This morning I had to test a kindergartener, the first one I have tested all year. I thought his lunch started at 10:30, but it actually started at 10, so he missed it. I had him get his lunch and brought him back to my room so he could eat in there. For lunch he had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich I have never had peanut butter and jelly sandwich in my life, but today I wanted one.
Weird, right?
Or is it more weird that I have never had a PB&J sandwich?
When I was in school I was the kid that never brought a sandwich for lunch. And I mean any kind of sandwich, not just PB&J. My mom would pack me soup, Chef Boyardee, cheese and crackers, tuna fish and crackers, salads, cut up vegetables, fruit salad, etc. Pretty much anything other than a sandwich. I still am picky about my sandwiches, but will now at least eat them. Still though, I don't like plain old bread, unless it is a salami and provolone cheese sandwich. That can be eaten on sliced, white bread. All the other sandwiches I eat, however, need to be on some kind of textured bread. I don't like sandwiches that just melt in my mouth. Ugh, just thinking about it grosses me out.
Obviously my issue is with texture. But still, the smell of the PB&J today made me want to try it. Maybe my tastes are changing. My palete has changed a lot in the last 5 years and I eat many more foods than I did when I was younger. I used to equate never having with not liking, but I have finally realized that this is not the case. A part of me is thinking that I have made it this far in life without it, why should I try it now. It makes me unique. But is not having a PB&J sandwich really note worthy? No.
So if I try it, do I go traditional? White bread, creamy peanut butter, and grape jelly? How do you like it?
Some days are harder than others…
5 weeks ago
Oh! I *love* peanut butter and jelly! My favorite is on 12 grain bread, with homemade raspberry jam and creamy Jif. Although, growing up I always had it on white bread with grape Smuckers.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
(and YES it's TOTALLY weird you've never had PB&J!) :)
I was just talking about this with a co-worker the other day! I was the same way growing up. I usually had yogurt in place of the sandwich, but would sometimes have a Chef Boyardee or soup.
ReplyDeleteWhile in law school I started to realize that sandwiches would just be easiest and cheapest. When it comes to sandwiches, I have to have my bread toasted, otherwise, it really doesn't work for me. I have no idea why. I still normally bring a salad for lunch, but every now and then will do sandwiches for the week.
I never had a pb&j until first year of law school. Now I only like it with strawberry jelly, but still, I love it. It's best on toasted bread, but even without toasted bread, it's pretty delicious. Definitely try it! If you're weird about texture though, be careful what jelly/jam you buy. I hate seeds to I go with strawberry jelly, jam has seeds (or it might be the other way around). Just something to look out for.
I might have a solution for you. Toast some nutty whole grain bread. Then spread on the pb and the jelly. I like raspberry best, but strawberry is good too. The pb gets a little melty, and it's not soft gooey bread.
ReplyDeleteAlso - pb and j on a tortilla. That is a fave from my childhood!
you've never had PBJ?? so strange!!
ReplyDeleteI would go for some kind of wheat bread, skippy creamy PB & grape jelly. always grape jelly. :)
I love peanut butter and strawberry jelly on wheat. Actually, I prefer almond butter over peanut butter.
ReplyDeleteAnd while your never having eaten a pb&j was shocking, I was even more shocked that the little boy has to eat lunch at 10 a.m.?!?! For real? What time do they start classes?
Did you drink Strawberry milk as a kid? I was often teased for drinking "pink milk"!
ReplyDeleteI prefer my PB&Js with Smuckers organic reduced fat peanut butter (tastes like the inside of a Reeses peanut butter cup) with Smuckers grape jelly in the sqeeze bottle on gluten free bread.
Hubs prefers his PB&Js with Giant brand creamy peanut butter with Smuckers grape jelly in the squeeze bottle on Fiber One Country White Bread.
You will love it, the PB&J combo is great with plain oats or on top of ice cream or coconut milk ice cream - sooo yummy!
Let us know how it goes!
omg i live for PBJ. Here's how i make mine,
ReplyDeleteI use whole grain/whole wheat bread. Hubs like his toasted but i find that weird. I put peanut butter on both slices of bread - i use the creamy type not the chunky type. Then put jelly on top of one of the slices with peanut butter. This keeps the bread from getting too soggy. I usually grape or strawberry jelly. But i also like preserves too - especially strawberry preserves with small chunks of strawberries in it - omg so good.
I can't believe you've never had a pbj sandwhich! That's madness! But I, like you, often equate not liking with not trying. A lot of foods in the past few years, I've tried and actually enjoyed despite having thought that i wouldn't like them (even though I had never tried them)
Crunchy peanut butter with grape jelly on whole wheat bread-cut diagonally. Make sure that if you're going to take it on-the-go, that you put it in a container, rather than a bag. This is so that it doesn't get smushed. There is nothing more gross, in my opinion, than a smushed pbj.
ReplyDeleteUm, what?! Yes. It is totally weird that you've never had PB&J!
