JWU Denver Students Build a Giant PB&J and Aim for a Guinness World Record

In honor of National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day this year, JWU Denver culinary nutrition students collaborated with Southmoor Elementary to build the longest vegan peanut butter and jelly sandwich — a record submitted for entry into the Guinness World Records.

The sandwich’s final length came in at 108 feet — with more than 875 pounds of student-made bread, peanut butter and jelly (all vegan). Everything was made from scratch as part of their end-of-term class project for the vegetarian cuisine course taught by Chef Adam Sacks, a long-term advocate for meatless diets and the mastermind behind the Denver Campus’ previous Guinness attempt, a 1,000+ pound vegan banana split.

“This was a wonderful opportunity for us to connect with our community in a fun way, and spark conversations about nutrition and wellness,” said Chef Sacks. “Our hope is this special experience will echo positivity around heart-healthy food. As a leading food authority, JWU is changing the way the world eats.”

Through the curriculum of the veg cuisine course, JWU Denver students explore the importance of why people choose vegetarian diets, the reasons for which often include cultural and global perspectives, economics and health.

Students in Christina Johnson’s fourth grade class helped assemble the sandwich by applying peanut butter and jelly to the bread and stacking the bread to add to the sandwich’s final length. As they worked together to construct the sandwich, the JWU students shared their knowledge of good eating habits. Everyone enjoyed vegan PB&J cookies — proof that healthier food choices can be delicious.

“The Southmoor community was incredibly excited to collaborate with Johnson & Wales on this unique achievement,” said Southmoor Principal Sarina Compoz. “We got to come together to build community and learn about healthy food options, and we also had a ton of fun.”