To support our community members struggling with food access and hunger, we have joined the 14th Annual Peanut Butter Challenge.

We’ll collect donations of unopened peanut butter jars, of any brand and size, until Nov. 24, in a friendly “competition” with other UF/IFAS Extension offices statewide. Join the cause by donating at the Sarasota County Extension office in Twin Lakes Park, 6600 Clark Rd, Sarasota, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. At the end of the challenge, we will add up the donations and take the peanut butter to our local food bank.

A major need, and a major impact

While the challenge has a playful element, it also has an urgency to it. According to All Faiths Food Bank, 43% of households in Sarasota County in 2023 struggled to afford their basic needs.

Did you know that one 16-ounce jar of peanut butter can make 16 sandwiches? Just one jar can make a difference! And last year, through the Peanut Butter Challenge, UF/IFAS Extension and other partners collected nearly 20 tons of peanut butter for Florida food pantries. That was enough to feed 13,299 people peanut butter for an entire year!

Why peanut butter?

Peanut butter is one of America’s leading, cost-friendly, healthy, pantry essentials.  It is a superhero ingredient that delivers quick satiety while being protein-packed, nutrient-dense, delectably delicious, shelf stable, and ready to eat!

A small amount of peanut butter lends so much versatility to the weekly menu plan and can pair well with all food groups! It can be the star of the show across many food categories such as sauces, appetizers, snacks, sandwiches, and desserts! Just 2 tablespoons of peanut butter provide 190 calories, 7 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and is a great source of monounsaturated fats.

Peanut butter is a local food!

Did you know that, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Florida is the third-leading state in peanut production, producing 554 million pounds in 2022?

As reported in the “Florida Agriculture in the Classroom” education program, “approximately 75 percent of (Florida-grown) peanuts produced are made into delicious, nutritious peanut butter! The other 25 percent is used for the next year’s seed, snack nuts, peanut candy and peanut oil.”  For more information and a few inspirational recipes, visit Florida Agriculture in the Classroom.

To get help with food assistance locally in Sarasota County, please click the link to All Faiths Food Bank below.

• Learn more about the Peanut Butter Challenge.
• All Faiths Food Bank: allfaithsfoodbank.org/hunger-in-sarasota-and-desoto/
• U.S. Department of Agriculture: www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/charts-of-note/chart-detail?chartId=106192

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