Whether or not you like your peanut butter creamy or crunchy may actually say more about you than you think, according to new research. Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Jif ahead of National Peanut Butter Lovers Day – which falls on March 1st every year – the survey found that a third of all respondents described themselves as “extremely” passionate about their peanut butter preference.
In fact, Americans are so passionate about their PB preferences, that rather than asking your date what they do for a living or where they’ll see themselves in five years – you may want to ask about their peanut butter preference. The results of the survey showed that nearly half of all respondents said it would be a deal-breaker to find out their date is on the opposite side of the creamy vs. crunchy debate. And a whopping Sixty-three percent of all respondents even said they will pass on the peanut butter altogether if it’s not the kind they prefer.
When the survey examined the peanut butter and snacking preferences of 2,000 Americans – evenly split by their preference of crunchy vs. creamy – it revealed that enjoying a crunchy peanut butter may make you have a cheerier outlook on life. Sixty-three percent of those who prefer crunchy peanut butter describe themselves as optimists, compared to 56% of those who prefer creamy. Other personality traits for creamy fans included being more of an early bird and more introverted – whereas their crunchy counterparts were more likely to be night owls and extroverts.
When asked to reflect on their childhoods, the results showed creamy fans were teased more over their peanut butter preference than their crunchy counterparts growing up (47% vs. 28%). Surprisingly, those who prefer creamy were more likely to be judged for their preference than those who prefer crunchy – at 50% compared to 32%. And 68% of creamy peanut butter fans said they’ve felt pressure to pick crunchy to fit in – compared to just 50% of crunchy fans.
Both groups do have some common ground, however, through their love of animals. When asked about their preference to dogs or cats – a third of both parties shared they love both species equally. Another common ground for both parties comes down to making a classic PB&J – as both parties prefer grape jelly over strawberry.
“We love to see Americans’ passion about their peanut butter,” said Jake Calhoun, Director of Brand Strategy for the Jif Brand. “Regardless of which type of peanut butter you prefer; the results show over a third (35%) of Americans prefer to eat their peanut butter directly from the source. That’s part of the reason we introduced Jif Squeeze, which allows peanut butter lovers everywhere to measure out perfect amount of peanut butter for recipes and smoothies or enjoy straight from the pouch on apples, celery or crackers – all without the mess.”
Calhoun continued, “As we gear up for one of our favorite holidays – National Peanut Butter Lovers Day – on March 1, we hope American’s are able to enjoy their favorite peanut butter, no matter what their preferences are. National Peanut Butter Lovers Day celebrates all types, from creamy and crunchy, straight from the jar and straight from the pouch.”
—
Photo Credit: ZikG / Shutterstock.com