Peanut Butter with a Purpose

Children in the Youth Education program at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) were invited to attend a fun event to learn all about the healthy benefits of peanut butter on May 21.

Students interact with Kim during the presentation

Led by SFBFS Health and Nutrition intern, Kim, youth learned all about serving sizes, where peanut butter fits into the My Plate chart and what fun snacks they could make with peanut butter. Kim asked the students what their favorite snacks with peanut butter were and received all sorts of fun answers such as PB&J on crackers, apples dipped in peanut butter, peanut butter spread on celery and ants on a log! The kids then learned that the spread contains protein, vitamin A, potassium, fiber, healthy fat and helps build strong bones.

After learning all about the health benefits of peanut butter, the kids stepped out to the Kitchen Table in SFBFS’ Demonstration Garden to make fun critters snacks. Kim showed the kids how to make snacks look like spiders or an octopus, and then set out apples, grapes, raisins, marshmallows and blueberries. The kids made all sorts of creative food art and then enjoyed their peanut butter snacks.

This event was in honor of Save Mart partnering with local food banks to raise awareness of the struggle many families have feeding their children during the summer months. May 11-31 all Save Mart and Lucky stores throughout the region will be collecting peanut butter to help stock the pantries of local food banks. Giving this initiative a boost, Jif peanut butter has announced a buy-one, get-one promotion making it easy for families to donate a jar of peanut butter each time they purchase one.

"I appreciate us partnering with SFBFS and think it's an awesome cause,” John Biggs, Save Mart Store Manager said. “Running the promotion with Jif so customers would give a free jar of peanut butter has greatly helped to generate donations." 

For more information about Peanut Butter with a Purpose, click here.