A Day in My Honor

I have distinctly discussed my disdain for the stupid and gimmicky “National Day(s) of _________ (whatever food/behavior/hobby)” before. These lame days are made up to fuel content for morning radio show hosts and social media marketers who have a creative mind the size of a pea. However, when they decide to throw something on the calendar that specifically mentions yourself, how can you not recognize it?

Today is National Peanut Butter Lovers Day.

Today is a day created for me...National Peanut Butter Lovers Day

Today is a day created for me…National Peanut Butter Lovers Day

You don’t even have to know me that well to understand that I have an obsession with peanut butter. When people label me, they don’t call me a blogger or a marketer or a gym rat. Rather, most folks just dub me a peanut butter nutcase.

Want to know how I celebrated National Peanut Butter Lovers Day? I ate a half of a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast and a full peanut butter sandwich for lunch. Some might call it a nice ode to a silly date on the calendar; I call it what I eat every single day.

For my whole life, I have consumed peanut butter sandwiches. But don’t fool yourself, today we are celebrating something far greater than just sandwiches. Let me remind you, March 1 is called National Peanut Butter Lovers Day. If my only venture into the peanut butter world was with two pieces of bread on the outside then I would be making a mockery by asking for recognition on this special day.

I eat half of a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast and a full peanut butter sandwich for lunch every single day.

I eat half of a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast and a full peanut butter sandwich for lunch every single day.

(SIDE NOTE: Although there is much more to this day besides peanut butter sandwiches, PLEASE click this link and read my recipe for the ultimate PB sandwich).

Truth be known, my taste for peanut butter has been applied in more ways than that of Bubba Gump’s love of shrimp. In fact, if you inserted me into the famous scene of “Forrest Gump” where Bubba talks about the different types/usages of shrimp and had me talk about peanut butter instead, the camera would have rolled on for at least a minute longer.

I enjoy peanut butter ice cream, peanut butter cookies, peanut butter pancakes, peanut butter Pop-Tarts, peanut butter milkshakes, peanut butter trail mix, peanut butter cereal, peanut butter pudding, and peanut butter donuts. I like items stuffed with peanut butter such as pretzels, French toast, and Easter eggs. I like peanut butter candy such as Reeses Cups/Reeses Pieces, Butterfingers, and Fast Breaks. I like peanut butter topped on items such as celery, bananas, hamburgers, and graham crackers. And yes, you better believe it, I love peanut butter right from the jar!

This is my peanut butter hamburger I ate at River City Café, a famous burger place in Myrtle Beach.

This is my peanut butter hamburger I ate at River City Café, a famous burger place in Myrtle Beach.

When it comes to my top flavor of something, peanut butter is my undisputed favorite (sorry marshmallow and banana). And when it comes to the question I am asked all the time regarding my love of peanut butter (what is your favorite kind?) the answer is always crunchy. You see, I don’t really even prefer a brand, just as long as the spread has actual peanut pieces in it. So give me Jiff, Skippy, Peter Pan, generic brand, etc. because it doesn’t matter. As long as it is crunchy, I am a happy man.

Up until this point, I have shared with you common knowledge. You all know I love peanut butter. However, I feel like I have to make this blog post worthwhile and share with you a peanut butter item I don’t particularly care for. In fact, there are two. Oh my gosh, here we go…

I detest peanut butter salt water taffy and peanut butter Jelly Belly jelly beans. I remember as a kid picking out a piece of salt water taffy from a bucket and diligently making sure that I didn’t choose either a peanut butter piece or a purple piece. To me, peanut butter salt water taffy always had a strong flavor that tasted more like coffee rather than the real deal. The peanut butter Jelly Belly tasted very similar to the salt water taffy. It just contained that very fake peanut butter taste, a taste that made me mad that a product would ever try to associate itself with the wonderful flavor of peanut butter. But besides those two disasters, you would be hard pressed to find anything else “peanut butter” that I do not like.

Happy National Peanut Butter Lovers Day to me! If there was a peanut butter cocktail, chances are I would drink to it. But until then, eating to it is just fine for me. Don’t Blink.