Trader Joe’s Knockoffs Vs. Original Brands: Which is Better? – Wired PR Lifestyle Story

The other day, as I was browsing the cracker section of Trader Joe’s, I grabbed a box of their “Original Classic” water cracker – I grew up almost the same size as one of Carr’s flagship boxes – and thought to myself. for the thousandth time: Wow, Trader Joe’s has hit it hard. (And a much nicer start to the budget!) Then I asked, would anyone tell me the difference between the original and the ersatz? So, I started a week-long experiment with my friends, co-workers, and family for a side-by-side tasting. Here’s how they went

Ur Crackers (above)
Let’s start with the cracker that inspired this whole story. Joanna, who I had for dinner last week, was my tester. He had very strong opinions in advance that Trader Joe’s coup could not touch the original, and yet he admitted, “It was closer than I thought.” In the end, though, we both decided it was time to dump her and move on. “Water cracks are nothing more than crickets; they just did it to show the cheese. Drought removes that. ”
Winner: Original

Fried
I didn’t want the visual cues to affect the taste buds, so most of the testing was done blindly. But, “That’s a Frito,” my husband said. AndyZoom in between meetings, and said convincing – even before tasting knockoff – he emphasized the nostalgia of the decade. Trader Joe’s version has a thicker structure, probably because it’s designed (and marketed) to be packed and immersed, but we both got good marks for the real corn flavor. This is not the case with the original, however.
Winner: Original

Macaroni and Cheese
It was forever since I made macaroni and cheese out of a box, even though it was one of my great pleasures as a child. So I followed the cooking instructions to the letter and was overwhelmed that he was asking for the original four spoonfuls of butter and cheese in addition to the package. How do you compete with four tablespoons of butter for nothing? Well, the truth is, you can’t get past Kraft’s mouth, but Trader’s version had a higher umami-level sharpness than I’d say in its flavor. significantly offset. I grew up with Kraft, but Trader Trend was better.
Winner: Shopkeeper Joe

Oreoa
This has only strengthened Oreo, which is iconically perfect. “There’s almost no chocolate flavor,” Andy said of the imitation. “It’s just sweetness.” For me, it was more about the texture. Oreos have a thinner, crisper cookie-like cookie. They feel built to dissolve in milk, maintaining their structure.
Winner: Original

Pringle
“These look too much like potatoes,” said 19-year-old Phoebe. “If I want fries, I’ll eat Cape Cods. But if I want Pringles, I want Pringles. ” I knew exactly what it meant: some snacks weren’t meant to be, you know, natural – but I disagree a little and I’ll tell you that if you both stick to the same standard as the “salt vehicle”, they both stick to it, and are perfectly matched to the famous light crunch of the original.
Winner: Sweepstakes

Animal Crackers
The original animal cracker tastes so special to me, I thought it would be impossible to repeat. So I was surprised – even though there were more peaks in the original – that the two were almost inseparable. (And, I might add, you’ll make more money with the Trader Joe’s version.) “It’s really a texture thing,” Andy said. “The taste is the same.”
Winner: Shopkeeper Joe

Peanut Butter Cup
When Joanna wrote to me that she’s a fan of Reeses, I couldn’t decide if this was the best or worst person for testing. In the end, Reeses dominated, with no competition. “Trader Joe’s glasses have a waxy flavor with too much chocolate. Rees’s is as sweet as it is salty and I love it so much that I eat it every night until the day I die. ”
Winner: Original

Cheerios
I don’t think I should have been surprised, but there was no competition with this couple. “Trader Joe’s is gone, there’s no taste,” Joanna opined. “Cheerios are more oathetic.” I agree on two points, and I add that the texture of a Cheerio is almost elegant compared to imitation, which becomes much faster in a milk jug.
Winner: Original

Fruits and nuts chips
I’m a big fan of the crispy raincoast Lesley Stowe, especially when I want to bring it on a cheese plate, but I’ve never overcome the shock of stickers. It feels like a lot of seven bucks for a small pack of crackers (and I’ve seen them sell for $ 8), even though I love their subtle, chewy taste. Robin’s friend described Trader’s version as “almost like a cookie.” and They cost only $ 3.99.
Winner: Sweepstakes

What do you think about the blows? I know you have them! Please share.

PS Trader Joe’s breakfast hack, and our last TJ favorites.