Foods That Start With J

Can you name at least ten foods that start with J? What about fruits? I bet you can’t list even five main course dishes that start with the letter J.

But do not worry, we’ve got you! We’ve made this comprehensive list of foods that start with the letter J, so you don’t have to! Keep reading to find out.

Everyday Foods That Start With J 

How many everyday foods that start with the letter J can you list? Keep reading to find out.

1. Jawbreaker

Jawbreakers, or gobstoppers, are a type of spherical, sweet hard candy. They are often impossible to bite into without causing dental damage, hence the title ‘jawbreaker’.

2. Java

Java is another word for one of our favorite drinks in the world- coffee! But more specifically, Java is a type of arabica coffee grown in Indonesia, where ground coffee beans are wet-processed and washed.

3. Jam

Jam is usually made from crushed or diced fruits and sugar syrup. Jam is sometimes also referred to as conserves. There are also a ton of varieties available, like fruit combinations, nuts, coconut, or even raisins.

If you’re anything like me, you instantly thought of jam when you read the letter J. And hey, I don’t blame you. After all, a serving of PB & J with toast is the ultimate comfort food, not just in the United States, but probably in most parts of the world.

4. Jelly

Jelly, or gelatine, is a type of dessert made using sweetened and processed collagen. Like jam, it comes in many flavors and colors and can be used in a variety of dessert foods. Sometimes, alcohol is used for jellies, to make cocktails and ice cubes out of them.

5. Jaffa Cake

Jaffa Cakes were first introduced by McVitie and Price in the 1920s in the UK. They’re small, circular biscuit-like cakes consisting of three layers- a genoise sponge base, orange jam, and dark chocolate. 

6. Jerky

Jerky usually refers to lean meat that is cut into thin strips and smoked or dried to preserve. Sometimes, salt is added during the drying process to prevent bacterial growth.

7. Jelly Roll

A jelly roll is a dish made by spreading jam or flavored jelly on a sheet of sponge cake, and then delicately rolling it into a log. 

8. Jambon

Jambon is the french word for Ham. It is the meat cut from the thigh of a hog. It is then preserved by curing, with or without smoking. Jambon is also the preferred cut of meat used for sandwiches, ham rice chicken, pastries, and pies.

9. Jelly Beans

Jelly Beans are sugar candy foods that are shaped like beans, with soft candy shells and gel-like filling. It sometimes also contains emulsifying agents and edible wax for a shiny coating.

10. Jello

Jello, or Jell-O, is a brand that sells a variety of gelatin dessert foods, puddings, and no-bake pies. Their primary focus is a colored and flavored jelly dessert. Their original ‘Jell-O’ jelly flavored with strawberry, orange, raspberry, or lemon, remains their signature product.

11. Jordan Almond

Jordan Almond, also known as ‘dragée’, is a confectionery sweet made with a hard outer shell (usually in bright, pastel colors). They’re very tiny in size, and the whole almonds are sugar-panned in various colors. They’re used for consumption as well as decoration in weddings, cakes, dessert foods, and more. 

12. Junior Mints

If you’re looking to try foods beginning with J, you can never go wrong with Junior Mints! They are bite-sized chocolates that are filled with mint gel, with a dimple on one side.

13. Juice

Juice must’ve come to your mind when I asked you to list foods beginning with J. And frankly, why shouldn’t it? Fruit juice is one of the healthiest breakfast items you could have. It has an array of health benefits, and it is, almost always, incredibly delicious!

Fruits and Vegetables That Start With J

1. Jamun

Jamun, more commonly known as Java Plums or Indian Blackberries, are the fruits of the evergreen trees of the Myrtaceae family. They’re rich in antioxidants and hemoglobin content and are very similar to black olives in appearance. The flesh inside is white and is a perfect combination of sweet and sour, with a somewhat tart aftertaste.

2. Jackfruit

Jackfruit is a tropical fruit that is native to southwest India. Jackfruit can be very large in size (some may weigh up to 100 lbs) and contains thick, yellow flesh, and edible pulp and seeds. It’s very similar to a mango or a banana in texture, but while some describe its taste as sweet, others say it tastes like pulled pork once cooked. This Indian fruit is also popularly known for its nutritious seeds.

3. Jalapeno

Jalapenos are semi-tropical chili pepper pods that are native to Mexico but were adopted by Texas as their state pepper in 1995. They’re slightly bigger than normal chilies and belong to the family of ‘capsicum annuum’ species.  Jalapenos are mostly used in Spanish and Mexican cuisine foods.

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4. Japanese Plum

Japanese Plum, also known as the Chinese plum, is the fruit of a small delicate tree that is native to China. These days, the Japanese plum is also grown in parts of Japan, Vietnam, Korea, and the US. Japanese Plums are small and reddish-black in color, with a firm and juicy flesh that tastes very sweet once ripe.

