- For a good sandwich, the peanut butter should be smooth and easy to spread. One way to achieve this is to store peanut butter at room temperature. Some of the most popular peanut butter brands are Skippy, Jif and Peter Pan. Peanut butters come in two varieties---smooth and crunchy. The smooth texture should have no lumps or chunks of peanuts. Smooth peanut butter is the most popular texture of peanut butter paired up with jelly in a sandwich. Crunchy peanut butter combines smooth peanut butter with chunks of real peanuts---giving the sandwich a rigid texture that packs peanuts with every bite. Peanut butter is generally high in fat, with around 16 grams of fat per serving. Two tablespoons is the recommended serving size for the average diet.
- Jelly is the perfect companion to peanut butter. When combined in a sandwich, jelly adds sweetness to each bite, finished off with the saltiness of the peanut butter. Jelly comes in a variety of flavors. The store-bought varieties of grape and strawberry are the most popular and also a favorite among young children. Smucker's is one of the most renowned jelly brands in the world and a great choice for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Homemade or specialty varieties include orange, raspberry, blueberry, boysenberry, blackberry, apricot, cherry, strawberry and gooseberry. Jelly is made from real fruit juice or crushed berries. Jelly, because of its consistency should be spread on after the peanut butter for proper distribution on the sandwich. Fairly low in calories, most varieties are less than 50 calories per serving. Jelly should be refrigerated after opening to preserve freshness.
- Deciding what bread to make a sandwich with is entirely up to the person eating the sandwich. One of the most popular is white bread, including Wonder Bread and Sunshine Bread. In recent years, whole wheat has become the bread of choice for the health conscience. Bread can be either room temperature or refrigerated. Some prefer the softness of bread at room temperature while others find the peanut butter and jelly easier to spread on refrigerated bread.
- Sandwiches are a versatile style of food and can be served anytime--for breakfast on toast, for lunch at school, casual family dinners or as a midnight snack when the craving hits. Many people, especially children prefer to have crust-less peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The tough crust is often cut or sometimes peeled off and what's left is the soft portion of the sandwich. Tea sandwiches are popular at tea parties and children's birthday parties. Often, the bread is cut into triangles and served to guests.
- There are several variations on the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The most popular way to eat it is by serving on toasted bread---this makes a great breakfast meal. Bananas, cream cheese and honey can also be added to the sandwich, giving it an extra sweet twist. A very decadent way to eat the sandwich is to freeze two slices of bread with peanut butter and jelly in between, dip it in a corn meal batter and then deep fry it until lightly golden. Drizzle chocolate and melted peanut butter on top and serve with whipped cream if desired.
