Does anyone know of a way to repackage peanut butter and jelly into compressible bags? The jars take up a good amount of space and weight (especially the glass jelly jars). Any ideas?
There is a reason those come in jars, you can use the refillable tubes sold at many camping stores with clothes pin type end closure though. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
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Trailrunner
member
Registered: 01/05/02
Posts: 1835
Loc: Los Angeles
I ran into a vegan gal on the JMT once. She carried her organic peanut butter in a heavy plastic bag, cut one corner off and squeezed it through the resulting hole. Don't remember how she resealed it, if at all. But that worked for her.
BarryP
member
Registered: 03/04/04
Posts: 1574
Loc: Eastern Idaho
Great find cfiles. I can’t get a feel for how much is in a package even though it says “1.15oz” So do you know how much of an area it will spread out to if it’s layered 5mm thick?
Great find cfiles. I can’t get a feel for how much is in a package even though it says “1.15oz” So do you know how much of an area it will spread out to if it’s layered 5mm thick?
I am not sure about 5mm <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> If I remember correctly one packet will evenly coat about 4 saltine crackers. So it is about a sandwiches worth. It has been a while since I had any of this though, my memory is a bit foggy. Google says it is a little more than 2 tablespoons if the measure is in fluid ounces.
I found it at a Whole Foods in Boulder CO while on vacation and bookmarked their website. A friend of mine use to bring Skippy peanut butter in a tube but Skippy quite making them. He was very excited when I found these and ordered a few boxes just for backpacking.
NiytOwl
member
Registered: 11/06/04
Posts: 501
Loc: California
If you're stuck on the idea of PBJ in tubes:
Skippy Squeez'it is 9 oz. of creamy peanut butter in a toothpaste tube.
If 9 oz. is too much, you can get Squeeze Stix - individual portions of peanut butter in tubes (like GoGurt).
Then there's Squeezers - peanut butter in 1/2-oz condiment packets.
While I was looking up those three items I ran across P.B. Slices which are individually-wrapped peanut butter slices - just like Kraft cheese! Not sure how well they'll hold up on the trail, but for me it was one of those "I never knew..." moments.
For the jelly you'll just have to use something like Coghlan's Squeeze Tubes. I couldn't find any jelly products in tubes. If you end up buying them from REI, use the site portal so the board gets some support.
I get my PB and jelly in the restaurant-style individual portions. My friend's wife distributes free lunches to low-income kids. I make a donation and she gives me a lunch box full of PB & J with single-serving packs of crackers. I can get the same thing from a restaurant supply store, but the last time I did the jelly turned into rubber before I could finish the box of 200 (can't spread rubber on bread or crackers). This way I get a fresh batch every other month and 10 kids get lunches for a week.
Eric
member
Registered: 09/23/02
Posts: 294
Loc: The State of Jefferson
1 liter Platypus bottles work nicely as giant toothpaste tubes but there are tough to wash out, boiling water works best. I heat the PB a little and pour it in. It's messy to fill but they don't leak, unlike the plastic packets.
Registered: 02/20/03
Posts: 701
Loc: Fountain Valley, CA, USA
I buy my PB in plastic jars and leave it in the original container. If I want my PB mixed with jam/jelly/honey/something else, I do it at home, put it back into the original plastic jar and take that. If I want it separate, I put the jam/jelly/honey/whatever into an empty plastic PB bottle and take it that way.
I've used the tubes before but didn't care for them. I found them messy, hard to squeeze (especially in cold weather), a pain to fill, etc.
The plastic PB jars are reasonably light, very durable, reusable, easy to use and can be put to other uses when empty and cleaned out.
Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
NiytOwl, have you links to either of the Skippy products where you can actually *buy* the product?
I too fondly recall the 0.9 oz peanut butter squeeze tubes for backpacking, but these disappeared from store shelves a year or two ago. Groping via google just now, I found lots of references to the squeeze "stix" and 9 oz tubes, but none of these ultimately turned out to be offering either product for sale.
sarbar
member
Registered: 07/15/05
Posts: 1453
Loc: WA
The Justin's ones are about the best single serving packets on the market. Good stuff! The packets will more than make a sandwich for you <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
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NiytOwl
member
Registered: 11/06/04
Posts: 501
Loc: California
I used to get Squeeze Stix from Albertson's, but they stopped carrying it last year. Since then I've found it at stores like Grocery Outlet - discount stores that carry a lot of off-brands, close-outs, and overstocks. Looking at the Skippy web site, it's no longer in their product line-up, so it may be discontinued <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
You might call Skippy and ask them directly. 1-866-475-4779 (4Skippy), Monday - Friday, 8:30a.m. - 6:00p.m. EST.
trailblazer
member
Registered: 01/11/02
Posts: 788
Loc: Menlo Park, CA/Sierra Nevada
I used to use the small squeeze tubes, but have had a hard time findin them so I ended up trying to vacuum pack the peanut butter into little single servings. Actually works quite well, less messy than I would have expected when I vacuum packed it <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Makes little tubes, and I can just cut off the end and dispense it.
There is also MRE packs of PB and several jelly varieties. since there are various companies making them they vary a little in the ingredients. the PB like all MRE items is 'fortified' with vitamins. Some have sugar and hydrogenized oil, like Skippy, and I've seen one with just peanuts, oil and salt. the the PB's are 1.5oz pkts, usually sell for around 45cents, the Jelly and Jams are in 1 oz pkgs and usually sell for around 35 cents.
1 liter Platypus bottles work nicely as giant toothpaste tubes but there are tough to wash out, boiling water works best. I heat the PB a little and pour it in. It's messy to fill but they don't leak, unlike the plastic packets.
And now that MSR is making the .5oz Platys again, those are even smaller and easier to carry and squeeze IME. Fill 'em with a funnel <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
Oh, and that's what I was talkin' about DownsD <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
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PEPPER SPRAY AIN'T BRAINS IN A CAN!
There is also MRE packs of PB and several jelly varieties. since there are various companies making them they vary a little in the ingredients. the PB like all MRE items is 'fortified' with vitamins. Some have sugar and hydrogenized oil, like Skippy, and I've seen one with just peanuts, oil and salt. the the PB's are 1.5oz pkts, usually sell for around 45cents, the Jelly and Jams are in 1 oz pkgs and usually sell for around 35 cents.
EMS and I suspect other major camping retailers sell them in 6 or 8 packs. Hit and miss on the taste/quality with some MRE things. My worst vice is the jalapeno cheese spread I got hooked on that stuff like it was morphine <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
Man, Nity, you's got's the joneses for the PB eh <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
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PEPPER SPRAY AIN'T BRAINS IN A CAN!
Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 151
Loc: Cape May Co.South Jersey
on my last hike I used one of those refillable tubes and it work out fine for me. I filled it with my favorit organic peanut butter and I used it every day <5 days>. when I go out again I'm going to mix it with raw organic honey and not worry about jelly. In the past I used the skippy squeeze tubes but they disapeared from the stores. Got my tubes at Uncle Johnny's in Tenn. while hiking the AT. I have also seen them in the REI store and campmore sells them too.
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