PB&J Bar

matuofm

Hi, everyone!  I'm not too active on this board usually, but I was wondering if all you foodies out there would mind giving me your opinions.

FI and I are having  a silly, quirky mid-afternoon park wedding with a dessert buffet reception.  We're also including a selection of savory finger foods for those who aren't big "sugar people." 

We thought that it would be a lot of fun to have, along with the other appetizer-type nibbles, a PB&J bar with finger-sandwich-sized bread and lots of spread and topping options.

So far, we're thinking of three basic types of toppings, with several varieties of each: Peanut Butter (smooth, chunky, almond or cashew and nutella), Jam (strawberry, grape, and some odder ones like pineapple, cherry, apple butter or jalapeno), and Other (finger bananas, marshmallow fluff, and potato chips).

Is there anything odd that you like to put on your PB sandwiches?  Anthing else that we should add?  Pickles?  Mini chocolate chips?  I'd love your suggestions. 

kmmssg

Pickles, definitely!

jessicabessica

Have you seen Peanut Butter & Company brand spreads?  I think it would get pricey to actually have their stuff, but I've eaten at their NYC restaurant, and you might want to check out their menu online for some ideas/inspiration.  

http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/media/pdf/shop_menu.pdf

I would add honey and/or maple syrup to your list.  It all sounds yummy!

kristeno90

honey for sure.

matuofm

Ooh - I can't believe that I forgot honey!  I LOVE peanut butter and honey sandwiches.  That's definitely going on the list.

Jessicabessica - thanks for the link!  I tried one of their pbs a long time ago, but had completely forgotten about the company.  What a great pile of ideas. 

Muffin'sMom

Bacon.....

NOLAbridealmost

BACON PEANUT BUTTER AND HONEY WOULD BE AMAZZZZZIIINNGGGG. 

I think that is a really cute idea and a great and affordable way to incorporate something savory into the reception for people who aren't into sweets. 

Amandarose531

Many of my guests are vegan and vegetarian so my mind is elsewhere- but Bacon was a fantastic suggestion haha!

I LOVE nutella. Great idea by the way!

jessicabessica

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_pbj-bar?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:dc6d10e7-a621-472d-9250-0191c5046885Post:7fe9ff40-e384-4c4f-b4d9-d4c5a18239cd">Re: PB&J Bar</a>:
[QUOTE]Many of my guests are vegan and vegetarian so my mind is elsewhere- but Bacon was a fantastic suggestion haha! I LOVE nutella. Great idea by the way!
Posted by Amandarose531[/QUOTE]

<div>If you want to go crazy, I've had pancakes with chocolate chips, peanut butter, and Morningstar Farms bacon (vegetarian, but not vegan)...great flavor combo!</div>

shopgrl3177

I absolutely LOVE this idea!  I would be so excited to go to a wedding with a PB&J bar.  I eat mine with smooth peanut butter, strawberry jelly and potato chips.  Bacon sounds amazing also!  Yummm, have fun!

Blue & White

Not to be a downer, cause I'm in love with peanut butter...but you might want to make sure that you don't have guests with peanut allergies.  They won't go near the table for fear of mixed knives (i.e. a peanut butter knife dipped in the jam jar).

I did have a highly allergic to peanut roomie once, though, and she was okay with me EATING peanut butter while she was there.  But she could smell it from a mile away

gossipgirl1983

Great idea!!!

My absolute favorite PB&J sandwich, a variation of which I've have at PB & Co. many many many times, is smooth peanut butter, a walnut cream cheese (or honey cream cheese, something sweeter than regular cream cheese), topped with slices of granny smith apple that are sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. You could just lay out slices of the apple with the sugar and cinnamon already sprinkled on them, and maybe place a little sign of the different types of PB&J sandwiches people could make - maybe even giving them silly wedding names! Like this one could be called "Apple of My Eye" and the peanut butter, banana and bacon one could be called "Love me Tender." 

Lash10

Pickels are awesome with Peanut Butter!

aghouston86

Cream Cheese!!!

