Does peanut butter belong in the pantry or the fridge?
This was Twitter’s most recent debate that had, well, more responses than any other peanut butter debate I’ve ever seen. The debate started on August 30 after a Twitter user by the name of Caucus Characters posted a Tweet simply stating, “Let’s settle this debate once and for all. Peanut butter, fridge or pantry?”
Personally, I didn’t even know this was a debate, but the Tweet received over 2,000 replies in 24 hours – all responses from passionate, peanut butter loving people.
Let’s dissect the main arguments:
Team Fridge:
- The peanut butter stays fresh.
- The oils don’t separate.
- Some local climates require it (to prevent melting).
Team Pantry:
- The peanut butter stays soft and spreadable.
- The jar doesn’t say to refrigerate it.
- Who wants to eat cold peanut butter?
Twitter’s overall consensus? The pantry. However, many users pointed out that the type of peanut butter makes a difference. All natural peanut butter requires refrigeration because the ingredients separate much easier than generic, processed brands. Additionally, an open jar of peanut butter can maintain its freshness for 2-3 months in the pantry before needing to be refrigerated, which also played a part in some users’ decisions.
My favorite response came from Twitter user Asma Bandey who, rather than partaking in the debate, found the perfect compromise with her husband: do both. “Our house has 2 concurrent jars of pb,” she wrote, “- one in fridge one in pantry, specifically because husband and I adamantly disagree on this. Mine is crunchy, in pantry – him creamy in fridge and never the two shall meet.”
I can confidently say that I never thought I would be writing an article about the Great Peanut Butter Debate of 2021. But it turns out, this debate is more serious than I thought… And not that you asked, but I’m Team Pantry all the way.