to have a trick up their sleeves to complete the perfect one.
Some recipe secrets include adding chips inside a sandwich for an extra crunch and marinating the meat overnight. Other unusual additions include baked bananas, jalapeño jelly, cinnamon and raisins. Many agreed that it's not only about having the right sauce topping but having enough of it in the sandwich.
Americans are not only picky about what goes between the slices of bread in a sandwich. Many also have particular preferences when it comes to the bread and even how it's cut.
Most surveyed (68 percent) choose to toast their bread when making a sandwich, and around a fifth (19 percent) like to cut off the crusts.
Just under a third (32 percent) cut their sandwiches into rectangles, 35 percent into triangles, and 33 percent prefer their sandwiches whole and uncut.
The survey found that those who prefer toasted bread eat more sandwiches in general compared to those who prefer untoasted bread.
As elaborate and specific as these sandwich preferences might be, just under half (40 percent) said they had scaled down the number of ingredients used for their sandwich creations due to rising grocery prices.
According to a September report on the U.S. Consumer Price Index—a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid for various consumer goods and services—found that the index for food at home rose 1.3 percent over the last 12 months, while the index for meats, poultry, fish and eggs rose 3.9 percent in the past year.
During the same period, the index for fruits and vegetables increased by 0.7 percent, and the index for other food at home rose 0.4 percent, the report said.
"In a value-driven economy, consumers are looking to stretch their dollars when grocery shopping and planning meals," Ben Buddig, a fourth-generation owner at Carl Buddig and Company, said in a statement released with the latest survey. "Lunchmeat delivers a good source of protein and we're proud to offer affordable options for budget-conscious families."
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