Here’s our simple Go-To.  I bake a hearty loaf of bread– I’ll post the recipe one day– it makes two loaves!  I cut a thick slice and then slice that in half.  It’s enough for my little woodworker.  We also keep Mana Bread in our freezer for mornings when we find ourselves out of bread.

Like so many parents, I often find myself at a loss on what kinds of peanut butter alternatives to send my son to school with.  Our school is, “nut tolerant” and there are designated, “no nut zones” due to the increased number of children with nut allergies this year.  We still try to do our part and make nut free pesto for school (we keep the good stuff at home).  Some alternatives to the traditional PB&J have been:

– Tahini, Molasses sandwiches (add nutritional yeast for a protein boost)

-Tahini, Banana (mashed) and honey

– Hummus (recipe will follow) and cucumber

– Egg/ tofu egg salad (add kale)

-Tahini and Jelly

While I know that sunflower is another seed butter and a popular alternative to peanut butter, I can’t seem to shake the articles that I’ve read about how much sunflowers absorb certain carcinogens.  My research isn’t complete yet but until I’ve sifted through it all (kind of like arsenic in American rice), I’m steering clear of it as much as possible.  Most things in small doses won’t kill you but 2-17 years is a lot of sunflower butter sandwiches– better safe than sorry.

Tahini, banana, honey sandwich with apple slices and cheddar cheese for snacking.