Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches

Now many of you and your ancestors grew up eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. My husband at age 72 still will eat at lunch four days a week P & J. You everyone can relate to this food item. But here is how it all started.

In the early 1900s, peanut butter was a new food that was considered quite elegant. Tearooms in Manhattan, NY served it on crackers with various pairings that included pimento cheese, celery, and watercress. During the 1920s and 1930s, popular peanut butter brands such as Skippy and Peter Pan were introduced along with sliced bread. Peanut butter sandwiches then became a popular food during the Great Depression because they were hearty and affordable. The biggest one factor was having sliced bread available in the stores.

During World War II, peanut butter, jelly, and bread were all on the US military’s ration list, and soldiers reportedly combined the three. The soldiers had sliced bread but back home, sliced bread was not as available due to the war effort. When the soldiers returned home, they continued to eat the PB&J sandwiches with sliced bread now more available, giving rise to the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

They are also prepared as grilled PB & J or in a hollowed-out loaf of bread and then filled with peanut butter, jelly and even bacon. The National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day occurs annually in the United States on April 2.

Photo: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich.

Related FamilyTree.com Blogs:

Ancestral Breakfast Foods

Leftovers in the 1930s

Foods Still Eaten Today

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