Brynnie is a big fan of her peanut butter and jam sandwiches, and when I make them with just whole grain bread she will still eat them happily. However, I love to make food fun for her while also convincing her to try new things and/or making healthy substitutions. So I've got a way to make PB + J feel fun and new.
If you don't have time to make nut butter and jam from scratch, that is OK! Just make sure you are making healthy choices for you and your family by choosing store bought brands wisely. The best way to avoid additives in foods is to make what you can from scratch, but that isn't always realistic for busy families.
Traditional peanut butter (think Skippy or Jif) is higher in sugar than other nut butters, and contains hydrogenated oils. You'll likely want to opt for almond or other nut/seed butters, or natural peanut butter, if you want to make a healthy substitution there. As for jam, the best way to buy it is straight from the farmer's market! Many lovely ladies sell their preserves there. But if the grocery store is your only option, you'll want to compare one thing - SUGAR. Pick the jam with the lowest amount of sugar per serving. Compare that one to your "usual" brand for a fun shock, if you want!
Below are a few of my favorite healthy/from scratch recipes to make nut butter and jelly at home:
Homemade Almond Butter, from Sally's Baking Addiction
Fancy + Delicious Nut Butters, compiled by The Huffington Post
Raw, Vegan, Sugar Free Raspberry Jam, from Healthy Blender Recipes
Strawberry Jam, from Craftsy
What You Need
1 cup of your favorite fresh berries (or your jam of choice)
Your favorite nut butter (almond, organic peanut, etc.)
Tortillas (you can sometimes find whole grain ones)
Directions
- Place tortilla on a plate and spread preferred nut butter generously over all of it with a knife or silicone spatula.
- Place berries into a bowl and hand mash with a fork until well mashed. Add honey or maple syrup if it is too tart. Spread over tortilla like you did in step 1.
- Roll the tortilla up tightly, beginning from the edge, until it is like a cylinder. Wrap in saran wrap and place in the fridge for about an hour.
- Remove from fridge. Cut into pieces and serve!
I put way too much PB + J in my roll ups. It's a bit of a learning process, but they're gooey and YUMMY, even if they aren't the prettiest.
~ Misty Blue of the Us & Him Blog
Comments (9)
I think it’s very rude to comment this way, totally not necessary. Very immature too. Some people don’t think to change the bread or to use healthier nut butters and other ingredients which is why I love your article Misty and you should continue with posting other great alternatives, ideas and healthier ways to prepare foods in a fun yummy way for your kids and adults too.
First and foremost…. Great article. The photo makes me want to eat that roll up. Second… I never thought of mashing fruit and adding honey… Amazing yet so simple… Thanks. You know your innovative take on a plain old peanut butter and jam sandwich honestly makes me want to see what you can do with crackers and cheese and even a banana. We cant all think of every little twist to things. Sometimes it is refreshing to change it up. Thanks for changing it up. I look forward to reading more creative recipes and ideas from you.
Misty, ignore people’s negative comments. You cannot help that there are miserable individuals with nothing better to do with their time than to put other people down. I myself am not that creative when it comes to food and would just use regular bread. Thanks for the tip!