Homemade Uncrustables
Nov 20, 2024
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These homemade uncrustables are so clutch to have in your freezer and so easy to make that you’ll never pick up a box of smucker’s again!
Why I love making homemade uncrustables
Something about crusts on bread just makes my kids’ skin crawl. I bet you can relate.
Since the crusts are going to end up in the trash either way, we might as well take the extra 30 seconds to make a perfectly circular sandwich that kids adore.
I tried lots of combinations, changes, mix-ins, and nutritional boosts, and I’m going to give you some of my favorites here. And it takes no work at all to turn them into uncrustable form with this nifty homemade uncrustable tool!
Plus, when you turn them into an uncrustable they freeze beautifully. That means one less step when you’re assembling lunch boxes on school nights.
Homemade Uncrustables
There’s nothing space age about peanut butter and jelly. You usually just swipe a knife full of peanut butter on one piece of bread and a bit of jelly on the other. But I have some nutrition boosting tips to share that you will love!
I also get questions on how much jelly is okay to use. I find that 2 teaspoons is plenty! You may find that you can use even less, depending on your child’s preferences.
Ingredients Needed
All you need for each sandwich is:
- 2 slices whole wheat bread (or gluten-free bread, if gluten free)
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tsp jelly
- ½-1 tsp ground flax seeds, ground chia seeds, or hemp seeds
If you are making this recipe for a toddler, you may want to use less than 2 tbsp of nut butter so it’s easier for them to chew and swallow!
How to make this recipe
- Use the uncrustable cutter to make circles from each slice of bread, and spread peanut butter evenly on both sides.
- In a small dish, stir together the jelly and ground seeds.
- Spread jelly mixture on one side of the sandwich.
- Put sandwich together, and use uncrustable cutter to seal the edges together!
PB&J Uncrustable FAQs
What is the best bread to use?
I personally like to use Nature’s Own 100% whole wheat bread or Dave’s Killer Bread White Bread Done Right, because my kids won’t eat bread with seeds in it. If your child is more open to different types of bread, there are tons of really good ones!
One thing I love about the Nature’s Own bread is that it’s just the right size for making an uncrustable so there’s not much wasted!
What is the best peanut butter to use?
I am not too concerned with what type of peanut butter you choose! I usually say that the best peanut butter is the type your family will eat. If you have a picky eater, you know what I mean!
Whether you use salted or unsalted peanut butter, if it has oil or no oil, if it has a little bit of added sugar or it’s just peanuts: it doesn’t make too much of a difference since the amount that will be in a serving of the peanut butter in this sandwich is very small.
And no, you don’t need to worry about the additives “adding up” throughout their day. At the most they will get about 1/2 teaspoon of sugar if they’re eating a whole 2 tbsp of peanut butter that has sugar added. That’s really not the end of the world!
If they like the kind that is just peanuts, great, go ahead and get that one. I just don’t want you to feel like it’s a worse option if they’ll only eat skippy or jif. They are still getting the benefits from the peanuts themselves!
Benefits of peanuts
Why do dietitians love recommending peanuts? Here are some of the reasons I love to see peanuts and peanut butter in your kids’ lunches:
- they’re filling, since they contain protein, fiber, and fat
- packed with antioxidants
- heart healthy
What could I use instead of peanut butter?
If your kid isn’t too keen on peanut butter, needs to pack a peanut-free lunch, or just likes something a bit different:
You can use any other type of nut (or seed) butter you like! They all have similar health benefits and nutritional profiles. Almond, cashew, and sunflower seed butter are my other go-to choices.
You can also use cream cheese in place of the nut butter- my son loves that!
If they really only like Nutella (which has 20+g sugar per serving), I recommend trying Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Almond Butter, this Chosen Foods Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, or Brownie Batter Granola Butter, which all have a similar vibe with less sugar.
What is the best jelly/jam to use?
Jelly can often be heavy on the sugar and light on the fruit. Most products on the shelf are loaded with added sugar, so I look for ones that are lower in sugar.
I really like these options:
- Crofter’s Just Fruit Spread
- Blake Hill Preserves Naked Jelly
- Chia Smash (this one has chia seeds in it for an extra fiber boost!)
You can also use mashed banana or mashed berries in place of the jelly/jam. Bananas will brown but it will still be totally safe to eat.
You can use honey in place of jelly as well, but use just a little drizzle because it’s much sweeter (and stickier).
What should I serve with my homemade uncrustable?
Your homemade uncrustable will probably act as the main dish in your child’s lunch. It has a good mix of carbohydrates, fat, and protein.
What you serve on the side will depend on their age and their appetite. For a toddler, I might just serve fruit and a cup of milk on the side. (Or if I’m packing it in a lunch box, I would pack fruit and a cheese stick.)
For an older kid, I would serve it alongside a dairy product like a string cheese or a yogurt, something with fiber- like a fruit or a veggie, and then whatever else your child might like in their lunch- some Hippeas, Harvest Snaps pea crisps, whole wheat crackers, or a Happy Wolf bar are some of our favorites. You can even pack a second sandwich if they have a big appetite at lunch!
Want more lunch ideas? Check out my post with hundreds of school lunch ideas!
What else can go in a homemade uncrustable?
The possibilities are truly endless! Anything you can think of putting into a sandwich can also go into an uncrustable. Some ideas that come to mind are cream cheese and cucumber, deli meat and cheese, or hummus and veggies!
Expert Tips
You can mix in a bunch of different things into your PB&J to boost the nutritional value! I have had success with Tiny Sprouts ground flaxseed, Tiny Sprouts digestion booster (it has an apple cinnamon flavor!), and it would also work with ground chia seeds.
I also tried it with hemp seeds. My kids don’t mind a little bit of hemp seed in their food, but a whole teaspoon would be too much, especially if you have a child that is particular about textures. I would only recommend doing a sprinkle of hemp seeds or whole chia seeds if your child doesn’t mind the texture they add!
If they only like peanut butter (and no jelly), that’s okay! You can add the mix-ins directly into the peanut butter, but you may just want to use a little less PB so it doesn’t turn out too thick and gluey.
It’s also okay to make them without mix-ins! It’s just an easy way to boost the nutrition a bit.
I recommend making a big batch of these to store in the freezer (don’t leave them at room temperature!) to simplify your meal prep and lunch packing. I like to store them in the freezer in these Stasher bags, and then just throw them in my kids’ lunch boxes in the morning before school. They defrost quite quickly. You can also defrost them in the fridge overnight- whatever is easiest!
Other recipes you might like
Easy and Delicious Microwave Baked Oatmeal
Healthy Baked French Toast Sticks
Easy and Delicious Sheet Pan Pancake Recipe
Homemade Uncrustables Recipe
Homemade Uncrustables
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread, whole wheat
- 2 tbsp peanut butter, or other nut/non-nut butter
- 2 tsp jelly, no sugar added
- 1/2-1 tsp ground flax, gorund chia, or hemp seeds
Instructions
- Use the uncrustable cutter to slice bread into rounds. Spread each piece evenly with peanut butter.
- In a small dish, stir together the jelly and ground seeds.
- Spread jelly mixture on one side of the sandwich.
- Put sandwich together, and use uncrustable cutter to seal the edges shut!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. All nutrient values are approximations, as there are natural variations in ingredients and measurements.
