--- title: The Internet Has Strong Feelings About How to Make a PB&J description: After a Twitter user posed a question about the correct approach to making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, the internet had a strong response. canonical: https://time.com/5326439/twitter-pbj-debate/ author: Raisa Bruner article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-06-29T14:27:16.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:02:48.593Z og:title: The Internet Has Strong Feelings About How to Make a PB&J og:description: Hint: it's a good start to put the ingredients go on the inside of the bread og:url: https://time.com/5326439/twitter-pbj-debate/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Internet Has Strong Feelings About How to Make a PB&J twitter:description: Hint: it's a good start to put the ingredients go on the inside of the bread twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # People Have Very Strong Feelings About the Correct Approach to Making a PB&J > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=909f8885-3692-43ca-8802-007d0ad3c0f3&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Daily | TIME, August 2026 | | Subscribers | 540,000 | TIME, August 2026 | | Open rate | 45.6% | TIME, August 2026 | | Click rate | 3.3% | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Richard Hall, Editor | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The informed consumer. A scaled audience of readers who turn to TIME to stay informed and make sense of the world, with meaningful reach across education and research, nonprofits and civic life, media and communications, government and public institutions, and business and professional services. ### TIME The Brief: key statements * The Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * The Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=909f8885-3692-43ca-8802-007d0ad3c0f3&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/subscribe?i=909f8885-3692-43ca-8802-007d0ad3c0f3&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's daily news newsletter? The Brief is TIME's daily newsletter, edited by Richard Hall. It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It reaches 540,000 subscribers with a 45.6% open rate as of August 2026. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ## Video: Is Peanut Butter Good For You? [Watch (HLS stream): Is Peanut Butter Good For You?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Os9KFOXg.m3u8) (1:20)  _Published 2018-05-24. Is peanut butter healthy? Nutrition experts have long debated the question, given peanut butter’s high fat content. But when its full nutritional profile is considered, to many, the answer is yes_  by [Raisa Bruner](https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Jun 29, 2018 2:27 PM UTC  by [Raisa Bruner](https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Jun 29, 2018 2:27 PM UTC Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a staple of [American cuisine](http://time.com/4867083/rose-wine-jelly/). We grow up with them served as snacks, as easy paper bag lunches, as schoolyard traditions. But as it turns out, there’s something of a fervent debate that exists around just how to make the [hallowed PB&J.](http://time.com/49662/students-make-a-51-foot-peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwich/) Do you put peanut butter on both sides, with jelly in the middle? Peanut butter on the bottom, then spread jelly directly on top? How about an extra slice of bread in the middle? What about skipping the jelly altogether and going for slices of banana? Or what if you mix the peanut butter and jelly together beforehand — and then spread? The internet, as it happens, has extremely strong feelings on the matter. When a Twitter user going by the name of Lexie Ebensberger asked the question about the proper way to make a PB&J last week, she was just trying to settle a discussion,” as her original query to the void stated. But it has since blown up, resulting in over 245 thousand likes and nearly 700 comments with distinctive opinions about the [good old PB&J.](http://time.com/3957387/history-of-peanut-butter/) Of course, someone had to really throw a wrench in the conversation: one (seeming) jokester suggested that the ingredients go outside the bread, replete with photo evidence, to the horror of the online audience. At least we can all agree that there is one way _not_ to make a PB&J. Ultimately the hubbub around the question just proves that there are some classics of American cuisine that may have regional or even familial differences, but remain mainstays that can bring us all together. > [](https://twitter.com/LexOnTheBeach26/status/1010667334074236928) > [](https://twitter.com/Yariksfg/status/1011078375027310593) > [](https://twitter.com/Malkio/status/1011139405602607104) > [](https://twitter.com/drew%5Flewis%5F3/status/1011335876746661895) > [](https://twitter.com/ttheel9/status/1011068913038364674) > [](https://twitter.com/moose7791/status/1011293042261798914) > [](https://twitter.com/eostee/status/1011325086589210632) > [](https://twitter.com/billyrduncanay/status/1011041301293355008) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5326439/twitter-pbj-debate/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5326439/twitter-pbj-debate/"},"headline":"People Have Very Strong Feelings About the Correct Approach to Making a PB&J","datePublished":"2018-06-29T14:27:16.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T08:02:48.593Z","description":"Hint: the ingredients go on the inside","url":"https://time.com/5326439/twitter-pbj-debate/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Food & Drink","viral"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Raisa Bruner","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5326439/twitter-pbj-debate/","name":"People Have Very Strong Feelings About the Correct Approach to Making a PB&J"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Is Peanut Butter Good For You?","description":"Is peanut butter healthy? Nutrition experts have long debated the question, given peanut butter’s high fat content. But when its full nutritional profile is considered, to many, the answer is yes","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/Os9KFOXg/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2018-05-24T13:42:06.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Os9KFOXg.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5326439/twitter-pbj-debate/","duration":"PT1M20S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5326439/twitter-pbj-debate/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```