Jif to Go

Hey

I found these at the dollar store yesterday. (3) 1.5 OZ cups of Jif peanut butter.

Has anybody used these backpacking?

I see a lot of people using PB in there hikes, but few say where they get it. I see some people using the small packets and such.

I guess what I am trying to ask, is this worth going back and buying a couple more boxes?
Thanks
~Cole



http://www.jif.com/Products/Details?categoryId=276&productId=572

My family eats this all the time ... as a snack with dippers like prezels, carrots, apples, etc. It's great for taking on airplanes (PB is considered a liquid). I think it would be a great trail food item.

I get them in a six-pack at the grocery store for less than 2 bucks.

I usually take the packets since they're easier to pack. These: http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/index.php/p...ueeze-pack.html

One thing about the Jif tubs is they are easier to use and you get more PB - the packets pack better but you never get all the PB out!
If I buy the Jif Natural tubs at the grocery store I pay $2 to 3 for the 8 tub pack.....

What! You mean you don't carefully turn the packet inside out and lick it until clean? Part of the beauty of being on trail is that you can do stuff like that.

I havent come across these yet. I will look for them. The dollor stores sometimes have good finds for backpacking. I pick up tins of smoked oysters there for my oyster stew!
I love jif peanut butter it is the best. I was going to take a jar of it on my next hike. I i find these the jar stays at home.

http://blog.trailcooking.com/2012/02/03/food-find-jif-to-go-natural-creamy-pb/
That is what the packaging looks like!

Sara-

Since you mention the Natural PB to avoid hydrogenated oils, I have a question. Do you know how they are able to make the PB shelf stable without hydrogenating the oil? I've always understood that it is the hydrogenation process that stabilizes the oils in the PB. The stuff I buy, the oil separates from the PB and it says to refrigerate it after it is open. I've always been a bit leery as to how natural Jif's Natural PB is.

Mama buys Smuckers PB, and it separates. That jar suggests refrigeration only to slow down the separation; she's never refrigerated it and we've never had any problems. Refrigerating it makes it cold and stiff, so it's harder to spread.

I hate the stuff. It tastes ok, but when you open the jar and stir it up for the first time, the first third of the jar is too oily, and then the final third is too dry. Plus it's tough to spread it on soft bread.

One option is to take it all out of the jar and put it in a blender or food processor and mix the oils back in. But it's messy and you lose part of your PB in the process (it gets stuck to the sides of the container, etc.). It just depends on whether you want creamy PB or if you're willing to settle for hand-mixed.

I'm not going to fool with all that. I don't eat much PB, so I keep a jar of regular Jif on hand. It tastes better, it doesn't have to be refrigerated or mixed, it's easier to spread, and the consistency is the same from the first spread to the last.

Thanks for the responses! Seems like this is a good enough product to go and buy a few more.
What are your favorite recipes with pb?

Thanks again guys!

No... they suggest refrigerating because the non-hydrogenated oils go rancid much quicker than the hydrogenated oils. However even the non-hydrogenated stuff takes a long time to go bad. I am not at all surprised that you don't have any problems not refrigerating it. Butter, yogurt, eggs, cheese, fruit and vegetables are all very shelf stable. They are still usually recommended to be refrigerated, especially a manufactured product where if you get sick you might sue the company that made it.

For non-hydrogenated (separating) peanut butter: Place the jar in a pan of warm water on low heat and let sit about an hour or so until it warms up. Then it's really easy to stir with a table knife until well mixed--it takes only a couple of minutes. At least refrigerate until it cools off, or it will separate again. I use Adams peanut butter; I don't want peanut butter that contains sugar or is hydrogenated.

I no longer like any of the big brands of PB, so buy "natural" instead. Yes, it separates and is hard to mix. I stir it some, then put about half of the new PB into the last just emptied jar, getting as clsoe to half of the oil and solids into each jar. Then I stir in ground flax seed, a dropper-ful of stevia, and a little sea salt. Stir some more. This mixture does not separate and even my picky hubby likes it.

If you have more time than money, make your own PB (and other) pillow-packs by placeing two tablespoons of peanut butter onto a section of clean mylar snack bag (from chips, crackers, etc.), fold and seal with an iron. Viola, DIY custom travel peanut butter.

CM

I used those refillable plastic "toothpaste" tubes tht you could crimp and seal manually when filled. I think they are still available.

I picked up some powdered peanut butter. It's good for flavour but not for energy. These come in .85 oz. packets that equals four tablespoons. It says 85% less fat calories than traditional peanut butter. Anyone ever seen powdered PB that still has energy quality?

We have been using the Jif to go containers for a while. I like Nutella better so we end taking it in some small containers we have. You can find nutella in single packs a World Market

A "better" alternative to Jif is Justin's, available in stores in Colorado and online for everywhere.


A couple of the eight kinds of nuts/flavors of packets available.

I took several packets hiking on most trips last summer; they hold a little less than jif's mini-tubs, but take up less room in the trash ziplock in my pack when empty.

Justin's is all natural, uses many organic ingredients, uses 48 percent renewably-sourced packet film and is doing what it can to shrink it's footprint, such as sourcing hazelnuts out of Oregon instead of Italy. So it's quite obvious it's made in Boulder, CO, right?

And if you're worried about this all-natural product separating, just knead the packet for a few seconds before opening.

(Great idea, CM, adding stevia to make it sweeter, rather than high-fructose corn syrup put in the big brands, and why we should skippa-da-Skippy.)

The liquid part of PB is the fat. So.... mix it with some peanut oil (or any oil you like) and you full fat PB!

Very interesting ideas guys. Really cool.

However, by the time you've seperated the peanut solids from the peanut oil, packaged them seperately, carried them seperately, then recombined them on the trail, you've probably wasted a lot of energy and money to get right back to where you started, with no real gain to show for all that effort.

That's what I was thinking - way too much effort for peanut butter! I'll just buy the packets and call it a day.

I was going to agree with you fully then it dawned on me that I carry cooking oil with me. I could switch to peanut oil for the cooking oil. That way I could be more versatile in options of what I do carry already. Worth a try only way to find out.

Indeed. I've tried the packets and they just die and make extra garbage. for most of my trips a very small plastic peanut butter jar works fine. I can't buy them that small here, but I could in austraila, so my australian peanut butter jar goes everywhere with me (refilled of course)

I am going to have to find something that size...


Very cool picture phat. Where was that taken?

Top of Jonas Shoulder, overlooking Jonas pass (on the left) and the Poboktan valley (on the right) in Jasper National Park. One of those fantastic weather days that was absolutely perfect that I just sat on top and had lunch for no reason other than it was perfect.

Read the nutrition labels! Not all peanut butter is made equal. Some brands add lots of sweetner (kids are the main consumers of peanut butter so there is a big attempt to appeal to the preschool taste- smooth and lots of sugar). I am not that concerned about organic vs. regular, but I do not like my peanut butter to be sweet. I have used those Jiff tubs. In my opinion the extra cost did not make sense and I do not like smooth peanut butter.

I used some of those p.butter to-go packs last weekend for my lunches along with tortillas, and Mickey D's jelly packets. Perfect. Thanks so much for posting about those packs/mini tubs.

I have some packed for my at hike. I love Jif healthy or not it is good peanut butter! Good is all that matters!