The “Cheap” Lunch My Grandmother Always Made Us, That I Still Make All The Time

Growing up, I spent many lunchtimes at my grandmother’s house, usually perched up at the counter stool watching her make me one of her signature lunches. In my mind, she was the queen of lunches. Yet, looking back, all of the meals I remember having often have three things in common: simple, Southern, and “cheap.” 

Now, decades later, weekday lunches have become the bane of my existence. Not only do I not want a mess that needs cleaning up, but I also don’t want to spend inordinate amounts of money for a semi-healthy, hunger-staving lunch that I have to make myself. Which is why I often find myself turning back to my grandmother’s lunches, which look nothing like the delicate salads and fancy wraps that most folks seem to favor today. 

Perhaps her most controversial—in a child’s mind, anyway—but most delectable in my opinion, was her cream-cheese-olive sandwiches. They consisted of her Southerner-approved cream-cheese-and-olive spread on fluffy white bread, sliced diagonally with the crusts cut off, so that they looked fit for a tea party. All in all, it comes out to under-$5 for a more-than-generous serving that I can enjoy at lunch and later. Thanks, grandma!

Why It’s So Good

Cream Cheese and Olive Spread is a Southern classic. It’s made simply, starting with just two main ingredients: a block of cream cheese and a jar of olives. While that might seem a bit uninspired to first-timers, give it a taste, and you’ll regret ever thinking that. My grandmother’s version typically called just for the addition of generous sprinklings of Lawry’s garlic salt and black pepper—and that’s it. Simple, Southern perfection. Two pieces of sliced bread—or crackers if you prefer—and you’re ready to go.

As an adult, such an easy and cheap lunch is too good to pass up. Hence, why I’ve been whipping it up almost weekly like it’s my job. It never disappoints as lunch on a sandwich or a snack with Ritz crackers and sliced cucumbers. 

How To Prepare It 

Often, I’ll make a batch at the beginning of the week and dole it out as I see fit—as a sandwich one day, with crackers the next. Her recipe was simple for a reason, and it’s easy to keep all the ingredients on hand, particularly because it calls for so few ingredients that stay good for a while. Don't like olives? Use chopped or shaved cucumbers instead!

Cream Cheese and Olive Spread Recipe

• 1 block of cream cheese, softened (cost: around $2)
• 1/2 jar of pimiento-stuffed olives, roughly chopped (cost: around $2 for the serving)
• Worcestershire sauce, a couple dashes
• Garlic salt, as desired
• Black pepper, as desired

Stir all the ingredients together, season to taste, and you're all set.

How To Dress It Up

There are many possible variations of this recipe that still keep it easy, affordable, and make-ahead-friendly. You can add chopped pecans for crunch, or a spoonful of mayonnaise for extra creaminess. You can double the recipe, which my grandmother often did, giving a jar of the extras to a neighbor.

Serve with hot sauce on the side for those who like a kick, which I sometimes favor when eating it with crackers. Sometimes, I'll add chilled smoked salmon (like the affordable Everything Bagel seasoned pack from Trader Joe's) onto the sandwich or crackers for extra protein.

Put simply, it pleases me for a quick lunch, and it almost always pleases a crowd. Except for olive haters–bless their hearts.