Making Homemade Uncrustables is a must for easy school lunches! These frozen pb&j sandwiches are ready to grab and go for packed lunches and snacks!
Uncrustable sandwiches...Y'all know what I'm talking about, right? The peanut and butter crustless sandwiches that you find in the freezer aisle of the grocery store?
Yes, they are convenient and of course, they're delicious but do you know what they also are???
Expensive. Really expensive.
So of course I had to find a way to make our own homemade uncrustables. Because come back to school time and harvest, we go through a LOT of these!
Why you'll love homemade uncrustable sandwiches
In addition to saving a ton of money, you can customize your sandwiches based on your own family needs and preferences. Sunflower butter, almond butter, regular peanut butter...pick your fav!
I make a large batch of these are pop them in the freezer. In the morning, I pull one (or two) out and pop them into their lunch box. By lunch time, the sandwich is thawed and ready to eat.
These are perfect for sports, road trips, you get the idea! And make-ahead lunch ideas are something I totally love!
How to make your own uncrustables
I started making my own homemade uncrustables many, many years ago. It's one of the benefits of raising children for the past almost 20 years. I am not only old, but also wise!
I actually don't use a dedicated uncrustable maker or special sandwich cutter, though you can certainly purchase those on Amazon or from Pampered Chef if you like.
BUT, I have a hack that doesn't require one more kitchen gadget cluttering up your drawer.
I use a 3.5 inch glass meal prep bowl from Dollar Tree, though an equally sized drinking glass works just as well. Both have a lip on the edges that make it perfect for sealing the edges of the bread.
Note: I've also tried a cookie cutter, but it cuts the edges rather than crimps the edges like the bowl does.
Step 1: Pick your bread. You can use plain old white bread, wonder bread, whole wheat bread, you get the idea. I really like to use the square sandwich bread because they have the most "non-crust" surface area.
Step 2: Spread your peanut butter on half of the slices of bread. Spread jelly or preserves on the other side, making sure not to overdo it on the jam because no one likes a soggy sandwich.
Nothing earth shattering here except that you'll keep the pb&j towards the center of the bread instead of spreading all the way to the edges.
Step 3: Place the sandwich on a cutting board and cover it with the glass bowl, wide side down. Press down firmly to seal the sandwich and then use a sharp paring knife to cut away the excess bread.
Viola!
How to freeze homemade uncrustables sandwiches
To freeze a batch: Place a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the uncrustables on the pan and freeze them until they're frozen solid.
You can add these frozen sandwiches into a gallon sized zip lock bag (or the bread bag if you're channeling my Grandma) and keep to pull out as needed.
To freeze individually for grab and go: Add pb&j's to sandwich bags and freeze. I actually keep a big batch of these in a plastic shoebox in our garage freezer. Sounds weird but works well!
What about leftover crusts?
You can use these to make homemade breadcrumbs, homemade croutons, or simply discard them which is what I do.
I know it's food waste if you toss them, but if the kids would pull them off, it's kind of the same thing, you know?
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Homemade Uncrustables Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons strawberry jam or jam of choice
- 2 slices white bread square sandwich bread works best
Instructions
- Spread your peanut butter on half of the slices of bread.
- Spread jelly or preserves on the other side, making sure not to overdo it or you'll end up with a soggy sandwich later.
Note: Keep the pb&j towards the center of the bread instead of spreading all the way to the edges. - Place the sandwich on a cutting board and cover it with the glass bowl, wide side down. Press down firmly to seal the sandwich and then use a sharp paring knife to cut away the excess bread.
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