Peanut Butter Is More Awesome Than You Think

By Catherine Traynor

Spring is finally here, and peanut butter enthusiasts have a reason to celebrate. March is National Peanut Month and April 2nd is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. Not only is this the prime time to indulge in an extra spoonful of PB, but it's also the time to spread the love (see what I did there?) and help others!

When people think of food drives, they normally think of the holidays, but what about the rest of the year?

According to the most recent USDA report, "Household Food Security in the United States," 1 out of 5 children live in households without enough food to eat. Being hungry isn't healthy for anyone, but it's especially unhealthy for kids. Hungry kids have a harder time focusing in school, and are more prone to getting sick.

So, where does peanut butter fit into all this?

Peanut butter is obviously super delicious (and addictive), but it's also a super helpful item to donate to food pantries. It's yummy, packed with protein, and has a long shelf life.

So let's celebrate peanut butter the right way this spring. Before slathering up that piece of bread with your favorite peanut butter (are you team crunchy or team smooth?!), help stock the shelves of your local food pantry.

Photo courtesy of dosomething.org

DoSomething.org, one of the largest organizations for young people and social change is running the PB & Jam Slam campaign and asking young people around the country to collect peanut butter for their local food banks now through May 15.

Organizing a food drive on campus is a great way to collect donations. Put up posters in your dorm, share with your friends on social media, and leave a collection box in the common room and at the go-to late night convenience store!

As an extra perk, for every 10 non-perishable food items collected you can be entered into a $7,500 scholarship drawing.

Check out dosomething.org/pbj or text PBJ to 38383 to find resources for kicking off your food drive today!

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