The salmonella scare may have marred peanut butter's reputation, but jars of national name-brand peanut butter sold in supermarkets appear to be safe. And dietitians say it's an almost ideal food — rich in protein, high in healthy mono-unsaturated fat and relatively cheap, which is a real boon in these tough times.

"A peanut butter sandwich on whole-wheat bread with a glass of low-fat milk and an apple or banana is a balanced meal with a reasonable amount of calories," says Keith Ayoob, who works with overweight children at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. "And you can probably make it for under a buck."

— USA Today

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