Peanut butter. We’ve all eaten it, and most of us probably like it. But have you ever explored the possibilities that this lovely little snack holds? I’m not just talking about peanut butter and bananas, or the perfect PB&J, I’m talking from your head to your toes and back up to your stomach, twice for good measure.

I spent most of my recent spring break trip camping, and as a result, I followed a limited diet. The staple of that diet? Peanut butter. I decided to test out the capabilities of peanut butter while also seeing such landmarks as the Grand Canyon and Arches National Park. So for your reading pleasure, here are my discoveries of what is good with peanut butter, and how peanut butter works as shampoo, deodorant, lotion and shaving cream.

First off, taste testing. I have sampled many foods with and without peanut butter and can conclusively tell you what works and what does not. I feel that peanut butter by itself warrants about an 8/10. Of course, with jelly on some good bread I feel it’s a 9.5/10. But of course you know those go together, but how about with goldfish? It was an interesting combo, but I have to give it a 5/10 for what became cheesy crunchy peanut butter. The homemade burgers we grilled went from a 9/10 to a weak 4/10, therefore I cannot recommend (though some mayo and ketchup were great.) Stuck in the car with only snacks? Peanut butter and beef jerky is a weak 4/10, chocolate bars are a nice 7/10 and Oreos are a respectable 6/10. For breakfast, I cannot recommend blueberry muffins and peanut butter (3/10) awkward sweet/salty mix. If you have cliff bars, the ones with peanut butter already are a solid 8/10 and other types range from 5-7 out of 10, though the carrot cake bar dipped in peanut butter wasn’t even worth swallowing so I give it a 1/10.

If you’re looking to add your favorite peanut butter to your favorite meal, I cannot recommend spreading it over a steak. It just really wasn’t worth it; trust me. Pizza was hardly better and I can only give pb&turkey a 3/10. If you want to add a desert to a peanut butter infused entrée, I have to say avoid the lemon bars (4/10, though seriously, who would ever try that?) but if you're making s’mores and want to be adventurous, the peanut butter can give a nice undertone with the chocolate and graham (8/10.) All in all, there are many things I would prefer to never see near peanut butter again, but I found a few things I will definitely be trying again.

While camping, cleanliness is sometimes a luxury. I decided to see if everyone’s favorite snack could act as a shampoo for when your hair might get a little dirty. I had a place to clean off at, but figured I could discover the cleaning properties of peanut butter anywhere. I had a big jar, and liberally applied the goo to my hair. The results were very… interesting. The thickness of the snack definitely makes for a great gel; my hair would go into any shape I wanted. The smell was very strong, both in application and in removal. Post cleanup, a slight whiff remained. After I washed it out and dried my hair, the peanut butter seemed to have little affect for better or worse. Feel free to try it at your own risk.

I tried several other bathroom related tasks with the food. I continued with shaving with peanut butter. This went a little better than the shampoo, with the only down sides being a slightly dirty razor and a clean-shaven face. Peanut butter was also used as lotion and deodorant. These both worked about as well as you would expect. I received first hand experience as to the stickiness of Jif. If you enjoy the smell then maybe it’s for you, otherwise I would avoid copious use of peanut butter on skin. It definitely belongs inside you, which brings me to my final point on healthcare a la peanut butter. The best thing about using it in these situations, is the chance to eat while you clean.

I love peanut butter, in case you couldn't tell. My favorite is putting it on toasted cinnamon raisin bagels, I eat it nearly every morning (I highly recommend everyone try it.) I hope you have learned a thing or two about new things to do with peanut butter. It can be used in emergency for shaving, or even shampoo if you're brave. But most importantly, it's a delicious snack that goes well with many other foods. So next time you're hungry, take a break and sit down with peanut butter and maybe a few other things and see where it goes.