Are Americans Weaned on Peanut Butter?

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  • hayleymoran217
    hayleymoran217 Posts: 2 Member
    Peanut butter makes me want to be sick. Even the smell makes me nauseous.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I can't speak for all Americans, but I was and my children were. When I had small children at home our local grocery used to sell peanut butter in reuseable buckets (small buckets like children would use for playing in the sand). We had a lot of those buckets.
  • kristydi
    kristydi Posts: 781 Member
    I like peanut butter, but don't love it. A peanut butter sandwich with strawberry jelly on white bread is totally a comfort food for me though, or a peanut butter and banana sandwich.

    Neither of my kids like peanut butter at all. They'll even spit out peanut butter candy (Reece's etc.) or ice cream. Crazy children. Of could that means I know what to get if I don't want to share.
    Here in the American South peanuts grow beautifully. They are plentiful and cheap. Peanut butter needs no refrigeration so that appeals to mom's making lunch. This being harvest time, peanuts and pumpkins are everywhere. Even better than peanut butter, boiled peanuts fresh from the ground. Yum.


    Love boiled peanuts! I find them a bit similar in taste to the steamed edmame you get in sushi places. Really different from peanut butter.
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  • lyndahh75
    lyndahh75 Posts: 124 Member
    Peanut butter sandwiches were a staple lunch food when I was growing up. It's cheap and yummy.
    At nearly 40- peanut butter gives me heartburn. I just can't handle it anymore.
  • preeJAY
    preeJAY Posts: 46 Member
    I grew up in Canada and the States, but don't really care for peanut butter, nor understand all the love for reese's pieces ;-/

    Boiled peanuts, on the other hand! <3
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    U.S. could be the only country that considers Peanut Butter as a "protein" vs a "fat." Most other countries look at Peanut Butter as a "fat."

    That's not going to stop me from eating my homemade peanut butter cookies <3

    I don't think most Americans think of pb or other foods in terms of macros, other than things like oil and butter.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    suziecue20 wrote: »
    Peanut butter is mentioned in lots of threads and I am wondering why people in US especially love it so much.

    I tried it once years ago and it made me gag. I didn't like the taste or the texture and haven't touched it since.

    Weaned on peanut butter? Are you serious? I just burst into tears reading that title.....

    I'm kidding. :D I LOVE peanut butter because it's so good. That's the only explanation I have. :)
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    My dh and I grew up eating peanut butter. My dd has grown up eating peanut butter.
    We don't eat it every day but it is an inexpensive, accessible, versatile shelf-stable food. We usually have more than one jar in our house because running out of peanut butter would be bad.

    If you don't like peanut butter that is okay. Start talking about the foods you do like.

    I'm going to have a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast now.

  • jmmccotter
    jmmccotter Posts: 4 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    "Funny" thing ... I'm a long distance cyclist, and I have done cycling events in various parts of the world where food is provided. Quite commonly on these events, in places like Canada, Australia, and Europe we're served things like pasta, mashed potatoes topped with cheese, chicken fried rice, perogies, eggs and chips, thick soups, and things like that. Not peanut butter sandwiches. Or if that is an option, it is served up as bread with a number of possible toppings including peanut butter. (Here in Australia, Vegemite will be among the 'number of possible toppings'. :grin: )

    And yet I did one event in the US where the ONLY things they had on offer at one of the rest stops was pre-made peanut butter and jam sandwiches, and a small quantity of apple slices. I asked if I could make my own sandwich with just the bread and jam ... but they told me two things: 1) They had used up all the bread, peanut butter and jam making those sandwiches just for us; and 2) All cyclists like peanut butter.

    "Not when they have an intolerance that results in agonising bloating and digestive issues", I said. That possibility had never occurred to them at all. And the possibility that peanut butter would be the only thing on offer had never occurred to me.

    To their dismay, I ended eating almost all their apple slices (there weren't many) ... and to my dismay, I had to go find something to eat elsewhere at a time of day when practically nothing was open.

    What I find even more shocking than them not realising not everyone can tolerate peanuts, is the thought that everyone likes peanut butter and jam. I doubt it is something anyone non-American thinks it is reasonable to combine these things.

    For real though...it blows my mind that people in this world don't like peanut butter.

  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    My theory is that Americans had peanut butter because they didn't have Marmite/Bovril!

    and thank goodness for that
  • MarziPanda95
    MarziPanda95 Posts: 1,326 Member
    jmmccotter wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    "Funny" thing ... I'm a long distance cyclist, and I have done cycling events in various parts of the world where food is provided. Quite commonly on these events, in places like Canada, Australia, and Europe we're served things like pasta, mashed potatoes topped with cheese, chicken fried rice, perogies, eggs and chips, thick soups, and things like that. Not peanut butter sandwiches. Or if that is an option, it is served up as bread with a number of possible toppings including peanut butter. (Here in Australia, Vegemite will be among the 'number of possible toppings'. :grin: )

    And yet I did one event in the US where the ONLY things they had on offer at one of the rest stops was pre-made peanut butter and jam sandwiches, and a small quantity of apple slices. I asked if I could make my own sandwich with just the bread and jam ... but they told me two things: 1) They had used up all the bread, peanut butter and jam making those sandwiches just for us; and 2) All cyclists like peanut butter.

    "Not when they have an intolerance that results in agonising bloating and digestive issues", I said. That possibility had never occurred to them at all. And the possibility that peanut butter would be the only thing on offer had never occurred to me.

    To their dismay, I ended eating almost all their apple slices (there weren't many) ... and to my dismay, I had to go find something to eat elsewhere at a time of day when practically nothing was open.

    What I find even more shocking than them not realising not everyone can tolerate peanuts, is the thought that everyone likes peanut butter and jam. I doubt it is something anyone non-American thinks it is reasonable to combine these things.

