Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, buy it or make it?

Who doesn’t love a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?  What is the number one sandwich consumed at lunch in the U.S.?  You guessed it, the simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  So simple to make and it can be a pretty healthy addition to your diet.  But many people are buying a ready-made PB&J and not bothering to make their own PB&J sandwiches.  Years ago, a student noted they ate an “Uncrustable” for lunch.  I had no idea what this was so I looked it up.  I was really surprised that she was buying a ready-made peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Even more surprising, this week I read that Smucker’s Uncrustables are now nearly a $1 billion a year business.  So popular that Smucker’s is building their third Uncrustable factory. 

What are Uncrustables?

Smucker’s notes Uncrustables are frozen sandwiches, prep-less, crustless and a day-saver.  These include not just the traditional “sandwiches” made from peanut butter and grape jelly, but also peanut butter and strawberry jam, peanut butter and raspberry spread, chocolate flavored hazelnut spread, peanut butter and honey, just peanut butter, and two flavors on wheat bread.  

What are some ingredients in Uncrustables? 

A visit to the website provides information on the Nutrition Facts label and the ingredient list.  One “sandwich” of Peanut Butter and Jelly provides 210 calories including 32 calories of added sugar.  The ingredient list includes flour, peanut butter, and grape jelly but also:

  • Calcium Peroxide
  • Fully Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils including Rapeseed and Soybean
  • Mono And Diglycerides
  • Citric Acid
  • Potassium Sorbate

Skip all the additives and make your own PB&J sandwich.

I just looked at the jar of peanut butter we have in our pantry.  The ingredient list is: “Dry roasted peanuts, salt”.   No artificial preservatives, no hydrogenated oils. Most nutritionists including this one recommend peanut butter made only from peanuts and salt.  Peanut butter has many health benefits when made from just peanuts.  (See:  What are the health benefits of peanut butter?)  Crazy Richard’s offers a peanut butter certified free of glyphosate residue and offers peanut butter in a glass jar with only one ingredient:  peanuts.   

We didn’t have any grape jelly in our pantry, but we have some Blackcurrant jam from Canada.  Ingredients are:  Blackcurrants, sugar, water.  The jelly is packaged in glass as we try to avoid all the plastics that are now getting in our foods.  (See:  How much plastic are you eating?)  

So much easier, cheaper, and healthier to make your own peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 


In conclusion, while the convenience of ready-made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches like Uncrustables is undeniable, making your own PB&J at home is far healthier, cheaper and a more nutritious option.  With homemade sandwiches, you can control the ingredients and avoid unnecessary additives, preservatives, and sugar.  By choosing natural peanut butter and quality jams or jellies, you ensure your sandwiches are as wholesome and tasty as possible.  Plus, there’s a certain satisfaction in crafting your own meal.  So, next time you crave a PB&J, skip the store-bought option, and make it yourself – it’s worth it! 

 

Sources:  read ,  notes , sandwich , What are the health benefits of peanut butter? , Crazy Richard’s , How much plastic are you eating?  Image Sources:  Uncrustables , Crazy Richard’s

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