Issue 11 – Peanut Butter

Food allergy warning: this issue may contain peanuts

Unbox Inbox is a weekly newsletter packed with packaging inspiration and observations

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A Peanut Butter Deep Dive

Welcome to another issue of Unbox Inbox. If this is your first time reading, consider subscribing below. And if you’re back for a second (or third or tenth) helping, that makes me happy. This week we’re going down the Peanut Butter Rabbit Hole. Not almond butter, not sunbutter, not peabutter, not roasted seed spread, but the original eat-out-of-the-jar-with-a-spoon butter, peanut butter. Between the rising prevalence of peanut allergies in children, and the ongoing “better for you”-ification of everything, peanut butter has gotten a bad rap as of late. I’ll be the first to admit I avoided it for a couple years while smothering rice cakes in every alt nut and seed butter under the sun. But let’s be honest, nothing compares to the real deal (unless you’re allergic, in which case I’m sorry). I even wrote this issue while dipping an apple in some Teddie and wearing my greatest merch creation to date to get in the spirit. So without further ado, let’s peep at some peanut butter packaging.

1. Peanut butter for the person who is on Team Big Peanut Butter

Jif, Skippy and Peter Pan are practically synonymous with peanut butter, and I’d argue they have some of the greatest brand awareness in any category–especially Jif. It’s even used in the debate for how to pronounce “gif” (for the record, I’m of the camp that doesn’t pronounce it like the peanut butter brand). What’s fun about the peanut butter category is how colorful brands get with the lids and labels. Especially most of the Big Peanut butter brands that don’t seem to feel the need to communicate “natural” through the use of whites, greens, browns and white space. For the sake of this explore I excluded most white label brands, but had to throw in Kroger here because I love their playful treatment of crunchy vs. creamy. There’s no mistaking those two SKUs on shelf.

2. Peanut butter for the person who isn’t going to give up peanut butter but wants to feel like it’s as “healthy” as all those alt nut butters trying to tell them they’re better for them

What did I say above? There’s an abundance of health claims written in green (organic, natural, one ingredient), whites, off-whites, and white space, and for the most part, toned down and neutral colors. Even as a packaging designer, I never realized how prevalent this “natural” design trend was until I started writing this letter. Most of these companies are still giants, and for many of them it’s probably debatable how much better they are than some of the brands above. I for one love Once Again and Santa Cruz for both their taste and consistency, and their ingredient list. I could, however, do without Justin’s misleading us with “naturally delicious” while sneaking palm oil into their peanut butter spread (the FDA standards require peanut butter to contain no less than 90 percent peanuts and no more than 55 percent fat to be labeled “peanut butter”).

3. Peanut butter for the person prefers to grind their own peanut butter at the store but opts for these brands when that machine is out of commission

I hate to keep falling back on the term “artisanal” to describe this style of packaging, but so far it’s the best I’ve got. I’ve had about half of these brands myself, and I do think the product inside feels a bit more artisanal too–or less processed and finely ground–than a lot of the brands above. They’re almost like creamy for the crunchy person when they must go creamy. Per usual, this is one of my favorite design groups in this letter. Never change Cream-Nut.

4. Peanut butter for the person who loves a good pantry or fridge tour on the internet

Once again, this category is also me. And for the record, I really miss the Behind Closed Doors series on CAP Beauty and love Pineapple Collaborative’s The Pantry series. I’ve purchased Mumgry at Pop Up Grocer in Brooklyn (it was fine) and One Trick Pony at OK Pantry in Kinderhook, NY (a bit bland so now I give it to Plum) because I liked the jar designs. Next time I make it to London I’ll probably try to smuggle some Harry’s Nut Butter home with me. The interesting thing happening with CPG design these days is that the logic I wrote about in the two categories above has gone out the window. Bold, colorful design is being used to help brands with shitty ingredients distract us, and brands with nothing to hide in their ingredient lists stand out on shelf. It drives me nuts (ba dum tss 🥁) how this whole “better for you” craze is mostly a way for brands that spend a bit more on marketing to hide their ingredients that are generally as sub par as their “us vs. them” counterparts. I just hate seeing the powers of design being used in a manipulative way, ok!

