How about this for a product that is basically a waste of money and will further foster a fear of 'making a mess'. Is it really so bad to get a little messy now and then????


OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - It may not be the best thing since sliced bread, but pre-sliced peanut butter is on its way to U.S. store shelves in test markets, food researchers from Oklahoma State University said on Monday.

"It's all about convenience," said William McGlynn, a food science professor and part of the team that worked on the project for the past three years at the Stillwater, Oklahoma, school.

"The kids can make their own peanut butter sandwiches without making a mess," McGlynn said.

The peanut butter comes individually wrapped in plastic sheets, like sliced cheese. A package of 16 one-ounce slices is expected to cost about $2.50 and start selling soon in Wal-Mart stores in Oklahoma and the Dallas-Fort Worth area, McGlynn said.

Institutional customers, such as school cafeterias, also have expressed interest in uniform portions, he added.

Only creamy peanut butter will be available at first, but McGlynn said researchers were hard at work on crunchy slices.