Homemade Uncrustables

When it comes to store bought lunches for kids, Uncrustables seem to be near the top of that list.  But, have you seen the prices of those things?

Did you know that you can make the exact same thing at home for just a fraction of the cost?  Yep, sure can.  My kids love the homemade versions, so I always make up a good bit to stick in the freezer for easy lunches & fast snacks. All you need is your basic pb & j components – peanut butter, jelly, & bread.

Now, when I make them – I usually make up 1-2 loafs of bread worth, but you can make them in as small or large of a batch you wish.  I go to the bread thrift store & get the bread to save even more money.  If you have one of those in your area, definitely take advantage of it!  I also like to use a variety of jellies – you can see in hte picture that this time I chose to go with blueberry, strawberry, & grape.

First step is removing the crust – after all, they’re not call Crustables 😉

You can choose to do this by simply cutting the crust off with a knife (making a square shape), using a sandwich de-cruster, a large biscuit cutter, or the method I use – a glass & a knife.  I just flip a glass upside down, press down, and then go along the edge of the glass with a knife – making the round shapes you usually see in the store bought version.

You may wonder what I do with all that leftover crust.  Sometimes I use the corners to make sandwich kabobs – or I’ll make bread crumbs with them.  And if all else fails – there are always some furbabies at my feet anxiously waiting for any crust fragments left behind 🙂

Spread a thin layer of peanut butter in the centers of each piece of bread – taking care to not let the peanut butter reach the edges so you can seal it properly.

Dollop about a scant teaspoon of jelly/jam/preserves in the very center of half of your slices of bread.  Don’t add too much because you don’t want it oozing out when you seal them up.  The other half of the bread slices should be just peanut butter.

Top each jelly centered piece of bread with a peanut butter covered one.  Seal the sandwiches by pressing down along the edges with a fork, all the way around.

You can serve them as is – or you can put the into the freezer for easy lunches.

To freeze, lay the uncrustables out on a large baking sheet & place in the freezer for 2-4 hours.  You can see in my picture where I put just a little bit too much jelly in one – oops.

Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet & store in a large ziploc freezer bag.

If sending them with your kid to school, remove from the freezer bag & place in their lunch – they will be thawed by lunchtime.

If you are wanting to eat one straight from the freezer, simply place it in the microwave on the defrost setting for 30-60 seconds, depending on your microwave.  (Start out at 30 seconds, and increase if needed)

Need some more lunchbox inspiration?  Check out these other great ideas!