No working Mommy should be without a jar of peanut butter in her larder.
When you’ve run out of lunch ideas, even the pickiest eater will usually settle for a thickly spread sandwich featuring PB with or without a partner flavor.
In our community, PB & Jelly (usually Welch’s grape) was the standard offering. My Connecticut relatives preferred honey as the sweetener. Some parents permitted the decadent Fluffernutter. A more exotic variation was Elvis’ famous peanut butter and banana combo.
George Washington Carver popularized peanut butter but refused to take out a patent on it because “he believed food products were all gifts from God.”
Packed with protein, fiber, Vitamin E, and other good stuff, peanuts and their products have a lot going for them. Nutritionists suggest using lower fat peanut butter, fruit spread, rather than jelly, and whole grain bread, to reap the benefits of PB & J while lowering calories, sodium, and fat.
A peanut butter sandwich, a cold glass of milk, and a piece of fruit: quick and easy comfort food with a reassuringly healthful twist. Serve it with pride - or grab one for a quick meal on the run, as you zip through another day as a Working Mom.
Diane - I LOVE peanut butter and can’t live without it! I know so many schools and daycares that are going nut-free now because of nut allergies and although I know it’s necessary, I just have NO idea of what I’d pack for my kids’ lunches! We lived on a PB&J sandwich every afternoon before swim practice for YEARS
My older son is actually one of the reasons peanuts aren’t allowed in his daycare. I was so upset when I learned of his peanut allergy, but we have discovered almond butter, which is a great substitute! I’ve even converted to almond butter because of how good it is
Kate,
I share your enthusiasm, and usually start off my day with peanut butter in some form, spread on a mini-bagel or as part of a nutritional bar.
Kate & Kristen,
I work in a school setting and understand the very real dangers of peanuts for some unlucky students. And alternative nut butters sound like a wonderful substitute.
But, oh, I would miss my PB!
diane
Love the PB&J… New spin on the old stand by and what makes it really fun, use a cookie cutter in all sorts of shapes. How much better a “butterfly” shaped PB&j taste? Changing gears in the land of PB&J!
By the way, I am a slave to habit and eat it EVER morning!
Charise,
Nice idea - I’ll remember it for future grandchildren!
When my daughter was small, she hated the crusts on bread but the nuns at her parochial school refused to let the children waste food. So, of course, I cut the crusts off at home to spare my girl lunchtime tears. Wonder what the Sisters thought of my wastefulness.
My mother taught use to spread the jelly on one slice of bread, PB on the other, then combine them. I’ve seen others spread PB, then swirl jelly on top of it.
How do you construct the perfect PB&J?
diane
Diane Cordells last blog post..EduFreeSpirit
Diane,
My son goes to parochial school and I find that it makes the days when he doesn’t have “hot lunch” look much better when he opens his lunch box. Sister commented on how cute it was of an idea was.
Oh, to the “perfect” PB&J:
1. It’s really about about the bread. Our children are NOT watching their waist line so go all out and buy squishy, mushy, and oh so loaded in carbs bread. Our yummy bread of choice, Potato Bread!
2. Peanut butter or almond butter Load it on on one side.
3. It’s also all in the Jelly! Kid you not. It can make or break a PB&J. The only kind I keep in my house (you can ask around) is Tappist Preserve, Blackberry Seedless Jam. Once you try it, you will never go back…
4. Place the top slice of bread (do not put anything on that slice) and lightly press, as not to let the jelly squish out on the sides.
5. Finally, take your cookie cutter and press down evenly on all edges.
*Important, make sure you go through both slices of bread.
Then just wrap it in a paper towel, so the bread doesn’t go stale and pop it into a zip lock bag.
You son or daughter will make all the other kids GREEN with envy!
I am speechless with delight, drooling with desire. The jam goes on my shopping list for tomorrow.
…and using the cookie cutters would eliminate the crust problem, wouldn’t it
Diane Cordells last blog post..EduFreeSpirit
Diane,
I can’t wait to her your opinion the the jelly/jam… I giggle at how excited I just got out of describing in detail how to construct the perfect PB&J… It is truly the simple things in life that bring a real smile to our faces. Think I may just go make one.
Cheers!
Favorite Peanut Butter sandwhich-
Peanutbutter-and-banana. Best sandwhich ever!! I eat one at the summit of almost every hike I go on! (I don’t do the Elvis thing and fry it, though, bleh)
My Farmer’s Market variant (summertime)-
Fresh bread from local bakery, one scoop vanilla greek yogurt from local dairy, one scoop peanut butter, and seasonal berries.
Favorite use of Peanut Butter as a snack-
Two scoops over hot banana and a dash of cinammon, or combo-ed with honey.
Honey and peanut butter- yum, especially creamed honey- taste so good together! And for some reason, combined, the taste reminds me of fried dough at the county fair.
Favorite varieties of peanut butter:
Teddy’s All Natural Super-Chunk and
Pure N Simple Natural Foods in Glens Falls (theirs is homemade) and
Better N’ Butter (to drizzle over other stuff)
What is it about peanut butter that makes it so fulfilling a food to so many of the women I know??