SAN ANTONIO – Now a decade into its existence, the Peanut Butter Bowl is coming back and better than ever.
Since 2016, high schools from across San Antonio and surrounding areas have held a week-long food drive of peanut butter jars leading up to the opening weekend of high school football. Those jars are then distributed to local hunger relief organizations.
Last year, 46 tons of peanut butter were collected and donated to more than 40 organizations. To date, the fundraiser has reached over 1.8 million people.
“It’s pretty exciting when you just stop and think,” Steve Teal, the founder of the Peanut Butter Bowl, said at the event’s annual media day at Alamo Heights High School. “Sometimes you’re just right in it, so to realize, 1.8 million people? That’s not just food and protein, that’s hope for them.”
What started as a single game between Johnson and Brandies has turned into a statewide competition. Copperas Cove set the record for most peanut butter jars collected by a single school last year, totaling 12,240.
“I mean, those guys from Copperas Cove, they took it and ran with it,” said Ron Rittimann, the former coach at Alamo Heights. “And they included their whole community. ... Everybody’s kind of chasing them right now, but I’m (going to) go ahead and pick a San Antonio school to win it this next year.”
Usually, schools answer the call, and the competitive nature of high school football is used to inspire participation.
“We have the best platform in the world: Texas high school football,” Rittimann said. “We have an arena to play the game in but also to reach so many people.”
Coach Joe Hubbard, from East Central High School, emphasized the importance of exposing the Peanut Butter Bowl to young people, as the event sees participation from middle and elementary schools as well.
“I think service is so important. And us continuing to teach that piece to our young men, it’s just great for our community,” Hubbard said.
Peanut butter is a staple in food pantries and an excellent source of protein. According to Hubbard, Peanut Butter Bowl donations have been able to feed families for a full year.
That effort continues to grow today, and it can never get big enough.
“Not only the state is big, this country is big, and there’s a lot of people that are hungry,” Teel said. “So how can we reach the rest of the state, how can we start reaching the nation, feeding people?”
The 2026 Peanut Butter Bowls will take place Aug. 27 to 29.
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