From Discount Hoagie Rolls to Family Tradition: A Sandwich Story

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It’s funny how some of the best family traditions start in the most unexpected ways. For my family, it all began one evening in the late 1980s, during the hustle and bustle of life with two working parents and a child (me) too young to trust near a stove. That evening, my mom’s creativity turned a humble package of discounted hoagie rolls into a weekly ritual that still makes me smile today.

Back then, my parents had just started working long hours at Hackbarth Delivery Service. My sister was juggling school and her job at KFC and my mom barely had time to breathe, let alone plan elaborate dinners. She was the queen of one-pot wonders—spaghetti, chili, anything quick and easy. But even those go-to meals can feel like too much after a long day of driving around Pensacola, Mobile, Milton and everywhere else within the vacinity.

One evening, after picking me up from the babysitter, the Jerrells who lived within a quick bike ride from our house, my mom decided we’d swing by Piggly Wiggly to grab something simple for dinner. We weren’t the kind of family to splurge on Stouffer's or TV dinners and pot pies were strictly for lunch when we were sick. As we passed a shopping cart near the bakery, my mom’s eyes landed on a package of hoagie rolls bearing that magical “reduced for quick sale” sticker. And just like that, dinner—and a new tradition—was born.

With the hoagie rolls in our cart, we headed down the aisles in search of inspiration. First stop: chips and soda. My mom grabbed a 3-liter bottle of Piggly Wiggly Grape Soda and a bag of Piggly Wiggly Barbecue Potato Chips. Fancy? Not really—but let me tell you, store-brand snacks hit differently when you’re a kid. I loved them then, and honestly, I still do.

Next, we hit the sandwich meat section. Instead of buying one big pack of bologna or ham, my mom decided to make dinner feel special. She took advantage of an 8-for-$1 deal on Piggly Wiggly’s version of Buddig meats. Turkey, chicken, ham, beef—you name it, we had it. She also bought some bologna and salami with peppercorns because she and I both loved it.

Finally, we needed cheese. My limited knowledge of cheese extended to government cheese, pizza cheese and the individually wrapped singles that were a staple in our fridge. But that night, my mom branched out, snagging sliced mozzarella, Swiss and mild cheddar from a 3-for-$2 sale. Before heading to checkout, we backtracked to the produce section for a head of iceberg lettuce. Total cost? Around $11—a small price for what would become several meals and countless memories.

When we got home, my mom sprang into action. She sliced a fresh tomato from her modest backyard garden—a garden she’d discovered didn’t need watering, thanks to an unexpected quirk of the property. Apparently, our landlord had rerouted the washing machine runoff to the far end of the yard instead of the septic tank, a convenient (if unconventional) surprise for my mom when she planted her garden after we moved in. I can’t vouch for how safe the detergents were for us, but we never gave it much thought. My parents both made it into their 60s, and my sister and I are still thriving, so I’d say it worked out fine. Anyway, with the tomatoes sliced, the lettuce washed and everything laid out on the counter in perfect assembly-line fashion, my mom hit us with the big twist: we had to make our own sandwiches.

Let me tell you, the concept of a DIY sandwich bar for dinner was revolutionary to me. Subway was not in our area, yet and I'd never been to a place that specialized in sandwiches, in fact, I’d never had a sandwich on anything but plain white bread for lunch, let alone for dinner. I grabbed an old melmac plate and started stacking—lettuce, two slices of each cheese, a little of every meat, and a dollop of ketchup (much to my dad’s horror). His exact words were, “Ketchup just ruined that sandwich.” But hey, I liked it, and that’s what mattered.

This quick, thrown-together meal made such a splash that it became a weekly event. Those almost-stale hoagie rolls had officially entered family legend. Looking back, it wasn’t just about the sandwiches—it was about the time spent together, the old scratched up mismatched melamine plates and ridiculous sandwich combinations. My mom’s ability to turn something as simple as discounted hoagie rolls into a family tradition still amazes me.

This is a tradition that I wish I had carried over into adulthood but it seems that Terry and I are all about hot meals at night, though on occasion, if we order dinner from Anthony's Pizza and Pasta near our house, I'll order one of their subs as my entree for the sake of nostalgia.

Do you have a family meal that started as a spur-of-the-moment creation? Or a tradition born from necessity that ended up being the highlight of your week? Share your stories in the comments—I’d love to hear them!And hey, if this tale brought back memories or even made you smile, feel free to pass it along or drop a little something to keep these stories alive. Every hoagie roll counts. 😉


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