Skippy or Jif? (Thanks Bessfour!)
Bessfour got me to thinking about peanut butter brands. Did you have 1 brand in your house growing up? Or did you have a number of brands? We were a Skippy household. Always creamy, never crunchy.
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58 Comments:
Skippy only.
Bakerloo Line at 10:29AM on 07/14/08
We were Skippy, first creamy when I was very young, then crunchy as my (and mom's) palate matured.
Now I like the natural brands like Crazy Richard's or ground-it-yourself and the commercial stuff tastes too sweet.
But it's amazing the knock-down drag out fights I've seen between the Jiff/Skippy households, even from people who don't eat them anymore. The party line at home was Skippy was less sweet than Jiff when I was growing up.
HeartofGlass at 10:29AM on 07/14/08
Love my Jif peanut butter. Creamy for the kids, crunchy for DH.
My mom used to make us crunchy peanut butter on toast, drizzled with Blackburn syrup or honey.
Editmom at 10:32AM on 07/14/08
Growing up we had Peter Pan creamy. Now I buy Skippy Super Crunchy.
Kerosena at 11:03AM on 07/14/08
My mom ALWAYS bought Skippy and I always wondered why she would never let me get Jif or Peter Pan (I loved the labels.) So now I'm a Jif person, 100%. Apparently she wouldn't let us get Jif or PP cause it was too creamy? She's a crunchy person.
embolini9 at 11:08AM on 07/14/08
Skippy growing up. Now it's Jif Crunchy, Smooth or the good stuff from Whole Foods.
Boscompb at 11:27AM on 07/14/08
jif, best peanut butter fudge ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jo anne tincher at 12:15PM on 07/14/08
We had Skippy but I now get the natural PB from higher end supermarkets and health food stores. It has no processed stuff in it and if I want to sweeten it up, I add honey.
therealchiffonade at 12:19PM on 07/14/08
I love Jif, but my husband is horrified! (He grew up strictly on the 100% natural stuff.)
So we've compromised, and now we buy MaraNatha, or similar healthier brands -- no hydrogenated oil, but it has a little bit of sugar (organic cane sugar, of course!) so I find it more palatable.
CookiePie at 12:41PM on 07/14/08
I've always been a Jif girl (creamy for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches... crunchy for everything else). I've never tried Skippy- is it better? Do tell!!
sbelle at 12:44PM on 07/14/08
i only like jif......but my better 1/2 likes SunPat Peanut butter.....she says its the best in the world....i think it sucks
onepercent99 at 12:55PM on 07/14/08
@Editmom: Me too!! My mom would always make that as a snack for me. Sooo yummy!
Growing up it was all natural, grind it yourself. Then when I was older-mom switched. THANK HEAVENS! Then it went to Jif. YAY!! Although, one time she had the nerve (!!!!) to buy Reduced Fat Peter Pan PB. I wanted to die. I've never turned away PB, but I did then. I felt like I was eating wet sand/mud. Just AWFUL. I mean, who wants a scoopfull of that??!
Jif only in my house-and I have both kinds at all times. I will eat Skippy though. I just prefer Jif. It just tastes better.
Anyone try the Peanut Butter and Honey mix by Skippy? I knew it couldn't be as good as the real thing, but had to try...I would not recommend.
Ok, ok...So I have a thing for Peanut Butter...And?? :)
Butrflygirly at 1:08PM on 07/14/08
@sbelle: Stick with the Jif. You can't go wrong. Not saying Skippy is horrible by any means, because I'll eat it-it's just not Jif. There are just some things that can't be messed with. Peanut Butter happens to be one of them.
Butrflygirly at 1:20PM on 07/14/08
I grew up in a strictly JIF household and to this day, my father will *only* eat JIF creamy, although I happily eat crunchy and creamy. There is just a different texture to the others that i have never gotten used to.
Having said that, though, when I was living in the UK, there was a little vegetarian/vegan shop around the corner from me that sold all-natural, no salt or anything else added, peanut butter in crunch or creamy, sold in gallon tubs. I would go through one a month, easily. it was the best! Now, frankly, when I can get it, I prefer the no-salt added, all-natural kinds. Yum!
