6 Low-Carb Bread Alternatives

Ready for this little mind-blowing fact: A sandwich can still be a sandwich without sourdough, a whole-wheat pita or a piece of pumpernickel.

Not that there’s anything wrong with these breads anchoring your favorite sandwich stuffing—they are packed with nutrients and contain slow-digesting carbohydrates to help you feel fuller, longer. However, if you’re looking to shake up your brown bag a little and step out of the (lunch) box, or if you’re looking for low-carb bread alternatives, try some of these healthy substitutes for the standard slice.

You don’t need to know how to bake to find low-carb bread substitution options! Your fridge or pantry may already have potential alternatives for your next sandwich. Here are six low-carb bread swaps for your weight loss menu:

1. Portobello Mushrooms

Roasted caps are a hearty replacement for bread, and can be used as “buns” for your burger or as a top (and bottom) for your favorite veggies, like tomatoes, avocado and red onions.

This Everything “Bagel” Breakfast Sandwich recipe seasons portobello mushroom caps with everything bagel seasoning for a low-carb take on a bagel. We bake them in the oven before filling them up with eggs, low sodium turkey bacon and reduced fat provolone cheese.

2. Lettuce Greens

Not the most surprising on the list, but certainly the most versatile: Tuna or tofu, shrimp or turkey, beans, corn, grains or chicken made any way you like pair well with fresh Romaine, iceberg and other crisp lettuce greens. The leaves are big and sturdy enough to stuff, or can be wrapped to hold the fillings in place. Greens are a great veggie bread substitute option to cut carbs and calories. Try this Lettuce Wrapped Mushroom and Swiss Burger recipe! >

3. Cucumber

Hollow it out and fill the cucumber “sub” with deli meat, chicken or tuna salad, or your favorite sandwich filling for a crisp low-carb bread substitute. You can also cut long thin slices to make a sandwich. That’s what we did in this 4-Ingredient Deli Cucumber Sandwich recipe, which is filled with reduced fat spreadable cheese and low-sodium deli meat.

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4. Sweet Potatoes

Sliced into quarter-inch rounds and baked with a little olive or canola oil, use them as little potato buns for your veggie burger, egg sandwich or lean piece of pork. Thick slices of grilled eggplant work well, too, especially with a little melted cheese.

We also love making sweet potato toast, which is toasted slices of sweet potato piled high with your favorite toppings. Try our recipes for Mexican Sweet Potato Toast and Blueberry Nut Sweet Potato Toast.

5. Nori Sheets

It’s like a seaweed tortilla that can be filled with brown rice and fish, cucumber and avocado, or any sushi-inspired filling. Our Teriyaki Chicken Sushi Burrito recipe is stuffed with cooked quinoa, shredded chicken, sliced avocado and asparagus spears. We season it with rice vinegar and reduced sodium teriyaki sauce.

6. Apple Rounds

Spread on a little peanut butter and crunch to your heart’s content, or add a little flair to your PB sandwich with a sprinkle of raisins and oats. Apple Peanut Butter Monster Mouths are an adorable themed-treat for Halloween, but are also the perfect snack any time of the year.

Ready to get started on the path to a healthier you? Sign up for a Nutrisystem plan today!