Homemade Uncrustables

Homemade uncrustables are easy, affordable, freezer-friendly, and a great way to DIY a childhood favorite sandwich. You can even make it whole wheat, gluten-free, or nut-free!

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Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:

• They’re super kid-friendly!
• DIY uncrustables are such a time-saver and perfect for meal prep.
• Freezer-friendly — keep your freezer stocked and you’ll always be ready for a quickly-packed lunch.
• Customizable – you can easily make this sandwiches however they fit for your family. Make with low sugar or no added sugar jam, or sunbutter for nut-free, or with different breads, like whole wheat or gluten-free.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions:

For a full ingredient list with quantities, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Bread – as long as it’s a softer, sandwich bread-style bread, you can use any kind of bread you like. I usually make them for my kids with whole wheat sandwich bread.
• Jam – you can use any kind of jam (even homemade, or chia jam!). If I’m not using a homemade or chia jam, I prefer a store-bought reduced sugar jam.
• Nut or Seed Butter – my children’s school is nut-free, so we use Sunbutter in our homemade uncrustables, but you can use peanut butter, almond butter, nutella — whatever works for you (and your school).

How to Make Homemade DIY Uncrustables

For complete instructions, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Honestly, it’s pretty straightforward! Make a PB& like normal, focusing on keeping the spreads/ fillings in the center of the bread. Use an uncrustable sandwich maker tool to crimp the sides and remove the crusts. That’s it!

Tips and Variations

• Bread matters – while you can use different types of bread (i.e. whole wheat), you do need to use a softer, sandwich bread. Not a rustic or artisan loaf. Gluten-free breads are often smaller, so make sure the loaf you’re using will fit the uncrustable maker.
• Keep the filling center. Since the crusts and edges of the sandwich are getting removed, to keep less waste, I like to keep the sunbutter and jelly in the middle and away from the edges. This also gives you more flexibility with what to reuse the crusts for, as you’re not limited by sweet/ PBJ-friendly recipes.
• Don’t overfill. Adding too much filling can make it burst out of the sandwich when you try to crimp the edges together.
• Make a bunch at once and freeze. This is one of my favorite hacks for easy school lunch packing. I add a homemade uncrustable straight from the freezer to their lunchbox, and it’s thawed by lunchtime.
• Avoid intricately shaped uncrustable cutters. You’ll see cute dinosaurs and other shapes, but in my experience, they can be a real pain to remove without breaking! Plus you often end up with less actual sandwich. I have and recommend both of these uncrustable sandwich makers:
  • Uncrustable Sandwich Maker with more leverage
  • Uncrustable Sandwich Maker to press and twist
• To make a homemade uncrustable without an uncrustable sandwich cutter, use a large glass to press the sandwich into a circle, removing the edges. Then use a fork to crimp and seal the edges.

DIY Uncrustables Storage Tips

It cannot be easier to meal prep and store these diy uncrustables for school lunches! Here’s what I recommend:

• Fridge: Place the homemade uncrustables in an airtight container or bag and keep in the refrigerator for two days (longer than this can make the bread get soggy from the jam).
• Freezer: This is my preferred method! To pristinely retain their shape, freeze them flat on a sheet pan, then transfer the frozen sandwiches to an airtight, freezer-safe bag or container. But honestly, I often just take the freshly made uncrustables and put them straight into a gallon-sized bag to freeze. I try to keep them flat, but I’ve found that they don’t really stick to each other and keep their shape fairly well once thawed. Plus it’s just one less step! Homemade uncrustables can be frozen for up to one month.
• To thaw: I recommend taking frozen uncrustables straight from the freezer to your child’s lunch box. It will thaw by lunchtime! Alternatively, you can thaw on the counter or in the fridge for a couple hours. Or if your kids are like mine, they may even find they enjoy them frozen straight from the freezer!
• DO NOT MICROWAVE!! The jelly can get too hot and lava-like and it can become a safety hazard to your kids.

How to Use the Crusts

I’m all for reducing food waste, so here are a couple recipes I love to use up the bread crusts!

• French Toast Muffins
• Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs

Shop This Recipe

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All of my favorites can be found on my Amazon storefront, including a whole page dedicated to my Meal Prep Essentials!

• Bamboo Butcher Block
• Gold & Wood Measuring Cups & Spoons
• Half Sheet Sheet Pans
• Uncrustable Sandwich Maker (love this option, it gives you a little more leverage!)
• Uncrustable Sandwich Maker (I also have and use this option – I like that you can twist it a little for cleaner cuts, if need be).

More Back-to-School Recipes to Love

• Nut-Free Granola Bars
• Banana Sushi
• Turkey and Cheese Roll Ups

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