Bonne Maman S'il Vous Plait

For the most part, I'm a simple girl with simple tastes. I enjoy a peanut butter and jelly sandwich almost every single day at work. Isn't that so boring? But I'm actually a huge snob when it comes to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The ingredients must be of the finest quality. We're talking two hefty slices of top quality wheat bread, Bonne Mamman preserves (ideally rasberry or strawberry), and only natural peanut butter. My current selection is Smucker's Natural Chunky Peanut Butter. Definitely chunky.

My favorite part of the sandwich is the Bonne Mamman preserves. I learned about this French import from a college roommate senior year who had studied in Paris her junior year. The taste is phenomenal, and I knew I would never go back to Smucker's or other lower quality spreads. So yes, I will spend top dollar ($3.50-4) for my little glass jar of heaven. Apparently, Bonne Mamam is the #1 imported line of preserves and jellies in the U.S. and its name means "grandmother" in French. This, of course, means that it is as close as you can get to homemade. There are over 20 flavors of preserves, jellies, marmalades and compotes to choose from. If you haven't tried it, you must. You may never go back.

And can I just spend a moment touting the nutritional value of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Hello carbs, fruit, and protein. What more could you ask for in a meal? Such a solid selection. Mom would be so proud.

And the cost savings? My best cost estimate is that each sandwich costs $1.25 or less. We've got the $4 preserves, a $3 loaf of bread, and a $3 jar of peanut butter. That's $10. And apparently a large loaf of wheat bread typically yields 16-5/8 inch slices, so 8 sandwiches, for a grand total of $1.25 a sandwich. But really, I think you can make the peanut butter and jelly stretch much further than that. Anyhow, PB & J is cheap, nutritious, and delicious. And you just can't argue with the facts.