Peanut Butter & Jelly

24

Replies

  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    Aldi organic and TJ Valencia are my favorite pbs. If you have neither store near you, smuckers natural is good too.
  • JanetMMcC
    JanetMMcC Posts: 410 Member
    I'm among those who doesn't worry too much about what's in the peanut butter. If I have a bit more than 400 calories to spend, I'll make a full-bore PBJ with whole-wheat bread and artificially sweetened fruit jelly/jam. :)

    I'll note, though, that it really is easy to make your own with a food processor and a big jar of roasted (or, if you prefer it, dry roasted) peanuts. I haven't made peanut butter but have made cashew butter. For $12 at Costo, I can get enough cashews to make about 3 or 4 times as much cashew butter as I'd get ready made for $8 a jar.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,189 Member
    I'm thinking that by looking for a 'healthier' brand of PB, you're looking for lower calorie. Thing is, peanuts are high calorie. A brand which is nothing but mushed up nuts will be very high calorie. A brand that has all sorts of additives to bring down the calorie content - well, 'healthier' on that point is a big matter of debate.

    Same with jelly. The more 'natural' it is, the higher in sugar. because fruit, y'know? The lower cal options will have artificial sweetners and some people don't mind them, some do.

    My point being - healthier is a relative term and means different things to different people. I would personally, find the brands that taste the best to me, and make them fit in my day where I could.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    The one good thing about the natural peanut butters is I don't tend to over do it with them, aka eat straight out of the jar with a big ol spoon.. Because they just don't taste as good as the regular kind, no added salt or sugar = bland. The calories are the same, sometimes higher in the natural PB's.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,089 Member
    JaneSnowe wrote: »
    To name a specific brand, Smuckers makes a good one. :)

    Smuckers Natural (ingredients: peanuts, salt) is my go-too PB. Not because I think it's healthier, but because I think it tastes better (more peanut-y). Plus I use it in a lot of dishes where I don't want it to taste sweet.
    JaneSnowe wrote: »
    Oh, and why not try sliced fruit instead of jelly?

    In addition to bananas and apple that other people have mentioned, if I have fresh berries I use those instead of jelly in a PB&"J" (not because I think it makes a big difference to my health, but because it tastes good, and the berries need to be eaten before they go bad, and the jelly will keep indefinitely). (BTW, for any confused Brits, "jelly" in the U.S. means a fruit preserve similar to jam, but made only from the fruit juice and no fruit solids, whereas jam does have fruit solids. We are not putting slices of wiggly dessert between two slices of bread with peanut butter.)
    Nikion901 wrote: »
    Did you ever try this ... grated carrot and peanut butter sandwich on toasted bread? One medium carrot grated on a box graters large holes, piled between two regular sized (small) slices of bread that are toasted and 'buttered' with peanut butter ... tastes good. ....It also comes together fast ... by the time the bread toasts, the carrot gets rinsed and grated.

    This got me thinking that peanut butter might go well with cucumbers and/or bell peppers in a sandwich (maybe open-faced, since it's hard to get cucumbers dry so they won't make the bread mushy) -- I add cucumbers and bell peppers to noodles with spicy peanut butter sauce all the time (for the crunch and color and fiber and vitamins).


    The thing I do not enjoy about most natural, keep 'em in the fridge, stir 'em up before use, peanut butters is they don't add sugar or high fructose corn syrup, and the taste just is not the same to me without that added sugar. I love a good PB&J, so my solution is to have them only on rare occasions then just enjoy the indulgence. You may wish to check out the nutrition info on sunflower seed butters - I find them to be delicious, and they may meet your criteria for healthier.