    For real though...it blows my mind that people in this world don't like peanut butter.

    It's so gross tbh :/
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
    edited September 2015
    I have to confess [wait for it] that until about 5 years ago I thought peanuts were real nuts [not legumes] and grew on trees like other nuts...runs and tries to hide :*
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    I too am confused when different people like different things.

    Ha, I think I love you. The need of a like button is going on about a year now...
  • sunandmoons
    sunandmoons Posts: 415 Member
    As an "American" I was never raised eating peanut butter. It does however have quite a bit of protein and it is nutritious in moderation. I do remember having it with celery as a child.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    suziecue20 wrote: »
    I have to confess [wait for it] that until about 5 years ago I thought peanuts were real nuts [not legumes] and grew on trees like other nuts...runs and tries to hide :*

    That's not uncommon, I think. I mean they look and taste like nuts, and they are called peanuts. Hazelnuts technically grow on bushes and I think they are a true nut, though honestly I'm not positive about that.
  • gaelicstorm26
    gaelicstorm26 Posts: 589 Member
    edited September 2015
    I like peanut butter but Nutella is where it's at. I lived in Germany until I was 6 and Nutella was something we always had. Moved to the US and we could find it on the military post but not anywhere else. Now it's everywhere.

    We eat sunbutter and peanut butter in our house. My older son has a severe cross bite that can't be fixed until he is about 8 or 9 (he is 6) and meats are difficult for him to chew. Peanut butter helps me to get a bit more protein into him. My husband and I eat it every Friday for lunch during Lent as we aren't really seafood lovers.

    I consider peanut butter to be a protein and a fat--it's a relatively good source for both, which makes it a great food for young kiddos who have restricted diets.

    I will admit, I'm not peanut butter crazy. It's good and I think it's the best on apples but I can go without it for several months at a clip and not miss it. My mom is a peanut butter freak. I don't like it enough to eat it as a dessert. If I'm having dessert I want rich dark chocolate--and preferably from Europe.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    suziecue20 wrote: »
    I have to confess [wait for it] that until about 5 years ago I thought peanuts were real nuts [not legumes] and grew on trees like other nuts...runs and tries to hide :*

    I just realized peas were legumes (since I finally actually looked up what the definition of a legume was)...
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
    auddii wrote: »
    suziecue20 wrote: »
    I have to confess [wait for it] that until about 5 years ago I thought peanuts were real nuts [not legumes] and grew on trees like other nuts...runs and tries to hide :*

    I just realized peas were legumes (since I finally actually looked up what the definition of a legume was)...

    Lupins are legumes as well - lovely flowers but deadly poisonous if eaten. Bit of random info lol

  • sashayoung72
    sashayoung72 Posts: 441 Member
    I have to stop reading this thread, I had to have peanut butter and It was good, but I still crave it just seeing the words peanut butter over and over
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
    edited September 2015
    I have to stop reading this thread, I had to have peanut butter and It was good, but I still crave it just seeing the words peanut butter over and over

    Sorry!!!
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    I got away from peanut butter after finding out how calorie dense it is when I started this lifestyle. Used to eat multiple spoonfuls at a time. Now after 2 1/2 years I have lost a lot of my sense of hunger and have plenty of days that I find myself very short on calories at the end of the day. I try and eat very close to my goal and peanut butter is now a go to for a few hundred last minute easy, yummy calories.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Nope, not weaned on it.

    I don't actually remember having peanut butter until about 6th or 7th grade. Even then, I only got PB&J when mom ran out of deli meat. I liked peanut butter fine, but never thought it was all that until I was much older and was introduced to buckeyes and Ina Garten's peanut butter frosting.

    Plus, a tablespoon will kill my hunger pangs better and for longer than ~100 cals of anything else I can think of.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Growing up, peanut butter and jelly was kind of an American staple for children for lunch. Probably every American house had some on their shelves. This was before all the nut allergies apparently. At school, to go along with hot lunch, you could have your choice of bread and butter, or bread and peanut butter.

    Strangely enough, I never cared much for peanut butter or peanuts, until I started on MFP. Now I really like it, and don't really understand why, maybe because my body is craving more protein. Never have gotten the urge to eat it with a spoon though......................but, give me nutella and a spoon any day.

    Or fats - that seems to be a thing for me, probably because I eat more leaner meats and fish than I used. I've had the same thing happen with higher fat cheeses.
  • Optimistical1
    Optimistical1 Posts: 210 Member
    What? Are you telling me that peanut butter is not universal? No way! I was under the assumption that even Martians from Mars are addicted to the creamy ooey-gooey goodness. Wow, those who do not live in the U.S. are missing out. Next your going to try and convince me that not everyone eats ketchup on everything......stop the insanity!!!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I hate ketchup too.

    I feel like a bad American. For what it's worth, I really like apple pie and chocolate chip cookies.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I hate ketchup too.

    I feel like a bad American. For what it's worth, I really like apple pie and chocolate chip cookies.

    You were about to be deported...
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    justrollme wrote: »
    As for Cheez Whiz—my opinion is probably very unpopular, I find it revolting in texture and taste. It's like vaguely cheese-laced gooey paste. :confounded:

    Agreed about Cheez Whiz. One of the greatest travesties ever in Philadelphia food culture was the day "wit'" came to mean with Cheez Whiz instead of regular cheese on a cheese steak. It's just so very wrong that a whole generation of people think it's the traditional Philly Cheese Steak cheese.

    As for peanut butter? I love it, though I never liked peanut butter and jelly together. I liked it by itself, and I love it in Asian sauces.

  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    abatonfan wrote: »
    I love peanut butter, but Nutella tastes like liquid sugar to me *gag*.

    Agreed. Way too sweet for me.