Does a PBJ have a defined "up" side?

Depends on which fingers you want to get dirty.

Absofuckinglutely! The jelly will gooify the bread on on a much faster rate than the peanut butter. You have to eat that sumbitch jelly up and that’s all there is to it!

Jelly on the top slice, probably because that side has less structural stability as it becomes moistened by the jelly/jam.

The obviously correct answer is neither.

You have to peanut butter BOTH pieces of bread to create a jelly proof barrier. Then there is no top side!

It’s a matter of structural stability. Peanut butter, being more dense, makes for a superior foundation. In the event of earthquakes, sudden stops, or cabin depressurization, a PBJ with the peanut butter side down stands a stronger chance of maintaining position and surviving.

I put peanut butter on both slices, then jam on top of the peanut butter.

And no butter!

I don't know what's up with those weirdos buttering their bread before putting spreads on, but I'm not one of em!

You spread the peanut butter on one slice of bread, then wipe the knife off on the second slice, spreading a super thin layer of peanut butter across the surface to seal it, so the jelly doesn't seep in.

Then you use the now clean knife to spread the jam or preserves over the thin layer of peanut butter, and slap them together, and slice it in half.

Everyone keeps talking about structure. Yet no one seems to consider eating. If you do PB top side then you get PB stuck to the roof of your mouth

The whole "pb on both pieces of bread" thing is SPECIFICALLY for making the sandwich IN ADVANCE like making your lunch in the morning. If you're eating it immediately then that's unnecessary.

That method increases the likelihood of cross-contamination (don't get one ingredient in the other's jar, you heathen), so don't do it UNLESS you're making it in advance.

Anyway, the correct way (for eating-immediately scenarios) is jam on top, as it's less likely to drip that way.

Jelly belongs on top. Peanut butter belongs on the bottom. Banana belongs on top of the peanut butter. Chia seeds must be worked into both peanut butter and jelly before setting the banana.

Peanut butter is placed on BOTH sides of bread, and the jelly goes in-between those layers of peanut butter. This keeps the jelly from making your bread soggy.

From top to bottom:

Bread
Light layer of PB
Regular layer of Jelly
Regular layer of PB
Bread

Whichever one I want to taste more of on the next bite goes down!

Does nobody else flip their sandwiches over periodically like this?

Stripes. Side by side. Peanut butter next to jelly next to peanut butter, and so on. No top. No bottom. Just utter chaos.

If you can spread peanut butter on top of jelly, you're a witch.

Correctly made, a PB&J should be symmetrical. A layer of peanut butter on each slice of bread with jelly in between, so the jelly doesn't sog up the bread, especially if the sandwich is to be stored for awhile as in a packed lunch.

Just use the Reese's peanut butter since there's no wrong way to eat a Reese's.

While I agree with all the comments about structural integrity, I'll point out that platonically, it's a peanutbutter sandwich with jelly, and condiments belong on top of meats, not under them.

I look forward to reading the debate about toilet roll orientation tomorrow.

Jelly on top, if you use the same knife for both peanut butter and jelly, you'll mix jelly with the PB in the jar. I know I don't want that, but to each his own, I guess. PB doesn't tend to get into the jelly jar as much, in my experience, but again, to each his own.

50% PB and 50% J per slice of bread. Make two lines of ingredients and then alternate the order on the 2nd, so all 4 quadrants are touching their counterpart.

Jelly goes in the center. Both slices of bread should have a thin coating of PB to keep the bread from getting soggy with jelly.

three pieces of bread. the outer two each get pb on one side, the inner one gets j on both sides

Every single answer so far says jelly up. I've never eaten a pbj the right way apparently. I've always put jelly on bottom.

Jelly on top, peanut butter on the bottom, bread in the middle

Jelly on top, absolutely. In all sandwiches, ingredients must go from least dense at the top to most dense at the bottom. This is part of the sandwich bitelaws.

Jelly on top gang checking in.

What if you just mixed the jelly and the peanut? Has anyone tried this? Does it fuck with the mouthfeel?

Does anything in the Universe have a defined "up" side?

Let us discuss over a jug of absinthe.

The real pro tip is you peanut butter both sides then jelly center.

Peanut butter is usually heavier, so I put it on the bottom.

yall not adding vegemite to your pb&js are missing out.

Everyone knows it's jelly in the middle, peanut butter on each slice of bread.

Peanut butter on both slices, jelly in the middle. No I won't take questions.

