Peanut Butter Closet Eater

He lurks around the house, waiting for me to be distracted with work, household chores, etc...then he strikes...grabbing the peanut butter jar and a spoon and running into a secret corner to inhale as many spoonfuls as possible in 30 seconds.  Terrific grounds for choking...I am speaking about my 9 yr old son, Anthony.  He has been diagnosed (through me of course) as an official Peanut Butter Closet Eater.  The kid can't get enough!  It has gotten so out of control that he was going through about 2 jars per week and i was finding traces of PB everywhere including on my walls.  I had to put the smack down...One PB sandwich per day and ONE spoonful per day is now the limit.  My point here is moderation.  Peanut butter is an EXCELLENT source of good fat and protein and if anyone tells you that it's unhealthy and that you shouldn't eat it, then they are simply wrong. However, two jars per week of PB is not so good for you, but neither is 7 apples per day or too much of ANY good thing.  However, there are certain types you should look for.  I would recommend staying away from the kind that has swirls of jelly or chocolate mixed in with it or your brands with lots of ingredients. When shopping for PB go for the most NATURAL types.  Check the ingredients. There should be ONE  or TWO ingredients... usually ROASTED PEANUTS and SALT.  You can buy unsalted if you choose.  I have a jar of Teddie PB sitting in front of me right now.  I love that brand.  My favorite Dietician, Mariann over at Hannaford recommended this brand and I love it!  I have it every morning on a slice of whole wheat toast before my workout. Natural PB can be a pain to store because the oil separates easily, so Mariann recommend opening the new jar and mixing the oil and peanut butter really well.  Then store it upside down in your pantry and it will stay blended.  It works like a charm!  Feeding natural peanut butter to the kids can be a hard sell though.  My kids actually eat Skippy Natural.  I consider that a compromise between the processed PB and the truly natural PB.  Remember...the LESS NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS, THE BETTER AND HEALTHIER! We all need some healthy fat in our diet and though PB has about 16 grams of fat per serving, only 2 grams of that fat is saturated.  The rest of the fat is GOOD FAT!  So enjoy a serving (2 TBSP) on a slice of whole grain toast, on an apple or banana or top your frozen yogurt with it.  It will keep you energized and satiated!