Not many people think of a sandwich meal as a meal that needs a menu. Not true! Whether you are going to have grilled cheese sandwiches, hoagies, tea sandwiches or a Reuben - planning great side dishes, desserts and even fun drinks make your sandwiches a true MEAL. A menu makes that meal memorable for your family and your guests.

Just because you are serving sandwiches doesn’t make it anything less than a full meal. With only a few minutes of planning, a pulled together result will not only satisfy everyone’s hunger in a more complete way, but you’ll also be offering other flavors and textures to compliment the sandwich!

Here are some great combinations and I bet you’re familiar with them already:

Grilled cheese with a bowl of tomato soup and a few chocolate chip cookies! Try adding a dash of paprika to your grilled cheese sandwiches before heating them up on the griddle on in the Panini grill. Sprinkle some shredded cheese and just a tiny bit of shredded basil in your tomato soup for a compliment to your sandwich. Topping it off with chocolate chip cookies and a tall glass of milk is great - you could even add a small dollop of raspberry preserve on top of each cookie for a great accompaniment to the chocolate chips.

Make-them-yourself hoagie sandwich fixing’s with a side of macaroni and cheese (or chili) and a slice of key lime or lemon icebox pie! Yum! Create a colorful tray of assorted meats, cheeses, sliced onion, lettuce, tomato and pickles. Then bowl the condiments and use spoons for serving and spreading. Offer two breads - white or wheat hoagie buns. Even taking some time to set out this arrangement for a weeknight meal helps you relax as your prepare the tray and makes a colorful, fun dinner setting that may even spark a conversation. Let everyone make their own hoagie in the kitchen or at the table then, serve the macaroni and cheese (or chili) at the table. A slice of key lime pie or lemon icebox pie provides a tartness to wipe away the remains of the hoagie (and chili) and gives a sweet conclusion to this meal. Use leftovers for hoagie lunches the next day.

Change up a classic sandwich a bit and offer corned beef brisket shredded with Swiss cheese in pita pocket bread. Offer sauerkraut, ground black pepper, mustard, thousand island dressing and an aioli for condiments. Fries, chips or even a small portion of a rice pilaf with pine nuts are great sides for this spicy, flavorful tradition. End your complex sandwich meal with a simple custard, flan or scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Each of these ideas should offer up some inspiration for creating your own sandwich meal from some of your family favorites. Be creative, be adventurous and enjoy!