April 2 is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day in the United States.
American soldiers in World War II were said to have invented the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They did so simply by combining those three items in their rations.
After the soldiers returned home after the war, peanut butter and jelly sales supposedly soared.
Here are some facts about the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and the peanut from the National Peanut Board:
- The average child will eat 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before he/she graduates high school.
- 10 billion peanut butter and jelly sandwiches can be made from the amount of peanuts consumed by Americans in a year.
- Grand Saline, TX holds the title for the world’s largest peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Weighing in at 1,342 pounds, this PBJ sandwich is the reigning champ since September 7, 2002.
- Americans spend about $800 million a year on peanut butter.
- President Thomas Jefferson and President Jimmy Carter were peanut farmers.
- There’s a peanut on the Moon thanks to Astronaut Alan Shepard.
- Six cities in the U.S. are named Peanut: Peanut, California; Lower Peanut, Pennsylvania; Upper Peanut, Pennsylvania; Peanut, Pennsylvania, Peanut, Tennessee; and Peanut West Virginia.
*Peanut butter and jam sandwich via Shutterstock
