"Some sandwich-lovers might have difficulty choosing one above all others but not Bruce Springsteen. When challenged, New Jersey's favorite son did not hesitate to name a nostalgic throwback that might nevertheless be the most quintessentially American sandwich in the nation's history, the humble PB&J. Appearing on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" in 2021, the singer-songwriter was faced with the rapid-fire "Colbert Questionert" and asked to name the best sandwich. "That's easy," Springsteen immediately replied. "3 a.m. Peanut butter and jelly. Big glass of milk.""
"Colbert described Springsteen's choice as an "American classic," and he's not wrong. As noted by the sandwich historian Tal Lavin, the PB&J achieved national prominence during the Depression, when the New Deal saw the sandwich included as part of free lunches in 14,000 schools around the country. According to the National Peanut Board, peanut butter and jelly were included in U.S. military rations during World War II, and sales of both exploded across America following the conflict's end."
"so much so that, when a scene in the 2025 biopic "Deliver Me From Nowhere" portrayed the Boss (as played by Jeremy Allen-White) talking about hot dogs and mentioning his fondness for mustard, fans were quick to point out that the Boss has publicly and vehemently declared his distaste for the condiment, stating during one concert: "I don't like any mustard. I don't like it on my hot dog; I don't like it on my sandwiches. No!""
Bruce Springsteen identifies a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a big glass of milk as his go-to choice. He voiced that preference on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in 2021, calling it easy to choose. The PB&J rose to national prominence during the Depression through New Deal school lunch programs and appeared in U.S. military rations during World War II, with sales surging after the war. Springsteen has strong food opinions, including a public and emphatic dislike of mustard, which fans corrected when a biopic scene suggested otherwise. Peanut butter enjoys ties to rock-and-roll traditions.
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