Find new ways with peanut butter this January 24th…

A spread that can be both sweet and savoury, smooth or crunchy, peanut butter is a condiment worth celebrating. That’s why we felt we had to pay homage to National Peanut Butter Day. After all, we wouldn’t be able to make our award-winning Peanut Butter Chocolate Selector without it.

Whilst peanut butter may be a household name, you may be less familiar with National Peanut Butter Day. However, if you’re nutty about peanuts, you should mark this date on your calendar! We’ve got the latest scoop on this moreish spread, so that you can learn everything there is to know about National Peanut Butter Day.

What is national peanut butter day?

Luckily, National Peanut Day comes around just in time to lift those January blues. The national date for peanut butter day is January 24. This special day aims to celebrate all things peanut butter, from simple peanut butter and jam sandwich to an indulgent peanut butter chocolate bar.

Nowadays, peanut butter is a standard household cupboard condiment. Whilst we think of it as a smooth – or crunchy – thick spread, with a moreish and slightly salty peanut flavour profile, peanut butter once took a very different form.

Where did peanut butter come from?

The peanut plant originated in South America and, as early as 1500 B.C., Mesoamericans ground the nut with maize to make a sort of nutty drink. Whilst the overall flavour and texture of this concoction may look different to the thick spread we know and love today, it did mark the birth of the beloved peanut butter.

However, it wasn’t until the late 19th century that peanut butter became a commercial item. In 1895, Joseph Lambert and Dr Kellogg (the cereal star) invented the first modern-day version of peanut butter in America. Originally, the two men developed peanut butter because elderly citizens needed a protein substitute that they could chew easily. 

Soon, the phenomenon of peanut butter began to spread. By 1903, Dr. George Washington Carver developed over 300 different uses for peanut butter. To this day, he is still known as the father of the peanut industry. It didn’t take long for businesses to realise that they could make more than peanuts by manufacturing peanut butter – 1914, peanut butter production was in full swing across America.

Eventually, peanut butter made its way into the UK, and now it seems like we can’t get enough of it, spending roughly £50 million on it each year.

How do you celebrate National Peanut Butter Day

Your first response to celebrating National Peanut Butter Day may be to assume that sitting down with a jar of peanut butter and a spoon is the most apt way to celebrate it. However, there are much more interesting and unique ways to celebrate peanut butter; whilst we love peanut butter, the thought of eating a whole jarful on its own makes us feel slightly queasy.

Breakfast

Instead, why not think about how you can incorporate peanut butter into every aspect of your meal? Peanut butter on toast is an obvious choice for breakfast, but if you want to get a bit more creative then try stirring a heaped teaspoon into your porridge before topping it with fruits and seeds of your choice. Blending it in a smoothie is also a great way to get your peanut butter fix and it also adds a lusciously smooth and thick texture.

Lunch and Dinner

For lunch or dinner, think about how you can incorporate the delicious nuttiness of peanut butter into a stew or curry. Peanut butter is a common ingredient in many South East Asian recipes and so you might find that you pick up a few culinary skills along the way. For a lighter option, a simple Vietnamese peanut butter dip is incredibly easy to whip up, and acts as a wonderful accompaniment alongside raw veggies.

Sweet treats

When it comes to desserts, get as creative as possible: celebrate National Peanut Butter Day by being bold and adventurous with your sweet peanut butter combos. Whip up a bacon and peanut butter cheesecake, bake into cookies, add into a classic banoffee pie or have a go at making your very own peanut butter chocolates (we stuffed whole peanuts into a 40% milk chocolate slab for ours).

How much is too much peanut butter?

We might think of peanut butter as the perfect solution to healthy eating but, like everything, it, unfortunately, must be enjoyed in moderation. Although peanuts are full of protein, are a good source of fibre and rich in multiple minerals and vitamins, it’s important to remember that they are high in fat and also high in calories. 

A 100g portion of peanut butter contains roughly 588 calories – and that’s the organic, no-sugar no-salt kind. These are healthy fats, and therefore you shouldn’t avoid them too much. After all, our body needs these fats for us to have a healthy system. Nevertheless, this does show that we should only enjoy peanut butter in moderate amounts. Whilst the natural stuff is considered healthy food, eating half a jar of it each day may mean you see a difference in your weight. 

That’s not to say you should deprive yourself of peanut butter. Remember, nuts have endless health benefits and their high protein content leaves you feeling fuller for longer, meaning you’re less likely to snack on other foods throughout the day. One or two tablespoons of peanut butter should be enough to satisfy your peanut craving.

Of course, as it’s National Peanut Butter Day, we’re willing to bend the rules (just for you). For this national holiday, treat yourself by eating as much peanut butter as you desire – we promise we won’t tell!

Can vegans eat peanut butter?

The simple answer is – yes! Most peanut butters are vegan as they include just peanuts, oil and a sprinkle of salt. Look for peanut butters which have no additives or hidden ingredients in; natural always tastes better, anyway.

Of course, you could always make your own peanut butter to ensure your jar is completely free from any contamination. Simply dry roast peanuts and blend in a food processor once cool, adding additional oil for a thinner consistency.

You can also use peanut butter as a flavour in many vegan recipes. It imparts a richness to curries and you can use it as an alternative to cream or yogurt. It also goes beautifully with dark chocolate, making peanut butter a useful ally for vegans who like to cook both sweet and savoury foods.

Peanut butter and chocolate

We can’t help but be biased here. For us, peanut butter and chocolate is simply the best combination when it comes to peanut butter. We think we’ve got it just right in our Peanut Butter Chocolate Selector, which boasts smooth peanut butter in 50% milk chocolate. For the crunchy peanut butter lovers, our Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar contains whole peanuts for that nibbly bite.

Celebrate this National Peanut Butter Day the right way. Be daring with your peanut butter flavour combinations and find new ways to enjoy it: who knows, maybe you could invent the next sensational peanut butter invention…