Food · lunchbox · 5 min

Japanese sando with cute faces: 5 recipes kids will love.

Tired of packing the same old sandwich? The sando — Japan's soft-bread sandwich with a generous filling — is quick to make and perfect for decorating with nori faces.

Japanese chicken katsu sando cut in half, wrapped in paper, on a wooden board
Golden tip

What to gather before you start.

Cut the nori pieces on a dry board and press them onto the assembled sandwich — the moisture from the filling helps the seaweed stick.

🌿

Nori

Dried seaweed sheets (the sushi kind), from large supermarkets or Asian grocers. This is what the faces are made of.

✂️

Clean scissors

Or a drinking straw, to punch out round eyes and mouths. Always cut on a completely dry board.

🍓

Rosy cheeks

A dot of ketchup on savoury sandos, strawberry jam on the sweet ones — optional but adorable.

5 recipes

Sandos with feelings.

Each recipe makes 2 individual sandos — great for lunchboxes, sleepovers or an afternoon snack.

1
Tamago sando

🥚 Smiling egg salad sando

15 min🎭 Round eyes + a “U” smile

Ingredients (2 sandos)

  • 4 slices soft white bread, crusts removed
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp mild mustard (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • Nori for decorating

Method

  1. Mash the boiled eggs with a fork into a smooth, creamy filling.
  2. Stir in the mayonnaise, mustard and salt.
  3. Spread generously between two slices of bread.
  4. Cut diagonally and stick on nori eyes and a smile.
2
Mini katsu sando

🍗 Chicken sando with a surprised face

25 min🎭 Two wide eyes + an “O” mouth

Ingredients (2 sandos)

  • 4 slices soft white bread, crusts removed
  • 1 chicken breast fillet, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 beaten egg + 2 tbsp plain flour
  • Tonkatsu sauce or mild barbecue sauce
  • Butter for the bread

Method

  1. Coat the chicken in flour, then egg, then panko.
  2. Fry in hot oil until golden on both sides (or bake at 200 °C / 400 °F for 15 minutes).
  3. Butter the bread and add a drizzle of tonkatsu sauce.
  4. Assemble while the chicken is still warm, then add the surprised face.
3
Fruit sando

🍓 Strawberry cream sando in love

15 min + 30 min chilling🎭 Heart-shaped eyes (or sprinkles)

Ingredients (2 sandos)

  • 4 slices very soft white bread, crusts removed
  • 6 medium strawberries, washed and dried
  • 200 ml cold heavy/whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp sugar

Method

  1. Whip the cream with the sugar to stiff peaks.
  2. Spread a generous layer of whipped cream on one slice of bread.
  3. Place the halved strawberries cut-side down against the bread — when you slice the sando, hearts appear.
  4. Top with more cream, close and chill for 30 minutes before cutting.
4
Ham & cheese sando

🧀 Winking ham and cheese sando

10 min🎭 One eye closed, one open

Ingredients (2 sandos)

  • 4 slices soft white bread, crusts removed
  • 4 slices ham
  • 2 slices mild cheese (gouda or mozzarella)
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp mild mustard (optional)

Method

  1. Butter the bread and add a touch of mustard.
  2. Layer the ham and cheese alternately.
  3. If you like, toast quickly in a pan to melt the cheese.
  4. Decorate with nori strips to make the wink.
5
Happy afternoon sando

🍌 Banana and peanut butter sando

5 min🎭 Big smile + jam cheeks

Ingredients (2 sandos)

  • 4 slices soft white bread, crusts removed
  • 1 ripe banana, sliced
  • 3 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 tsp honey (optional, not for under-1s)

Method

  1. Spread peanut butter on the bread slices.
  2. Arrange the banana slices over one of them.
  3. Drizzle with honey if you like.
  4. Close, press gently and add the big smiley face.
Lunchbox

How to keep them fresh until snack time.

Wrap each sando in cling film right after assembling, so it stays moist and the faces stay in place. The savoury ones (egg, chicken, ham) are fine for a few hours out of the fridge; the strawberry cream sando should travel in an insulated bag.

These recipes are also a great excuse to get kids into the kitchen — they love “drawing” the nori faces. 🍙

Frequently asked questions

What is a sando?

A sando is the Japanese sandwich made with very soft crustless milk bread (shokupan), a generous filling and clean straight cuts that show off the inside. It travels well in a lunchbox and is perfect for nori faces.

Where can I find nori and panko?

In large supermarkets (Asian food aisle) or at Asian grocers. Nori is the same seaweed used for sushi and one sheet makes plenty of faces.

How do the nori faces stick to the bread?

Cut the nori on a dry board and press the pieces gently onto the assembled sando — the moisture from the filling makes the seaweed stick on its own.

Do sandos keep well in a lunchbox?

Yes. Wrap each sando in cling film right after assembling. The savoury ones (egg, chicken, ham) are fine for a few hours out of the fridge; the strawberry cream sando needs an insulated bag.

From what age can kids eat sandos?

From about 1 year old, cut into small pieces — and skip honey before 12 months. Always supervise young children eating soft filled bread.

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