Whether it's for lunch at work or a midnight feast, sandwiches are such a go-to for many of us. But of course they need some flavor, which is where these low histamine sandwich fillings come in!
In this post I link some low histamine bread recipes to make your tasty sandwiches, and give suggestions for alternatives if wheat isn't for you. Then we make them tasty with some fillings!
This post does not constitute medical or dietetic advice in any way, and is for informational purposes only. Always consult a dietician for your dietary needs.
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🥪 Tips for low histamine sandwich fillings
Making a sandwich is either a rushed process or something a little more fancy don't you think? Now on a low histamine diet, there are lots of things to think about in our sandwich making process . . .
The first is whether bread works for you, and which type. I'm fortunate to be OK with simple white bread, but many aren't able to tolerate yeast (scores 1 on the SIGHI list, with a note, 'Well tolerated when produced under perfect hygienic conditions. Exceptions: baked goods with a long dough fermentation time may be intolerated. High content of glutamic acid'.
However, I have links to some yeast-free low histamine breads for you below if wheat works for you! And suggestions for alternatives too.
Next up is the sandwich filling. We need to walk past all those pre-prepared ones in the store and make some fresh and very delicious options! I've got you covered with lots of different categories of low histamine sandwich fillings that I hope you and the family loves!
💭 Quick tips
- Decide whether bread works for you, or use an alternative such as rice cakes or seed crackers.
- Choose fresh whole vegetables and prepare yourself, rather than store-bought salads which may be problematic due to histamine formation.
- Use fresh chicken or meats rather than pre-cooked or flavored.
- Add flavor with homemade spreads, herbs and salads.
🍞 Low histamine breads
If you're good with wheat, it's quite simple to make your own low histamine bread. The lovely Tania of Histamine Friendly Kitchen is quite the baker, and has a popular yeast free bread that looks so tasty!
🥠 Bread alternatives: crackers and cakes
For those of my low histamine readers who aren't able to tolerate wheat or want an easier option, you can always swap out for plain rice cakes, seed crackers or oat cakes. Then simply top them with the low histamine sandwich fillings we will talk about next!
My chia and flax seed crackers are very easy to make and are both vegan and gluten free. We simply use seeds, water and optional herbs then bake in the oven.
Rice cakes are always on my low histamine shopping list! I suggest you choose from the plain varieties rather than those flavored with spices that may not be suitable. Rice cakes score 0 on the SIGHI list.
Oat cakes are another option. If store-bought works for you that's great, but I suggest checking ingredient labels. There are lots of recipes online that should work if you want to make your own too.
🐓 Chicken and turkey
Shredded chicken and turkey is so good for a really hearty sandwich, and can easily be cooked in your skillet and then shredded. It's best to use chicken breast rather than thighs for ease of shredding.
A chicken salad sandwich is such a classic, so choose some lettuces, cucumber and maybe some radish slices for a little heat.
My turkey cranberry cream cheese sandwich is always popular around the holidays for a tasty lunch!
And my no mayo chicken salad is a tasty sandwich filling option for a higher protein lunch idea!
🧀 Fresh cheese
Fresh cheese is a good option if dairy works for you. Avoid hard matured cheeses as they are higher histamine.
In their description of cheeses, the SIGHI list describes that cream cheese, ricotta and mozzarella are low histamine cheeses. With cream cheese, this concerns those that are plain, without additives.
- Create a caprese-style sandwich with slices of fresh mozzarella, basil and perhaps some roasted bell pepper as a swap for tomatoes.
- Make a herb cream cheese spread similar to Boursin by combining fresh herbs with your cheese.
- Mozzarella and fresh low histamine pesto is so flavorful!
- My whipped ricotta crostini are perfect as a fun appetizer or as party food, or even a fancy snack!
Have a peek at my low histamine cheese guide for more info and recipes!
🥣 Sandwich spreads
Store-bought sandwich spreads are likely not the best idea, but it's very easy to re-purpose some of my low histamine dips and use them as spreads!
