There aren't many kids out there who are anti-peanut butter. It's a household staple in most residences, but it's actually quite rare that we eat it straight up! After the jump you'll find 10 ways we usually "hack" our peanut butter and we're not just talkin' jelly!
We'll assume for a minute that your usual fall back add-ins are a given. The two most popular are usually slices of banana and jam or jelly. While those are great, they aren't much of a surprise. Listed below and pictured above are 10 of our favorites that pack a little more punch. We were missing a few of the items (what do we look like a grocery store?), but we're pretty sure you can guess which ones!
Do you have a favorite or quirky peanut butter and "insert weird item here" combo? Let us know in the comments below!
What You Need
Materials:
Bread of choice
Peanut Butter of choice
1 or more of the ingredients listed below
Knife for spreading
Flavorful Add-Ins
1. Dill Pickles: Hands down our favorite way to enjoy a peanut butter sandwich is with a few slices of cold pickle on it. Yes it's weird. Yes, we're ok with that and yes, we think you'll like it too!
2. Tomatoes: During the summer months when tomatoes are coming out of your garden like... well tomatoes in summer, slice one up and add it to your sandwich. Some prefer the tomato to be salted, though we're purists at heart. Well, purists who like tomato that is.
3. Marshmallows: It doesn't matter if you're a purist and love your marshmallow fluff or you like the little bite size marshmallows themselves, peanut butter and marshmallows has been a long time favorite through many a generation.
4. Onion: Though it might not be a favorite for little kids, peanut butter and onion is a favorite for many. Some like their onions cooked, though most prefer them raw, a nice slice with a bit of salt and pepper nestled between two pieces of bread and a layer of peanut butter? Yes please!!
5. Chocolate Chips: While you can also melt some chips and spread on the chocolate first, we like the hidden surprises of the chips in each bite. It's a sweet treat that keeps our need for dessert at bay.
6. Cheese: Plain old yellow American singles are a great addition, sharper cheeses are great for adults as well. Sometimes we've been known to skip the bread all together and just put our peanut butter right on our cheese... though we fear you might judge us for having said that out loud.
7. Apple Slices: Peanut butter and apples is a common lunch time snack, but not usually found between two pieces of bread. Slice your apple thin so its easily bit through while eating and enjoy a little tart and sweet with your ooey gooey delight! (for a double whammy, add a slice of cheddar on there as well!)
8. Cabbage & Carrots: This one is probably at the top of the weird list when it comes to things most people wouldn't usually think of. A stout cabbage leaf and some julienned carrots (sometimes with a dash of soy sauce) is almost a lettuce wrap and feels slightly Thai in nature. Don't knock it till you've tried it! (for those with a keen eye, the "cabbage" above is really Romaine lettuce... but we figured it was an ok stand in!)
9. Bacon: This combo isn't sure if it's breakfast or lunch, but it's great for a burst of energy and a little out of the ordinary. It sure is tasty though!
10. Raisins: Just like Ants on a Log, we love raisins here too! We're partial to Golden raisins, though you can use whatever you have on hand.
Additional Notes
You can of course use different nut butters for those with allergies or personal preferences. So please try our suggestions with vigor, even if peanuts aren't your bag — just remember, we haven't taste tested pistachio butter and pickles, so we can't suggest it as a tasty treat (though we bet it's swell).
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(Images: Sarah Rae Trover)
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I'm down with:
Marshmallows
Chocolate Chips (also with the apple slices)
Bacon
Raisins
Everything else, I don't know, I think I'm just too much of a traditionalist. Except for bread, I never do white bread. I prefer my bread for my PB&Js to have flavor.
I'm with ErikTheRed
Don't forget peanut butter and banana sandwiches! Mmm, a classic combo.
(Tomatoes, pickles, onion, cabbage and carrots? I'm a brave eater, but the thought of these makes me cringe a bit.)
i can't even describe how close i came to vomming when i put thought into peanut butter and cheese and onion. oh my word...
my MIL always ate pb& pickles, and while i really want to accept that it could be tasty, the thought alone makes me want to vomit... eeek :P
I love peanut butter and pickle sandwiches!!!! I wonder if its a northern thing?... because people here in the south don't eat it and thinks it sounds disgusting. I think its funny that you said cabbage and carrots (sounds like some Asian cuisine...yum!) might be on the top of the weird list but I think the cheese sounds the worst (I have to try it now just to see) and I LOVE peanut butter on weird things (it tastes good on corn-dogs and pop tarts also). But its nice to know I'm not weird because I prefer peanut butter and pickle to just plain old peanut butter and jelly!
