National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day is celebrated on April 2nd. North Americans traditionally make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast—one slice of bread is spread with peanut butter, and the other with jelly (usually grape), jam, or marmalade. Interestingly, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a favorite food of President George W. Bush.

History

Parents often prepare sandwiches for their children using two slices of bread, peanut butter, and jam or jelly. There is even a well-known abbreviation for this sandwich—PB&J (peanut butter & jelly). PB&J is considered a hearty and easy-to-make dessert sandwich, often prepared by busy parents or independent children. None of the ingredients require thawing or cooking, which greatly simplifies the preparation.

Peanut butter was invented in America in the 1890s. The first published recipe for a sandwich using these two ingredients appeared in 1901 in a Boston culinary magazine.

As peanut butter began to be produced in a more convenient form for spreading on bread, its popularity skyrocketed. During the Great Depression, American families found that it was a nutritious and inexpensive meal.

Peanut butter is a good source of vitamin B, rich in protein, and contains no cholesterol. Today, almost half of the peanut crop in the United States is used to make peanut butter.

It is no surprise that November is celebrated as America’s Peanut Butter Month, and both peanut butter and jelly were included in soldiers’ rations during World War II.

How to Take Part

The most important thing to remember is that this is truly a national food. You can use any jam, but it tastes better if it’s a little sour. A great idea would be to organize a party in honor of this famous sandwich, where all participants bring their own peanut butter and jam dishes. Traditionally, plain white bread is used for this sandwich during the early morning rush, but why not experiment? Everyone can choose any type of bread, and then the group can decide which sandwich is the best.

When is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day in 2025?

National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day is observed on April 2 each year.

Observations