- Hummus is always tasty, but chickpeas are not recommended (they score 2 on the SIGHI list). Instead, my cauliflower hummus is made with this veggie, tahini, garlic and a touch of spice and is so tasty!
- My beetroot hummus is another delicious option, and I love it paired with fresh mozzarella slices.
- For some healthy vegetables, my carrot tahini dip is a little different and has a nice sweetness.
🥬 Vegetables
Whether it's salad vegetables by themselves, or to add to your chicken, turkey or cheese fillings, there are plenty of low histamine vegetables to choose from:
- Lettuces such as lamb's lettuce and iceberg
- Cucumber
- Radishes
- Celery
- Shredded carrot (shred yourself)
- White onion
I suggest buying these as whole vegetables and slicing or shredding yourself, rather than buying pre-prepared salads. We don't know how long those have been in the store.
🥗 Slaw
I'm a big fan of slaw on, well, almost anything, but we need to stay away from store-bought with mayo and make a tasty low histamine version to pair with our other sandwich fillings.
Both my mango coleslaw and my kale apple slaw are packed with healthy vegetables, and use an oil-based dressing in place of mayo.
🌿 Herbs
Never underestimate the impact of herbs for flavor! There are lots of low histamine herbs to choose from that can easily perk up your sandwich fillings. Pick from:
- Basil
- Thyme
- Parsley
- Coriander / cilantro
- Mint
- Dill (scores a little higher as 1 on the SIGHI list)
🌿 Pesto
I've already mentioned pesto, but I think it needs to be mentioned again as it is such a good way to add a ton of flavor!
Regular pesto likely isn't suitable as it has lemon juice and hard cheese, but there are lots of options here to pair with your chicken, cheese or vegetables without those ingredients:
- Pumpkin seed pesto (dairy free and nut free)
- Macadamia pesto (dairy free)
- Lemon balm pesto (dairy free)
- Thai basil pesto (dairy free and nut free)
🍽 How to serve low histamine sandwiches
Now a sandwich by itself is of course tasty and perfect for lunch. But, let's make it a little more special by adding some sides!
- Pair with a healthy salad such as my quinoa arugula salad or quinoa tabbouleh for some plant-based protein, or my cucumber beetroot salad for lots of veggies.
- Soup and a sandwich is such a classic pairing, so perhaps you would like to pick from my broccoli zucchini soup for lots of greens, or my popular quinoa vegetable soup!
- For potato sides that are always so good, choose from my hot sweet potato wedges or my herbed roasted potato salad.
- A side of fruit salad is always a good idea, so perhaps my mango cucumber salad will tempt you!
Check out my low histamine diet recipes collection for even more ideas for sides, and I think you'll want to see my low histamine teas and coffee alternatives to pair with your sandwich!
📋 Frequently asked questions
Homemade seed crackers or oat cakes are a good option, as well as rice cakes or perhaps lettuce wraps.
It's best to use freshly prepared salads rather than store-bought. You will likely want to avoid high histamine vegetables such as tomato, spinach and avocado.
While it's tempting to prepare lunch or picnic food the night before, this may cause an issue due to histamine formation on foods. It's best to prepare your sandwich as close to eating your food as possible.
I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes!
Related posts
If you're looking for resources on a low histamine diet and have been advised by your doctor or dietician to follow the SIGHI list, then these posts should be helpful:
15 low histamine chicken recipes
10 low histamine salad dressings
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Carolyn says
I was very surprised to read a number of high histamine ingredients were in your recipes without suggesting that people need to verify that they can tolerate them? Cinnamon, lemons, and peppers to name a few!
Claire says
Hi Carolyn, I follow the SIGHI list, which has cinnamon and peppers as low histamine (although I am aware that some other lists have them as higher. It's the case that some foods are debated in terms of their histamine content). I don't ever use lemons or citrus as a key or named ingredient, I merely suggest that people who do not follow a low histamine diet may wish to include them.