A pre-packaged sandwich is often an easy on-the-go snack, particularly for those that work in an office - but how it's made is something we rarely give much thought to.
It's quite the process before your sandwich hits the shelf... Credit: Westend61/Getty Images
Often, the most brainpower you give a to-go sandwich is what combination of flavors you fancy that day - but seeing the process unmasked has left some snackers seriously stunned.
It turns out that making meal deal sandwiches is actually a bit of an undertaking.
Shared on YouTube by the Science Channel, a video produced by How It’s Made offered an eye-opening look into the intricate process that brings pre-packaged sandwiches to our supermarket shelves.
The first stop is an automated machine where workers meticulously load fresh sliced bread while inspecting for imperfections, promptly discarding any slices that don’t meet the standard.
Next, a roller takes over, spreading butter onto each slice before they proceed down the assembly line to have mayonnaise applied… apart from the sandwiches with no mayo of course.
Next, the bread comes down a conveyor belt to where a row of workers with hairnets, beard nets, sleeve covers - but no gloves - places the rest of the ingredients inside the sandwich by hand.
Once filled, the sandwiches head to a machine that slices them into triangles ready to be packaged.
A second part of the video shows how sandwiches with the same ingredients are made in bulk, through a full automated process, with a machine slathering on the sauces and fillings with incredible precision, using robotic arms and everything.
“That’s really interesting, I’ve always wondered how premade sandwiches/wraps are made!,” said one person in the comments.
Whilst another wrote: “Can you just imagine all of that equipment which probably needs to be sanitized after each production. Mindboggling.”
“My biggest take away is that the two halves in the pack aren't from the same sandwich,” said a third.
Some people did express an ick about the amount of glove-less hands, though.
Seeing how the pre-packed sandwiches were made put some people off their food. Credit: johnnyscriv/Getty Images
“I love how the workers are covered up so much you’d think they worked in a biohazard lab handling petri dishes of ebola except they don’t wear gloves…,” one person chimed in, echoing the thoughts of many.
Another joked: "It’s great how the workers use their bare hands to feel the connection of everyone before and after them who has touched the sandwich."
Someone else joked: "It's been years since I've bought a premade sandwich and after seeing this I can confidently say it will be many more years to come before I buy another."
I think I'll pass on the meal deal sandwich for a while, too...
Unless you've worked at a fast-food restaurant, you never really know what goes on behind the counter.
Sure, the pictures on the menu boards may look mouth-wateringly appetizing, but the reality is very different.
You see, fast food has to be just that: Fast. And when you're feeding millions of people every day, companies are going to cut corners in order to prioritize convenience over quality.
Now, social media users are vowing never to eat at Subway again after an employee shared a behind-the-counter video showing how the tuna-mayonnaise sandwich filling is made on TikTok.
Check out the video below for yourself - will this put you off?
In the video, the employee - who uses the TikTok handle @highimmar - cuts open a vacuum-sealed package of tuna flakes (in all fairness, it does seriously look like something you'd find in an abandoned nuclear bunker).
Next, the 'Sandwich Artist' empties the contents into a bowl, and begins to break up the block in order to make the tuna look more "flakey".
After adding a jug of mayo and mixing, the finished product looks just like the tuna mayonnaise filling we're used to seeing at the counter.
Since posting the video on June 29, it has already amassed over 1 million views, with many people now vowing never to eat at Subway again after getting a glimpse at how the sandwich chain preps its products.
One TikTok user by the name of Tieryn commented: "Lol guess whose no longer eating tuna at Subway".
And another comment read: "This reaffirms my choice to only eat sushi-grade tuna."
A third commented: "Never eating SUBWAY TUNA AGAIN".
[[imagecaption|| Credit: TikTok]]
[[imagecaption|| Credit: TikTok]]
[[imagecaption|| Credit: TikTok]]
Others took umbrage with the fast-food chain's slogan "Eat Fresh", which has been a promise of the company since 2000:
[[imagecaption|| Credit: TikTok]]
[[imagecaption|| Credit: TikTok]]
[[imagecaption|| Credit: TikTok]]
However, other people were undeterred by the video, arguing that it is no different to tuna flakes coming out of a can and that it still tastes delicious:
[[imagecaption|| Credit: TikTok]]
[[imagecaption|| Credit: TikTok]]
[[imagecaption|| Credit: TikTok]]
The comments section was also flooded with Subway employees past and present who spoke out about how much they resented prepping the tuna.
