Kansas State University Dining Services partnered with the National Peanut Board (NPB) to celebrate National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day on campus with a two-day pop-up, held April 1-2. The activation was designed by NPB to engage students and showcase a variety of menu possibilities.
A PB&J station featured four creative must-try sandwich varieties, encouraging students to sample and vote for their favorite through a K-State Dining Instagram poll. The lineup included:
• The Sweet and Spicy PB&J: Peanut butter paired with orange marmalade and a kick of Sriracha
• The TikTok-Made-Me-Do-It PB&J: A surprising mix of peanut butter, pickles and honey
• The PB&J Crunch Bomb: Peanut butter, strawberry jam, pretzels and granola for added texture
• The Apple of My PB: A wholesome blend of peanut butter, honey and fresh apple slices
NPB also distributed branded swag at the pop-up, and students participated in the “Can You Crack the Peanut Count?” contest, guessing how many in-shell peanuts were in a container for a chance to win jars of peanut butter.
The event demonstrates how a familiar favorite like peanut butter and jelly can be reimagined to drive participation and interest in campus dining. The PB&J station format also lends itself to a self-serve model, where students can build their own creations, share them on social media and participate in additional contests, such as most creative or most craveable sandwich.
While the pop-up was designed to celebrate National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, the format can be easily replicated year-round, giving operators a simple way to drive engagement with peanuts any day of the week.