Serving a roast beef sandwich open-faced puts the emphasis on the meat instead of the bread. Since you only consume half the bread of a regular sandwich when you go the open-faced route, it is already a bit healthier, but by making the right choices for the other ingredients, you will wind up with a sandwich that is satisfying, nutritious and calorie-conscious.
Bread
Even though an open-faced sandwich uses half the bread of a regular sandwich, stick with wheat and whole- or multi-grain breads to keep your sandwich as healthy as possible. One medium slice of French bread contains 188 calories, while the white bread you purchase at the grocery store contains roughly 270 calories in each slice. Compare that to the 69 to 76 calories found in a slice of wheat, whole-wheat, whole-grain or multi-grain breads, and the decision on what type of bread to use becomes much simpler.
Roast Beef
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 29 cuts of beef as lean, containing less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol in one 3.5-ounce serving. Five of those cuts, including the eye of the round, sirloin tip, top round, bottom round and top sirloin, are considered extra-lean, containing less than 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol in a 3.5-ounce serving. Although you can use any of those cuts to make the healthiest roast beef sandwich possible, the test kitchen at “Cook’s Illustrated” has pronounced the top sirloin and top round two of the best lean meats for roasting.
Cheese
Although most cheeses are rich in vitamins and minerals, they are also loaded with fat. When choosing the cheese to top your open-faced roast beef sandwich, stick with low-fat cheese. One slice of Swiss cheese, for example, contains 108 calories and almost 8 grams of fat, compared to its low-fat version, which contains 48 calories and roughly 1.5 grams of fat. Note that “reduced fat” and “low fat” are not the same thing. One slice of regular provolone cheese contains 100 calories and almost 8 grams of fat, but its reduced fat cousin contains 77 calories and almost 5 grams of fat. Some of the soft cheeses, like gorgonzola or brie, would lend a very different flavor to the sandwich, but use caution if you cannot find a low-fat version.
Condiments and Seasonings
You can be a minimalist and use only salt and pepper on your sandwich, or you can add some additional flavor by spreading a condiment on the bread before adding the roast beef. Avoid high-fat condiments such as mayonnaise or beef gravy, and stick with low-fat and low-calorie condiments instead, including whole-grain or Dijon mustard, horseradish or steak sauce. Many condiments are loaded with sodium, so check the package’s nutrition label before using the condiment if you are watching your sodium intake.
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