One TikTokker by the name of Alli commented: "Aahhhh THEY ALWAYS PUT ME ON THAT!! I HATED IT!!! I didn’t have access a washing machine so my apron smelt like tuna for a week everytime".
[[imagecaption|| Credit: TikTok]]
[[imagecaption|| Credit: TikTok]]
[[imagecaption|| Credit: TikTok]]
And another TikTok user claiming to be a former employee commented: "Sis when I worked at subway the owner made us do it with our hands he wouldn’t let us use a spatula".
So, is this enough to put you off Subway for life?
Peering behind the fast food curtain is a risky business. You know the old saying about curiousity killing the cat? In some, less salubrious institutions, there’s a chance that that cat may well end up in your dinner. No one wants to know that Mr. Tiddles got turned into a pattie. We’d much rather munch our burgers in blissful ignorance.
However, just like the Pandora’s Box of legend, once the secret’s out, no amount of frantic lid-closing can force it back in. As soon as you’re exposed to the horror, it can scar you forever. This is the bleak reality that faced fans of Panera this week when a now-infamous viral video revealed the less than appetising method by which the chain’s mac ‘n’ cheese is produced.
In a clip that has now been seen more than 10 million times on Twitter, a Panera employee can be seen reaching into a cardboard box full of creamy sachets of pasta, before plonking said packaging into a sous vide machine to cook. The resulting slurry is then emptied from the bag, before being presented for service. Scrummy.
The cooking method on display caused consternation among fans who were presumably labouring under the illusion that a crack team of Italian cooks spend their days skulking in the depths of Panera kitchens up and down the country, cooking food fresh to order. Some times, the truth hurts.
Reactions ranged from sadness to full-blown disgust. As one Twitterer put it, “Someone said Panera is just hospital food and this proves it.” Another added, “yoooo I definitely had plastic in my mac and cheese before from panera (sic).” The (possibly dead) cat was out of the bag.
It has since emerged that the employee responsible for releasing the video, who can be seen smiling at the end of the original clip, has been fired from her position. According to the New York Post, she later tweeted, “Lol i lost my job for this.” Sometimes, whistleblowing requires sacrifice. Just ask whoever unearthed that Trump phone call.
However, despite the furore around the video, some people couldn’t understand what the big deal was. As an unflustered commentator wrote:
“I don’t get what she’s exposing? Did people really think there was a chef hanging out in the kitchen of Panera Bread making their Mac and Cheese?” one user tweeted. “This is literally how every fast food joint operates, don’t be fooled.”
Clearly, once you’ve peeked behind the curtain, not much bothers you anymore.
This article originally appeared on twistedfood.co.uk
Peanut butter is one of those foods where once you’ve had it, you end up wanting it on everything. Peel back the curtain in front of the food industry, and you’ll struggle to find a snack that hasn’t at some point been paired with the iconic condiment. This is for good reason. There aren’t many ingredients that work just as well in a sandwich as they do in a smoothie.
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Pixabay/stevepb]]
Even though it’s readily available almost anywhere, a sense of financial responsibility has a habit of limiting our domestic peanut butter-based creativity. Almost any fan would happily sample a Shake Shack peanut butter burger, or a commercial peanut butter and jelly toastie, but there’s something about using your own supply for mad scientist-style experiments that just feels wrong. Why risk abject failure, when you could just enjoy something safe and delicious? Thankfully, our fears over wasting limited peanut butter resources are about to be assuaged.
Currently retailing on Amazon, the Smart NBM400 Peanut Butter Maker is about to change the game for frugal peanut fans everywhere. Taking the hassle out of nut butter manufacture, the NBM400 allows anyone to make an almost unlimited supply of gloriously gooey peanut spread in the comfort of your own home with just a few ingredients by automating the entire process. Now, there is no excuse to not slather peanut butter on absolutely everything.
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Amazon]]
According to the official product description, “Now you can make delicious, natural peanut butter at home anytime. The Peanut Butter Maker makes it fast and easy to whip up a variety of nut butters. Simply pour your favourite shelled and chopped nuts into the nut bin, turn the unit on, add oil and out comes fresh nut butter! Homemade peanut and other nut butters are healthier and taste better than store-bought. You can enjoy your freshly made nut butters plain, or add sweeteners and spices like honey, chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, salt and more.” Each package comes complete with an NBM400 gadget and an instruction booklet, making set up simple.
