The simplest of choices on the Jimmy John’s menu is the Turkey Tom Unwich. It has all of the ingredients from a Turkey Tom sandwich (turkey, tomato, mayonnaise, and lettuce) but without the bread.
The problem with the Jimmy John’s Turkey Tom Unwich is that you cannot order one without feeling like you got ripped off.
The case for making your own “Unwich”
I LOVE Jimmy John’s Turkey Tom sandwich. Just ask my husband. I get them all of the time. Every once in a while, though, when I am really trying to make good choices, I get the “unwich,” that means I am asking them to “skip the bread, and use iceberg lettuce instead.”
The only problem: The price! I pay the same price when I get an Unwich as I would if I were getting an 8 inch loaf of fresh homemade French bread with my sandwich!
Everyone knows that JJ’s bread is super yummy, and it’s a major reason why we go there…the homemade fresh bread!
So when you take that away, you find yourself saying things like, “Wow! I could have just made this at home for a whole lot cheaper!”
Plus, it’s really hard to make a lettuce wrap look beautifully appetizing. Just one more reason to go ahead and make your own. Here is what you get when you order a lettuce wrap from Jimmy John’s:
And right away, you look at it and think, “Oh! Okay, look at me! I am eating healthy today!”
So, it’s iceberg lettuce. What do you expect? Not much, I guess. 🙂
I mean, even Jimmy John’s, who makes some of the best sandwiches around, can’t serve a lettuce wrap that looks amazing. And it’s not their fault. It’s the iceberg lettuce’s fault. 🙂
Here’s the other thing…if you’re thinking that because you are holding off on the bread you should add some cheese to your unwich, just don’t. It’s $1 more for them to put a couple of slices of provolone on your unwich. Ugh. Really?
So, by the time I am done ordering my unwich (like the one in this recipe) it’s $6.25. Does that seem a little steep to you? Oh, and don’t forget tax. 🙂
It’s $6.75 for one Jimmy John’s Turkey Tom Unwich with provolone.
The practical, frugal side of my brain just can’t handle it.
So how about if instead of getting worked up about it, we just go ahead and get the ingredients in the store and make a copycat version for ourselves? That was my plan.
The key is to get turkey from your real deli and use Hellman’s mayonnaise (not the light or fat-free version, but the real stuff…it’s where the points are, but it’s worth it). Alfalfa sprouts was a thing JJ’s used to put on their Turkey Tom sandwiches, but now you have to ask for it. It’s perfect with the Turkey Tomato Unwich, so I added it to the recipe.
Looking for other smart options at Jimmy John’s? Check out our Smart Restaurant and Fast Food Options with Smart Points list. There are tons of ideas for when you are eating out!
Here is what you need:
12-18 large iceberg lettuce leaves
12 ounces deli sliced smoked turkey lunch meat
3 tablespoons Hellman’s mayonnaise
6 slices thin-sliced provolone cheese
2-3 tomatoes, seeded and sliced
1-1/2 cups Alfalfa sprouts
Here is what you do:
Stack 2-3 large lettuce leaves, making a little bed to put the other ingredients on.
Place 2 ounces turkey on each bed of lettuce. Spread 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise over the turkey and place 1 slice of provolone, halved, over the mayonnaise. Top with 2-3 slices of tomato and 1/4 cup of sprouts.
Roll the lettuce over to make a lettuce wrap.
I found the easiest way to serve these lettuce wraps and eat them was to wrap them with parchment paper, like they do at Jimmy John’s. This also helped my kids who were having a hard time picking their unwiches up.
That’s all there is to it. Dig in!
Makes 6 lettuce wraps.
One lettuce wrap is 4 Green, 4 Blue, and 4 Purple points.
Turkey Tomato Unwich
Ingredients
- 12-18 large iceberg lettuce leaves
- 12 ounces deli sliced smoked turkey lunch meat
- 3 tablespoons Hellman's mayonnaise
- 6 slices thin-sliced provolone cheese
- 2-3 tomatoes, seeded and sliced
- 1-1/2 cups Alfalfa sprouts
Instructions
- Stack 2-3 large lettuce leaves, making a little bed to put the other ingredients on.
- Place 2 ounces turkey on each bed of lettuce. Spread 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise over the turkey and place 1 slice of provolone, halved, over the mayonnaise. Top with 2-3 slices of tomato and 1/4 cup of sprouts.
- Roll the lettuce over to make a lettuce wrap.
- Wrap lettuce with parchment paper to make it easy to eat.
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Marlene says
It’s a treat for me to eat at Jimmy John’s. So i splurge and get the turkey on their wheat bread. Its wonderful. It has a crunch to it. I have never been a fan of hoagie rolls