    I don't keep mine in the fridge, and if it takes more than a quick stir each time you reopen the jar, after the first big stir, you're doing something wrong (mostly, you're not eating your peanut butter fast enough :wink: )

    (Must avoid being snide and saying if you don't like it without added sugar or corn syrup, you really don't like peanut butter, and might as well stick to cookie butter. Because everyone's entitled to their own completely wrong opinions about sugar in peanut butter. :smile: )
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    I'm just here to vote for Jif creamy peanut butter and nix the jelly.
  • melissa6771
    melissa6771 Posts: 894 Member
    I use teddies all natural unsalted peanut butter and polaner all fruit seedless raspberry or strawberry. Yummy.
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    I'm just here to vote for Jif creamy peanut butter and nix the jelly.

    My favorite for 60+ years, except I do like my home made raspberry jam with it. I just eat less of both than used to (no grabbing the jar and a spoon and having a go while watching the tube).
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    I'm just here to vote for Jif creamy crunchy peanut butter and nix the jelly.

    FIFY. :D
  • beatyfamily1
    beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
    You could try peanut butter with strawberry slices or banana slices.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    I'm just here to vote for Jif creamy crunchy peanut butter and nix the jelly.

    FIFY. :D

    This plus add honey...
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    I'm just here to vote for Jif creamy crunchy peanut butter and nix the jelly.

    FIFY. :D

    This plus add honey...
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Quest makes a PB&J protein bar that's delicious!
  • Ws2016
    Ws2016 Posts: 432 Member
    If you add a shake of salt to your PB2, you'll notice a difference in taste. I've gotten away from sandwiches entirely since it's the bread that has all the calories.
  • bebeisfit
    bebeisfit Posts: 951 Member
    Trader joes creamy pb with salt. Peanuts and salt are the only ingredients. My fav! I grew up with Peter Pan brand and now I prefer Trader Joes.

    I also love pb&j sandwiches.. usually now just a half sandwich using 1 T pb.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    Easy to make it yourself and you can control what goes into it to make it less calorie dense.
    However, peanuts are high calorie without anything added so be careful. All nut butters are easy to make.
    I use sugar free jam/jelly. My favorite is Smuckers Blackberry.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    Ws2016 wrote: »
    If you add a shake of salt to your PB2, you'll notice a difference in taste. I've gotten away from sandwiches entirely since it's the bread that has all the calories.

    Aunt Millie's light breads have only 35 calories per slice. A ham sandwich with mustard can be a very low calorie option.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited May 2016
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    Ws2016 wrote: »
    If you add a shake of salt to your PB2, you'll notice a difference in taste. I've gotten away from sandwiches entirely since it's the bread that has all the calories.

    Aunt Millie's light breads have only 35 calories per slice. A ham sandwich with mustard can be a very low calorie option.

    True, but ham & mustard =/= peanut butter & jelly. :)
  • Moxie42
    Moxie42 Posts: 1,400 Member
    I make a half PB&J sandwich out of:
    * 1 slice Trader Joe's sourdough- 120 cals
    * 1 tbsp Trader Joe's unsalted organic peanut butter- 100 cals
    * 1 tbsp Trader Joe's strawberry preserves- 50 cals
    * Total: 270 cals. Add some fruit on the side and you're still under 400 cals. In my opinion, this is reasonably healthy and filling.

    Laura Scudders also makes an all-natural peanut butter. Or I buy unsalted peanuts and throw them in my Vitamix. For jelly, I try to buy jam or preserves that are just fruit and sugar- Stonewell Creek makes some very interesting flavors (though it's more expensive than other brands).

    Again, this is just my personal preference and it's been working for me. Not saying this is the only way a person should eat a PB&J, lol!
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    Ws2016 wrote: »
    If you add a shake of salt to your PB2, you'll notice a difference in taste. I've gotten away from sandwiches entirely since it's the bread that has all the calories.

    Aunt Millie's light breads have only 35 calories per slice. A ham sandwich with mustard can be a very low calorie option.

    True, but ham & mustard =/= peanut butter & jelly. :)

    Not even close.

    But 2 tablespoons of Jif on Aunt Millies for 260 calories = a win.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    Ws2016 wrote: »
    If you add a shake of salt to your PB2, you'll notice a difference in taste. I've gotten away from sandwiches entirely since it's the bread that has all the calories.

