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Pumpkin Shaped Sandwich Recipe For Kids
Ash Tyrrell

Pumpkin Shaped Sandwich Recipe For Kids

I started making these pumpkin shaped sandwiches a few autumns ago when my kids were bored of the same plain lunch every single day. I just grabbed a small cookie cutter, some sandwich bread, and a few pantry staples, and within minutes I had a lunch that actually got a reaction at the table.
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Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 slices sandwich bread — soft white or whole wheat bread works best for clean cutting
  • 1 slice cheddar cheese — adds color and holds its shape nicely once cut into rounds
  • 2 slices deli turkey or ham — pick a thin cut so the sandwich doesn't get too thick to bite
  • 1 tablespoon butter or mayonnaise — spread it thin so the bread doesn't get soggy before lunchtime
  • 1 small pretzel stick — becomes the pumpkin stem so snap it to a short, sturdy length
  • 1 sheet nori or 2 black olives — use for cutting tiny eyes and a smile onto the pumpkin face
  • 1 small piece of green bell pepper optional — a fun little vine detail near the stem

Method
 

  1. Lay your two slices of bread flat on the cutting board and spread a thin layer of butter or mayo on one side of each. Add your cheese and deli meat on top of one slice, keeping the layers even. Place the second slice on top to close the sandwich.
  2. Press your pumpkin shaped cookie cutter firmly through the center of the assembled sandwich. Wiggle it gently to make sure it cuts all the way through both slices of bread and the filling in one clean motion.
  3. Use small scissors or a paring knife to snip out tiny triangle eyes and a curved smile from a piece of nori, or slice thin rounds from black olives instead. Gently press these pieces onto the top of the sandwich to form the jack-o'-lantern face.
  4. Break a pretzel stick down to about an inch in length and tuck it into the top edge of the sandwich where the cutter left a small gap. This little stem detail is what really sells the pumpkin look.
  5. Place your finished pumpkin sandwich on a small plate for immediate serving, or tuck it into a lunchbox alongside other snacks. It holds its shape well, so it travels nicely without falling apart.

Notes

  • I always use bread that's a day or two old, since fresher bread tends to tear when I press the cutter through it.
  • I chill my cheese slice for a few minutes before cutting, which keeps it from sticking to the cutter's edges.
  • I keep a damp paper towel nearby to wipe the cutter between sandwiches so the shape stays crisp each time.
  • I press down slowly instead of forcing the cutter, since rushing it usually squishes the filling out the sides.
  • I always make an extra sandwich or two, because my kids inevitably ask for a second pumpkin.