Growing in the Kitchen

Spread the Love

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a staple in many children’s lunch boxes. It’s quick, easy and kids love it. Growing up, I was that weirdo that hated peanut butter.  I commonly was the problem friend that came over for a play date but wouldn’t eat the serviced lunch. My parents gave up trying but my friends’ parents continued to push. “Jessi, how can you not like peanut butter, everyone likes peanut butter?”

There are many nutritional benefits to including peanut butter into your diet. Protein is a major one, but also offers a decent amount of dietary fiber. Also boasts some essential vitamins and minerals: Iron, Vitamin E, and Vitamin B3. Iron is important for function of the red blood cells in your body.  Vitamin E is a powerful fat-soluble antioxidant in the body, protecting it from free
radicals. Vitamin B3 aids in the recovery of cell DNA damage. In other words, B3
supports the immune system.

People look at me with their judging eyes when they see me pull my peanut butter
out of the refrigerator. Natural peanut butter or peanut butter without added
sugars or oils should be refrigerated to increase its shelf life. Another sticky task
that comes with natural peanut butter is having to stir the oil back in once it has
separated. It’s not a bad thing, just an annoyance if you don’t have thirty seconds to
stir. Personally, I like to eat my foods in their most natural form without additives
and you should too. Foods are more digestible in their natural form and you don’t
have to worry about preservatives floating around in your body. Peanut butter
should taste like peanuts. If you need it to be sweeter, eat it with whole fruit jelly or
with a piece of fruit.

I’ve grown away from my senseless hatred of peanut butter and now eat it a couple
times a week. My favorite combo is natural peanut butter with Cascadian Farm
blackberry fruit spread on top of a slice of toasted whole wheat bread. If you crave
the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, instead of reaching for a Reeses, try
Newman’s Own Dark Chocolate peanut butter cups.

I just want to apologize to all of my friends’ parents who had to put up with me
during my peanut butter loathing days. Thank you for not letting me go hungry.

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