Peanut butter goes directly on the bottom slice of bread, then the jelly (or jam, or honey) gets spread on top of the peanut butter. That way you can mix the two flavors together. Top is either a blank slice of bread, or you can spread a thin layer of PB or dairy butter on the slice to prevent it from soaking up the wetter spread if you won't be eating the sandwich right away.

You’re supposed to apply peanut butter to half of each slice of bread, then jelly to the other half of each slice (so they’re mirror image), then put them together. That way both sides have equal amounts peanut butter and jelly, and it’s 180° radially symmetrical. The best sandwiches are radially symmetrical.

I prefer the jelly hit my tongue first because the PB can pierce it. If PB is first, my tongue is coated and resists the jelly.

Pb&j goes on a tortilla. It is best as a burrito, or chimichanga if you have a pot of hot oil.

The answer is it doesn't matter. The only important factor is that you cut off all the crusts.

Wrong, wrong, everyone is wrong! Blend it together so it’s a uniform mix of jelly and peanut butter.

Whatever side I want to taste more goes on the bottom.

Wait, but how do I separate the peanut butter from the jelly?

I'm much more a PB & Honey guy but for both I'll be honest... I don't make a sandwich. Single slice all the way.

Even if there is an up side, good luck trying to define it.

Why would you have jelly with peanut butter?

Surely it's too sweet? Pb and Jam is already pushing it for sweetness (still delicious though)

About 15 years ago, I switched to open faced PB& J sandwiches. Each slice of bread gets peanut butter first, then jam or preserves on top. It's perfect.

Nobody else does this?

I always put the peanut butter on top because it sticks to the bread better. If I pick up a slice of bread with jelly, there's more of a chance that some could fall off.

I make PBJ toast for breakfast a lot. Spread peanut butter first, then jelly, eat slices separately.

On "running late" days, I used to make it into a toast sandwich & eat in the car (WFH now). I'd still spread the toppings on both slices out of habit, I think.

I'm more of a 3 slice pbj my self

I know I am in the minority but I hate PB and J. In my opinion all that does is ruin the peanut butter.

No, only downsides. Your jelly is more sugar than fruit, what passes for bread is an abomination, and peanut butter is typically more hydrogenated oil than peanuts...

Every once in a while I make loaf or real bread - but I can never keep it in the kitchen long enough to put anything else on it because it is so good. Not that real bread needs help anyway.

My grandma used to make some jelly without all the non-fruit additions (is this Jam?). I have also made peanut butter from just peanuts (and you can even buy this in stores). These would be required to have a good PBJ, but as I said, I can't keep real bread around long enough to see if there would be any upside to such a creation - my guess is hiding the flavor of real bread means this too is a downside but I will never know.

You want the peanut butter next to the bread, due to its fat content, to prevent the jam (or jelly) soaking in to the bread and making it soggy. Best to spread both slices with peanut butter and have the jam in the middle. (as an aside for my fellow Brits this is why Devon has the correct approach to cream teas).

Sometimes I make it jelly side down if the jelly is really watery, and I let it sit for a couple minutes so the jelly soaks into the bread, but then I always flip it for eating. This helps prevent all the jelly from splooging out all the sides when I bite it, because I like my PB+j LOADED.

I put PB on the inward facing faces of the bread and J on the outward faces - excluding the two bread slices that are on the outside of the sandwich of course, those only get PB, while the innermost slice has J on both sides. (I usually make them with an odd number of slices so there is a defined middle slice)

https://youtu.be/fh8A98zfoKw

Bread, definitely. Fillings should go in the middle

This is the American version of the jam/cream debate for scones. Incidentally, cream on top, fight me if you think otherwise!

The bread with the Jam can land in the trash in whichever orientation it pleases.

As an Australian I'd like to say that jelly doesn't go in sandwiches or anywhere near peanut butter. Jelly is a dessert food. Some people like it with ice cream or cake or pudding. It doesn't go with savoury lunch foods.

The top of a sandwich made of sliced bread is the same as the top side of the loaf.

A sandwich made of sliced bread has six sides. Two broad sides and four thin, crusted sides. Three of the crusted sides are straight and one is curvy. The curvy side is the top of the sandwich.

?

You get a plate and 2 pieces of bread. Peanut butter one piece, jelly the other, then stick them bread-side-up to the plate. Consume with a knife and fork like a civilized person.

After you top both pieces with Swiss cheese and ketchup of course.

Throw them both in the trash and make a good tasting sandwich.

PBJ is just gross.