20 Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Ideas You Haven’t Tried Yet
Updated: Nov. 17, 2023
Go beyond the classic with these creative peanut butter and jelly ideas perfect for kids—and kids at heart.
Turn It into French Toast
Stuff French toast with peanut butter and jelly for a new spin on the sandwich using this easy recipe from Flo Burtnett of Gage, Oklahoma. Its golden-brown edges and melty filling will make you want to make this breakfast dish any time of the day.
Step Up Your Bread
Swap out your everyday whole wheat bread in favor of flavored bread with add-ins like raisins or chocolate chips. If you have time to go homemade, our tasty bread recipes will help get you started.
Layer On the Cream Cheese
Spread on a thin layer of cream cheese. It’s heavenly with the jam, plus every tablespoon of cream cheese is worth an extra 1g of protein.
Add Fresh Fruit
You’ve probably added bananas to your PB&J. But how about blueberries, strawberries (amazing with strawberry jam), apples or even grapes? Give the little ones a chance to build their own sandwich or pack ’em a surprise. This peanut butter and jelly idea makes the perfect lunch for kids.
Drizzle Honey
Looking for lunch ideas for picky eaters? Swirl honey into your peanut butter for a sandwich will be extra-sweet. It’s even better when the honey is warm.
Have Fun with Marshmallow Fluff
The classic “fluffernutter” sandwich pairs PB with cloud-like marshmallow fluff. (You’ll pick up s’more points if you add Nutella, too.) Best part? This is an easy recipe kids can make on their own.
Give It Texture with Breakfast Cereal
Sprinkle on a layer of cereal—like Cocoa Pebbles, Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Honey Nut Cheerios—for extra crunch. (Wait to do this ’til right before you eat!) For the most dedicated cereal fans, we have more cereal recipes to try.
Go Nuts
Add texture and protein to your sandwich with a sprinkling of toasted pecans or slivered almonds. Packed with healthy fats, a few health benefits of almonds include aiding with digestion, lowering cholesterol and promoting healthy cells.
Sprinkle Some Seeds
You can use flax or chia seeds in your upgraded PB&J, too. Healthy ingredients like these allow you to sneak more nutrition into this kid-friendly meal.
Stuff It with Potato Chips
Looking for crunch, but prefer salty over sweet? Just layer crispy potato chips right on top of the peanut butter and enjoy. Yum!
Try a New (Homemade) Jam
While we love the classics, homemade jam lets you customize the flavor (and amount of added sugar) in your PB&J.
Shake It Up with Toasted Coconut
Coconut is the secret to some of our favorite desserts. Let it be the secret to your best-ever peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Give it a quick toast to add flavor and texture to this sammie.
Add Some Cheese
You heard it here first: PB&J&C is the new PB&J. We’d recommend using brie, or even shredded gouda. To take it up a notch, add slices of pear, butter the outside of the sandwich and grill it to golden gooey perfection.
Make It Better with Bacon
Yes, you can go savory with your PB&J creation. A slice or two of crispy bacon pairs perfectly with any peanut butter sandwich. Give it even more sweetness with the addition of jelly.
Kick Up the Spice with Sriracha
Add some heat to this sweet sandwich with sriracha sauce. A drizzle of this will give the PB&J a little kick—just don’t overdo it!
Give Cookie Butter a Try
Replace your regular peanut butter with this delicious, gingerbread-y cookie butter, or add another layer to your sandwich. Either way is pretty tasty!
Add a Layer of Crumbled Cookies
Go beyond cookie butter and try actual cookies. A few crumbled up sandwich cookies, gingersnaps or shortbread are a great way to add crunch, sweetness and flavor.
Surprise Them with Chocolate Chips
If you want your PB&J to serve as more of a dessert than a lunch, add some chocolate chips (or even chocolate syrup) to the sandwich. It’ll hit your sweet tooth, just like these healthy desserts for kids.
Finish It with Flair
You can make your own “Uncrustable” by sealing the edges with a sandwich press, or trimming off the crusts and using a fork to seal the edges. Another favorite school lunch idea is to cut out special shapes with a cookie cutter.
Turn It Into Something Totally New
PB&J doesn’t have to be limited to two slices of bread. Cut your PB&J into fourths and thread each piece through a skewer for one of our most creative peanut butter and jelly recipes.
Originally Published: July 22, 2020
