Happy Peanut Butter Month!

Did you know that the average American kid eats a 125 foot stack or about 1500 Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches by the time they graduate High School?

Whoever said a hot dog or hamburger was America's favorite food? Maybe the key to bring Baseball back is to serve Peanut Butter sandwiches at the Ballgames!

When reading the statistic on how much Peanut Butter we consume as children, at first I didn't believe it, but then I look at my fiance who eats this stuff like it's going out of style. Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches are his number one, followed by Peanut Butter and lettuce, peanut butter and jelly, and even Peanut Butter and Pickles. Yes Pickles. I didn't believe it either until my mother told me her sister Loves Peanut Butter and Pickle sandwiches as well, along with Peanut Butter and Mayonnaise. (Eww to me) Yet there is my future mother in law that I hear liked to feed the kids Peanut Butter and Butter sandwiches. Very healthy.

On the subject of healthy, peanut butter in fact is good for you, IF you get the peanut butter without all the salt and added sugar. You're best bet is to always head to the Organic aisle. Although so many of us are used to the old fashioned "Jiff" or "Skippy" it's hard to like the Organic taste. ( Keep in mind that the most natural peanut butter would be made with peanuts only ) Peanut Butter was originally created as a meat substitute for people with poor teeth, had a trouble chewing meat, and/or people that couldn't have meat. This product took off as more and more people purchased peanut butter because it was cheaper than meat back in the day and now today the stuff just can't stay on the shelves.

*And YES it's OK to give your dog peanut butter, but ONLY if you feed your dog the organic peanut butter without all the additives (sugar/salt). *

I came across a health website that listed the top 3 healthiest and tastiest all natural peanut butters. The panelists consisted of six people, including one "connoisseur of high-end organic brands", one "daily consumer of Fluffernutter sandwiches" and one sixth-grader.

Results:

#1 Nut ‘N Better Organic: Creamy. Won all three categories of taste, appearance and texture. Made in Canada and unfortunately can only be found on shelves of Costco or under the O Organics label at Safeway.

#2 Smucker’s Natural: Creamy. Won second in all three categories. One of the contestants said that it was a "Great choice for a natural Peanut butter" and another said it had "More of a Peanut butter taste". Smucker's, as we all know, is much more common and can be found at most grocery stores.

#3 Woodstock Farms Organic: Smooth/Salted. Won third in all three categories. Most panelists said this peanut butter was far too "grainy", "thick", and "bitter". Yet there was one other panelist that said it had a "nice sweet taste". The appearance was that of Dijon Mustard. The article did not feature where to purchase this peanut butter.

Other Natural Peanut butters that came close:

-MaraNatha Organic: Creamy & Roasted
-Peanut Butter & Co.: Smooth Operator
-Teddie Old Fashioned: Smooth

Remember, If it doesn't taste like peanuts it's probably not very natural. If it's not very natural, it's not very healthy.

This post is dedicated to my fiance!