My mom recently had the flu. While recovering, one of the things he wanted most was a grilled cheese sandwich. I know my own kids often order grilled cheese sandwiches when we go out to diner at dinners. And almost every restaurant has grilled cheese sandwiches on the kids’ menu.

I have many ideas for spicing up your typical grilled cheese sandwich:

oAdd a slice of meat to your sandwich. Very often we add turkey. Other people will add a slice of ham or a slice of mortadella. You can also add already cooked bacon or any other lunch meat. If you have a leftover slice of meatloaf, add it to your grilled cheese sandwich.

o Vary the types of cheese you use. Add a slice of Swiss cheese and a slice of cheddar cheese. Each cheese has its own distinctive flavor. You can also experiment with low-fat and fat-free cheeses. Use one slice of regular cheese and two slices of fat-free cheese. If you like spices, try some of the tangy cheeses. My daughter loves Monterey jalapeño jack cheese. We have also bought havarti cheese flavored with dill. Each of these cheeses adds a wonderful flavor to the sandwich.

oAdd sliced ​​tomatoes and other vegetables before grilling. I love putting turkey and tomato on my sandwiches. You can also add sliced ​​mushrooms and sliced ​​onions.

oAdd mustard to the sandwich before grilling. Mustards add a wonderful spicy flavor. Try different flavors of mustard.

oKids love dipping grilled cheese sandwiches with ranch dressing and ketchup.

o Add some salsa and a slice of onion for a wonderful Mexican flavor.

o For children, add French fries to the inside of the sandwich. My kids loved the crunch inside their sandwich. Try the barbecue fries too for a spicy flavor inside the sandwich.

o Vary the bread you use. Rye bread tastes very different from sourdough bread. Try toasting an English muffin. Then add the cheese and tomato and put them under the broiler. This is a wonderful variation on grilled cheese.

Next time you want a grilled cheese sandwich, try some of these great meal ideas.