We Tried Trader Joe’s Controversial PB&J Crepes

The thing about Trader Joe’s is that shopping there is a game of roulette of sorts. You see, between the inability to be certain that your favorite product is going to stick around and such a vast array of suppliers all being sold under the Trader Joe’s label, it is undeniably difficult to know what to expect. From one loaf of sourdough to the next, everything about it could be different. For us here at Sporked, that unpredictability leads us to an abundance of Trader Joe’s taste tests.

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We’re certainly not complaining, though, especially since most of the products end up being delicious… or at least good enough to finish. But these Trader Joe’s “PB&J” Filled Crepes have certainly stirred up enough contradictory reviews for us to do an in-depth review of our own at this point. So let’s get into it, shall we?

Our Official Sporked Review

Pros — A lot of the online hate that these crepes received actually boiled down to the strawberry filling and peanut butter spread that they’re filled with. But honestly, to us this tasted on-par with the comforting peanut butter and jelly flavor that you would find in something like an Uncrustable. If you go into these expecting all-natural peanut butter and homemade strawberry jam flavor, then sure you’ll be disappointed. But these taste pretty much exactly as advertised, and as you would expect.

Another common criticism these received was that there wasn’t enough of the peanut butter and jelly filling/flavor present. But we can’t agree with that statement either for a couple of reasons. For starters, this is a pre-packaged on-the-go snack made with a rolled crepe. There’s no way for them to make it absolutely bursting with peanut butter and jelly filling without making a mess and just unappetizing. And, the level of filling is actually quite comparable to their chocolate hazelnut variation of filled crepes, too. But above all, in every bite you get peanut butter and jelly flavor. It does come through, even though it is inherently going to be a more subtle flavor than something resembling Nutella.

Cons — The only criticism these received that we felt was truly valid was the critique on the texture of the crepe itself. Granted, you must give in to certain concessions when you’re buying something that’s traditionally eaten immediately after cooking in a pre-packaged form, but I would have expected these to have been a bit more tender. Plus, the flavor of the crepe itself was just pretty bland. Even a touch more salt would have helped loads to just give it a bit more depth of flavor.

Final Verdict

I think that your satisfaction after purchasing these all comes down expectations. If you think of it as a crepe version of an Uncrustable with less filling (for obvious reasons), then honestly these are a pretty great purchase. They’re satisfying, portable, and not messy to eat. Plus, they’re made with a beloved flavor combination that would make these especially great for kids and lunchboxes. But don’t go at it expecting something super fresh and gourmet, because that’s not what these are — nor what they’re advertised to be.