School has officially started here for us in Colorado! With the kids back in school I have been dreaming up ways to provide delicious lunch box meals and even afternoon snacks. Our Peanut Butter and Jelly Banana Bagel Bites are not only delish, but perfect for their lunch boxes.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.
I don’t generally share a lot of photos of my son, Mikael on my blog, or even on social media for that matter. Not because I don’t want to, but because Mikael dislikes having his photo taken. Mikael is autistic and has little quirks, but one thing he absolutely adores is his little sister Madison.
See, Madison was born when Mikael was 8 years of age, and after being the baby for quite some time, it was an adjustment for him. We were concerned that because of the age difference that he would not appreciate having a little sister or even come to resent not being the “baby” anymore. Au contraire. He couldn’t have been happier! Now while Madison loves all of her siblings, Mikael is by far her favorite. He was patient enough to teach her how to ride her bike, helps put her helmet on, and would play games with her when the others “had no time.”. Their brotherly and sisterly love has no bounds! And neither does their love for Jif Creamy Peanut Butter and Smucker’s Strawberry Jam.
Over the summer, I saw their love for each other grow in leaps and bounds, and this recipe idea was one that Mikael actually came up with after having fun creating recipes with Smucker’s this summer during National Ice Cream Month. It’s also fun seeing them come together after a long day of school and working together to make these PB&J bagel bites, while catching up on what they did at school that day. It’s the one time you can find Mikael truly articulating, and of course, Madison has to have her input.
PB&J does bring families together!
When it comes to lunch box ideas, my creative juices typically end at a PB&J with very little variation. However, leave it to the kids to invent their own creations, and boy was it delicious. Not only because my kids thought of it first, but because Jif truly is the “PB” to Smucker’s “J” and together they create the ultimate combination that inspires my family to spread #WeAreBetterTogether love.
This Peanut Butter & Jelly Banana Bagel Bites takes your traditional PB&J and puts a delicious spin on it that the kids will just LOVE!
Peanut Butter & Jelly Banana Bagel Bites
INGREDIENTS
Mini Bagels
1 Tablespoon of Jif Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon of Smucker’s Natural Strawberry Jam
1 Banana thinly sliced
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Spread the Jif Peanut Butter onto one half of your bagel.
2. On the other half spread the Smucker’s Strawberry Jam.
3. Now, this is where the magic begins! Take your sliced bananas and place them on whichever half of the bagel you desire.
4. Top with the other half of your bagel, eat and enjoy!
You can enjoy this recipe creation as an after-school snack or place in kids lunchbox paired with fruit and juice for an awesome school lunch.
Now, I have been creating after-school snacks and lunch box meals for almost two decades for my kids, and the one thing that has always been a constant in my household is PB&J sandwiches. Jif and Smuckers are always in rotation in my kitchen pantry and I make sure that they are never out of stock.
Sending them to school with a Jif Creamy Peanut Butter and Smucker’s Strawberry Jam PB&J sandwich, which has that fresh roasted peanut taste and 7 grams of protein is a quick and easy way for them to have a homemade meal that nourishes the body and give them the support they need throughout the school day. It’s also an expression of how much I love and care for them! Not only can I whip it up quickly, but the kids can also do it themselves.
After all, nothing goes quite together like PBJ unless it’s brotherly and sisterly love.
For more Jif and Smucker’s PB&J back-to-school recipes, facts and fun, visit www.lovepbj.com.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.
