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)
Hey Lisa, I’m so sorry you feel that way! The entire goal of this series is to help moms make their kids favourite foods just a LITTLE bit healthier, so the child can still enjoy them, and mom can have some peace of mind about what her child is eating. The tips here may feel self explanatory to you, but for others they may not be. Making slight changes to foods also makes them more fun to eat for kids (like a roll up instead of a sandwich). There’s some great recipes in this series that I worked really hard on, and I hope they will be helpful for moms out there!
Hey Lisa thats a pretty rude comment. Why say anything if all you are going to be is cruel. I think young Moms can use all the help they can get. We all know it is not rocket science to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. However She has some creative ideas that she has offered here. I give respect to Mom’s who are willing to go the extra mile to feed their kids well. This article was fun and informative. This Mom cares what her child eats and cares what plates she feeds her baby her food on… And is willing to share that with other Moms and you stomp on her !!!! Shame on you for being cruel to this young woman. You should be ashamed of yourself. As women we should support each other not throw stones. Great article…. Informative and fun. Keep writing and sharing.
Groundbreaking! Tell us how to make cheese and crackers next! Or how to peel a banana!