Twenty-four sandwiches. One Costco trip. And no standing in the kitchen making them one at a time.
Now THAT is the kind of kitchen shortcut I can get behind.
For this week's Menu Monday, we're doing something a little different. Instead of a traditional weeknight dinner, we're tackling another question parents know all too well: What am I going to feed all these people?
Whether it's a birthday party, a family gathering, or just trying to get ahead on school lunches, this week's featured food creator has a pretty clever solution.
Photo courtesy of Eugene Wong / The Euge Food
Meet Eugene from The Euge Food
When I came across The Euge Food, I was immediately drawn to Eugene Wong's approach to cooking.
Because here's the thing: I love good food, but I don't necessarily want to spend hours preparing it.
Eugene's culinary journey began in Toronto, Canada, where he worked in restaurant kitchens before eventually exploring fine dining in Hong Kong.
But along the way, he discovered that sharing his love of cooking and helping others feel more confident in the kitchen was what mattered most to him.
Through The Euge Food, Eugene shares his cooking knowledge and encourages people to discover the joy of making food themselves.
He's also a dad to two young boys, ages 2 and 5, so he understands that feeding a family sometimes means getting a little creative with your time and budget.
Which brings us to his Costco Slab Party Sandwiches.
Eugene makes these for birthday parties and events, using ingredients from a single Costco shopping trip.
Rather than building sandwiches one at a time, he keeps the dinner rolls connected, layers the fillings across the entire slab, and then cuts everything into individual sandwiches.
He even saved a few extras for his boys' school lunches over the next couple of days.
As a mom, I appreciate any recipe that can handle a party AND tomorrow's lunch.
A family-friendly recipe from Eugene Wong of The Euge Food
Makes 24 sandwiches
Ingredients
- 24 Kirkland dinner rolls (1 pack), kept connected
- Kewpie mayonnaise, for drizzling
- Grainy mustard or Dijon mustard
- 1 package Citterio Panini deli meats
- 6–8 slices Havarti cheese (lactose-free works, too)
- 1–2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced (approximately 5–6 rounds per roll)
- 6–8 tomatoes, thinly sliced (approximately 2–3 slices per roll)
Equipment: A long serrated bread knife
Instructions
- Prepare the tomatoes. Slice thinly, place on paper towels, and pat dry. Removing excess moisture keeps the sandwiches from getting soggy.
- Slice the cucumbers. Cut into thin rounds and season lightly with salt to soften them.
- Cut the rolls. Place the connected rolls on a cutting board. Using a serrated knife, carefully slice horizontally through the entire slab, keeping one hand flat on top. Lift off the top half in one piece. Saw slowly so you don't squash the rolls.
- Add your spreads. Drizzle Kewpie mayonnaise over both cut sides and spread mustard across the bottom half.
- Layer the fillings. Start with cheese, followed by deli meats, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Putting cheese first helps keep moisture away from the bread.
- Put it together. Replace the top half of the rolls and gently press down.
- Cut and serve! Slice along the roll lines to create individual sandwiches. Wipe the knife between cuts for clean edges. Add toothpicks if the tray will sit out for a while.
Photo courtesy of Eugene Wong / The Euge Food
Make it work for your family
One of my favorite things about this recipe is how easy it is to adjust based on what your family actually eats.
Because if you've ever tried to feed a group of kids, you already know that someone's going to have an opinion about mustard.
- No Kewpie? Regular mayonnaise works just fine.
- Not a fan of grainy mustard? Swap it for Dijon.
- Kids won't touch Italian deli meats? Try sliced turkey or ham.
- Different cheese preferences? Swiss or provolone work, too.
- Feeding fewer people? Make 12 sandwiches and freeze the second slab of rolls for another day.
Eugene also recommends leaving mustard off one corner of the slab for picky eaters.
See? He gets it.
And don't forget about school lunches!
Here's where this recipe really won me over.
Eugene says he saved some of the extra sandwiches for his kids' lunches over the following two days.
One sandwich square fits into a bento-style lunch container with some fruit and crackers on the side.
He also recommends assembling the sandwiches ahead of time, covering them with plastic wrap, and keeping them in the refrigerator until needed.
One grocery trip, less prep work, and lunch already handled?
I'll take it.
Explore more of Eugene's recipes, cooking inspiration, and approachable ideas for making food at home.
VISIT THE EUGE FOOD →A shortcut worth keeping
I love that Eugene's recipe isn't complicated or fancy. It's something you can realistically put together for a birthday party, a family get-together, or a week when you need to get a little ahead.
And isn't that what Menu Monday is all about?
A huge thank-you to Eugene for sharing this one with our Macaroni KID Eugene & Springfield community!
If you give these sandwiches a try, let me know what your family thinks. And more importantly, did you have any left for lunch the next day?
Twice a month, we'll be sharing another realistic meal idea from a cook, creator or family.
Recipe and food photography courtesy of Eugene Wong / The Euge Food. Used with permission.
