Learn how to make the iconic kids’ sandwich – The Uncrustable – at home! In this DIY guide, you will find step-by-step pictures, FAQs, tips and tricks and over 8 different fillings you can put inside! These easy sandwiches are great for an on-the-go lunch or snack, a packed school lunch or lunch at home.

graphic for post - homemade uncrustables - great for school lunch. 8 ways! Images is of a blue lunch box with a small kids hands holding an uncrustable as well as fruits and veggies packed for school.

Easy Homemade Uncrustables

Looking for an easy lunch idea for your kids?

Then the homemade version of the kids’ iconic Uncrustable will be a huge hit! Below you will find step-by-step pictures of how to make them with a sealer or with a fork, FAQs, as well as my favorite tips. Plus, you will find over 8 fun filling combos to keep those lunch boxes interesting all year long!

Feeding kids can be tricky! But, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! Here you will find 40 Family Dinner Ideas, over 100 Healthy Snacks for Kids, great Hidden-Veggie Recipes50 Cooking with Kids Recipes and so much more! Plus, don’t miss my best-selling cookbook Little Bento: 32 Irresistible Bento Box Lunch for Kids for more recipes and ideas!

Reasons to Love these Uncrustables

  • toddler, kid and adult-friendly
  • easy to make
  • can customize with different fillings
  • healthy
  • some fillings are freezer-friendly
  • great for school lunches, on-the-go lunches or at-home meals
  • can be made gluten, nut and dairy-free
2 hands holding a heart shape uncrustable sandwich against a white background.

Ingredients

Make sure to read the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions!

  • Bread: whichever brand you prefer, but a softer sandwich bread works best.
  • Fillings: see below for 8 of our favorite fillings.
  • Uncrustable sealer: you can use an Uncrustable sealer or you can use any sandwich or cookie cutter to cut the bread and then a fork to seal it.

Tip: if wanting to make a gluten-free sandwich, make sure to use soft gluten-free bread. You can also gently heat the bread for 10-20 seconds in the microwave until it is soft.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Lay two pieces of bread on a cutting board.
  2. Spread and fill with desired fillings (see below for suggestions), making sure to leave room around the edges of the bread for the sealer.
  3. Place one piece of bread on top of the other.
  4. Gently press down on the sandwich. I find this helps bind the bread and spreads out the crust, causing less breakage.
  5. Press down with the outer sandwich cutter and remove the leftover crust.
  6. Then gently press down on the inner sealer to seal the bread together. Go slow with this part so you don’t break the bread.

Tip: I have found that to help the jam from seeping through the bread you can spread the peanut butter on both sides of the bread!

Tools Needed

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make Uncrustables without a sealer?

You can use any sandwich or cookie cutter to cut the sandwich and then use a fork to press down and seal the outer part of the sandwich.

What kind of bread do you use to make Uncrustables?

You will want to use a soft sandwich bread to make Uncrustables. If the bread is too hard, it will crack and the fillings will come out.

Can you freeze Uncrustables?

Yes, depending on the fillings. You can freeze pb&j, turkey, or nut butter and honey homemade Uncrustables.

8 Filling Options

Don’t feel like you can only make Uncrustables using pb&j! Here are some delicious sandwich combos to help keep those lunchboxes exciting.

  • pb&j
  • turkey and cheese
  • nut butter and honey
  • cream cheese and jam
  • hummus and avocado
  • peanut butter, banana, honey and chia seeds
  • apple butter and ricotta
  • nutella and strawberries
  • avocado and grated hard-boiled egg

How to Store and Freeze Uncrustable Sandwiches

Depending on the fillings, Uncrustables will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

You can easily freeze the pb&j, turkey and cheese, or nut butter honey Uncrustables. To freeze Uncrustables, place them in a ziplock freezer bag or stasher bag and remove as much air as possible.

To thaw an Uncrustable sandwich, you simply place a frozen Uncrustable into a lunch box and by lunchtime, it will be thawed. To serve immediately, gently warm in the microwave in 15-20 second intervals.

A blue lunchbox filled with two uncrustables sandwiches, cucumbers, strawberries, popcorn and gummy snacks.

What to Serve with Uncrustables

The options are endless here. But some of my favorite sides to serve with Uncrustables in a school lunch are:

  • sliced apples
  • baby carrots
  • broccoli with ranch dip
  • applesauce
  • berries
  • pretzels
  • orange slices
  • sliced cucumber
  • edamame
  • kiwi
  • grapes

Tips for Making Uncrustables

  • Fillings: go light on the fillings! You do not want to add too much of any filling as it will break open the bread causing them to spill out.
  • Bread: make sure you use a soft sandwich bread so the cutter can easily seal the bread together.
  • Peanut or Nut-Free Sandwich: you can use any seed butter or another filling that is nut free.
  • Sealer: you can use a store-bought sealer or a sandwich or cookie cutter and a fork to seal the edges.

Cooking with Kids

Toddlers

  • Toddlers can help spread the fillings onto the bread
  • They can help press and seel the bread

Kids

  • They can pick out and spread all of the fillings.
  • Kids can press and seel the bread.
A blue lunchbox filled with two uncrustables sandwiches, cucumbers, strawberries, popcorn and gummy snacks.

Get the recipe: Homemade Uncrustables (super easy!)

5 stars (1 rating)
Here's a DIY version of the popular store-bought sandwich! Plus, I have 8 great flavor combinations to keep your kid happy and full.

Ingredients 

  • 4 slices soft sandwich bread
  • 2 tbsp nut butter
  • 2 tbsp jam

Instructions 

  • Lay two pieces of bread on a cutting board.
    Two pieces of bread on a wooden cutting board with a green uncrustable sandwich cutter.
  • Spread and the peanut on both sides of the bread.
    A cutting board with two pieces of bread and an uncrustable cutter.
  • Add the jam to one piece of bread. Place one piece of bread on top of the other.
    It wouldn't carry board with two pieces of bread with peanut butter on one and jelly on the other.
  • Gently press down on the sandwich. I find this helps bind the bread and spread out the crust, causing less breakage.
    Gently pressing down on a sandwich.
  • Press down with the outer sandwich cutter and remove the leftover crust.
    Two hands holding a sandwich cutter over two pieces of bread on a wooden cutting board.
  • Then gently press down on the inner sealer to seal the bread together. Go slow with this part so you don’t break the bread.
    Two hands cutting out a circle shape with a sandwich cutter.

Notes

Flavor Combos:
  • pb&j
  • turkey and cheese
  • nut butter and honey
  • cream cheese and jam
  • hummus and avocado
  • peanut butter, banana, honey and chia seeds
  • apple butter and ricotta
  • nutella and strawberries
  • avocado and grated hard-boiled egg
Bread: you can use any soft sandwich or gluten-free bread. If it’s too hard, place in the microwave and heat for 10-20 seconds or until just warm. 
 

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