10 Popular Sandwiches From The 1960s You Forgot About
Remember those delicious sandwiches we enjoyed back in the swinging sixties? As a kid growing up during that colorful, carefree decade, lunchtime felt like a daily adventure.
It was a time when sandwich creativity knew no bounds, think bologna with pickles, peanut butter with banana, or cream cheese and olives. These fun and flavorful combinations made each bite exciting and memorable.
Unlike today’s carefully curated avocado toasts and artisanal creations, sandwiches in the sixties were simple, satisfying, and full of personality. From sweet treats to savory delights, these hand-held meals defined an era when food was playful, nostalgic, and wonderfully uncomplicated.
1. The Magical Monte Cristo
My grandma called this the “fancy French toast sandwich,” and boy was she right! The Monte Cristo combined ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese between bread slices that were dipped in egg batter and fried to golden perfection.
We’d dust it with powdered sugar and dip it in strawberry preserves, creating that perfect sweet-savory combination that made lunch feel like a special occasion.
The crispy exterior gave way to melty cheese and warm meat that still makes my mouth water thinking about it. At our house, Sunday brunch wasn’t complete without this indulgent treat that somehow made leftovers feel luxurious.
2. Cuban Sandwich Sensation
Nothing beat the sound of that sizzle when the Cuban sandwich hit the press! I first tasted this magical creation during a family trip to Miami in ’67, and it changed my sandwich world forever.
Crusty Cuban bread filled with layers of ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and yellow mustard, then pressed until the outside crackled and the inside melted together in harmony.
The tangy pickles cut through the richness of the meats, creating a perfect balance in every bite. We’d wrap them in wax paper and take them to the beach, where they somehow tasted even better with sand between our toes.
3. Tempting Tuna Melt
Hot diggity! The tuna melt was my dad’s specialty whenever mom worked late. He’d mix canned tuna with mayo, finely chopped celery, and a dash of onion powder, his secret ingredient. Spread thick on white bread, topped with a slice of American cheese, then grilled until golden and bubbling.
The contrast between the warm, creamy tuna mixture and the gooey melted cheese was absolutely heavenly!
Sometimes he’d add a slice of tomato underneath the cheese for extra pizzazz. Paired with dill pickle spears and potato chips, this open-faced wonder turned ordinary weeknight dinners into something special.
4. Remarkable Reuben
The Reuben was the sandwich that made me appreciate sauerkraut as a teenager! This deli masterpiece stacked thin-sliced corned beef, tangy sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing between slices of rye bread.
Grilled until crispy outside and melty inside, it created a symphony of flavors that danced across your taste buds.
The sharp cheese, savory meat, and zippy kraut balanced perfectly with the creamy dressing. My best friend’s dad owned a local diner where they served these beauties with a pickle and handful of potato chips. We’d save our allowance just to split one after school on Fridays.
5. Classic Club Sandwich
Those little toothpicks with colorful frills were half the fun of eating a club sandwich! This triple-decker marvel was the height of lunchtime sophistication at department store cafeterias where my mom and I would treat ourselves after shopping.
Toasted white bread layered with sliced turkey, crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo, all stacked high and cut into four perfect triangles.
Each bite delivered the perfect combination of crunchy, creamy, salty, and fresh. The waitresses always served it with a side of coleslaw and potato chips, making us feel like we were dining somewhere fancy!
6. Fabulous Fluffernutter
Sweet tooth paradise in sandwich form! The Fluffernutter was my absolute favorite after-school treat that mom rarely allowed but grandma always snuck to us when babysitting.
Creamy peanut butter spread on one slice of pillowy white bread, marshmallow fluff on the other, then smooshed together into sticky, gooey bliss.
Sometimes we’d add banana slices if we were feeling fancy, or grandma would lightly toast the bread for a warm, melty version. With tall glasses of cold milk to wash it down, we’d giggle as the marshmallow fluff stretched between the sandwich and our mouths with each bite.
7. Glorious Grilled Cheese
Rainy Saturday afternoons in the sixties meant one thing in our house: grilled cheese and tomato soup! Mom would butter the outside of white bread slices, then layer American cheese singles between them.
She’d cook it slowly in a cast iron skillet until both sides turned golden brown and the cheese melted into gooey perfection.
The buttery crunch of the bread giving way to stretchy, molten cheese was pure comfort food magic. We’d dunk triangle-cut pieces into steaming tomato soup, creating that perfect blend of creamy and tangy that somehow made even the gloomiest days feel cozy and bright.
8. Playful PB&J
Whoever invented the PB&J deserves a monument! This lunchbox staple reached its cultural peak in the sixties when every kid’s metal lunchbox contained this perfect sandwich.
My mom made mine with extra peanut butter (the chunky kind!) and grape jelly on soft white Wonder Bread with the crusts carefully removed.
She’d cut it into fun shapes using cookie cutters on special days, stars for good report cards or hearts just because. The sticky-sweet combination somehow never got old, even when I found one waiting for me every single day throughout second grade. Now I make the exact same version for my grandkids!
9. Elegant Egg Salad
Church socials and ladies’ luncheons weren’t complete without dainty egg salad sandwiches! My aunt Mildred was famous for her version, which she claimed was requested by the mayor himself for city functions.
She’d mix perfectly hard-boiled eggs with just enough mayonnaise, a touch of mustard, and her secret ingredient, a sprinkle of paprika.
Cut into crustless triangles or fancy fingers, these little bites were served on her best china plates. The soft, creamy filling between white bread was simple yet somehow sophisticated. We kids would sneak extras from the serving trays while the adults were busy chatting over coffee.
10. Scrumptious Sloppy Joe
Talk about a sandwich that lived up to its name! Sloppy Joes were the highlight of our Friday family nights, served on paper plates because mom knew what was coming. Ground beef simmered with onions, green peppers, and a sweet-tangy tomato sauce, then piled high on a soft hamburger bun.
The first bite always resulted in sauce dripping down our chins and onto our laps, causing fits of giggles around the table.
Mom would serve them with corn on the cob and potato chips for scooping up any escaped filling. No matter how carefully you ate, you always needed extra napkins for this deliciously messy sixties classic!