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Level up school lunch with this quick and easy grilled ham & cheese with fresh veggies!

In this post, you’ll learn how to make this grilled ham & cheese with tomato & spinach plus simple tips to keep it crunchy in a school lunchbox until it’s time to devour.

grilled sandwich with ham, cheese tomatoes and spinach

Spinach, Tomato Grilled Cheese with Ham

I bought a huge bag of fresh spinach last week for a recipe I thought I'd have time to make. Spoiler: I didn't. But instead of letting it go to waste, I've been using it to elevate school lunches, like this epic spinach and tomato grilled cheese with ham!

Adding fresh veggies like spinach instantly gives sandwiches a deli-style feel and boosts nutrition. But why stop there? I also made these easy cheesy spinach egg cups and spinach balls that make great lunchbox snacks and sides.

What You Need for This School Lunch

All you need are a few simple ingredients that work together to make this epic gourmet grilled ham and cheese! Here's what you'll need and why it works:

Bread: hearty breads like sourdough and whole wheat hold up well for grilling, but any sandwich bread you have on hand will work.
Cheese: varieties like cheddar, swiss, or provolone are all great choices that melt into that perfectly gooey, stretchy goodness!
Ham: I usually go for deli ham or leftover baked ham in this recipe, but you can easily swap in turkey or any other deli meat you love. It all tastes amazing!
Tomatoes: sliced thin to avoid excess moisture.
Spinach: fresh baby spinach leaves add color and nutrition.
Butter: for grilling

halves of a grilled ham and spinach sandwich stacked on a plate

How to Make a Ham Grilled Cheese with Veggies

Follow these steps for a grilled ham and cheese that stays perfectly crunchy:

Make the sandwich
Spread butter on one side of each bread slice, then on the unbuttered side, layer cheese, ham, tomatoes, spinach, and another slice of cheese. This layering will keep juice from the tomato from reaching the bread so we don’t lose that crunch.
Grill it
On a greased non-stick skillet, grill the sandwich over medium heat on both sides for about 2 to 3 minutes until it’s golden brown and the cheese is melty.
Let it cool
If you are not going to eat this sandwich right away, wait for it to cool down before you pack it. Don’t skip this step! The condensation from a warm sandwich in a lunchbox will make the bread soggy.
Pack it for school
Place your sandwich in a hard lunch container. Add veggies, fruits, or any additional lunch sides in a separate compartment to keep the sandwich dry. Pack it all in a lunch bag and you’re ready to go!

School Lunch Packing Tips for Grilled Sandwiches

Here’s how to pack grilled sandwiches correctly so you have crispy perfection at lunchtime:

Use the right Container
Nobody wants a flattened sandwich! A hard, lunch container keeps it from getting squished or bounced around in the lunch bag.

Keep it cool
Add an ice pack inside the lunch bag to keep any sides like fruit and veggies fresh. Just remember to keep them packed separately from the sandwich so it stays crispy.

Let it cool down
We want to our grilled cheese to be as crunchy as possible, so make sure to let it reach room temperature before packing it, otherwise the steam will turn that golden crust into a soggy mess!

Boost energy
Crunchy sides like homemade zucchini chips or apple chips pair perfectly with this sandwich and add extra nutrition and energy. You can also toss in oatmeal raisin granola bars or no-bake energy brownie bites to keep hungry bellies full longer!

Other Grilled Sandwich Ideas for School Lunches

Veggies make any grilled sandwich even more crave-worthy! a grilled veggie sandwich, a savory mushroom grilled cheese, and a Caprese grilled cheese is perfect for using up leftovers and packs surprisingly well in a lunchbox!

Grilled ham & cheese with tomatoes & spinach

Servings: 1

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Level up school lunch with this quick and easy grilled ham & cheese with fresh veggies!

5 from 5 votes

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Ingredients

2 slices of sandwich bread
½ cup fresh spinach
2 ounces deli ham
2 slices of tomato
2-4 slices of cheese, or enough to cover bread
Butter, for grilling

Instructions

Assemble the sandwich

Spread butter on the outside of each slice, then layer cheese, ham, tomato, spinach and another layer of cheese between the bread, buttered sides facing out.

Grill it

On a greased non-stick skillet, grill the sandwich over medium heat on both sides for about 2 to 3 minutes until it’s golden brown and the cheese is melty. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Pack it for lunch

Slice the cooled sandwich in half and pack it in a hard lunch container. Keep any sides like fruit and veggies in a separate compartment or container to keep the sandwich bread dry. Use an ice pack, if necessary.