The Great Peanut Butter Question

The lovely, generous and oh so talented Kendra asks:

I have a question about peanut butter. Sunday I was in the store preparing for the back to school crunch and looking for p.b.-reading labels, and such. With the exception of the obvious HFCS there were so many choices-low fat, with sugar, organic, natural, no sugar added-AACK!!!! What do you suggest?

Ahh, peanut butter.  One of my very favorite foods.  For me, I don't worry about anything other than the lack of HFCS and hydrogenated oils.  To ME, and me only, organics aren't a big necessity.  I'm not a big organic buyer for our family.  We can't afford it.  Every family is different, though - Your Mileage May Vary, consult a doctor and all other necessities.  The peanut butter that I buy is the natural stuff - the Trader Joe's brand is good, Smucker's is my husbands favorite, and I love the Peanut Butter company's White Chocolate Dream as a special treat.  Except for the WCD, all peanut butter that we buy is the kind that the oil separates out and has to be stirred back in.  The peanut butter that has to stay in the fridge.

I think peanut butter is a great food - it is a vegetarian form of protein, is cholesterol free and has a relatively high fiber count.  I don't think that sugar is necessary - in fact, now that I'm used to the natural, the other tastes too sweet.

What do you like to eat peanut butter with?

Comments

[karen]

A friend taught me a great trick to keep our natural peanut butter in our cupboard. Every time I use it, I turn it. Upside down one day, right side up another. We don't have to stir it that way and it's not hard from sitting in the fridge.

[Kathy]

Peanut Butter on apples,celery and toasted sprouted grain bread,crackers and graham crackers.Also, read somewhere about a peanut butter dip for vegetables on the Molly Kaetzen(spelling?)web site.

[Kendra]

Thank you!! My personal fave is p.b. with a super crunchy, super sour granny smith apple. My kids go for sandwiches, apples, crackers, toast, waffles, and I just introduced celery. (We'll see if it catches on with the kids...)

I'm off to get some natural P.B.!! (BTW...had breakfast AND walked today-inspite of the heat. Yea for me!)

[Slawebb]

I love peanut butter on noodles, just tine it with a little water add a little soy sauce. I used to have a recipe but really it doesn't matter. the simpler the better. I also like pb on pretty much any veggie, apple

[mary mom to 5]

Thanks, I was wondering this..now I need help with HFCS, I cant find bread without it in there! I found some called Miltons I think at Sam's club but cant go there often, what are some brands? It is SO hard to look and read labels with 5 "helpers". I am with you on organic too, I lean toward it but cant afford total organic!!

[Liz]

Mary-

I'm not sure where you are geographically, but here in AL there's a great bread called Big Sky Bread that has very basic ingredients- no sugar or HFCS. You might want to check out local bakeries, if you have them, or the health food store. In the past I have found an ok sugar free bread at Wal-Mart that worked in a pinch.

Carmen-

I recently discovered the Dark Chocolate Dreams pb myself and OMG! So, so good. I eat it religiously, once a week on Sunday night with some Annie's graham bunnies to dip in it :)

[Anna]

I agree with Kendra, a granny smith is just perfect with PB. Also, I hope you don't hate me... I like PB and bananas on toast. It's about the only way I'll eat a banana.

I MUST have Dark Chocolate PB now. I didn't know they made such a thing. Great. ;)

[oconnellhouse@msn.com]

I buy all natural peanut butter with nothing added - not even salt. When you are eating a PB&J you do not even notice the difference.

[oconnellhouse@msn.com]

Sorry - I was reading through the comment section and bread without HFCS is hard to find but I can normally find at least one loaf of bread with the natural bread or organic bread. You will have to pay more for the bread without HFCS and it won't be a store brand.

[Chris]

I love to buy pb at our local food coop that you grind fresh yourself using the machine they have. They also have a grinder for almond butter, which is just as good. Now that I have gotten away from the sugary pb, I wouldn't go back!

[Denise]

My favorite peanut butter is Smart Balance Omega natural peanut butter, no hydrog oils, no trans fats, no refined sugar. Yumma!!
It is my absolute favorite treat of the day mixed with plain yogurt, a cut-up banana and sprinkled with wheat germ.
Funny, I remember when the pb with HFCS wasn't sweet enough for me...my idea of pb was the middle of a Reese's!!

[Gem]

Kroger brand has a great natural peanut butter, just a little more than their regular PB and cheaper than the name brand that is full of junk. Just peanuts and . . . peanuts.