Grab-and-Go Peanut Butter and Jelly Oat Bars for Busy School Days

(Feature Impact) Peanut butter and jelly is a childhood favorite for a reason. The combination of creamy peanut butter and sweet fruit has been familiar, comforting and easy to enjoy for generations.

Think beyond the traditional sandwich by turning those flavors into these snackable Peanut Butter and Jelly Oat Bars. With a texture somewhere between baked oatmeal and a soft granola bar, the bars are moist but hold together well, making them a tasty, healthy option to take on the go.

Naturally gluten-free, oats provide whole-grain carbohydrates and fiber to keep kids energized and satisfied, whether they’re grabbing bars for breakfast or adding them to their lunchboxes. Peanut butter contributes protein and healthy fats for nutritional balance, while bananas and jam increase the family’s daily fruit intake.

The recipe is forgiving, so feel free to experiment with extra mix-ins like flaxseed, hemp hearts or chopped nuts. To adapt it for nut allergies, swap in sunflower seed butter or a different alternative. Use whatever type of jam, preserves or fruit spread your family prefers.

Decorate the bars – and add a little extra sweetness – by drizzling on a Greek yogurt glaze and sprinkling colorful dried berries over the top.

Find more recipes for your family to enjoy throughout the school year at Culinary.net.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Oat Bars

Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 25 minutes
Servings: 16

• 1          cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium or 2 large)
  
• 1/2       cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
  
• 1/4       cup brown sugar
  
• 1          egg
  
• 1/2       cup milk (or non-dairy milk of choice)
  
• 2 1/2    cups old-fashioned whole oats
  
• 1          teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/2       teaspoon salt
  
• 1          teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1          teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
•             raspberry or strawberry jam, to taste

Greek Yogurt Topping (optional):

• 1/2       cup Greek yogurt
  
• 1/2       teaspoon vanilla
  
• 1/2       cup powdered sugar
  
• freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on sides to easily remove bars from pan. Set aside.
2. In large bowl or stand mixer, mash bananas. On medium speed, whisk in peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, milk, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Batter should be thick but still pourable.
3. Pour mixture into prepared pan and use spoon or knife to swirl jam into batter. Bake 25-28 minutes, or until center is set.
4. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature 30-60 minutes then refrigerate pan until chilled, about 1 hour.
5. Lift parchment paper to remove bars from pan then cut into 16 equal squares.
6. To make optional yogurt topping: In bowl, whisk yogurt, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before drizzling on bars. Add dried fruits, as desired.
7. Store leftover bars in airtight container and refrigerate up to 10 days.

Notes: Egg can be replaced with 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce. Bars are difficult to cut before chilling.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

SOURCE:

Culinary.net

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Football season is back, and for many fans, what’s on the table can be almost as important as what’s happening on the field.

Hellmann’s Kicks Off Football Season With New Game Day Food Campaign

Hellmann’s is leaning into that connection between football and food with “Call for Hellmann’s,” a new fall campaign built around burgers, chicken tenders, sliders and the familiar language of the sidelines.

Announced September 2, the campaign puts a football spin on game-day cooking, positioning Hellmann’s mayonnaise and flavored condiments as part of the playbook for tailgates, watch parties and Sunday afternoon spreads.

Turning Game Day Food Into a Football Play

The campaign takes familiar football terminology and applies it to another game-day ritual: deciding what everyone is going to eat.

Two advertising spots anchor the campaign.

In “Make the Call,” Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise is paired with a classic burger, while “Chicky Tenders” features chicken tenders served with Hellmann’s Chipotle and Spicy varieties.

The commercials use coach-inspired direction, football language and original music influenced by classic football movies. The result is a combination of sports nostalgia, humor and plenty of food imagery.

“Football and food have always gone hand in hand and Hellmann’s has a natural place in so many of the dishes that fans reach for on game day,” Jessica Grigoriou, SVP Marketing, Condiments at Unilever North America, said in the announcement.

Grigoriou said the campaign is designed to have fun with language football fans already recognize while celebrating the foods and traditions that bring people together throughout the season.