5. Jaboticaba

Jaboticaba is a tropical grape tree that is native to Brazil. Its fruits are grape-like, and most commonly used for making wines and jellies. They are sweet to taste, but may sometimes taste similar to sour lychees. 

6. Jostaberry

Jostaberries are a cross-hybrid fruit variety between the black currant, the Northern American black gooseberry, and the European gooseberry. They’re tiny, purple berries that are sweet to taste and primarily eaten fresh. They’re also used in a variety of cakes, pies, jams, spreads, jelly, and ice cream foods.

7. Jerusalem Artichoke 

The Jerusalem Artichoke is a North America-native species of sunflower. It is a root vegetable, also known as ‘Earth apple’. It is rich in iron and potassium and prevents nerve damage. You can grate or dice it for your salads, consume it raw, or even boil it with seasonings for flavor.

8. Jonathan Apple

 The Jonathan Apple is a North American classic ‘heirloom’, with yellow-red smooth skin and a slightly acidic but sweet taste. It is often tough-skinned, and its yellow-red late-ripening apple characteristic led to it making way for newer commercial varieties. Although, heirloom fruits are beginning to rise in popularity once again.

9. Jujube

Jujube, also called Chinese dates or Red dates, is a tropical fruit that is native to Southern Asia but is rising in popularity around the world. Jujube is usually eaten raw and has a very sweet taste. Once dried, it turns reddish-purple and may appear wrinkly in texture. Dried jujube develops a date-like chewy texture.

10. Jicama

Jicama is commonly known as Mexican yam or Mexican turnip. It has a very tuberous edible root that can be eaten raw or cooked with salads or stir-fries.

Foods That Start With J: Main Course And Desserts 

When do you think of the letter J, which desserts come to mind? If your answer is none, you have to check out this section1

1. Jalapeno Poppers 

Jalapeno Poppers is a popular Mexican dish that is prepared by hollowing out jalapeno chilies and stuffing them with a mixture of herbs and cheese, sometimes even meat, and fried. They are often breaded with a slurry and deep-fried.

2. Jollof Rice

I remember the first time I tried Jollof rice. I was hooked right from the start. And as someone who is a spice fanatic, I tried replicating it several times, this recipe being the most successful. 

Jollof rice, or Jollof, is a popular West African one-pot meal. This dish is made using rice, chicken, or shellfish at times. It also contains the famous scotch bonnet peppers and other spices. 

3. Jiaozi

Jiaozi is a type of Chinese dumpling that is traditionally consumed during the Chinese new year. It mostly consists of ground meat that is seasoned and wrapped in a thin dough wrapper and steamed or fried. It may sometimes even contain ground sausage with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and celery that has been finely chopped and ground.

4. Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a spicy creole dish that is native to Spain, West Africa, and France. Traditionally, it is made using chicken, shellfish, and sausage. It’s a one-pan dish that also contains tomatoes, onions, peppers, and other seasonings. 

If you’re feeling particularly tempted to try this beautiful dish, check out this recipe!

5. Jerk Chicken

Jerk chicken is a spicy grilled chicken dish that first originated in Jamaican cuisine. The name references the style of cooking where the chicken is marinated with spices and gradually cooked over a grill or fire oven for the smoky flavor.

6. Jalebi

Jalebi is a dessert food that is of East Indian origins but quickly gained popularity throughout India and its neighboring countries. It is prepared by deep-frying an all-purpose flour batter in circular motions and then soaking it in sugar overnight for the added sweetness.

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7. Jingbajian

Jingbajian is a collection of eight Beijing pancake-style pastries made by the Imperial Kitchen of the Qing dynasty. ‘Jing’ references Beijing, and ‘Bajian’ means the number eight. It is a traditional sponge-biscuit cake that is filled with food items like dates, plums, raisins, fruit, sugar, and sometimes even pepper. 

Each pastry has a symbolic meaning behind it and references the eight values: long life, luck, wealth, happiness, success, excess, education, and fertility.

8. Jaegerschnitzel

Jaegerschnitzel is an authentic german recipe that is prepared by deep-frying a mixture of boneless pork chops, eggs, flour, and salt and pepper. They’re sometimes even breaded for a better texture. These classic cutlets are called ‘Schnitzels’.

To make them Jaegerschnitzel, these are then served with brown mushroom gravy on top.

Final Thoughts

Contrary to what you might think, there are plenty of foods that start with J. Some of them are so exotic, that I can barely pronounce them right. But all of them are highly tempting nonetheless.

Ask yourself again, how many foods that start with J do you know? And now that you know a lot, go ahead and quiz your friends and family!