National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day
This food holiday is a classic favorite of many.
National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day is celebrated annually on 2 April.
The average American will have eaten over 2,000 peanut butter and jelly (jam) sandwiches by the time they graduate from high school.
Peanut butter was considered a delicacy in the early 1900s and was only served in New York City’s finest tea rooms.
In a May 1896 article published in the Good Housekeeping magazine, a recipe “urged homemakers to use a meat grinder to make peanut butter and spread the result on bread”.
That same year, in June, the culinary magazine Table Talk, published a ‘peanut butter sandwich recipe’.
It is thought to be that the first reference of peanut butter paired with jelly on bread, to be published in the United States, was by Julia Davis Chandler in 1901.
In the late 1920s the price of peanut butter declined and the sandwich became very popular with children.
According to the Peanut Board, during World War II, both peanut butter and jelly were part of the United States soldiers military ration list.
In 1998, The JM Smucker Company introduced Goober, a jarred product which combined alternating vertical stripes of peanut butter and jelly.
It may be a good day to try something ‘outside the box’ to celebrate National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day today. Why not try make:
* Peanut butter and jelly cupcakes
* Peanut butter and jelly french toast
* Peanut butter and jelly pie
* Peanut butter and jelly sushi
* Peanut butter and jelly cookies
* Peanut butter and jelly donuts
* Peanut butter and jelly pancakes
* Peanut butter and jelly fudge
