Krista from South Carolina asked if there was conflicting information about freezing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Jan Temple says, “I did my own experiment to test this. I made a total of 6 sandwiches, two of each type listed. All were made with store brand, 100% whole wheat bread. Jelly was also store brand. One sandwich I froze; the other I left at room temperature.”
Assembly methods tested:
- Traditional PBJ with 2 slices of bread, peanut butter on top of one slice, jelly on top of the peanut butter and topped with the second slice of bread.
- Spread both slices of bread with reduced fat margarine, then applied peanut butter to one slice, topped with jelly and the second slice of bread. (In the 50’s, this is how all sandwiches were made – butter on both slices first to prevent any filling from making the bread soggy.)
- Spread both slices with peanut butter and spread jelly in between.
Jan continues, “I then compared the frozen with the room temperature to test for sogginess. My taste panel could NOT detect any sogginess in ANY of the six samples. I conclude that freezing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches works as an effective way to save money on lunch away from home. If both time and money are your motivation, I would recommend method 1. If you have more time and can handle a few more calories, choose method 3. (It takes time to spread peanut butter really thin – especially if you have stored it in the refrigerator! You might try warming briefly in the microwave first to avoid getting two thick layers of peanut butter.) Method 2 works, but today, few of us need the extra fat calories from margarine or butter.”
-pointers by Peggy
food cost, food preparation
assembly, experiment, freezing, jelly, lunch, method, money, peanut butter, time
My sisters, dad and I share a garden spot. We try to coordinate so that we all work in the garden at the same time because it is more fun that way, but with our schedules that doesn’t happen very often. This spring when we were planting, a couple of times someone planted over the top of something that was already in the ground (this is why we had peppers growing in the bean rows). I was determined to have some winter squash, so I planted a whole row of seeds about 3” apart and put milk cartons filled with water every foot to mark the row. To make a long story short, I didn’t thin the plants, so the squash took over a corner of the garden and now we have lots of acorn squash. If you have an abundance of winter squash or pumpkins, here are some helps.
Tips to freeze pumpkin and winter squash
Harvesting and Storing Vine Crops
All about squash with pictures of various varieties and directions for roasting the seeds
-pointers by Peggy
food preparation, recipes, resources
freezing, garden, harvesting, pumpkin, storing, winter squash
Is your garden overflowing? I don’t have many tomatoes yet, but lots of everything else! I know some of my neighbors have been busy canning and freezing beans and other garden goodies. Canning and freezing may or may not save money (depending on how many supplies you have to purchase), but the end result definitely tastes good. Although home food preservation has been done for years, we learn more all the time about how to do it more safely and with better quality results. The ‘way Grandma did it’ may not follow current recommendations. For example,
Did you know you are supposed to add acid (lemon juice or citric acid) to every jar of canned tomatoes to keep them safe?
Did you know you are supposed to follow a tested recipe (not just one you got from a from a friend’s friend) for things like salsa, relish, and—in fact—all home canned items?
Did you know that ‘steam canners’ are not safe, even though you still see them sold in stores?
Did you know there is a new recommendation to leave jars in a pressure canner for 10 minutes after processing and leave jars in a water bath for 5 minutes after processing?
For all the latest info on home food preservation, including delicious tested recipes, check out Food Preservation Resources.
-pointers by Renee
food cost, food preparation, recipes, resources
canning, food preservation, freezing, garden produce, recipes
Early in July I head to my favorite ‘you-pick’ blueberry farm and enjoy those delicious fresh berries! I don’t have the time or space to grow my own berries, so I’m happy others grow them for us to pick. Grocery stores are running specials of under $2.00 a pint; but, at one pick-your-own operation in SE Iowa, they were $2 a quart if you did the picking or $4 a quart if you bought them in the box. I get satisfaction from picking them myself, and knowing they were produced locally is well worth the price I pay.
Blueberries are one of the top fruits nutritionally and are great to eat fresh, or they can be frozen. You do need to rinse them off, but experts disagree whether that needs to be done before or after you freeze them. Frozen berries are great in muffins, salads, smoothies, on cereal, etc. The Spend Smart. Eat Smart. web site has directions for freezing fruits and vegetables.
Look for other pick-your-own opportunities. If you participate in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) projects, you may have the option of picking your own as well.
-pointers from Patty
food cost, food preparation, resources
blueberries, freezing, fruits, locally grown, pick-your-own
Apparently, sandwiches were invented in the 18th century when the Earl of Sandwich asked for his meat to be served between slices of bread, to avoid interrupting a gambling game or getting his cards greasy. If the Earl were alive today he probably would have invented sandwiches so he could eat while driving, or to avoid getting his cell phone dirty!
I love sandwiches because they are so versatile and convenient. Sometimes I make sandwiches ahead and freeze them. It saves time and is a great way to use those bits of leftovers.
Half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a great snack for me. When I have a couple of slices of whole wheat bread at the end of the loaf, I spread a little peanut butter on both sides of the bread and put the jelly in the middle. This assembly method will help reduce sogginess.
Summer is coming! Consider adding frozen sandwiches to a cooler to keep everything colder longer.
University of Nebraska has a useful tip sheet for Freezing Sandwiches.
-pointers by Peggy
food preparation, resources
freezing, peanut butter & jelly, sandwich, snack, summer, whole wheat
