To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the sandwich and showcase its main component, bread, during National Bread Month, the Grain Foods Foundation (GFF), Washington, D.C., has enlisted celebrity chef and sandwich aficionado Bryan Voltaggio to create four, exclusive sandwich recipes showcasing the vast potential of this kitchen staple.

The beloved sandwich was born in England in 1762, when Sir John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, didn't want to put his cards down in the midst of a marathon game of poker and requested his meat be served to him between two slices of bread. With Americans now consuming more than 1 billion sandwiches a year, sandwiches may, in fact, be our most popular national dish.

A recent survey commissioned by GFF and conducted online by Harris Interactive indicates that more than 41% of American adults eat sandwiches up to six times a week, and more than 60% eat a sandwich at least once per week. In fact, Americans like their sandwiches so much that 86% of adults maintain they would rather spend their lunchtime eating a sandwich than checking Facebook.

"Sandwiches have long been a go-to meal for my family, which inspired me to open an entire restaurant dedicated to this highly versatile food," Voltaggio adds. "Sandwiches can be dressed up or served casual, taste great, and more importantly, they're also one of the healthiest, most convenient and affordable foods available."

Some 77% of adults cite convenience and 59% cite taste as top reasons they eat sandwiches. Health also plays a major role when choosing a sandwich for lunch, with more than three-quarters of Americans (83%) citing nutrition as a reason to go with the grain. Sandwiches can provide a complete meal with grains, protein, dairy and veggies (65%) They also provide two full servings of grains (26%), and many types of bread are rich in B vitamins, folic acid, iron and fiber (22%).

Source: PR Newswire