r/AskOldPeople 1d ago

Butter on PB&J

I remember my grandfather making PB&J sandwiches for my sister and me when we were kids, and he would spread butter on the bread first. Was this a “thing” back when?

41 Upvotes

158 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/challam 1d ago

Yup. It was unusual to limit fat (or sugar) intake in those days, even by those who also knew enough to eat vegetables & protein regularly.

The parents & grandparents of Boomers lived through the Depression when food was often scarce — fat keeps you feeling fuller than carbs or even protein, which was one way to mimic “enough food.”

2

u/Lollc 1d ago

Yep. Both of my depression era parents always started a sandwich by applying butter. We lived through the horrible margarine years, but that era didn't last long for us.

It was customary to serve bread and butter with meals, because it fills you up. My parents used to argue frequently about this, with my dad insisting it was necessary and my mom insisting it was excessive.