A Quick History of the Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich

'Food historians do not know exactly when the peanut butter and jelly sandwich was first

prepared, and there have been no advertisements or mentions of Peanut Butter &Jelly before the 1940s.
Peanut butter wasn't invented until 1890, and it became a hit at the 1904 World's Fair in
St. Louis.  During the 1920s and 1930s, commercial brands of peanut butter such as Peter
Pan and Skippy were introduced. Around the same time, pre-sliced bread became
common in the U.S.  However, there's no mention of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
before the 1940s.

It is known, however, that both peanut butter and jelly were on the U.S. Military ration
menus in World War II, and some have suggested that the GIs added jelly to their peanut
butter to make it taste better. It was an instant hit and returning GIs made peanut butter
and jelly sales soar in the U.S.'