You can really save money by buying off-brand or no-name products! But are they the same quality? Are they nutritionally the same? And do they taste the same? One Canadian food blogger taste-tested brand name products against their no-name equive’s…
“The No Name ‘cheese flavoured twists’ are thicker, puffier, and way airier. […]
The Cheetos, when put side by side, were thinner, longer, crunch-
ier, and noticeably saltier — in a bad way.”
… And she says the results of the experiment were nothing less than ‘shocking’!
What she did
Lauren DiBenedetto chose 7 well-known, heavily advertised, sales-leading name brand products. And taste-tested them head-to-head with No Name ‘brand’ bargain-tier products sold by the largest sup-ermarket chain in Canada – Loblaw’s.
Since she was both tasting and running the experiment, she couldn’t set up a ‘blind’ taste test. But she enlisted her Dad – a Boomer with 20-year-old taste buds – to try all the products without know-ing which was which…
What she found
Here are DiBenedetto’s key findings, in a collection of nutshells…
Eggos frozen waffles
“The No Name waffles […] leaned doughier – even after a solid toast.”
Brand Name Cost: $4.00 for 280g
No Name Cost: $2.75 for 280g
Outcome: Eggo wins (but No Name was almost a tie).
My take: I’m more interested in the flavour than the texture. And I would have no qualms about giving the No Name waffles an even more-solid toast. No reason I can see to not at least try the No Names…
Ritz Cheese Sandwich crackers
“No Name version packs a punch with the salt. It’s […] very one-note. Ritz, however, delivers that iconic buttery flakiness with a subtle hint of sweetness that comes in at the end to balance every-thing out.”
Brand Name Cost: $4.00 for 160g
No Name Cost: $3.28 for 180g
Outcome: Ritz wins hands down.
My take: I’ve always thought Ritz crackers were overly salty. If the No Names are more so… Anyway, I’ve always loved Ritz for its distinct ‘buttery cheesiness’, as Di Benedetto describes it. I’d stick with the Ritz, even at the higher price.
Cheetos cheese puffs
“The No Name ‘cheese flavoured twists’ are thicker, puffier, and way airier. They have that melt-in-your-mouth quality that makes you keep reaching back into the bag. The Cheetos, when put side by side, were thinner, longer, crunchier, and noticeably saltier — in a bad way.”
Brand Name Cost: $4.50 for 260g
No Name Cost: $2.69 for 200g
Outcome: Give it up for No Name
My take: Been here, tasted this. And went with the No Names, for exactly the same reasons DiBene-detto cites. They’re salted just right – for my taste. And as a bonus, they don’t make your hands as orange!
Tropicana ‘Pure Premium’ Apple Juice
“No Name is exactly what you’d expect from a box of apple juice. Sweet, tart, and a little watery. The Tropicana genuinely tastes like you’re biting into an apple.”
Brand Name Cost: $5.79 for 1.36L (wild pricing by the way)
No Name Cost: $3.78 for 1.75L
Outcome: Despite the cost, Tropicana is worth every penny
My take: There is little to choose between Apple Juice Brands. The flavour differences are dependent on the types of apples they use. But the ‘Fresh-Squeezed’ claim on the Tropicana bottle pictured in Dibenedetto’s original post makes me wonder just what’s in the bottle? It’s cloudy, and looks like cider to me. An unfair comparison? I’d go No Name and get what I expect from Apple Juice: clear, amber sweet-tart zing…
Cadbury Dairy Milk with Hazelnuts
“Cadbury Dairy Milk is creamy, smooth, and melts instantly in your mouth. It’s unbeatable. It’s the Bobby Flay of chocolate bars. It’s that perfect nostalgic chocolate experience. How do you imagine a golden ticket Wonka bar tastes? The No Name version is… fine.”
Brand Name Cost: $2.50 for 90g (sale)
No Name Cost: $2.49 for 100g
Outcome: Wait for the sale and treat yourself to the Dairy Milk
My take: Well… The prices were the same (the day DiBenedetto shopped). But I can attest that the Cadbury bar is usually Around $4. I love Cadbury’s Chocolate and would usually choose it at any price. But the differential of $1.50 between the regular price s for each, for me, would make the difference between buying or not buying most days!
Cool Ranch Doritos
“If you love bold flavours, Doritos delivers. The Cool Ranch is tangy, punchy, and intense. But also… they’re just a lot. The No Name version was milder, a little paler in colour, a little less salty, and a little more balanced.”
Brand Name Cost: $4.50 for 235g ($1.91 per 100g)
No Name Cost: $2.50 for 200g ($1.25 per 100g)
Outcome: No Name winner by far.
My take: I’ve had the No Name Doritos ‘clones’. And I, too, prefer them ‘hands down’ – precisely be-cause they’re milder, less salty and more balanced. I love Ranch flavoured chips. But not when they finish with a ‘bite’, like Doritos. As with all salty snack products, the price comparison is ‘extreme’, to say the least.
Nutella spread
“The No Name version made a pretty strong second. It’s lighter, more aerated, and spreads more easily.”
Brand Name Cost: $8.00 for 725g (sale)
No Name Cost: $5.79 for 725g
Outcome: Nutella wins (but it was a close call)
My take: Now we’re getting into sensitive territory. I’m going to disappoint Di Benedetto and go with the No Name. Because as soon as I discovered it on the shelves, some time ago, now, I tried it. And to my taste, there’s not a lot of difference. But the price difference is, again ridiculous…
Lauren’s take
“Out of seven matchups, No Name came out on top three times and came very close in […] two more.”
“So here’s the real takeaway: if you’re trying to cut your grocery bill without sacrificing your will to live, switching a few staples to No Name is actually a smart move. You don’t have to give up every-thing. But you may be surprised by what you don’t miss.”
My take
I use No Name products at home all the time. And I’ve never felt I suffered, or had to deprive myself of any guilty pleasures when choosing them over their brand name equivalents.
One thing I like about the salty snacks especially, is that the No Names usually have significantly less salt. The brand name products are usually drowning in it, to the extent that it blurs or masks the nu-ances of their intended flavours.
Disclaimer: I consume salty and sweet snacks very infrequently these days. The experts are right when they say folks crave salt and sweet less as time goes on. But my opinions on food-related issues remain as strong (and sometimes contrarian) as ever!
~ Maggie J.