The Timeless Fruit And Peanut Butter Combo That'll Level Up Your Next Sandwich

The salty-and-sweet taste of peanut butter makes it a great fit on so many things — from crackers and pretzels to celery and fruit, it's hard to go wrong. Whether you prefer crunchy or creamy, store-bought or homemade, Skippy or Jif, peanut butter is a quintessential component of most American pantries. If you're interested in taking your next peanut butter (or peanut butter and jelly) sandwich to the next level, we've got a fun, unusual textural component that will help you switch things up. 

Adding actual fruit to your peanut butter sandwich (instead of just adding jelly) can help create a fun and fresh taste (that also manages to sneak in some extra vitamins and micronutrients). While basically any fruit can work, thin-sliced apples can be especially delicious. Granny Smith apples offer a sweet-and-sour crunch that can play well with just peanut butter or alongside jelly. Super sweet varieties — like Kiku apples (they can be tough to find, but you might be able to grab a few at Sam's Club) — can create a dessert-like sandwich that's perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth. Thinly sliced bananas can also add a surprising textural element that pairs well with peanut butter.

The world is your peanut-butter-filled oyster when it comes to getting creative with your fruit-loaded sandwich. If you go the banana route, consider sprinkling the inside of your sandwich with chopped nuts (if you're not using chunky peanut butter), chia seeds, or even a bit of your favorite cereal to add a bit of crunch. Adding a drizzle of Nutella or honey can help to transform your sandwich into a dessert. You can also use banana to upgrade a classic sweet Massachusetts fluffernutter — just add a layer of thin slices between your marshmallow fluff and peanut butter (it's messy, but totally worth it).

If you're sticking to apples to upgrade your peanut butter sandwich, try adding multiple varieties. The crisp tartness of a Pink Lady can work well with the sweet crisp of a Fuji apple, for example. You can also try sprinkling your apples with a bit of cinnamon to add a taste of fall to your sandwich. If you're in the mood for some extra crunch, try adding some crispy apple chips instead of (or on top of) standard apple slices.

You can also play around different types of peanut butter (there are brands to buy and those to avoid) and bread to create a fresh take on an old classic. If you normally go with creamy peanut butter, try extra-chunky. When it comes to bread, a peanut butter sandwich can be especially delicious on super-soft Hawaiian rolls, or can be made even more filling if you use a fresh bagel instead of bread.