One of my long-standing complaints about new products at Trader Joe's is that they tend to be carb-heavy. But there is a substantial enough audience for good-tasting low-carb alternatives that have been all but ignore up until recently.
The taste
Now, there are two new low-carb items hitting shelves: Trader Joe's Jicama Wraps and Trader Joe's Hearts of Palm Pasta.
Now, low-carb diets aren't the easiest. It seems that there just aren't the same number of options available as there are for the vegan and gluten-free crowd (but for the record, this fits into those categories too).
In fact, this is one of the few products that proudly announces how few carbs it has: 3g total. However, on some diets, the net carb count is actually closer to 1g per serving when you subtract out the fiber.
But with many low-carb items, there are some that taste good and others you wish you never tasted, to begin with.
At first, I hated how these felt just out of the package. They were wet which made me wonder if they could ever be a good replacement for taco night.
And despite my own hesitation on the dampness, I loaded each one up, in the same way, I would a tortilla and found it actually was a really good replacement.
Each wrap is slightly thicker than rice paper on a spring roll. So imagine a double layer of rice paper.
In terms of flavor, it doesn't lend much flavor at all. At most, it reminded me of water chestnut in terms of taste. I've had some Jicama that was sweet, but this batch just didn't seem to lend much sweetness at all.
Overall, if you are looking for a low calorie, low carb, vegan, and/or a gluten-free way to enjoy taco night this is very much worth a try.
Originally, this product was released to the west coast only, however, it has since worked its way to the east coast too.
Frequently asked questions
Here are some commonly asked questions about this product.
No, Trader Joe's jicama wraps are meant to be consumed raw as they are packaged. However, they can be gently warmed if you prefer a warmer wrap.
These should feel damp and not slimy. If they feel slimy then they should probably be disposed of.
Overall
For $4.49 for about a dozen wraps isn't a bad deal.
Would I buy this again? For taco night, Trader Joe's Jicama Wraps get a solid thumbs up for me. I didn't feel like I was missing anything. You'll just have to get around the idea that this is a bit damper than your typical tortilla shell.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
The visual rundown
The package of Trader Joe's Jicama Wraps:
The nutritional information and the ingredients
And with some tacos:
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.
The Bottom Line
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Trader Joe's Jicama Wraps
Product Name: Trader Joe's Jicama Wraps
Product Description: Trader Joe's Jicama Wraps are new, refrigerated, and geared toward the low carb crowd.
Price: $4.49
Summary
Trader Joe's Jicama Wraps are a surprisingly good wrap.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Low carb wrapper than is actually sturdy and tasty enough
- This is one of those smart swaps if you are looking to cut back your carb intake.
- Tastes similar to a water chestnut
Cons
- You'll have to adjust to having a damp wrapper. And with the right filling this sort of thing will disappear.
Deborah says
Thanks for the post. I was at Trader Joe’s and picked up the jimica wrap and could not make up my mind so I did not get it… But I will get it the next time I go Thanks to you.
becomebetty says
Hey Deborah! I'd love to hear how you like this when you do try it!
Beth says
I was excited to try them but just didn't care for them. I prefer the low carb whole wheat tacos with 45 calories over these.
Alek says
You could even slice up for salads or slaws too. Or even spring rolls too. Cut off the carbs and adding more nutrition.
Robin says
I love them!
My favorite uses so far are:
1. Scrambled eggs and cheddar with salsa and avocado slices
2. Made with melted cheese, sautéed bell pepper/ onion, and black beans like a quesadilla
3. To made cheese, hummus and veggie wraps (i make Spears of peppers, cucumber, onion slices, etc to keep things neat).
Love the idea to try them in an Asian style. I think I’ll stir fry bagged coleslaw with soy sauce, rice vinegar, red Chile....and throw in some of the Siracusa tofu. Thanks!
Tammy Eros says
I didn’t like them right out of the package, the first time I bought them. I gave them another try and found that if I heat them up about 10 seconds in the microwave, it makes them more flexible and the flavor isn’t as strong. It still has a slight crunch but not as much as right from the package.
Lorna says
I didn't care for this and threw them away. Wet, flavorless and not enough crunch to offset the negatives. That said, I hadn't considered heating them up. May try again with that in mind!
becomebetty says
Hey Lorna! If you try it by heating it up, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Thanks again for stopping by!
windchime805 says
The first time I saw these wraps I passed them up. The next time at TJ's I thought Oh go ahead! Glad I did... I used them with egg salad, tuna salad, rolled around some Cheeto's (and my fingers didn't turn orange!) Great for a quick snack! Of course there is not much flavor, Jicama itself is crunchy but not full of flavor. Kind of like celery. I will buy them again. Gotta try some of Robin's ideas!!
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing!
Karen Fan says
Tried them today with Sofritos, lettuce, cheese, tomato, salsa. Yum Yum. Will try to heat them tomorrow. Yum
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing Karen!