ReplyDeleteI also like mine on a multi-grain bread, with creamy peanut butter and raspberry jam...
i agree with everyone else, you're totally a freak for NEVER having had a PB&J... or maybe "special" is the right word. either way, you're one of a kind girl.
ReplyDeleteand i swear buy honey whole wheat, creamy pb, and concord grape jelly. i go heavier on the pb than the j.
the one thing i would recommend avoiding (besides white bread, so gross) is putting it on potato bread. it's the ONLY kind of sandwich i can say that about.
now I want a pb&j too!
Wow - I'm learning so much about people and their PB&J preferences from this post. People sure are picky about their pb&j! I pretty much like any pb&j, so long as it's fresh. Nothing grosser than a soggy sandwich of any kind!
ReplyDeleteI say try lots of kinds & figure out what you like best. Sort of like Julia Roberts in Runaway Bride when she figures out what kind of eggs she likes. :)
I never took sandwiches either. My mom always packed me the same things you listed. I only like sandwiches if they are fully loaded -- delicious bread, lots of meat, cheese, veggies etc. And those kind of sandwiches do not fare well in the lunch box. I cannot believe that you have never tried a PB&J though! That's unreal. You must try it and let us know what you think. You just made me want to go make one. I prefer whole wheat, crunchy PB and raspberry jelly.
ReplyDeleteI'm french and i LOVE PEANUT BUTTER WITH JAM ! but my favourite is PB with honey : a delight ! but thanks not for lunch only for breakfast ! we don't have same habits !
ReplyDeleteAm I the only one that thought, "Maybe she's pregnant?", when I read this? Cravings...hmmmm :)
ReplyDeleteHahaha, I'm not pregnant!
ReplyDeleteI would NEVER take pb&j in my lunch (and I refused school lunches, so packed all the way through high school) b/c they would get soggy in my lunch. Even now the only time I eat them is if I am craving one on a weekend.
ReplyDeleteIf you are going to have your first ever, I would definitely recommend either Jif or Skippy PB (Peter Pan is gross) and raspberry jelly (but I don't like grape as a general whole). I don't think the bread matters. I don't eat white bread ever, so I don't do my sandwiches on them, and I don't think it would make the sandwich taste any better. Go with whatever you have at home. They are delish, so enjoy it if you do!!!
Definitely weird that you've never had one. Go for white bread, crunchy peanut butter (that's what i like) and whatever kind of jelly...I like strawberry or raspberry personally. The creaminess and jelliness is pretty much amazing.
ReplyDeleteCrazy girl!!
ReplyDeleteI like mine toasted, with strawberry or seedless blackberry jam and creamy pb :)
HAHAAHA you are too cute!
ReplyDeleteI actually had a PB&J for dinner tonight... grocery day is Saturday ;)
I like whole wheat bread, buttered on both sides, then smooth PB on one side (really thick) and jam on the other side.
When I eat it, I always have to eat it with the PB half on the top!
I can't believe it! No PB&J...ever?!? I don't eat them much anymore, but as a kid they were staples in our household. That and bologna sandwiches (ewwwww).
ReplyDeleteI like mine toasted, on wheat, with JIF creamy peanut butter and red raspberry jelly.
My issue with non-toasted PB&J is the texture...sticks to the roof of my mouth!
I didn't have PB&J until college, and then it was on toasted wheat bread which helped me get past the texture issue. I love peanut butter on toasted multi-grain bread with a bit of Nutella, but only once in a while.
ReplyDeleteI was a peanut butter and fluff girl growing up! I had it again for the first time in a while and it reminded me how much I miss it!
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog and I love it. So cute. I was raised in Bethesda, MD (just outside of DC) and now live in Princeton, NJ. :)
ReplyDeleteI had a peanut butter (no jelly) sandwich almost every day in elementary school! I got so tired of it. I do like to have a pb&j every so often though.
ReplyDeletethis is hilarious! never! never a pb and j????? that is what my kids crave every single day at 11:17am!
ReplyDeletesmuckers "simply fruit" strawberry jam
jiff creamy or crunchy peanut butter!
love your blog as well! you've got a new follower!
This is a pretty funny post, although I'm not sure how you managed to be a kid in America and never have a PB&J. I absolutely love crunchy peanut butter, so I would recommend that. Maybe it would also help you with the texture issue. As for bread, anything will do and I always use whole grain, although white seems to be the classic for this kind of thing. If you really wanted to use a textured bread, go ahead. I've had pb&j on a million different kinds of bread and think it's great with all.
ReplyDeleteWow, you sound just like my brother! Except one of the few things he will eat is PB&J, minus the J (my mom tells a funny story where he accidentally ate my cousin's PB&J and then did what Tom Hanks does in Big when he eats the caviar and tries to scrape it off his tongue... haha)
ReplyDeleteI think you should go for it! You only live once, right? I like the classic way the best (although I'm a strawberry jelly girl myself) but any way qualifies as having tried it!