Hellmann’s Heads to the Stadium

The campaign isn’t staying on television and social media.

Hellmann’s plans to bring its Manny Mayo mascot and food truck to several NFL stadiums during September and October, serving sliders while offering trivia, giveaways and other activities.

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Scheduled appearances include:

• September 13 — MetLife Stadium
• September 20 — MetLife Stadium
• October 4 — Lincoln Financial Field
• October 11 — Gillette Stadium

The activation complements Hellmann’s existing football partnerships, which span both the professional and college games.

The brand has relationships with the New York Giants, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans, along with the Big Ten Conference and college programs including Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Texas and Georgia.

Game Day Is Also Food Day

The campaign taps into something football fans have known for generations: watching the game is often a food event of its own.

Burgers, wings, chicken tenders, nachos, dips, sliders and sandwiches have become staples of football weekends, whether fans are tailgating outside the stadium or watching from the couch.

That makes condiments particularly easy territory for a food brand to connect itself with football culture. Rather than introducing an entirely new game-day tradition, Hellmann’s is putting its products into foods many fans are already preparing.

And the campaign arrives just as kitchens, grills and backyard patios across the country are getting ready for another season of football gatherings.

What’s on Your Game Day Menu?

Maybe it’s burgers hot off the grill. Maybe it’s a giant plate of wings. Perhaps your football tradition involves nachos, chili, sliders or a bowl of homemade dip that disappears before halftime.

Whatever your starting lineup looks like, Hellmann’s wants a spot on the roster this season.

The “Call for Hellmann’s” campaign will run throughout football season across national television, streaming platforms and social media.

For football fans, meanwhile, there is another important call to make:

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What are we eating during the game?

Official Hellmann’s resources:
Hellmann’s Game Day Recipe Ideas
Hellmann’s Game Day Recipes
Hellmann’s Game Day Dip Recipes

Source: Hellmann’s/PRNewswire, September 2, 2026.

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From new products and restaurant news to recipes, food trends and the stories behind what we eat, STM Daily News Food & Drink serves up something worth coming back for. Check back for more food news, recipes and ideas for your next meal.

Pack Pasta Salad in a Jar for a Taste of Summer in School Lunches

(Feature Impact) When students open up their lunchboxes in the cafeteria, it’s fun to be greeted with something bright, colorful and fresh. Pasta salad is a summer picnic staple, but once the weather starts to cool and kids head back to school, there’s nothing to say you can’t send a taste of summer with them.

The beauty of pasta salad is it’s totally customizable, ideal for eating cold and easy to make ahead of time. That means you can spend the evening before school dishing up jars then pop them in the fridge for a quick morning grab-and-go lunchbox filler. Adults in the household can take one to work while kids have their own at school – and if anyone wants a different dressing or no olives, it’s an easy accommodation.

If you’re making this Pasta Salad in a Jar recipe as the main course instead of a lunchtime side, up the protein by adding beans, chicken or cubed cheese to keep kids energized for the second half of the day. Choose whole-grain or high-protein pasta for an extra nutritional boost, and pack in vitamins and fiber with plenty of crunchy fresh produce, from cucumbers and carrots to tomatoes and olives.

Find more school-day recipes at Culinary.net.

Pasta Salad in a Jar

Recipe adapted from Best of This Life
Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1

Dressing:

• 2          tablespoons olive oil
  
• 2          tablespoons red wine vinegar
  
• 1/8       teaspoon dried basil
  
• 1/8       teaspoon oregano
  
• 1/8       teaspoon parsley
  
• salt, to taste
  
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

• 1/4       cup canned chickpeas, rinsed
  
• 1/2       cup halved grape tomatoes
  
• 1/2       cup diced cucumber
  
• 2          tablespoons sliced Kalamata olives
  
• 1          cup cooked pasta of choice, cooled
  
• 1          cup chopped spinach

1. To make dressing: In canning jar, combine olive oil, vinegar, basil, oregano, parsley and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in chickpeas.
2. Layer tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, cooked pasta and spinach over dressing.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, flip jar over and lightly shake to combine dressing with other ingredients. 

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

SOURCE:

Culinary.net

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