    Aunt Millie's light breads have only 35 calories per slice. A ham sandwich with mustard can be a very low calorie option.

    True, but ham & mustard =/= peanut butter & jelly. :)

    Not even close.

    But 2 tablespoons of Jif on Aunt Millies for 260 calories = a win.

    IN!!!
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
    I use CB's Nuts peanut butter.. its organic and the only ingredient is peanuts. Still high in cals as all peanut butter will be (besides the powder which i hate) if you like pb&j then make it fit. I currently am eating a fluffernutter as we speak.
  • melissa6771
    melissa6771 Posts: 894 Member
    fishshark wrote: »
    I use CB's Nuts peanut butter.. its organic and the only ingredient is peanuts. Still high in cals as all peanut butter will be (besides the powder which i hate) if you like pb&j then make it fit. I currently am eating a fluffernutter as we speak.

    Fluffernutter..... Yum. I may have to have one too...
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    edited May 2016
    webbz92 wrote: »
    I've always been fond of Pb & jelly sandwiches. However, since I've been making an effort to eat healthy and eat clean, I'm having a hard time finding healthy options. Ive started making half sandwiches instead of using two slices of bread. I've changed to Daves Killer whole wheat bread. I've tried Pb2, not very fond of the taste, though. So far I haven't found a reasonably healthy peanut butter or jelly. What brands do y'all use? The fewer ingredients the better and preferably no artificial or man made ingredients/ chemicals.

    I just use Jif peanut butter and weigh it so I use the right amount.
    I skip the jelly or jam most of the time and just have a peanut butter sandwich.

    You can make your own nut butters. There are recipes online. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-peanut-butter-recipe.html Looks super easy.
  • Ws2016
    Ws2016 Posts: 432 Member
    @Carlos421 which one has 30? I saw an 80 calorie bread on their website but not one with just 30. Still, 80 is low, so I'll look around for it.

  • OyGeeBiv
    OyGeeBiv Posts: 733 Member
    I like peanut butter on carrots. I never thought to shred the carrots and add them to PB sandwiches, but I may have to try that. I love crunchy food!
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    Ws2016 wrote: »
    @Carlos421 which one has 30? I saw an 80 calorie bread on their website but not one with just 30. Still, 80 is low, so I'll look around for it.

    Hey have a line of "light" breads in wheat, white, potato...35 a slice or 70 for two.

    http://www.auntmillies.com/products/breads/1357
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    I eat peanut butter sandwiches most every day and in perfect health. ;)
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    Ws2016 wrote: »
    If you add a shake of salt to your PB2, you'll notice a difference in taste. I've gotten away from sandwiches entirely since it's the bread that has all the calories.

    Aunt Millie's light breads have only 35 calories per slice. A ham sandwich with mustard can be a very low calorie option.

    True, but ham & mustard =/= peanut butter & jelly. :)

    Not even close.

    But 2 tablespoons of Jif on Aunt Millies for 260 calories = a win.

    @Carlos_421 (and anybody else) - when you have the calories to spare, try peanut butter on a hamburger (I'm not kidding). You'll never want another one without it!
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    Ws2016 wrote: »
    If you add a shake of salt to your PB2, you'll notice a difference in taste. I've gotten away from sandwiches entirely since it's the bread that has all the calories.

    Aunt Millie's light breads have only 35 calories per slice. A ham sandwich with mustard can be a very low calorie option.

    True, but ham & mustard =/= peanut butter & jelly. :)

    Not even close.

    But 2 tablespoons of Jif on Aunt Millies for 260 calories = a win.

    @Carlos_421 (and anybody else) - when you have the calories to spare, try peanut butter on a hamburger (I'm not kidding). You'll never want another one without it!

    Oo I've heard of that but never tried it!
    There's a burger place in Birmingham, AL that has a peanut butter burger.