It’s the food you slap between two pieces of bread and with a little jelly, and feed a hungry kid. (or a hungry you). It’s the midnight munchie sandwich, along with a glass of milk that allows you to go back and get a good night’s sleep. It’s also a valuable addition to your survival stores. It’s peanut butter.
Peanut butter was known to the Aztecs and Incas. It was patented in 1884 by Canadian Marcelllus Edison. So why is peanut butter a good selection for your prepper stores or bug out bag? Because it packs a lot of nutrition in a small package, and space is at a premium when stocking or carrying food.
Protein: A 2-tablespoon serving of peanut butter contains 7 grams of protein. protein is essential to build and repair muscle tissue. Potassium: 2 tablespoons of peanut butter boosts your potassium intake by 238 milligrams. Potassium counters excess sodium in your system and helps your heart function better. One serving of peanut butter has 3 mg of the powerful antioxidant vitamin E, 49 mg of bone-building magnesium, 208 mg of muscle-friendly potassium, and 0.17 mg of immunity-boosting vitamin B6. Peanut butter is also a good source of dietary fiber. One 40oz jar of peanut butter has over 6,000 calories. Peanut butter has been a staple of military field rations since at least the Second World War.
Shelf life: Various sources cite various time lines, but an unopened jar of peanut butter can be expected to last 6-9 months. Some sources will claim at least one year beyond the “use by” day on the label.
Allergy Issues: It is estimated that between 4 and 6% of the population is allergic to peanuts. Make sure you know if anyone in your family or survival group has the allergy.
Azweaponcraftprepper 
Reblogged this on The Lynler Report.
LikeLike
Yes, peanut butter is tasty and nutritious. But there are considerations. A 6 to 9 month shelf life is not conducive to stockpiling it. Always having a jar or two on hand, rotated with your open jar? Wise. Having a case of the stuff? Could be a problem. Also, storage varies brand by brand and possibly even type. JIF seems to have a “use by” date of at least 6 months. Kroger Natural seems to have a “sell by” date of nearly a year. Which implies it is usable beyond that, except it needs to be refrigerated after opening.
Next, be aware that there is peanut butter and “peanut butter”. Peanut butter contains peanuts and salt (possibly not salt; I used to grind my own peanut butter at a specialty store). All good. “Peanut Butter” also has sugars, hydrogenated vegetable oils and preservatives. These help the taste, the consistency, the cost and the after opening durability, but they have known heath impacts during “everyday” use.
As an aside, JIF To Go has 1 serving/1.5 oz cups which pack nicely and seem to have a year expiration date.
LikeLike
Good info. Thanks. I have read that in the United States. peanut butter has to have 90% peanuts or it has to be described as Peanut Spread. I also have questions about shelf life. Military rations have packets of peanut butter, so if the ( average condition) shelf life is 5 years, you would think that would include the peanit butter. Personally, I think shelf life and use by dates are artificially kept low to help turnover on the product.
LikeLike
What it comes down to, is an expiration date is a CYA move on the part of the producer. The date by which, under any imaginable conditions, they can avoid legal difficulties. So yes, it is low.
Many things undergo chemical reactions over time. For instance, Nutrisweet turns into formic acid and formaldehyde, so paying attention to that expiration date is quite important. In some cases, the chemical reactions can be slowed, and with proper preparation and packaging, shelf life can be extended considerably. If there is no bacteria and no way for it to get to the product, then bacterial growth is prevented. If there is no oxygen and no way for any to get in, then oxidation is prevented. If heat and light is guarded against, then exothermic and photonic reactions are minimized. And so on.
Is it possible to package peanut butter for a 5 year life? Of course, but it might not be economically feasible to do that for an “everyday use” product. For that matter, I would not be surprised if you could get “25 year” peanut butter, possibly powdered.
LikeLiked by 1 person