Make-Ahead (and Freeze) PB and J

OK, more of an idea than a recipe, and you might already know about this. I do this every two weeks and always keep a stack in my freezer, since my husband loves peanut butter and jelly sammies and eats them as snacks. PS, if we ever find out that peanut butter is toxic, he’s a goner – I think he eats at least a jar a week.

Peanut butter and (natural, low sugar) jelly is a GREAT lunch if made on healthy whole wheat bread (shout out to Ezekiel Bread – it’s the BEST). You won’t have to worry about it going bad in your kid’s lunch bag OR making their lunch smell funny. The great thing about freezing them is that by lunch, they are thawed and perfectly fresh. The secret is to put peanut butter on BOTH slices of bread with the jelly in between. The jelly, when frozen, crystallizes on the bread and makes it soggy when it thaws – the peanut butter acts as a barrier.

When a family member recently had a health crisis and needed help in the food dept. for her family, I bought a few loaves of bread, jars of pb, and jelly. I set up an assembly line in my kitchen and cranked out roughly 50 sandwiches. She kept them in her freezer and grabbed three each morning for her kids’ lunches. This took WAY less time to make than a lasagna but served WAY more meals. File the idea away in your brain (or your online brain, pinterest) as there will surely be a time your friends or family could use the help.

Make-Ahead PB and J

Healthy Whole Wheat Bread

Peanut butter – any kind

Jelly – any kind – preferably low sugar or natural

1. Lay out bread and spread BOTH SLICES with peanut butter.

2. Top one slice with jelly.

3. Match sandwiches and place each in a ziplock plastic sandwich bag.

4. Freeze.

Take out the morning of (or the night before) the day you will you partake.

Sandwiches will keep for at least 1 month – they won’t necessarily “go bad” if they’re in there for much longer, but they might seem a little old.