Peanut, peanut butter … and jelly.

We grew up singing about it and we grew up eating it. Crunchy or smooth, grape or strawberry, crust or no crust, the sweet and creamy blend of peanut butter and jelly has become an American staple.

But the reason I bring PB ‘ J to your attention is not to pay tribute to its service in American society, but to recognize even the peanut butter and jelly sandwich has not escaped the high-speed trend.

Fast-food, high-speed Internet, videos on demand, overnight shipping, online banking and–the speed PB ‘ J.

That’s right, the snack that was made famous for its speedy prep time and simple assembly is getting even easier, thanks to new advances in PB ‘ J technology.

P.B. Slices

Put away that knife and say goodbye to jars. Peanut butter is now available in individual slices, like American cheese singles. P.B. Slices has figured out a way to make peanut butter not stick so consumers may simply put a slice on a piece of bread. With the help of Smuckers Squeeze Jelly, a PB ‘ J is easier than ever with no clean up at all. I tried to get my hands on some P.B. Slices, but unfortunately, they are only available in a few states on the West Coast. Perhaps the Midwest isn’t ready for that kind of innovation, or maybe Californians, Texans and Utes are just lazy.

Uncrustables

Smuckers has individually-wrapped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for those who really don’t have a minute to spread with a knife. Smuckers has even waged war on the crust, hence the name, Uncrustables. But according to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive for the J.M. Smuckers company, 33 percent of children say “hold the crust,” and 86 percent of adults prefer crustless.

Although these new products will save dish soap and a few seconds of our precious time, as we all know, haste makes waste. Instead of a quick rinse in the sink, thousands of tiny plastic cling wrappers will be trashed. Some may think its an environmental woah, but once you experience a toasted uncrustable, you will understand. Taste justifies everything.