Different Combinations

I tutor a 7th grader from Bridgewater twice a week just helping him with homework and projects. When I arrived the other day he was having a peanut butter and banana snack. I asked him what he liked about the combination, and simply replied “It’s good.” Shortly after he elaborated a little more and said it was his favorite combination and sometimes he even puts slice of bananas in his sandwich. I went home this weekend and realized it was my sister’s favorite combo too! The fried peanut butter banana sandwich is known as Elvis’s sandwich choice. I thought about more combinations that could be made with peanut butter and discussed it with friends. Instead of the cliché Pb & j combo why not try a new unique concoction. Besides bananas, try honey, bacon, cheese, pickles, marshmallows, chips, crackers, mayo, and fried eggs. (maybe even a little bit of chocolate) I wonder what other combinations can be discovered and created by experimenting with peanut butter.

Nutritious Snack

Is peanut butter good for you? Like most nut butters, peanut butter is high in fat and calories (about 190 calories and 16 grams of fat per 2 tablespoons.) The 190 investment does provide alot of nutrition for every bite. Peanut butter is a great source for protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The following link breaks down the nutrients in peanut butter and shows the importance based on a 2,000 calorie diet... http://www.peanutbutterlovers.com/nutrition/nuttable.html.

Peanut butter contains around 30 percent protein, and is also a worthwhile source of iron, niacin (vitamin B3) and fiber. However it is important to remember that not all brands of peanut butter are equally healthy. In fact, some contain unwanted additives that do more harm than good. So before you buy your next jar, be sure to check the ingredients. Another recent development of peanut butter's importance was released in 2003 when the Food and Drug Administration approved a health claim for peanuts, and other tree nuts. Scientific evidence suggests that eating 1.5 ounces per day as a part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. So all you peanut butter lovers, take care of you heart and eat some peanut butter.

Skippy: Fun facts

Random fun facts about peanut butter…

Did you know that it takes 772 peanuts to make a 16.3 oz jar of peanut butter! That is a ton of peanuts. Also almost 90 million jars of Skippy Peanut Butter are sold annually. Imagine three jars of peanut butter being taken of the shelf every second, that is the amount sold in one year. Who knew peanut butter was so popular. Can you guess the state that produces the most peanut butter? Georgia is the number one peanut producing state followed closely by Texas. In the last year, more than 75% of all American families purchased peanut butter. Apparently, peanut butter is quite a popular food for American families.

New Use for Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is a quick fix solution to bubble gum stuck in your hair. Who would have guessed! I used to have competitions when I was younger with my friends to see who could blow the biggest bubble. Sometimes when the bubble pops the gum can get in your hair and it is stuck. Or ever fallen asleep with gum in your mouth? Before the scissors come out and it is time for a new shorter style grab a handy jar of peanut butter. Simply coat the area with creamy peanut butter and then the gum will magically slid out. If it is a stickier gum situation coat the area with peanut butter and wrap it up in a napkin for about ten minutes. Then using shampoo work it into the gum/peanut butter hair mess, rinse with warm water, and ta-da! No more gum in the hair. Remember this little magic trick next time an unfortunate mishap occurs.

Peanut Butter Lovers

This is for all you peanut butter lovers. For part of my research I have been asking EVERYONE and ANYONE about their thoughts and feelings concerning peanut butter. Most of the students at the after school care I work at say they love peanut butter and have even taught me a song about the food. I have always considered myself a devout fan of peanut butter. I can eat it almost every single day and never grow tired of the gooey sticky substance. However the other day I asked an acquaintance about their love of peanut butter. They said that a person is not a true supporter of peanut butter if they did not load a peanut butter on bread, crackers, etc. According to this person (who will remain unnamed) you can never have enough peanut butter. I beg to differ because I think that there can be such a thing as too much peanut butter. No one likes not being able to talk because the roof of their mouth is stuck due to too much peanut butter. This is a common experience with too much peanut butter. Despite others opinions I know I am a peanut butter lover.

Brief History of Peanut Butter

Where did peanut butter come from? Also referred to as peanut paste, peanut butter has been reinvented over many years. The original peanut butter was found in South America and used by the Incas as a form of paste. The earliest nominee for the invention of peanut butter was Rose Davis from New York. Her son had traveled to Cuba and saw the women grinding peanuts and smearing it on bread. Rose tried to use this practice in her own home. One interesting fact from peanut butter’s past was it was actually used as a vegetarian protein supplement for people with bad teeth. W.K. Kellogg patented one of the first process for making peanut butter but used steamed peanuts instead of roasted (pictured above).

When did peanut butter become what we know it as today? A man named Joseph L. Rosefield developed modern technology to keep the oil from separating. He was able to receive a patent for peanut butter with a shelf life of a year. He was apart of the Swift and Co. that sold “Peter Pan” peanut butter. In 1932 Rosefield left the company and formed his own. He began selling “Skippy” peanut butter. Today walking down the supermarket aisles the numerous amounts of brands of peanut butter can be overwhelming. The best selling peanut butter in the United States is “Jif” however I am a big fan of creamy “Skippy” peanut butter. I guess its personal preference.

The Perfect Peanut Butter Sandwich

Making the perfect peanut butter sandwich is definitely based on personal preference. Do you completely cover one slice of bread from corner to corner with a thick layer of peanut butter? Do you prefer using jelly or fluff with peanut butter or just peanut butter? I have had the experience of having a peanut butter sandwich with too much peanut butter. It made the roof of my mouth stick to my tongue and it was not a pleasant experience. My favorite way to make a peanut sandwich is to toast two slices of bread lightly and then directly after popping up from the toaster smear a little peanut butter on each side. The peanut butter melts onto the bread and is still warm if you eat it right away while the bread has a crunch (with a big glass of chocolate milk!) It is the best. The crunchy vs. creamy debate is a whole other issue and will need further investigation.

Political Peanut Butter

How many times did you bring a Pb and j sandwich to lunch? When my mom made my lunch in elementary school a safe bet was always a peanut butter sandwich. I always enjoyed it and rarely got sick of eating it for lunch. Today bringing a peanut butter sandwich to school is sometimes not as easy. Many children in schools today have a peanut allergy that makes it dangerous to be around any kind of peanut products. I work at an after school care program and one of the kindergarteners informed me that the "big" kids came to eat lunch with them in their classroom. On gym days the kids eat lunch in their classrooms because their cafe and gym are one in the same. I thought that the 4th graders came to help out the kindergarteners during lunch time but it turns out that they have a peanut allergy and could not be in their classroom among their peers who had peanut butter sandwiches. The kindergarten also has students with peanut allergies so on Tuesdays (gym day) the kindergarteners are not allowed to bring in peanut products. This issue was addressed in the beginning of the school year. I asked the teacher about this issue and she elaborated on this issue saying that during regular lunch times the students sit at a separate table and bring along one friend to sit with them. She also stated that no school can advertise "Peanut Free" because peanut oils can be used in bread, cake etc. Unless school specifically knows every ingredient their students, faculty, and staff are eating they cannot say their school is "peanut" free. I am going to research this issue more in future postings.

mMmMm Peanut Butter

It's peanut butter jelly time...or peanut butter and fluff, or peanut butter and bananas! Ever take a minute to think about how many peanut butter combinations can be created? This blog will try to reveal such combinations, interesting facts from my research, as well as provide a deeper look into this delicious food option. In addition I will be looking at the political controversy associated with peanut butter. It can be a sticky mess!