Peanut Butter

This is just a quick little post for anyone who might be interested.

In the past year I have overhauled my diet, added a fairly routine exercise program to my life, and I've had a lot of success. I feel better, I look better, and I am a very happy camper. One of the things I've tried to do is to eat less processed, factory made, or chemical heavy foods. When I thought about it, it made so much sense to me. Why should I be eating foods that are packed with synthetic and possibly harmful chemicals when I could be eating fresher foods more often (with the exception of the fact that the foods I am speaking of are typically much cheaper than natural and organic options, but that is a topic for another time)? So, I've been slowly adding more whole grains to my diet, subtracting some meat (not all, I am still an omnivore at heart), and trying to eat less refined sugar (I use honey almost every day for something or other). Like I said, it's taken a very long time, and I started out slow, but I feel amazing these days and it's only getting better.

However, there is one thing, one essential part of my diet, one little secret love of mine that I was not willing to let go of. I love this product like I used to love cake (you can say it, fat kid love cake, it's funny). I put this on bananas, bagels, toast, apples, cookies, on crackers, in sandwiches, pair it with chocolate or honey...yeah, I'm talking about peanut butter, I am madly in love with peanut butter. Not just any peanut butter at that. I am madly in love with good ol' Jif peanut butter. I'll leave the "Choosy Mom's choose Jif," discussion for another time as well. It takes everything I have to overlook that ad campaign and continue to buy Jif, but it's love and I love me some Jif. My loyalty to this factory made, processed creamy spread that does have a few extras in it for preservation and texture, was going to die hard...really, really hard.

Every member of my family has switched from our beloved Jif to something more healthy, like Smuckers Organic, or Vera Cruz Organic, or our very own Heinen's organic brand. I've tried. I really have. I just can't get past the stirring requirement, the oily top, the gritty texture, and the feeling that I'm eating peanut flavored tile grout. I was NOT going to give up my Jif.



Well, as it turns out, I didn't have to. Today I discovered a new Jif product. Jif Natural. Hallelujah, praise the Lord. Is it organic? No. But it is natural, without the little extras for preservation and texture. It is also essentially the same nutritionally (I can't give up those 3 grams of sugar, I just can't. Peanut Butter shouldn't taste like wallpaper paste), except for 10 more fat calories, but I don't care. It tastes great, it has the same familiar smooth Jif texture, and it IS natural, even if it's not organic. What a happy little surprise this was. So today I feasted on a multi-grain bagel, toasted, with Jif Natural, sliced bananas and a drizzle of honey. Perfection.