I never tried a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Thinking of it, I think I've never even tried peanut butter. While I love peanuts, they just look gross in that creamy form... Is there something else in it, or is it really just mashed peanuts ?

The really pure stuff is just ground peanuts. Generally, the smooth not so good for you stuff also has some additional binders and oils.

I've found that PB tastes surprisingly better when you add molasses. Some companies put the stuff in their PB, but I know for a fact that JIF (what I use) does not. Even if they do, it won't hurt to add more. I just wish black-strap was easier to find (iron).

CORRECTION: Just opened a new jar of the chuncky JIF and noticed that it says "contains 2% or less of molasses"--though, in my defense, it was buried in there [grin]). Sorry, folks. Maybe one of the upcoming posters caught this.

[Edited by - shuma-gorath on March 2, 2009 6:22:48 PM]

peanut butter is a little more than just ground-up peanuts. It typically includes a little extra peanut oil for smoothing it out and a small amount of salt and sugar for taste. Different brands vary quite a bit. I personally can only stand Jif and Peter Pan.

Quote: Original post by capn_midnight
Is there any better cheap lunch than Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches?

As someone who is rather allergic to peanuts, I'm gonna say yes :)

But are we talking nutritional content or tastiness? Or both? Because that would be an interesting question.

This may sound disgusting bit I like it.
I add chicken salad ( the mushy canned kind ) to my PB and Js and add mustard.
It tastes like a chili dog to me.

You make your PB & J sandwiches taste like chili dogs? Why not just eat a chili dog then?

When I want a cheap lunch, I head down to where a few friend's go to school, and eat what they make for parts of their 'experimental cooking' class or whatever. Being family friends with profs at a culinary school has many perks.

Such as being able to help pass or fail people based on taste tests.

Quote: Original post by drakostar

Quote: Original post by capn_midnight
Is there any better cheap lunch than Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches?

As someone who is rather allergic to peanuts, I'm gonna say yes :)

But are we talking nutritional content or tastiness? Or both? Because that would be an interesting question.

actually, that's something I've been discussing with my coworkers. Given certain parameters on nutritional value (which we have yet to determine), what is the cheapest meal one can construct? Now, the nutritional parameters don't have to be all-encompassing, we're just dealing with lunch here, other meals will compensate. I think convenience should also be a key factor.

In that vain, I will present the PB&J as the benchmark from which we may begin to measure. Two slices of bread, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, and 1 tablespoon of jelly. I'm using Martin's Potato Bread, Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, and Smucker's Seedless Black Raspberry Jam (because that is literally what is in my cupboard at work).

Calories            500     25% *Total Fat            18g    28%Cholesterol           0mg    0%Sodium              390mg   16%Total Carbohydrate   50g    14%  Dietary Fiber       6g    27%  Sugars             23gProtein              16gCalcium                     12%Iron                        12%Thiamin                      8%Vitamin E                   15%Riboflavin                   6%Niacin                      24%Folic Acid                   8%* USDA Daily Recommended Value Percentage based on 2000 calorie per day diet

edit: crap, need to come up with a cost. My receipt is in the car, it will have to wait.

Quote: Original post by capn_midnight

Quote: Original post by drakostar

Quote: Original post by capn_midnight
Is there any better cheap lunch than Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches?

As someone who is rather allergic to peanuts, I'm gonna say yes :)

But are we talking nutritional content or tastiness? Or both? Because that would be an interesting question.

actually, that's something I've been discussing with my coworkers. Given certain parameters on nutritional value (which we have yet to determine), what is the cheapest meal one can construct? Now, the nutritional parameters don't have to be all-encompassing, we're just dealing with lunch here, other meals will compensate. I think convenience should also be a key factor.

In that vain, I will present the PB&J as the benchmark from which we may begin to measure. Two slices of bread, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, and 1 tablespoon of jelly. I'm using Martin's Potato Bread, Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, and Smucker's Seedless Black Raspberry Jam (because that is literally what is in my cupboard at work).

Calories            500     25% *Total Fat            18g    28%Cholesterol           0mg    0%Sodium              390mg   16%Total Carbohydrate   50g    14%  Dietary Fiber       6g    27%  Sugars             23gProtein              16gCalcium                     12%Iron                        12%Thiamin                      8%Vitamin E                   15%Riboflavin                   6%Niacin                      24%Folic Acid                   8%* USDA Daily Recommended Value Percentage based on 2000 calorie per day diet

edit: crap, need to come up with a cost. My receipt is in the car, it will have to wait.

I too hate peanuts as Im allergic to nuts.

capn, that sounds like a combinatorial optimization amenable to dynamic programming.