A sealed crustless sandwich consists of a filling between two layers of crimp-sealed bread, with the crust removed.
Homemade variations are typically square, round, or triangular; the bread can vary, e.g., white or whole wheat; and the sandwiches can be homemade with common crimping techniques similar to pie crust, ravioli, or dumplings using readily available kitchen tools (e.g., a fork, small spoon or curved knife end to crimp the edges). A purpose-designed "cut and crimp" tool can also be used.[1]
Mass-produced varieties vary in shape, are typically individually wrapped, frozen and packaged — and include proprietary brands as well as house brands. They were introduced in 1995 with peanut butter and jelly filling, followed by numerous patent[2] and trademark disputes as well as numerous competitors entering the market.
The sandwiches offer easily-frozen and thawed, ready-to-eat, portable convenience; Ethiopian-born Kamal Mohamed, founder of the Gallant Tiger brand, called sealed sandwiches "the Swiss Army knife of foods".[3] They have appeal across generations and can easily be included in a homemade lunch. In 2018, sealed crustless sandwiches were made available to firemen during the California wildfires.[4][5]