Buzz
I’m not particularly fond of athlete-created or promoted meal plans and diets, primarily because I’m not an athlete myself. Additionally, I find the overly sterile and uninspiring approach of many of these diets unappealing. (For instance, when Tom Brady launched his extravagant and overpriced “nutrition guide” last year, I was thoroughly annoyed.) However, the NBA has a meal option that almost everyone can appreciate: the simple yet delightful peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
As reported by ESPN, the tale behind the PB&J-fueled “sandwich revolution” is legendary. It all started when an unnamed teammate mentioned his hunger to Bryan Doo, the Celtics’ strength and conditioning coach. Kevin Garnett also found the idea appealing:
Man, I could really go for a PB&J,” the player remarked.
Then Garnett, in a moment that would echo through history, famously responded: “Yeah, let’s make that happen.
You can dive into the full story via the link below, but it seems the Celtics performed so well that Garnett insisted the beloved childhood sandwich be served before every game, with his specifically requiring strawberry jelly. It’s a logical choice as a performance food—packed with protein and carbs, yet light enough to avoid the heaviness of greasy, meat-heavy meals. Today, it’s not just the Celtics embracing peanut butter and jelly. Numerous teams have joined the trend, each adding their unique twist.
The Trail Blazers: Organic peanut butter and jelly are non-negotiable (no surprises there), except for the white bread, which is chosen for its “high-glycemic carbs that digest quickly to deliver an instant energy boost.” Out of the twenty sandwiches prepared, half are toasted, and every single one is crust-free.
The Rockets: They offer a customizable experience, with options for white or wheat bread, chunky or smooth Jif peanut butter, and strawberry or grape Smuckers jelly available throughout the game, even at halftime.
The Clippers: This team leans toward the gourmet side, enjoying both peanut and almond butters, along with “a variety of jellies sourced from Whole Foods.”
The Bucks: If I were to choose a basketball team based solely on their PB&J offerings, this would be my pick. They provide a pregame buffet featuring smooth, crunchy, and almond butters, an array of jellies (raspberry, strawberry, grape, blueberry, apricot), three types of bread from a local bakery (white, wheat, and gluten-free), and Nutella. They also serve PB&J-flavored oatmeal, recovery shakes, waffles, and pancakes.
The Cavs: This team takes their sandwiches seriously, offering both peanut and almond butter, homemade raspberry and grape jelly, and fresh banana slices.
The only peanut butter that’s off-limits is the processed Uncrustables (found in the freezer aisle). In fact, the Cavs send these to opposing teams nightly as a form of culinary sabotage.