As frequent purchasers of novelty cookware will know, sometimes the promise of a new toy outweighs the reality. However, in this case, it looks like the NBM400 delivers the goods. Users have variously described the machine as a “great gadget” and a “fantastic piece of kit!” That it's currently retailing for under £50 is just an added incentive.
On the other hand, it’s worth noting that not everyone was over the moon, with one disgruntled reviewer writing, “Very noisy, not very efficient. The machine constantly overheated and shut down, meaning that it took all morning just for a small jar of butter. We gave up on it when smoke poured out of the side and the peanut butter tasted of burned metal. I would not recommend this machine.” Maybe we shouldn’t totally give up on the global peanut butter industry just yet.
This article originally appeared on TwistedFood.co.uk
When the very first Subway restaurant opened in 1965, customers were overwhelmed by the huge "Super Submarine" sandwiches! More than forty years later, and Subway has grown into the largest fast-food franchise in the world.
[post_page_title]The Truth About Working At Subway[/post_page_title]
As a former sandwich artist, I thought it would be the perfect job whilst I finished my final semester at college; carefree, easy and all the free sandwiches I could eat! I couldn't have been more wrong...
[post_page_title]The First Sandwich You Should Never Order[/post_page_title]
The Meatball Marinara. If you want to avoid the dry, day-old meat and congealed sauce that comes with many a Meatball Marinara, then be sure to ask if the meatballs are fresh. But even then, there's no guarantee.
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Getty]] [[pagebreak]]
[post_page_title]The Second Sandwich You Should Never Order[/post_page_title]
The second sandwich you should never order is the Roast Beef, but that's mostly because that's the sandwich that goes bad the quickest. Be sure to ask your server if the beef is fresh, but don't expect them to be 100 percent truthful.
[post_page_title]The Not Nice Truth About Mice[/post_page_title]
With all that food wastage around, mice, rats, and other vermin are sadly a huge problem in Subway stores. Although traps are set discretely, accidents have occurred in the past. For example, one customer in Oregan, Matt Jones, got a nasty surprise after he had his sandwich handed to him, as discovered the body of a dead mouse covered in spinach!
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Subway]]
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[post_page_title]You're Probably Eating More Calories Than You Think[/post_page_title]
When you walk into a Subway store, you'll see all of our menus have the calories listed with each sandwich, with eight sandwiches even listed as containing just "six grams of fat". What you can't read is the small print, which specifies that these values are only for a six-inch sub, on "standard recipe" white bread, with no cheese or sauce!
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Subway]]
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[post_page_title]We Can't Get Rid Of The Smell[/post_page_title]
So many customers would walk into the store and say, "I love the smell of Subway". Well, I don't. Because no matter how hard you wash your uniform, you cannot get rid of that smell of bread! Seriously, it got to the point where I had to keep my uniform in a separate drawer to all of my clothes. It's nice for five minutes, it's unbearably toxic after 13 months.
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Subway]]
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[post_page_title]Don't Eat The Chicken[/post_page_title]
Friends would always ask me, "Is there anything I shouldn't eat", and I'd always reply, "avoid the chicken". Subway chicken is given a two-to-five day shelf life depending on the variety. The chicken teriyaki SHOULD be thrown out by the fifth day, but a lot of employees just change the date to avoid throwing it out.
[post_page_title]Mayo Or Light Mayo?[/post_page_title]
Employees at Subway understand that some customers eat there because they think they're opting for the healthier fast-food option. One common way this would present itself is seeing how many people opt for Light Mayo over regular Mayonnaise. However, whenever the Light Mayo bottle ran out, my manager would just tell me to fill it with regular mayonnaise...
Our famous cookies are delivered at the store frozen, and we have to cook them at 160 degrees for 11 minutes. However, I'd always take them out two minutes early because I like them gooey. The point is; we've got frozen cookie dough back there! Consider it a "Secret Menu" item of sorts, but if you ask for frozen cookie dough, a lot of employees will give you some!
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Subway]]
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[post_page_title]The Truth About Turkey[/post_page_title]
There's always been a debate about whether or not we actually sell pork. Subway stores located in areas with a high Muslim population have removed all pork products and all the meat is halal. "What about the salami and ham?", I hear you cry. Well, these are just flavored turkey meat made to look like pork products. You may not like it, but supply and demand.