And I might sound like a little crazy for this one, but White Sugar sprinkled on top of peanut butter, is nom nom nom nom!!!

quirky75

We just found out recently one of my co-workers puts Fritos or Cheetos in his PB&J. I guess that goes along with potato chips, but I've never run into anyone with a sandwich like that before!

ajroark

This is an amazing idea! I think honey would be delicious and I'm also a fan of raisins and apples with peanut butter!

kpabda23

Definitely bacon and sliced Granny Smith apples... Had an awesome sandwich a while back that had bacon, almond butter and green apple,

nickles26

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_pbj-bar?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:dc6d10e7-a621-472d-9250-0191c5046885Post:a33b8ec4-8fff-43e5-a3a9-390392b74f1b">Re: PB&J Bar</a>:
[QUOTE]Not to be a downer, cause I'm in love with peanut butter...but you might want to make sure that you don't have guests with peanut allergies.  They won't go near the table for fear of mixed knives (i.e. a peanut butter knife dipped in the jam jar). I did have a highly allergic to peanut roomie once, though, and she was okay with me EATING peanut butter while she was there.  But she could smell it from a mile away ;)
Posted by Blue & White[/QUOTE]

Agreed.  I am allergic to the stuff and the smell would definitly permeate the air if everyone is eating the sammies.  Take a poll and see if any of your guests are allergic and what their tolerance is.  I can definitely be around people eating PB&J, I will just be a little miserable from the smell. 

However, really cute idea!  And cost-effective!  A jar of PB and jams can go a long way.  Sounds awesome!  :)

applesandoranges

AMAZING IDEA!  Wish I had thought of it for mine!  I echo everyone who said pickles!  And I know this is weird, but I do a PB and BBQ sauce sammie every now and then.  I know, I eat like I'm pregnant.

runningjuice

Love this idea! When I was a kid I loved peanut butter sandwiches with bananas, honey, rasins and shredded coconut. The coconut really made the sandwich!

Juliann_P

Honey definitely!  )  I love the idea!!!  That is awesome!  

BeccaMichelleS

I have never heard of anyone eating PB & J with bacon before I met my FI....but it is grand! 
Don't forget the nutella!
And offer different breads from the bakery...
sounds great!

bird1121

dont forget hand wipes, pb&j can get sticky

SCogs18

As a couple posters have mentioned previously, you need to be highly aware of nut allergies amongst your guests.  I am deathly allergic to nuts and I would be absolutely terrified to eat anything from that entire table due to the potential for careless cross contamination (not that it would ever be done on purpose, but if you don't have an allergy or have a person in your life who is close to you with one, you just don't think about which jar your knife came from).  I wouldn't even be able to be in the same room as a peanut butter sandwhich bar.  The smell would make me nauseous.

lindaloulubbock

I love this idea, and I'm stowing it away for when my 4 year old only-PB&J eating son gets married.  

ashbosity

Crushed Oreos!

akakoli81

Love the idea!!  I want to come to your wedding lol

gingerchix1980

I always loved PB & Cucumber sandwiches. Kind of summery.

matuofm

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_pbj-bar?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:dc6d10e7-a621-472d-9250-0191c5046885Post:df7070e2-4d01-4cba-bd0a-28eeb96c0d2f">Re: PB&J Bar</a>:
[QUOTE] maybe place a little sign of the different types of PB&J sandwiches people could make - maybe even giving them silly wedding names! Like this one could be called "Apple of My Eye" and the peanut butter, banana and bacon one could be called "Love me Tender." 
Posted by gossipgirl1983[/QUOTE]


AAAH!  I LOVE the sign idea - how adorable!  Like having a signature drink, but with sandwiches.  :D


I was away for the weekend, and was so surprised to come back and see so many responses!  Thanks so much for all the help, everyone.  I'm especially excited to see how many people like bacon with peanut butter - it was a random thought I had, but apparently I was headed in the right direction.

To everyone who mentioned allergies - I definitely appreciate all your concerns.   It's something that I was thinking about myself.  As far as I know, we have no peanut allergies among our guests, but we kept peanut butter out of all the desserts just in case.  But this pb finger sandwich bar was just too cute to pass up.  We'll be outside, which will hopefully cut down on scent issues (I was really surprised to hear that this was an issue for some people with allergies - I'd never thought of that).  And I'm thinking that we'll have a separate table for this part of the apps, just to make sure that no serving utentils get shared between dishes.

Again, thanks so much for everyone's help.  This is going to be so much fun!

Mlassek

cheetos!! i love jelly and cheeto sandwhiches..haha this is awesome i love this idea! sooo cute

naomikb

Cinnamon & white sugar mixed together and in a shaker bottle to shake on an open-faced PB sandwich.