Blog

The World’s Easiest Sandwich

in The Too Busy to Diet Blog on January 17, 2014

Written by Jennifer Martin, Dietetic Student at University of Illinois at Chicago

What’s a good sandwich to feed your child when you’re short on time (provided they don’t have a peanut allergy)? Make a peanut butter sandwich. Here are ways to make your sandwich nut-buttery awesome:

• Look for 100% whole grain bread with 3 grams of fiber or more.
• When looking for peanut butter, look for natural peanut butter (see my previous post on this topic).
• Other nut varieties such as almond or cashew butter are also delicious.
•  For a quick breakfast sandwich, try adding slices of banana.
• Nut butter is tasty with so many types of foods, so you don’t just have to limit nut butter consumption to sandwiches. Your kids might love it spread on veggies (especially carrots and celery) or fruit (especially apples and bananas). It’s a great way to get kids to eat healthy foods!

Here’s a fun fact for adults: Did you know that peanut butter may make you less likely to overeat? According to the British Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating peanut butter for breakfast can reduce the desire to eat for over 12 hours. Consumption of peanuts results in a release of an appetite-suppressing hormone called peptide YY (PYY) and makes you feel more full and satisfied. For more info about satiety and overeating, look at the satiety index in the snacking chapter of Too Busy To Diet!