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Subway]]
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[post_page_title]The Most Common Sandwich Is...[/post_page_title]
For a bit of Subway trivia; the most common sandwich ordered is a 6-inch meatball sauce with Swiss cheese on hearty Italian bread, toasted with a lot of salad and southwest sauce. A close second is the Italian B.M.T, which originally stood for "Brooklyn Manhattan Transit", but now stands for "Bigger, Meatier, Tastier".
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Subway]]
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[post_page_title]Footlong Subway Sandwiches Are 12 Inches Long (Now)[/post_page_title]
The term, "Subway Footlong" is actually a registered trademark, so for years, they could get away with selling you sandwiches UNDER 12 inches long. However, after an internet campaign and lawsuit earlier this year, judges ruled that all Footlong sandwiches MUST be at least a foot long! Nowadays, a Subway Footlong will be 12.1 inches in length.
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Subway]]
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[post_page_title]I've Heard Chipotle Pronounched A Million Ways[/post_page_title]
It's one of the most popular sauce options in Subway, but unfortunately, a lot of people can't pronounce it right, which drives us serves crazy! Some variations I've heard include chip-ottal. Ship-oat-lay. Chip-o-lata. Ship-ottle. For the record, it's "chi-poat-lay".
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Subway]]
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[post_page_title]Why You Should Order Flatbread Instead[/post_page_title]
Flatbread isn't most people's first choice when they enter Subway, but if your stomach is rumbling for as much food as possible, it really is the smartest, most efficient option. The way flatbread is made and prepared means it actually measures 14 inches in length. This does result in more calories, but if you're just after a monster meal, go flat!
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Subway]]
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[post_page_title]Subway University Is A Thing[/post_page_title]
When Subway advertises itself as turning the act of making sandwiches into an art, it's not kidding. Seriously. The chain even has its own university. The University of Subway really does exist, but no, it's not an actual educational institute. It's basically a free online app that's supposed to help stores train their employees through quizzes and tests.
Like most fast-food places, late-night weekend shifts are always the worst, because this is when we have the drunk revelers and stoners come in. And yes, of course, we know when you're stoned - mainly because I once watched a guy eat three footlong meatball marinaras and a pack of twelve cookies after getting a SERIOUS case of the munchies.
[post_page_title]Subway Stores Are Privately Owned[/post_page_title]
Like most franchises, Subway stores are privately owned by people who must follow a strict set of rules to ensure all of Subway's product have that unique taste. However, this does mean that the employee rules differ from store to store. For example, I worked at a store with lovely owners who were happy for the workers to have any footlong for lunch.
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Subway]]
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[post_page_title]More Than Two Sauces? Seriously?[/post_page_title]
You may think you're being cool and inventive opting for four different sauces on your sandwich, but we honestly judge you for being such a moron. Two sauces? Fine. Any more than that and it just becomes overly sweet gloop that destroys and overpowers the sandwich.
[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Subway]]
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[post_page_title]Microwave Your Cookies[/post_page_title]
It's no secret that Subway cookies are one of the best sweet treats around, and it turns out that there's an ingenious way of making them taste even better. Simply ask the person behind the counter to microwave your cookie for five-to-ten seconds so it goes lusciously gooey.
Okay, the right Subway sandwiches are certainly a much healthier alternative to a McDonald's, and while employees could have a salad bowl, most of the time we're competing with the other members of staff to see who can create the very best sandwich - and most of the time they end up looking like something out of a Scooby-Doo cartoon.
[post_page_title]Know What You Want![/post_page_title]
There's nothing worse than dealing with a customer who has no idea what they want, and dealing with a Subway virgin is a painstaking process. The most annoying thing is that the instructions are clearly written on the counter! On the other hand, we will lose our patience with you if are way too specific.
[post_page_title]Always Ask For More Vegetables[/post_page_title]
Have you ever stood at a Subway counter and been a little disappointed by the number of veggies on your sub? Then ask for more. Seriously. Managers like to keep costs down for a bonus, but employees can give you as much as you want.
[post_page_title]You're Not Eating As Fresh As You Think[/post_page_title]
Subway's famous tagline might be "Eat Fresh", but this is far from a reality, and to be honest, makes us surprised that the chain hasn't come under fire for false advertising! Sadly, everything on offer was once frozen.
[post_page_title]The Truth About The Grilled Chicken[/post_page_title]
When you buy grilled chicken, it's only natural to assume that what you've purchased has, y'know, been grilled, but apparently, this isn't the case at Subway. Those grill marks? I hate to break bad news, but they're food coloring.
