I pride myself on my willpower; I trust my ability to say no unless I specifically plan for a splurge. There is one indulgence I can’t muster the willingness to bid a long-term farewell to, however. The traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich may not be perfectly nutritious, but damn if it doesn’t own a delicious piece of my heart.
Those elementary school fantasies begin with Smucker’s and Peter Pan slathered across Wonder Bread. I get it; this is a judgment free zone. You didn’t find this blog by searching for “Kapler’s 3 most egregious processed foods,” however. Let’s explore how we can improve your childhood masterpiece. If a healthier version is your aim, you’ve arrived at your desired destination.
Let’s start with the unpleasant but obvious facts. Bread, peanut butter, and jelly are all processed foods. The “A+” rendition of the classic is easy – cut two apples in half from top to bottom and use them as your “bread.” Take the biggest four slices to make two sandwiches. Spread a generous amount of almond butter (natural and organic, featuring two ingredients, almonds and salt) on each apple slice, then top with thin banana slices.
I can end this post right now, correct? I hear the screaming – relax.
I know that using apple slices in place of the bread eliminates this suggestion from consideration as a real PB&J. If the bread is your sticking point, I have an incredibly easy substitute. Take the same ingredients (or even substitute peanut for almond butter) and put them between two slices of this bread. From authoritynutrition.com:
Ezekiel bread is different for several reasons.
Whereas most breads contain added sugar, Ezekiel bread contains none.
It is also made from organic, sprouted whole grains. The sprouting process changes the nutrient composition of the grains significantly.
In contrast to most commercial breads, which consist primarily of refined wheat or pulverized whole wheat, Ezekiel bread contains several different types of grains and legumes:
4 types of cereal grains: Wheat, Millet, Barley and Spelt.
2 types of legumes: Soybeans and Lentils.
All the grains and all the legumes are organically grown and allowed to sprout before they are processed, mixed together and baked to produce the final product.
I can’t award this an A+ food, because we’re still talking about a processed wheat product in the bread. I feel comfortable slapping it with an A-, however, because it’s the best version of bread commercially available. It is, without a doubt, the most nutrient dense but still palatable bread I’ve sampled.
Here’s where I normally sign out, right? Oh, gotcha. You won’t accept my bananas as jelly substitute. You want something that will leave a pretty color streaked across your zip lock in your brown paper bag, don’t you? You romantic, you.
Okay, fair enough. Try this instead. From Crofter’s website:
All eight of our Just Fruit Spreads are made with 100% fruit ingredients using concentrated organic grape juice as a sweetener.
I don’t love the concentrated fruit juice, but not every sandwich has to ace the test. You don’t spank your kid (well, not hard, at least) for bringing home a B plus on his arithmetic exam.
We’ve already discussed what you should look for in your nut butters. There’s no excuse for using the peanut butter in which the second ingredient is sugar (I’m looking at you, Jif). Select the all-natural varieties without trans fats, added sugars, or any other nasty ingredients, and buy organic when possible.
We were onto something as children. A PB&J sandwich is going to supply you with Vitamin E, folate, and niacin. We’re deriving important antioxidants, protecting ourselves from damage to our skin and nervous system and helping prevent cardiovascular disease.[1] This is before we even get into the amount of protein provided by our peanut butter, so we can continue building and repairing muscle tissue.
Here’s your takeaway. We all have our cherished food memories from our childhoods that continue to speak to us today. We don’t have to leave them in the past. Skip the “Uncrustables” and challenge yourself to step your creative game up. It’s certainly possible to upgrade a classic to reflect a healthy lifestyle. Just be prepared for the trade offers at the cafeteria lunch table to start rolling in.
Get your box of milk ready,
Kap
Kevin says
I eat PB& (sugar-free) J pretty regularly for lunch at work. While I realize that they are all processed foods, I find it to be a tasty lunch that also helps me control calorie intake.
Definitely bookmarking those bread and jelly suggestions, those sound great!
Gabe Kapler says
Thanks very much, Kevin.
Chris says
I usually just mix a bowl of almond butter, blueberries, apple & banana. It’s a quick and satisfying snack.
Gabe Kapler says
Good call, Chris.
Karl says
Wow that sounds amazing, gotta try that. I have all but the almond butter, heading to the health store in a few minutes. Thanks for sharing.
Sarai Macedo says
Hi Gabe! You have definitely impressed me with your daily posts and the way you present them; I barely signed up this past weekend! 🙂 Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are definitely a snack that takes me back to my Saturday mornings watching cartoons. Now that I’m in my late twenties, I cannot eat like I used to! 🙁 I love your approach of substituting ingredients to still enjoy a childhood snack but in a different way. I will definitely make a trip this weekend to get these ingredients to make my snacks next week. Thanks again! 🙂
Gabe Kapler says
Hey, Sarai. Welcome to the blog and thanks for joining us. I look forward to hearing how your trip for ingredients goes. Keep us all posted.
Warmly,
Kap
Sarai Macedo says
Hi Kap! I went shopping today for ingredients to make the healthy PB and Js and I truly had fun. I bought raw almond butter and was confused why the oil had separated from the butter itself and then I read that the container said separation was normal. Apples and bananas are a staple at my house so I had them on hand. I made them today and they are super delicious; I don’t miss the bread or the jelly! 🙂 I will see my cousin (who is my work out buddy) tomorrow and will share the news with her regarding these awesome healthy snacks. We are on a mission to be healthier and look better; this idea is perfect to satisfy our craving for a rich snack like PB and J. I will definitely look for other fruits to make this snack with to mix and match. Thanks again!
Karl says
I agree completely with Sarai. I just joined last night and already I am hooked on this blog. Your writing is so enjoyable. You are a great ball player and even better writer. Please keep doing this.
Brian says
I’ve seen the Ezekiel bread in the store, now I’ve got a reason to try it. This all sounds very tasty,
Gabe Kapler says
Let us know what you think, Brian.
kara j says
Ezekial Bread is the best tasting bread of it’s kind. I cannot stand any of the other commercially available breads any more.
Em says
I’m a big fan of putting pb and sugar free jelly in oatmeal.