Traveller at 1:40PM on 07/14/08
Crunchy Skippy was all we had growing up. Once I started buying my own peanut butter it was creamy all the way. I dabbled in store brands (bleh) but never settled on a national brand until husband #2 declared that we were a Peter Pan household. There were some bleak days when they had their salmonella problem. Now I stock up when it goes on sale to keep up with demand!
I will eat and pretty much prefer natural pb now but won't try to convert anyone at home. I'll be considered a blasphemer, I'm sure.
AuntJone at 1:47PM on 07/14/08
Growing up in Syracuse (in the 50s), we always used Peter Pan. It used to come in a large size can. I remember when I was about 14 reading the recipe on the back of the can for a peanut butter sandwich consisting of buttered white bread, sweet pickle relish, mayonaise, lettuce along with the peanut butter -- I still make it today, it's one of my favorite sandwiches.
SavtaShayna at 2:25PM on 07/14/08
I get tunnel vision when I'm buying my peanut butter - if it's not Skippy, I don't notice it! I don't think Jif has as intense of a peanut flavor as Skippy, and I've tried more natural/healthy peanut butters but they're not nearly as appealing to me.
poke87 at 2:31PM on 07/14/08
growing up it was always adam's all natural. Tasted fine but I so hated having to stir the frikkin oil back in EVERY DAMN TIME that I won't touch the stuff.
sailordave at 2:44PM on 07/14/08
i never liked nut butters of any kind until i discovered sunflower seed butter.
cybercita at 2:45PM on 07/14/08
I like the label on my peanut butter to say "Ingredients: Peanuts."
savecara at 3:03PM on 07/14/08
People do get a little upset about their peanut butter.
Growing up, it was Jif, and it still is if I can only get processed peanut butter. I like Adams peanut butter a lot better, or fresh ground homemade stuff at the local natural foods market.
lo82070 at 3:17PM on 07/14/08
I like Peter Pan, smooth and creamy. Crunchy peanut butter is a good idea but the crunchy bits in the commercial brand PBs are made from unfresh-tasting peanuts, so I don't like them.
I've tried the organic/natural/less sugary peanut butters and I just don't like them because they're not sweet enough to stand up to my preferred wheat bread. When I use peanuts in savory dishes (which I do a lot because homemade Indian curry sauces use a lot of nuts) I always grind my own fresh. In a pinch sometimes storebought peanut butter has to do, but it's better if it's not too sweet or creamy in that case.
For me the ideal PB is slightly crunchy, sufficiently sweetened, and made from fresh-tasting roast peanuts.
stumbler02 at 3:22PM on 07/14/08
I'm a Jif girl...smooth and crunchy.
bessfour at 3:45PM on 07/14/08
Peanut Butter was an acquired taste in my home... but now that I eat it, it's Crunchy Jif all the way...
MadelynRodriguez at 3:52PM on 07/14/08
WAAAAH! My young daughter has a peanut allergy so we can't (don't) have PB in the house anymore, but my favorite used to be creamy jif on a toasted bagel. If I'm on a business trip I still cheat on her and have one.
missus_p at 4:00PM on 07/14/08
we had creamy skippy ~
rabbitriddle at 4:09PM on 07/14/08
we always had that honey nut skippy because my older sister liked it. i actually prefer natural pb or almond butter
sweetpotato at 5:51PM on 07/14/08
We always had Peter Pan growning up. My dad used to love (and still eats on occasion) waffles or pancakes smothered in chunky Peter Pan and syrup. I prefer chunky peanut butter too, but now that I'm older, I really don't care about the brand.
Schnauzer_Mama at 7:51PM on 07/14/08
Skippy for the kids, Hazel for Dad.
srhcb at 9:29PM on 07/14/08
Skippy, if I'm buying a national brand. Creamy and chunky. I always have both, because I like them for different things.
I bought Jif once and thought it was way too sweet.
