That's right. November is the time to celebrate that ooey-gooey, stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth treat -- peanut butter. There are a lot of reasons to love peanut butter. It's a great source of protein. It's a natural part of a vegetarian or vegan diet. It's got no cholesterol. It's very low in trans fat and the natural/organic types have no transfat at all. It's also packed with magnesium, folate and niacin. So what's not to love? Well, for one thing, if you've got a history of allergies in the family, you should wait before introducing peanut butter to your child. You've also got to be careful with little ones even when allergies aren't a factor, because it can be a choking hazard.
All in all though, peanut butter is an easy way pack the most nutrition into your child's diet. To help you and your child celebrate, I've pulled together some of my favorite peanut butter recipes in a month-long "I Love Peanut Butter" newsletter. If you hate to cook but still want snacks that pack the peanut butter punch, try two of my son's favorites: Clif Zbar Peanut Butter Snack Bar (compare prices) and Late July Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies. Both are organic, healthy and tasty to boot. I've also got some peanut butter trivia you can quiz yourself on, so start celebrating with your wee one today.
Photo (c) Jason Tromm