@mere1975
I agree, I have TONS of variety in my diet. Indian, Korean, Americana, Venezuelan.
Hell, my favorite sushi restaurant in New York City does a spicy tuna with peanut butter that I LOVE.
There's something about peanut butter and cabbage that just doesn't sound appetizing.
No honest, peanut butter and pickles are great. It's one you just have to try to believe.
OMG... I'm 8 and a half months pregnant, and that PB and pickle sandwich is making my mouth insanely water!!! That's a preggo lady sandwich, through and through! lol
my fav sandwich is a nutty girl: mixed nut butter, whole grain bread, thinly sliced tart green apples, shredded carrots, rasins and cheddar cheese. I never would have thought it would be so good until i tried it, however I am afraid I will just have to take your word on the pb and pickles, it sounds beyond disgusting!
peanut butter and cucumber. mmmm
peanut butter and alfalfa sprouts. delicious
peanut butter and cheezwhiz!
i am allll about these 3 combos :)
I'm going to have to try all of these!
I do love a good pb & pickle! Another combo (mild one too) is peanut butter and honey. Yum. Oh, and one from my childhood, grilled peanut butter. It's just peanut butter between two slices of bread, pan fried like a grilled cheese sandwich with lots of butter. Double yum!
I love a good peanut butter and miracle whip sandwich!
PB and Pickle! Yum. I make mine with toasted bread. And I'm a northerner too, Aripprtn, and now live in the south - they think I'm gross and weird too!
pb & honey, of course!
we love our tomato & pb sandwiches, too - with mayo! yummmmm makes me look forward to summer when the maters are fresh from the garden ;)
My daughter loves peanut butter and Nutella sandwiches. Yum!
PB and bacon bits is pretty good if you don't have real bacon.
PB and cheese sound delicious to me!
PB banana and honey was a childhood staple.
PB and onion is one I'm definitely going to have to try. Might try pickles too.
In my summer camp, we used to go on day hikes with packed lunches. We'd eat hard wheat crackers (like Ryevita), spread with PB & Jelly, topped with raisins and chunks of white cheddar. It was delicious!
I used to add raisins or shredded carrots to my son's pb sandwiches all the time until he stopped liking peanut butter- what 2-yr-old doesn't like peanut butter? My 2-yr-old.
In the summertime, when local berries are fresh, I love to peanut butter with blueberries or sliced strawberries. Peaches and necatarine slices aren't bad either!
I noticed not one person mentioned peanut butter and banana!! Love love LOVE peanut butter and banana!! :o)
Nevermind...Griffin said it. You're right though!!!
Not sure with some of them, but I used to eat peanut butter and butter sandwhiches almost everyday for breakfast when I was in school.
Peanut butter and black olive! I remember seeing my mom make one when I was younger and I thought it was so weird and gross ... then I took a bite. So good! :)
I thought I was the only one who loved PB & pickles! A friend introduced me to it years ago and the other posters are right--it's just something you have to try! The best combination that I have found is sugar-free PB (like Adams) and garlic dill pickles on whole wheat toast. /slaver
When I lived in the Netherlands, PB&J was considered gross. I learned to eat Peanut Butter and Sambal (spicy Asian pepper paste). It's actually delicious and you would be surprised about the cravings you begin to have for another.
@therote OMG my dad (central NY) eats those! They have always made me gag! I tell people about it and they die -- he does the pickle thing, too.
The family story is that my grandparents were depression kids and wouldn't buy Fluff for their kids because it was too expensive. At school though, it was the "cool kid lunch" so they used mayo instead to help my dad/his sister fit in. Dad claims he just got used to it and now likes it (with Miracle Whip though, he swears by it). I'd be happy to debunk this myth now that I see someone else on the planet eats these! :)
I am also a fan of peanut butter and pickles, except I put mustard on them as well. I learned it from my mom and I love the combination. Just peanut butter and mustard is really good too though.
Crunchy PB and Nutella all the way!
My husband like crushed, drained pineapple with his peanut butter. Haven't tried it myself, though.
What about peanut butter and relish?
Mmmmm my two favorites are:
Smooth, creamy peanut butter with thick slices of yellow bell pepper
Crunchy peanut butter with spicy, sour Indian lime pickle.
Both on whole grain bread with seeds. Heaven.
Out of all these crazy foods to eat peanut butter with, I havent seen bologna. Bologna and peanut butter sandwiches are where it's at for real y'all! They're just the best ever. If you're into a little more salty kinda taste put two pieces of bologna on bread and spread peanut butter between the two slices. But if youre lookin for a more sweet taser put a little extra peanut butter with only one slice of bologna. & I'm tellin you they're amazing!!