10 ways to spice up your PBJ

You know all those awesome moms who have a new (usually unpronounceable) veggie for their kids to try each day, and 638 perfectly formulated ways to arrange and serve lunch? Yeah, I’m not one of them (and I know there’s a pretty good chance you aren’t most days, either).

Here’s what I’m interested in–not a million and one new veggies to serve my kids. THEY WILL NOT EAT THEM. I want to know how I can make PBJ a little more appealing. Cause let’s face it, that’s what I have time for, and that’s what they’re going to end up eating anyway.

PBJ WITH A TWIST

1. You’ve cut PBJ in squares, triangles, and strips. But have you tried these fun shapes? OMG. I think the only thing better than how cute they are is how quick they make it to slice. OR, make PBJ pockets with these presses. Crusts are off, gooey interior enclosed… Win-win!
2. Peanut butter and grape jelly, peanut butter and strawberry jelly, peanut butter and… Why not try something new? Add some honey, or Nutella, or mini marshmallows (or marshmallow creme!)… Or rainbow sprinkles for a special treat.
3. Have you ever tried adding something crunchy to PBJ? My kids LOVE it when there are a few crumbled chips or other kinds of snack crackers in between the spreadable layers.
4. For a “healthier” twist, add some slices of banana, strawberry, or whatever fruit you like. This can get a tad messy if your kiddos’ hands are quite small, though.
5. This is one of our faves… Toast the bread first. Or better yet, do GRILLED PBJ. You can either make it like grilled cheese (buttered on the outside, then fried), or french toast (entire PBJ dipped in egg and cinnamon/sugar/vanilla mixture, then fried).
6. Go European and make a double-decker for bigger kids. After the first sandwich is composed, slather another slice of bread and stick it on top. (If you’ve got an even bigger eater, challenge them to an additional layer!)

7. Instead of using bread, make mini-PBJs on crackers. Or just use a different type of bread… Pretzel rolls, pita, etc. You can even skip the jelly altogether and just spread your PB on cinnamon raisin bread. Toast it beforehand for added YUM. (It’s ok if you steal an extra for yourself, I won’t tell.)
8. If you have a spicy food fanatic, try switching out the jelly for salsa! It might sound gross, but it can actually be a really interesting twist on the typically “boring” PBJ… Go with something sweet like a mango salsa, or salty like our very own Longhorn Texas Salsa.
9. Don’t slice it, ROLL it. Spread your PBJ thin on one slice at a time and roll it up! Hand it directly to the child, or if they’re a bit older, get a little fancy and add a fun pirate sword or frilly flag toothpick.
10. My kids always end up taking their sandwiches apart, anyway–so why not just make an open-faced PBJ? Spread the PB on and use a squirt condiment bottle to doodle faces or other fun things with the jelly (or decorate with any other fun toppings, for that matter!). Take it a step further and make a PBJ bar by putting peanut butter, jelly, and any other toppings in dishes for kids to dip their bread, fruit, pretzels, etc.

What other fun ways do you serve PBJ? Tell us over on our Facebook page! For more mealtime tips, check out these Meal Hacks for Thrifty Moms.