But if you thought that the truth about Subway's chicken was bad, the truth about its cheese is even worse.
"Subway cheese is not actually cheese! It is a solidified cheese 'spread' which, if left in water for a period of time, loses all of its artificial yellow coloring and turns a pallid gray."
"1. You ask for a flat bread, tell them to put the meatball sauce on top (smeared). 2. Then ask for pepperonis (preferably sliced), and your preferred cheese (cheddar works best). 3. Before they toast it, put on all the vegetables you want (I make mine with bell-peppers, and purple-onions 4. Toast it and I swear to you it will smell exactly like a supreme pizza from Sbarro's, Dominoes, or Pizza Hut."
[post_page_title]The Unhealthiest Thing On The Menu[/post_page_title]
"Your Subway tuna sandwich is 90% mayonnaise. How did we prepare the tuna? Take one can of tuna the size of your fist and empty it into a vat. Take a big 2ltr bag of mayonnaise and splosh it in the vat. Mix it haphazardly for 2 minutes until it’s a semi-consistent mush. Cringe when customers ask for ‘just a little bit’ of light mayo on their tuna sandwich."
[post_page_title]If You Must Have Chicken, Order The Strips[/post_page_title]
"At the beginning of the day, we are told to get [chicken b reasts] out of the freezer and put them into hot water where they remain ALL DAY. Then at the end of the day, you have to take them out and SQUEEZE the gross ass chicken water out of them, which by now has made the meat soggy."
[post_page_title]How To Make A Hot Sandwich Even Tastier[/post_page_title]
"Ask them to put the onions on the sandwich BEFORE toasting, and ask them to pour a little olive oil over them first. Doesn’t save you money, but YUM. This also works good for peppers."
[post_page_title]The Bread You Should Never Order[/post_page_title]
"I don't know if this has been mentioned, but don't buy any variety of wheat bread at Subway. It's actually worse for you than getting the Italian. It's dyed with plenty of added shit to make it look and taste different."
Often the only thing that’s going to get you through a particularly boring working Wednesday is knowing that you have something exceptional waiting for you in the the fridge. Sometimes, foodie fantasy can be difficult to turn into reality. Enter every hungry office drone’s best friend - the microwave. Here are a few dos and don'ts for maximising your microwaveable lunches that will make every midweek lunch worth waiting for.
Do: Make it cheesey
Microwaves are great for many things, not least of which is melting exceptionally cheesy lunch time treats. For those lucky enough to have an office suitably equipped, microwaves hold the key to transforming last night’s sorry looking pasta into a glorious, gooey triumph. Just make sure that your cheese is grated prior to attempted melting. We recommend mozzarella, cheddar and red leicester - but don’t be afraid to let your imagination run wild!
A microwave can be your enemy as well as your friend. Just as cheese can take your lunch to new heights, microwaved bread can reduce your meal to a sorry, soggy mess. As the microwave heats up the resident water molecules, the lack of circulation causes the water vapour to stay trapped within the bread, turning what should be warm and fluffy into steaming mush. Science sucks. So, no matter how perfect you think that bit of naan would be with your leftover curry, or how tasty that garlic bread was last night, resist! You will only be disappointed.
Anyone who ever craves a carby start their afternoon should have a shrine dedicated to the potato. Not only does the spud form the cornerstone of vast numbers of delicious dishes, they work exceptionally well in the microwave. Gone are the days of waiting for hours, staring balefully through the oven window at a particularly uncooperative specimen - a zap in the microwave is all you need to be transported to jacket heaven. Load up with your favourite toppings, whack on full and then enjoy the parade of jealous office faces that will greet your exit from the kitchen.
Some food was born to be microwaved. Some, however, should be avoided like the plague. Chicken is one such food. Whatever you do to it, put it anywhere near a microwave and it will dry out. If you want to avert a mouthful of stringy sawdust with your lunch, have the pre-cooked meat cold, or not at all. The same is equally, if not more true for seafood, which becomes distinctly boot-like after even the shortest blast. Spare your beautifully prepared fishy feast this indignity and instead gently heat it when you have an oven or hob to hand.
Credit: Pexels[/caption]
Sticking to these rules is a sure fire way to guarantee that your microwave experience ends in merriment rather than misery. Pay heed! Use or abuse of a microwave can make or break your lunch time - use wisely and give this mighty machine the respect that it deserves.
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