DIY Uncrustable Sandwiches are the perfect lunchbox solution that can be made ahead of time. These kid-approved, crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are ready to go anywhere you are! Save time by making a batch and freezing them for a quick & easy freezer lunch box sandwich!
DIY Uncrustable Sandwiches – Great Freezer Meal
These Uncrustable sandwiches are the perfect solution and time-saving hack if you find yourself making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for your kiddos every day. While it doesn’t take too long to throw together a PB & J sandwich, it can get old doing it every day.
And if your kids are anything like mine, they won’t eat the crust anyway! My kids beg for the Smuckers Uncrustables at the store, so I started making a DIY version at home. They don’t even notice the difference, and I love how easy these are to make in batches and freeze for later!
Side note…looking for some other great FREEZER MEAL IDEAS – check out our Fabulous Freezer Meal Ideas post here!
Why We Love This DIY Uncrustables Recipe
- Can be made in advance and frozen for an easy on-the-go option.
- Easy to do in batches so you have a handful ready at once.
- Super quick to make – they only take about 5 minutes.
- The kids love these crustless, fun shaped sandwiches!
Ingredients / Shopping List
- Peanut butter
- Jelly
- Bread
Substitutions and Additions
- PEANUT BUTTER: If you want to switch things up, you can use crunchy peanut butter. My family loves it. You can also make these as a fun dessert treat and swap the peanut butter for Nutella.
- JELLY: You can use any flavor of jelly that your family likes! Uncrustables come in strawberry and grape flavors.
- BREAD: Feel free to use whichever type of bread you prefer for this recipe. If you’re trying to make a healthier option it’s simple to swap out white bread for whole grain or wheat. Most of the time the kids won’t notice, since the crust is gone anyway.
Recommended Tools
- Sandwich cutter with sealer – I love this one!
- Sandwich bags that seal
SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW
How to Make DIY Uncrustable Freezer Sandwiches
If you can make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you can make an uncrustable sandwich! These are so easy and will come together in just a matter of minutes.
- Spread the peanut butter on both pieces of the bread.
PRO-TIP: This is the trick to not having the jelly seep through the bread)
- Spread jelly on top of the peanut butter.
PRO-TIP: You can put jelly on one or both pieces of bread. It just depends how much of a jelly lover you are feeding! - Press the sandwich cutter in the middle of the sandwich firmly.
- Serve immediately or store in a sealed container for later.
How to Freeze Uncrustables for School Lunches
One of my favorite things about this DIY Uncrustables recipe is how easy they are to freeze and have as a grab-and-go item to pack in school lunches. They save so much time in the morning! Here’s how to freeze your Uncrustables for packing in school lunches:
- Make sure that all of the air is out of your plastic baggie before sealing it.
- Place bagged uncrustables on a cookie sheet so they are all laying flat.
- Put the cookie sheet in the freezer, and let them freeze overnight.
- The next morning, place the frozen uncrustables in a large freezer bag.
- Pull the uncrustables out as needed, they can even thaw right in the lunch bag!
Storage Tips
- To Store: Store uncrustables in a sealed Ziploc bag. Be sure to get all of the air out, so they stay nice and fresh. They can be stored at room temp or in the fridge for a couple days.
- To Freeze: To freeze, place uncrustables in a Ziploc bag. Again, be sure to get all the air out. Lay the bags on a cookie tray and place in the freezer overnight. Toss them into a giant freezer bag and pull them out as needed. They can be thawed at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make your Uncrustables with any jelly and peanut butter combination. I’ve used strawberry, grape, raspberry, and apricot jelly. You could also use a different type of nut butter in place of the peanut butter. Almond butter and cashew butter are great options. If you want to make these more dessert-like, try using hazelnut butter (Nutella).
The store-bought version of uncrustables have sometimes gotten a bad reputation for being unhealthy. While they aren’t the worst option out there, making them at home definitely allows for a healthier version of a favorite lunchtime treat. You can swap out the bread for a healthier version and use your favorite brands of peanut butter and jelly for a less processed product.
More Great Grab & Go Recipes
DIY Uncrustable Peanut Butter and Jelly Freezer Sandwiches
Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup strawberry jelly or any flavor
- 16 slices bread
Instructions
- Spread peanut butter in a circle on both slices of bread.
- Spread jelly in a circle on top of the peanut butter of either one or both slices of bread
- Put the sandwich together and then use a sandwich cutter to slice out the center of the bread and press the edges.
- Immediately place in a sealed baggie
- Repeat until all the bread is used up (I like to do two loaves of bread at a time while watching TV)
- Lay the sandwiches out flat on a tray and freeze before stacking them up or tossing them all in a big gallon-sized bag in the freezer. That will keep them from getting smashed.
- Grab and go!
Hi, I was just wondering if you knew how long these sandwhiches would last in the freezer?
Just tried making them… ordered the press on Amazon. My bread keeps cracking. I use the Oroweat Buttermilk bread. Not sure what to do. I’m not over filling either. What kind of bread do you recommend?
I love this idea! Do you eat them frozen? I’m not sure how that works.
Hi Jessica – they defrost really fast, so we take them out a little bit before we want to eat them!
Love having these in the freezer ready to go. I like them better slightly frozen. I’ll divide the peanut butter between the slices of bread and put the jam in the middle so the jam doesn’t soak into the bread when it thaws in the lunchbox. As for the bread splitting, it happens but not quite as much with fresh bread (we use the franz white bread from Costco)
I love being the proud grandma of 13 beautiful kids ,ranging from 23 to 9 yrs. Needless to say, I can’t always please each one when I am cooking. Your frozen pbj sandwiches will be a huge hit. After 5 minutes of thawing time, they can be warmed in a panini press Try other fillings, too?
They are a great thing to have in your “back pocket” for busy days with the kids, that’s for sure! I’m glad you like them 🙂
The sandwich cutter/sealer is not expensive through Pampered Chef. Just wondering though, if you could just use a fork and seal the edges like I do with wontons etc.
You can in a pinch, but it’s a bit for difficult to get an even seal and seems to tear my bread up more when I try it that way. But I have done it in the past when I didn’t have press available. As long as you freeze the sandwiches flat, they shouldn’t lose their filling. Then it just depends on what kind of a beating they take in the lunchbox before getting eaten. 😀
Only $11 when you buy them through Pampered Chef! 🙂 http://www.pamperedchef.biz/kleinkitchen
I got mine through a rep at a farmer’s market. 🙂 Good old Pampered Chef! I love their stuff 🙂
And with a 3yr warranty when purchased through Pampered Chef!
We use that same sandwich press, and love it! I haven’t made the sandwiches for the freezer before, but am definitely going to try it. I have also folded the bread in half before cutting/pressing to make little mini sandwiches that look a little like Asian dumplings, and used the cutter for pizza dough to make little pizza pockets!
Cute idea!!!
Hello!
Where can i buy the sandwich cutter with end presser?
Amazon
Or from Pampered Chef. You can check it out on my site pamperedchef.biz/tamrarobinson
What kind of bread is best? Every time I try to make these the bread rips in the middle
Hi! It’s actually a Pampered Chef sandwich press, but you can find them for sale on Amazon 🙂
Thanks Nicole!! Here is the link http://amzn.to/2uKgMtN
Hi Vanessa – here is the link http://amzn.to/2uKgMtN
My daughter is not a fan of pbj, but I think I might try this with sandwich meat!
What a yummy idea. Thanks!