National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day celebrates the most popular sandwich in America! It doesn’t matter whether you like grape, strawberry, orange marmalade, blackberry, or any other form of jelly, the best compliment to them is the amazing and delectable peanut butter!
- 14th Century – Peanut Butter was invented by the Aztecs, who ground roasted peanuts into a rich nutritious paste.
- 1896 – In an article published in the Good Housekeeping magazine, a recipe “urged homemakers to use a meat grinder to make peanut butter and spread the result on bread.”
- 1900s – Peanut butter was considered a delicacy in the early 1900s and was only served in New York City’s finest tea rooms.
- 1901 – Home economist Julia Davis Chandler publishes a recipe for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the “Boston Cooking School Magazine of Culinary Science and Domestic Economics.”
- 1904 – Peanut butter was first introduced to the USA in 1904 at the Universal Exposition in St. Louis by C.H. Sumner, who sold $705.11 of the “new treat” at his concession stand.
- 1920s – The price of peanut butter declined, and the sandwich became very popular with children.
- 1928 – The introduction of pre-sliced bread in 1928 made it easier for children to prepare their own sandwiches, contributing to the widespread adoption of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches during the Great Depression.
- 1940s – U.S. soldiers received peanut butter and jelly in their rations during World War II. The returning G.I.s helped popularize the sandwich.
- 1968 – The J.M. Smucker Co. releases Goober Grape, a pre-swirled peanut butter and jelly combination in a jar.
- 1998 – Smuckers Patents “Uncrustables” Crimped PB&J Sandwiches. Another leap in premade sandwich technology by Smuckers.
- 2000 – President George W. Bush’s says it’s his favorite sandwich. In 2000, he admitted to Oprah that he loved them and then jumped up and down on her couch.
- 2006 – This dancing banana meme has since received 29 million views on YouTube, and in 2019, experienced a revival of popularity when it was turned into a character in the popular video game “Fortnite.”
- 2007 – PB&Js are a league-wide locker room staple in the NBA, with each team having its own tradition.
- 2015 – the restaurant chain Which Wich set a Guinness World Record by making 39,303 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in one hour.
- 2016 – A survey by Peter Pan found that Americans will eat an average of 2,984 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which works out to about three a month for roughly 83 years. Stack all of those sandwiches up and they’d be taller than the Statue of Liberty.
- 2019 – Forty-nine percent of those surveyed by Peanut Butter & Co. reported that they like their peanut butter smooth, while 29% prefer crunchy and 20% will happily eat both.
- 2024 – M&M’s introduced a new peanut butter and jelly flavor, combining a berry-flavored outer shell with a smooth peanut butter center, aiming to evoke the classic sandwich experience.
- Studies show that there is a 75% chance that if you drop a slice of peanut-buttered bread, it will fall face down.
- 96% of people put peanut butter on before jelly.
- If you slather your PB&J with crunchy peanut butter, you’re in the minority.
- Personality-wise, Team Smooth is more introverted than Team Crunchy, according to the survey, as well as more punctual.
- 50 percent of all the peanuts grown around the world are used to make peanut butter.
- It is estimated the average American schoolchild will have munched through 1500 Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches before they turn 18.
- An 18-ounce jar of peanut butter will contain about 850 peanuts.
- By law, any product labeled “peanut butter” in the United States must be at least 90 percent peanuts.
- PB&J lovers recommend spreading peanut butter on both sides of the bread to prevent it from getting soggy.
- An acre of peanuts can produce enough peanuts to make approximately 35,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
- 94% of Americans have at least one jar of peanut butter at home so a PB&J is always at the ready.
- Arachibutyrophobia is a documented fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. Symptoms can include heart palpitations, nausea, sweating, tremors, and a “strong fight-or-flight response,” according to Healthline.
- 1,500 – the average number of PB&J sandwiches an American will eat before turning 18.
- 27% – the percentage of daily required fat in a PB&J sandwich.
- 22% – the percentage of daily required calories in a PB&J sandwich.
- 90% – the percentage by which a PB&J is more economical than a sandwich made with almond butter.
- 94% – the percentage of Americans who have at least one jar of peanut butter at home.
- 3,000 – the number of PB&J sandwiches that are eaten by an individual during their lifetime.
- 29% – the percentage of people who prefer crunchy peanut butter.
Sources:
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
