Crunchy peanut butter, a sweet strawberry sauce and some extra fruit sandwiched between two slices of bread make a delicious nostalgic sandwich. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich (or jam in the UK) is an American classic that is quickly becoming popular in the UK too. This is our healthier version of this classic sandwich. All the taste, but extra nutritious!
We have taken this classic sandwich and put a healthier twist on it by making our own chia seed strawberry puree, using wholemeal bread and packing it with some extra fruit. Kids will love this sandwich and you can feel happy that there is a bit of extra nutrition in there too. Simple to make and easy to adapt too.
If you are looking for some other ways to enjoy peanut butter, then why not try our Peanut Butter Banana Muffins, No Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Oat Squares or Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl.
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Ingredients needed
- Peanut butter - You can use your favourite store bought peanut butter (crunchy or smooth - your choice) or why not try making our easy Homemade Peanut Butter.
- Strawberries and blueberries - Instead of jelly (or jam as we call it here), we made a healthier alternative with fresh strawberries. Try to use in season strawberries for the best flavour. We then added some blueberries for a bit of chunky texture too.
- Banana - This helps to make it more filling and also add to the sweetness.
- Honey - This is how we sweetened it. If you wanted to keep it vegan then you could use maple syrup.
- Chia seeds - This helps to give the strawberry puree more of a jam texture as the chia seeds expand when they are in liquid.
- Bread - The choice is yours here. We went with a wholewheat bread to add a bit of extra fibre.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step by step
One: Hull the strawberries and chop them into small chunks.
Two: Put the chopped strawberries and the honey into a pan over a medium heat.
Three: Bring to a simmer and mash down with a wooden spoon. Stir continuously for 6 minutes.
Four: Take off the heat and add the chia seeds.
Five: Mix well and pour into a bowl and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Six: Spread the peanut butter over each slice of bread.
Seven: Add the strawberry jelly.
Eight: Top with fruit and another slice of bread.
Health benefits
Protein is important in our daily diets and peanut butter is delicious and a good source of protein, providing 22.1g per 100g. Make sure that you are using a good quality peanut butter that is made with just peanuts and a little bit of salt. Cheap peanut butter tends to have oil added to it.
We have also made this classic sandwich healthier by making our own chia seed strawberry jam, using wholemeal bread and adding some extra fruit in there for added nutrition. The chia seed jam isn't as overly sweet as traditional jam (jelly), which means lower in sugar and calories and the chia seeds in it add some extra protein. This is a great option for kids that love a PB&J Sandwich.
Variations
We added some blueberries and banana slices, as not only does it give this sandwich a nutrient boost, but some extra texture too. You can get really creative with this sandwich, and add other fruit slices or even some chocolate chips.
Feeling a bit more adventurous? Why not swap the strawberry jam for a savoury version like a chilli jam or bacon jam? This sandwich is also great toasted, as the peanut butter gets a bit melty.
You don't have to use regular bread slices either. You could make this sandwich in a bagel, English muffin or tortilla to mix things up a bit.
Storage
Store: These are best eaten fresh, however if you do want to make them in advance then wrap them in wax paper and put them in a sandwich bag. They will keep in the fridge until the next day.
Freeze: Did you know that you can freeze peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Simply put it in a freezer bag, seal it up and put it in the freezer. It will keep for up to 2 months.
Defrost: You can defrost in in the fridge overnight.
Frequently asked questions
If you use gluten free bread and make sure that there is no cross contamination, then these can be gluten free.
If you swap the honey for maple syrup and make sure the bread is vegan, then this can be a vegan sandwich.
Use toast instead of just bread and then put the sandwich until the grill, or in a sandwich toaster to melt all the ingredients.
More sandwich recipes
If you’ve tried this healthy PB&J sandwich, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Healthy Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Ingredients
- 200 g (1.5 cups) Strawberries
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Runny honey
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) chia seeds
- 8 slice (8 slice) Whole wheat bread
- 4 tablespoon (4 tablespoon) peanut butter
Instructions
- Hull the strawberries and chop them into small chunks.
- Put the chopped strawberries and the honey into a pan over a medium heat.
- Bring to a simmer and mash down with a wooden spoon. Stir continuously for 6 minutes.
- Take off the heat and add the chia seeds.
- Mix well and pour into a bowl and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Spread the peanut butter over each slice of bread.
- Add the strawberry jelly.
- Top with fruit and another slice of bread.
Notes
- Try toasting the bread and then grilling this sandwich to make the peanut butter nice and melty.
- You don't have to use regular bread slices for this sandwich. Try making it with bagels, English muffins or tortillas.
- Mix things up a little by using a savoury jam like chilli or bacon.
- Add extra nutrients with some banana and blueberries, or try some raspberries and cherries instead.
Neha
Yum! Pb and j sandwiches are my all time favorite. Love that you used whole grain bread here, I am tempted to make one for myself now.