When I was a kid, I didn’t eat peanut butter and jelly (PB&J) as often as other folks. I liked it of course, but sandwiches in general were too much work. I much preferred a bowl of cereal or a handful of Oreos. The only time I really inhaled the PB&J was at the annual beach vacation. I’d go swimming in the ocean and come back in for a PB&J. Back then it was all about the Jif Creamy and Smucker’s grape jelly and the whitest bread I could find.
But my tastes evolved. As I got older and had to start buying my own food I started searching for the healthiest food I could find at the cheapest price. Many frugal people and cheapasses alike have dealt with this problem. When I entered the workforce and finally had a stable schedule it made sense for me to start packing a lunch every day. The sandwich immediately became a staple.
But what kind of sandwich would give me maximum protein/fiber/flavor for the cheapest possible price? Ham or turkey were great options and remain important in my diet, but even sandwich meat is expensive in my world. Peanut butter rocks in the world of protein but it’s also high in the bad fats and sugar. Plus, white bread is doing no one any favors. The bread was remedied quickly by switching to 100% (that’s key) whole grain wheat bread. Not only does it have more fiber than white bread, it has more protein too.
But what to put in the bread? It’s fairly obvious by the title what I came back to. It was thanks to Smuckers once again that I turned back to PB&J. See they have this stuff called All Natural Peanut Butter. It’s literally just peanuts and salt, that’s it. You’ve see it in the grocery store, it’s that stuff with the oil sitting on top that you stir in. It’s some healthy stuff! If you’ve never had it before you’ll be in for a surprise over the standard regular peanut butter. The flavors are very different. But go ahead and buy a jar of it, by the time you get to the bottom you’ll be a convert.
But what about the jelly? Grape jelly has high fructose corn syrup and all sorts of add-ins that aren’t good for you. Smucker’s has me covered there too. It’s called Spreadable Fruit. The all natural peanut butter, spreadable fruit, and 100% (remember, key) whole wheat bread make for a powerhouse sandwich that tastes great! I eat it for lunch, as a snack, and even sometimes as a dessert. It’s the great taste that WILL fill me up but never let me down.
But wait. Spreadable fruit, all natural peanut butter, and 100% whole wheat bread add up to be a very expensive PB&J. That’s true. Altogether, it probably costs twice as much as the PB&J I used to eat after a swim in the ocean. But, it’s still cheaper than turkey or ham, and healthier than the old PB&J. I love my new rich-boy PB&J. Check out my meal as it was prepared just last night.
PS, the jelly here is preserves which is a step down from spreadable fruit, they were out of the spreadable fruit on my last trip to the store. I’m stocking up today. Oh, and don’t worry about my dropping Jif in favor of Smucker’s. They’re brands owned by the same company so it’s all in the family. Finally, if you happen to be a “peanut butter jelly time” person, I’ve included the video.
 By The Weakonomist |
The Weakonomist is the founder of Weakonomics. Clicking the picture of the puppy will tell you more about him. If you like what you're reading consider subscribing to the blog, following him on Twitter, and checking out the related posts below. Please consider a donation if you really enjoy Weakonomics. Also keep in mind that nothing I say can be construed as financial advice. |
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