Skippy's got a natural peanut butter that I like, too, when I can find it. The other natural ones that I've tried have okay, too, but I seem to keep going back to Skippy.
dbcurrie at 12:24AM on 07/15/08
I haven't had commercial peanut butter in so long--can someone tell me the difference between Skippy, Jiff, and Peter Pan.
I once had Reeces but wasn't impressed, but then I'm not a creamy buff.
HeartofGlass at 4:21AM on 07/15/08
growing up all my mom ever bought was Jif, as a matter of fact i think it was the same jar throughout my childhood. No one ate PB when i was growing up. I dont ever remember having a pb and j untill i was at least 14 and then i thought it was awful. fast forward a few years, and i bought a jar of skippy, the first time i opened it i realized it was nothing like the walpaper paste i had gotten at home. Later, after becoming unnaturally fond of pb i tried Jif again and was transported! for a short time i flirted with the all natural stir the oil stuff, trying to convince myself to eat healthier, however those are minor bumps in my life with Jif. The only problem i have is pb that is too sweet, i like mine salty.
huneybumper at 7:36AM on 07/15/08
My mom bought whatever was the cheapest, which ironically in the 60's & 70's was often a natural pb. As we got older, she did buy name brands, but again, it was whatever was on sale....so we never developed a taste for a particular brand.
Now I prefer Crazy Richards...but I will buy whatever natural pb is available....I'm w/ savecara....I prefer my ingredients to just read: peanuts
....ok..maybe salt too!
Ironically....I have a friend who years ago pushed low-fat pb on me...he has health issues, and is always trying to lose weight (he has one of those beer bellies, but doesn't drink beer).....and he was convinced the low fat pb was better....I continually pointed out how much sugar it had in it, and told him natural pb would be better for him. Now he's been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes....and only eats the natural stuff!
mepolo at 8:42AM on 07/15/08
I was raised on Laura Scudder's (natural) chunky. Now I eat natural, unsalted creamy from Trader Joe's, and I even converted my Skippy-loving bf to the good stuff...mostly by stirring in a little honey when I put it on a sandwich for him. I know it's because I'm not used to them, but the super-smooth texture of the non-stir kinds gives me the creeps, as does anything involving sweetened peanut butter, like desserts or noodles with peanut sauce.
producestories at 8:44AM on 07/15/08
Ours was never really a PB household when I was a kid, so I must admit to a bit of surprise when I started shopping with my husband and he INSISTED that there must be creamy JIF in the house at all times. He's a pretty easy going guy, but absolutely inflexible on that point.
AliceBlue at 8:54AM on 07/15/08
I like Jif and Skippy natural when they're around. I've been using Trader Joe's creamy peanut butter lately, especially in sauces. It's not gritty like some natural brands and since it's not super-emulsified, it blends easily into the sauce for my favorite cold sesame noodles recipe.
butterface at 11:44AM on 07/15/08
I used to like both, and then I started becoming more health conscious. I started looking for butters that were not hydrogenated and with little or no sugar. I then started trying different types of nut butters like almond.
This year a friend of mine introduced me to one she found online and WOW! I've been hooked ever sense.
It's called better butta by a company called eatandcompete. I had never heard of them before but I gave it a try and I'm glad I did!
Healthy1 at 12:00PM on 07/15/08
@Healthy1 - Has SHILL written all over it.
PerkyMac at 12:19PM on 07/15/08
As with others, I've switched to natural PBs and nut butters. I hated the natural ones growing up since I didn't like that oil slick on top. I ate Jif, Peter Pan, and Skippy growing up - whatever was on sale. I enjoyed both creamy and crunchy versions...but we mainly had creamy for my grandparents.
If it weren't for the food thieves at work, I'd keep my natural nut butters in the fridge. I still have a jar of Skippy in my locked flipper cabinet when I can't make it out to lunch or need a snack.
mandabear at 1:22PM on 07/15/08
I refused to eat Skippy, and still do, solely because it is called "Skippy." My Mom still will not buy Skippy because of my boycott.
