In an era of rising grocery costs, many shoppers turn to store brands to cut expenses without sacrificing quality. The store-brand model works because retailers avoid the high marketing, branding, and distribution costs that national brands carry. Some people refer to these products as "off-brand", "dupes", or "store brand", and they all mean the same thing.
We put our frugal minds to the test to find the best dupes at Target, and we were pleasantly surprised by all the options.
Good and Gathered powdered sugar $1.99
You can never have enough powdered sugar in your baking cabinet, especially during the holiday months. A recent shopper stated, "Good & Gather products are always my go-to! The powdered sugar is of great quality and tastes delicious in my baked goods."
The Target brand is priced at about half the price of the name-brand option, C&H Premium Cane Powdered Sugar, which is $3.89. They both weigh 2 pounds, so they are equal in volume.
Good & Gathered shredded sharp cheddar cheese $1.99
Shredded cheese of any variety is a must in the fridge; it is great for casseroles, salads, grilled cheese, and more. One customer stated about the Good & Gathered cheese, "Good shredded cheese, it’s easy to use when you don’t have time to shred cheese yourself."
Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese is more than double the price at $4.39 for the same 8oz. One visible difference between the two is that Tillamook cheese has thicker shreds than the store brand's thin shreds, so keep that in mind if you pay attention to cheese texture.
Good & Gather kettle potato chips $2.49
It's hard to deny the crunch appeal of kettle potato chips. This 8-ounce bag is great for sharing or keeping on hand for a late-night snack. One happy customer stated, "These have the perfect amount of crunch and the perfect amount of salt for an excellent price."
Kettle Brand potato chips come in 7.5-ounce bags and cost $3.99. These also have more ingredients than the store-brand option, which has only three: potatoes, vegetable oil, and sea salt.
Good & Gather dark chocolate almonds $6.49
Dark chocolate almonds are not only delicious but also perfect for gifting during the holidays and for adding to charcuterie boards and snack plates at parties. One fan stated, "These tasted great! The dark chocolate was not too bitter or too sweet, and the almonds had a great crunch."
The main comparison we could find to these was the SkinnyDipped Dark Chocolate Candy Cocoa Almonds, priced at $5.29. However, this is only a 3.5-ounce bag compared to the 13-ounce bag of Good & Gather. That means to get the same amount of almonds, you'd have to spend $20, a massive price difference between the two.
Good & Gather craisins $1.89
Craisins are a holiday staple to keep in hand. They can be added to salads, desserts, sides, or on charcuterie and snack boards for a pop of sweetness. This 5-ounce bag gets rave reviews. "My kids love them and are much cheaper than the name brand, which is great because we go through them quickly."
Ocean Spray Craisins are available in a 6-ounce bag for $2.49 per bag, which is still more expensive per unit, making the store brand a better value.
Good & Gather pure vanilla extract $4.99
Every baker knows that having pure vanilla extract on hand during the holiday season is a must. It's used in all the delicious cakes, cookies, and other Christmas treats. This review stated, "This is my favorite vanilla extract—I’ve repeatedly told my husband if he wants a stocking stuffer idea for me, to just throw a few bottles of this stuff in and I’ll be a happy camper!"
Compared to Watkins pure vanilla extract at $9.99, you could literally buy two of the store brand for the cost of just this one. Both options are sold in 2-ounce sizes and contain the same ingredients.
Good & Gather organic honey nut hoops breakfast cereal $3.39
Kick off your morning with a howl of these honey nut hoops. One satisfied customer stated, "Very good. A healthier option and not a bad price point."
Honey Nut Cheerios came in a smaller box at a higher price of $3.79 and with less weight. It also doesn't list the ingredients as organic.
Good & Gather half & half $1.79
You can't beat the price of this half and half at Target. It's a convenient 16-ounce size, making it easy to use up in just a few recipes. One fan for life said, "I tried five different mainstream brands of half&half trying to find a good one before purchasing this one, and I gotta say Target’s brand is at the top. The taste and consistency are just better than any of the others in my opinion."
Horizon organic half & half costs double, $3.79 for the exact same size.
Good & Gather house blend medium roast ground coffee $7.99
Coffee prices are on the rise, so buying store brand coffee is a simple way to cut costs without cutting out your morning caffeine routine. One coffee lover stated, "First time trying this coffee and I must say, it is really good compared to other, more expensive brands. Full flavor, hints of chocolate, will buy again."
Starbucks house blend medium roast ground coffee is $10.79 per bag. Since both are 12-ounce coffees, the store-brand coffee is a much better deal.
Final verdict
Store brands have come a long way in the past decade, often matching national brands in taste and quality. Many shoppers say they can barely tell the difference once the packaging is out of sight. In some cases, store-brand items are made by the very same manufacturers, just sold under a different label for less money. If you’re trying to lower your grocery bill without feeling deprived, this is one of the easiest switches to make.
Store brands are almost always cheaper. If you need to scale back but don't want to miss out on your favorite foods, consider the alternatives and see what you think. There are literally hundreds of store brands at Target to try. Be sure to check the ingredients, the item weight, and the unit price to verify what you're getting.
When you compare the numbers, the savings speak for themselves. The total cost for all ten store-brand products is $33.01, compared to $63.12 for the same ten name-brand items. That’s a difference of $30.00, almost half the price, simply for choosing the in-house versions. Over a whole month of shopping, that kind of swap can put a meaningful amount of money back in your pocket.
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