5. Peanut butter for the person likes to think outside the jar

For as much as I love peanut butter, I’m far more addicted to tahini (an issue for another week). I recently stumbled upon a squeeze bottle while killing time at Price Chopper and, to be dramatic, it has been life changing. Less knives to wash! Better spreading! No stirring! All to say, I think I’m ready to give squeezable peanut butter a try next. The only downside, it makes eating it with a spoon feel a tad more desperate. And I had to throw in Lily’s here too, the single peanut butter brand I stumbled upon in a jar that wasn’t round.

Time Travel Time

I don’t know about you, but I could spend days perusing vintage peanut butter tins and jars on Etsy and eBay. Same goes for the ads that sold them. The copy was so delightful!

Chatterbox

I’m so excited to have Leslie Stephens of

Morning Person

here this week! Leslie’s newsletter is one of the first that pulled me into the wonderful world of Substack, and I look forward to finding it in my inbox weekly. Her newsletters are packed with thoughtful recs, honest essays, and real-life learnings that are incredibly refreshing amidst the over-sponsored, over-filtered content machine that is media in 2024. Maybe that’s because alongside writing a best-selling Substack, she’s also earning her Master's in Professional Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in addictions (she knows a thing or two about how to be offline too). On top of all that, her debut novel You’re Safe Here is coming out in June, which you can pre-order here. Now let’s see what some of her favorite products are and her reasoning behind purchasing them.

What are 3-5 items that are always stocked in your home?

Your question made me realize how little brand loyalty I have, especially to products I keep stocked. That being said, I love ILIA's Limitless Lash mascara and buy this Chile Crunch by the 32-ounce jar. Bury me with Honey Mama's Ginger Cardamom Fudge.

Why are you loyal to those brands or products? 

I came across ILIA when I worked at a lifestyle blog and tested mascaras for an article. I love it—it doesn't flake, lasts all day, and is made with clean ingredients. Why look for another? The other two have become my strange addiction, I rarely go a day without each.

What was the last thing you bought because it stood out to you on the shelf?

I bought Sweet Deliverance's rose pistachio granola on the shelf of Valley Studios in Portland. I'm a sucker for well-branded food items. Did not disappoint!

What was the last thing you bought because someone you know recommended it? Patagonia's Capilene Air Base Layers, recommended by a friend and the novel, Time's Mouth by Edan Lepucki.

What was the last thing you bought because of an algorithm? 

I haven't bought it yet, but it feels like Oura Ring is circling in for the kill. Every time I convince myself I don't need it, I see it. Aaand now that I've mentioned it in an email, I'm done for.

Favorite place to shop irl?

I recently moved into a house that has a garage with shelves, so I'm going through a major Costco phase at the moment. 

Favorite place to shop online?

I rarely browse online, so it's hard to say! Usually when I'm buying online, I'm on a mission to purchase something specific.

Someone is visiting where you live for a day, what are 3 musts? 

Brunch at Sweedeedee, hike in Forest Park, and book shopping at Powell's (and the many, many other smaller indie bookshops here, like Broadway Books, Third Eye, and Up Up)!

Thank you, Leslie!

Packing Peanuts

(Those loose leftover pieces at the bottom of the box)

If you don’t want to spread peanut butter all over your body, you could try this peanut butter body wash instead (that video brings me so much joy). There’s a shocking amount of everything bagel peanut butter out there. You could call it “maximalist peanut butter.” Peanut butter intended to be eaten with a spoon. A spoon intended to eat peanut butter with. Would you eat this dog peanut butter (ingredients: peanuts, turmeric, parsley, flax seed ginger)? I think I would. Plus more dog peanut butter innovation in the form of a Cheez Wiz style spout-top can. Peter Pan merch from the 80s. This hat is giving chunky vibes. If you want to learn more about peanut allergies (and allergies in general) I found this book highly illuminating. A good old fashioned peanut butter stirrer (I store my PB jars upside down so the oil slowly mixes throughout vs. hanging out on top). In case you missed it too, Jif changed their tagline from “choosy moms choose jif” to “that jif’ing good.” I have mixed thoughts. I know we all think it’s kind of annoying how Austin Butler still talks like Elvis, but try and tell me him making a PB&J at the end of this Hot Ones episode isn’t strangely soothing and attractive (skip to 21:50). “I’m a smooth peanut butter kind of guy.” Does anyone else call it smooth vs. creamy? I need to know.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading, I love you. If you’re feeling generous or inspired, please forward this newsletter to a friend and encourage them to subscribe too <3

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