5 Easy Ways To Give Your PB&J Sandwich Some Crunch

The classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich has a deep history that dates back to 1901. It really only requires three ingredients: bread, peanut butter, and jelly. But from there, the sandwich can be effortlessly customized to match your preferences. You can use strawberry jelly or grape jelly, creamy or crunchy peanut butter, and you can spread the toppings on a variety of different breads — which can even be swapped out for waffles. For another twist, you can reinvent the lunchtime favorite — known for its typically smooth and luxurious sweet-meets-savory filling — by making it delightfully crunchy and more flavorfully complex.

For starters, if you want to maintain the core ingredients while still adding some crispness, try grilling the sandwich or assembling it on toasted bread. You could also ditch the jelly entirely, or, take some inspiration from Elvis Presleywith rashers of crispy bacon.

There a number of ways to riff on the nostalgic sandwich and elevate your eating experience with maximum crunch — and it's more than just a textural upgrade. According to gastrophysicist Charles Spence, Ph.D., in conversation with Mental Floss, "Sound affects the experience of food. The noise draws attention to the mouth in the way something silent does not." So, if you're looking for ways to add crunchiness and character to your peanut butter and jelly sandwich, here are a handful of ideas for tasty inspiration.

Banana and peanut butter are a match made in heaven. In fact, it has long been a popular smoothie combination or breakfast toast topping. But what about banana chips? Banana chips are crunchy, dehydrated slices of banana that can be commonly found in grocery stores. By adding them to your peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you can introduce a new flavor to the meal, as well as a crunchy experience. There are options for how this ingredient can be added to the sandwich.

As it falls in the fruit category with jellies and jams, you can simply add the banana chips between the peanut butter and jelly, or you can substitute the jelly for the banana chips — of course, the texture will be a bit drier and the taste less sweet. However, you can enhance and sweeten a peanut butter and banana chips sandwich with a drizzle of honey.

Is crunchy peanut butter just not crunchy enough? No problem, try adding a handful of nuts to the sandwich. Much like the banana chips option, this ingredient can be used with jelly or in place of jelly, whichever your heart desires.

Simply add the nuts on top of the peanut butter when making the sandwich and then top it with the other slice of bread, or gently crush them up first. When it comes to adding nuts to the sandwich, choose ones that have a distinct flavor and texture, like almonds, pecans, and walnuts, so that they add to the overall experience of the sandwich and stand out from the more traditional taste and consistency of crunchy peanut butter.

Channel your inner Elvis Presley by adding a few pieces of crispy bacon — which tastes good with everything — to the sandwich! The infamous Fool's Gold Loaf is a sandwich created by cook Nick Andurlakis at the now-closed Colorado Mine Company. The dish is well known for being the late rock icon's real favorite sandwich.

The sandwich is traditionally made on a loaf of sourdough bread that is covered in butter and placed in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown. Then, the loaf is sliced horizontally and hollowed out before being topped with entire jars of peanut butter and jelly, along with 1 pound of crispy bacon. The bacon not only adds crunch, but it brings out the saltiness of the peanut butter — and the jelly ensures a sweet complementary kick. For an easier take on this dish, just add bacon bits to your classic PB&J.

This option is for those feeling a bit more adventurous: top your PB&J with potato chips. Now, it is a common practice to put potato chips in between the layers of a cold, savory sandwich, particularly one with deli meat or loaded with vegetables. But who said you have to stop there? Try adding a delicious, potatoey crunch to your peanut butter and jelly by adding a layer of plain potato chips in between the two core namesake ingredients. Or if you want to try a new flavor profile, you can use a flavored potato chip, like a cheddar and sour cream potato chip. Jam and cheeses pair together on a charcuterie board, so why wouldn't it work on a sandwich?

Who doesn't like dessert for lunch? (And if you think you don't — don't knock it until you try it.) Add a fun crunch and a sweeter taste to your peanut butter and jelly sandwich by adding a handful of chocolate chips. Similar to the other options, this one can be customized to your taste.

You can use milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips, and you can decide whether to omit the jelly. Without the jelly, you can channel a Reese's peanut butter cup by adding milk chocolate chips on top of the peanut butter. Or you can experiment with other complementary flavors, like raspberry jelly, peanut butter, and a handful of white chocolate chips. If you don't have chips on hands, chocolate chunks are fine — you can even break up your favorite chocolate bar. The options are endless when it comes to bringing new life to the classic PB&J!