I loved Crunchy Jif as a kid and I still do but I also love Wegman's crunchy natural brand even though I live in NYC and there are Whole foods everywhere.
JacquelineS at 2:39PM on 07/15/08
I grew up in a Jif household!
That said, I am a devotee of Peanut Butter and Co. Crunch Time and Smooth Operator.. so peanutty! (much more concentrated nut taste than the traditional hyper-sweet hydrogenated brands)
fetacrackwhore at 2:46PM on 07/15/08
Gotta luv Jif Smooth.
bubbamom at 2:50PM on 07/15/08
Don't even get me started - I've lost friendships over this. It's Jif all the way.
And I actually prefer the reduced fat version ... they add extra sugar to compensate!
ahmrshapiero at 3:06PM on 07/15/08
In Canada there was no Jif. I still don't think there's Jif. We always bought Squirrel Peanut butter ("the one with the peanut on top!), always creamy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirrel_(peanut_butter)
The other major brand we got was Kraft peanut butter, with the bears on the label. http://www.kraftcanada.com/SiteCollectionImages/ImageRepository/4/smooth.jpg
blush at 3:08PM on 07/15/08
So, it looks like I could not live in Canada...Or my family/friends would have to pony up some seroius Jif action. Just couldn't imagine.
I may be wrong, but looks like Jif is winning!! A celebratory scoopfull of goodness is in my future. (I would now, but I ran out of my container at work...:-) )
Butrflygirly at 3:25PM on 07/15/08
I personally have no preference in Skippy vs. Jif, but it has to be creamy. These days Skippy wins in my house, since Skippy's picked up on the Natural craze (and I'm silly enough to buy into it). ;)
bansidhe at 3:44PM on 07/15/08
Jif - cream and crunchy
PerkyMac at 4:00PM on 07/15/08
Peter Pan Green Top Creamy (the reduced fat version) is by far my favorite. Haven't had Jiff or Skippy in years
ginsbera at 4:08PM on 07/15/08
Peter Pan. I can't recall which one it is but I don't like either Skippy or Jif.
bobbob at 4:32PM on 07/15/08
Jif creamy all the way. It's what mom bought; it's what I buy.
However, I also keep a jar of the Dark Chocolate peanut butter by Peanut Butter and Company on hand at all times for BF. I think he would put it on everything if I'd let him, even pizza!
Amandarama at 5:07PM on 07/15/08
JIF only! And extra chunky, please!
sessjess at 7:12PM on 07/15/08
Sunbutter. Allergic to peanuts.
feriorrenna at 8:19PM on 07/15/08
i use skippy to make an awesome salted peanut butter ice cream-recipe stolen from the french laundry & specifically used skippy.
dmarina at 9:44PM on 07/15/08
Parents always bought Jif but we sooooo wanted the Skippy because of the commercials (remember Annette from the Mickey Mouse Club? Well when she was all grown up she started hawking Skippy).
My husband was a Peter Pan man, then we switched to all natural pb, then inexplicably this year we switched back to Peter Pan.
wookie at 10:27PM on 07/15/08
choosy moms choose jif
derekhinton2003 at 11:12PM on 07/15/08
@wookie - if Annette had hawked Peter Pan while she was in the MMC, I would have begged Mom to buy it! I did the natural pb when my girls were young, but it was really hard to stir and I kept it in the fridge for fear of the oil going rancid, which made it even harder to stir. Once my arthritis got really bad, I went back to my early favorite, Jif. I like the slight taste of honey with the peanuts. Crunchy is especially delicious on crisp apples.
This thread is on pb, but I also love other nut butters.
PerkyMac at 3:25AM on 07/16/08
I buy the organic natural stuff from the local co-op, then mix in a little peanut oil and honey. I like mine about as sweet and spreadable as the commercial stuff, but without a lot of the additives and refined sugar. Plus, the peanut taste is a lot more pronounced.
jenilowrance at 5:23PM on 07/16/08
I like them both and crunchy or creamy it's all good to me. My favorite is Adam's Old Fashioned.
pjracz10 at 12:25PM on 08/02/08