Perfect PB+Js

Crunchy, smooth, grape, strawberry, crusts, no-crusts, uncrustable, star shaped, diagonal, vertical... how did we judge eachother in pre-school? PB+J preferences of course!

But in all seriousness, who does not like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?  With the help of http://www.womenshealthmag.com/ , I set researched consumer preferences determined by taste tests and nutritional benefits in order to build the perfect PB+J. 

So let's break it down:

1) Bread



"What hasn't been crammed into this loaf of bread? It's teeming with fiber, protein, and heart-protecting omega-3s."-Women's Health 



2) Peanut Butter



"Tastes like the stuff you remember eating as a kid, but has the addition of the omega-3s EPA and DHA, making it even more heart healthy. "-Women's Health



3) Jam



"This jar is jammed with antioxidants from red grapes, cherries, acai, and pomegranates, but sweetened only by fruit juice, so it has a third less sugar than other brands" -Women's Health

Other ideas:

1st Row: Whole Wheat English Muffin + Maple Almond Butter+ Fig Jam
2nd Row: Rice Cake+ Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter+ Cherry Jam
3rd Row: Whole Wheat Tortilla+ Cinnamon Raisin Peanut Butter+ Black Raspberry Jam
4th Row: Whole Wheat Pita+ Pistachio Butter+ Lingonberry Jam

    

(First three pictures http://www.womenshealthmag.com/)
(All other images http://www.amazon.com/)

Snack Product Review

 

Product: Clif Bar's Crunchy Peanut Butter Bar

Taste: Peanut Butter-y.  Obviously. But in all seriousness, they have a strong oat flavor as well.  The bar is not as sweet as I would have thought.  It is less sweet than commercial peanut butter and has more of a peanut taste.  

Texture: Although they are titled "Crunchy Peanut Butter Bars" these bars are chewy, not crunchy.  There is a little crunch effect from the peanuts, but in general the chew is much more present.

Nutritional Value: 240 calories. 11 g protein.  6 g fat. 41 g carbs (21 g sugar, 5 g fiber). Contains organic soybean and oats. 10% Vit A, 50% Vit C, 25% Calcium, 10% Vit D, 50% Vit E

Where to Buy: Grocery stores, convenience stores, organic super markets. 

Clif Bar Store (12 bars $15.00)

Amazon  (24 bars $22.20)

When to Eat:  A Crunchy Peanut Butter Bar would be ideal right before a workout.  They are high in protein and carbs which will help you power through and sustain energy.  I would not advise eating a bar at night, because it does give you a lot of energy and may prevent you from sleeping. 

Overall Grade: A-

image from www.clifbar.com