Invite fun and variety to the classic peanut butter sandwich by grilling and adding banana, cheese, and even carrots!
My son HAS to have his peanut butter and banana at some point during the day. And because my mind always goes to "how can I add more variety?" this mama got creative.
Turns out there are SO many fun meal and snack ideas with banana and peanut butter as the main ingredients that you can add to your rotation .
And today, it's all about sandwiches. Let's get to it, shall we?
The Classic Version
Peanut butter + banana + buttered bread = heavenly. You can also add some honey and/or cinnamon.
Fun variations to try
If you find yourself serving the classic pb and banana day in and out, here are some simple and delicious ways to shake things up!
With Carrots
If you’ve been following me for any amount of time, you know that I'm always looking for ways to help add those vegetables to your child's diet.
Simply add grated raw carrots along with peanut butter. Add as much or as little as you wish. Even just a tablespoon can be great exposure for your child.
You can also try with raw grated zucchini, cucumber, or cooked and mashed sweet potato, butternut squash or potato!
I've even tried adding broccoli sprinkles, and to my utter surprise, my son loved it. If you feel uncertain about trying these "weird" combinations, check out these banana recipes. It may help shift your mindset.
I also highly encourage you to have your child help make it. They will be more excited to try something they've created!
With cheese
Again, this may sound like a really odd combination, but trust me. It's delicious!
I like cheddar, but it's tasty with all types of cheese. Ricotta and cream cheese are great, too!
Other toppings
Try adding shredded coconut, hemp seeds, chia seeds, etc. to help boost nutrition. And if your child refuses to eat eggs (more common than you may think!), try adding some scrambled eggs!
If that's just too weird for you, then you can dip the sandwich in whisked eggs and cook until golden brown - like French toast!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Butter one side of each bread slice. Spread peanut butter onto the other side of one slice. You can spread onto both slices, if you like your sandwich really peanut buttery.
- Place any additional add-ins of choice on top (pictured, grated carrots and cheese). This "trick" of dividing the sandwich with two different toppings is a great way to incorporate variety into your child's diet.
- Top with banana slices.
- Close the sandwich with the other slice of bread.
And here's another way to invite more fun and novelty - Cook in a heated pan OR try it in a panini press or waffle maker! If your child is anything like mine, they will get so excited seeing those pressed marks.
It's the little things that can make a HUGE difference.
Serving Suggestions for Toddlers
Seeing new food combinations can be a really intimidating experience for toddlers. So I recommend starting with just a small amount at first and then gradually increase.
You can also try adding new toppings to half of the sandwich or a smaller section (as you see in the Instructions section above). That way, if they don't want to try the new food combination, they can enjoy the rest of their sandwich and you don't have to cook something different.
Your toddler may struggle with a large piece so instead of serving the sandwich whole or halved, try cutting into strips or bite-sized pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use any nut or seed butter, like pumpkin seed or sunflower seed. Here's how to make homemade sunflower seed butter.
Any fruit will work! Thinly sliced apples or appleasauce, mashed or pureed pears, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, mangoes...
For 6-8 months old babies, I suggest slicing into thick strips and serve open faced (remove the top slice of bread). For 8-9 plus month old babies, you can cut into bite-sized pieces.
Other Peanut Butter Recipes to Try
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Banana Peanut Butter Sandwich
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 slices whole wheat bread
- butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- ½ banana , sliced
Instructions
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat. You can also make the sandwich in a panini or waffle maker.
- Spread a thin layer of butter on one side of each slice of bread.
- Spread peanut butter on the other side of each slice of bread.
- Add banana slices on top of peanut butter. Top with the second slice of bread with the butter side up.
- Grill until golden. You can do this on the stovetop or use a panini or waffle maker.
Notes
- Vegetables - raw grated carrots, zucchini, mashed sweet potatoes, butter nut squash, or even broccoli sprinkles
- Cheese
- Hemp or flax seeds
- Shredded coconut
Jenny says
Made these sandwiches for me and my little one (14 mo) for dinner tonight. I would NEVER have thought to put veggies on a sandwich like this. I opted for the shredded carrot and he devoured the sandwich (served in bite size pieces). Such a great way to add veggies! I used a panini press but need to try in a waffle iron next time. I was really surprised how the banana melted down a bit like cheese! Very yummy.
Min says
Right? It's such a nice change of pace from the usual cold pb and banana sandwich!