20 Trader Joe’s-Brand Products That Are Better Than ‘The Real Thing’

Some brands own a certain food category. A chocolate cookie sandwich with cream filling? Oreo's. Peanut butter cups? Reese's. Salty, crunchy, round crackers with holes? Ritz.

But when you're grocery shopping, you may notice store-brand items that have some striking similarities to the big names. They look almost the same and usually are less expensive—and at Trader Joe's, some shoppers say the store-brand products taste better, too. In a recent Reddit thread, fans spilled all the tea on the TJ's brand products they actually prefer to the name-brand stuff.

It all started with a box of crackers.

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"Better than Ritz — just my humble opinion," wrote u/00chill00chill00 in the Trader Joe's subreddit.

Underneath, there's a box of Trader Joe's Golden Round Crackers, a palm oil-free take on a Ritz cracker. The snacks pair perfectly with TJ's famous Unexpected Cheddar or peanut butter. Another poster also had a preferred pairing: "These are amazing with the Jalepe?o pub cheese," they said.

The original poster then opened up the floor: "Any other TJ versions of name-brand stuff you'd recommend?"

Fans didn't hold back. From all things peanut butter to hidden gems in the snack aisle, these are the Trader Joe's brand products that fans love. We've organized them into categories to make your list-making and aisle-browsing easier.

Related: 9 Aldi-Brand Products That Are Better Than 'The Real Thing’

15+ Trader Joe's Products Fans Love More Than The Brand Names

1. Peanut Butter Things

In this author's humble opinion, peanut butter makes everything better. Other Trader Joe's shoppers agree, but they've been going off the brand-name-beaten path for their favorite peanut butter products.

"Trader Joe's peanut butter-filled pretzels," wrote one person. "I feel like they might have been the original, but I've been buying them for close to 20 years. I've tried other brands, but the only ones that even come close are UTZ."

This Redditor isn't alone. According to the Trader Joe's website's product description of the Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets, the chain's "Captains" (managers) ranked in the top 10 favorite products. Iconic, really.

Speaking of iconic, the Trader Joe's Peanut Butter Cups were a popular pick for fans.

"The peanut butter cups are a million times better than Reese’s — flavor, texture, everything," wrote a Redditor.

2. Sweets

Reese's aren't the only treats Trader Joe's sweet tooths have swapped out in favor of store-brand versions. Exhibit A: Move over, Swedish Fish.

"Scandinavian Swimmers are way better than Swedish Fish in every way, and I can't keep a bag in my house for longer than a day between me and my wife," one shopper replied.

"The Trader Joe Cookie Thins are the Moravian cookies made by The Salem Baking Company (Dewey’s) — same shape and flavors," divulged another.

Speaking of cookies: "My kids say TJ Fig Newtons taste WAY better than name brand," a Redditor said of the TJ's Fig Cookies.

"Completely agree [with] your kids," someone replied. "TJ’s version of Fig Newtons [is] SO much better."

Later in the thread, another shopper brought up the soft, chewy cookies again.

"IMO, the TJ's fig cookies are way better than Fig Newtons — softer cake and better fig taste," the person said.

Related: The Classic Trader Joe’s Treat That's Finally Back on Shelves

3. Crunchy Snacks

Ritz dupes aside, Trader Joe's snack aisle is full of items ready to satisfy crunchy cravings.

"For me, it’s their version of Takis — so freakin good and without the super chemically taste the name brand has," said a fan of the Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips.

This poster isn't alone.

"I’ve had to limit myself to no more than two bags of these a week," said an enthusiast. "They’re so good — highly addictive."

Other salty, crunchy favorites were hot topics within the thread.

"Pretzel crisps," wrote another. "The original brand is much sweeter than the TJ's version, which are salty as they should be."

"Their Pringles dupe tastes way better than the brand name," declared one.

"I like their version of Cheetos a lot," another poster wrote. "The texture is less styrofoam-y than the name brand."

"[The] Organic Mini Cheese Sandwich Crackers," said someone else. "I need them to make a low-fat version so I can take them off my Cannot Buy list."

And a retired item one person is longing to make a comeback:

"The Woven Wheat [Wafer] crackers were so much better than Triscuits — past-tense 'were' because they’re gone," said a Redditor. "Aldi has a clone that’s nearly but not quite as good."

Related: 10 Fan-Favorite Trader Joe's Groceries That Are Perfect for After-School Snacking

3. Mac 'n Cheese

Sorry, Kraft (and Annie's, for that matter), you've got some competition lurking on Trader Joe's shelves.

"The box Mac 'n Cheese," wrote one poster.

"[I] very much agree to this," concurred another. "The TJ white cheddar mac and cheese is so good and cheap."

"I actually like the TJ version of Annie’s Mac & Cheese a little more than the Annie’s," added someone else.

4. Cereals

Whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day is up for debate. However, fans agree that mornings are better with Trader Joe's versions of classic cereals.

"Honey nut O’s," one fan answered simply, referring to the Honey O's at Trader Joe's

Another fan agreed.

"[I] finished a box of these tonight reading this thread," the person commented. "They're great."

The love for Trader Joe's cereal didn't stop there.

"I also like their shredded wheat," a shopper wrote of the Bite-Size Shredded Wheat.

"The TJ’s Trix," said a fan of the Tiny Fruity Cuties. "I had to stop going for a while because I kept buying it."

"I like the TJ’s fake Cinnamon Toast Crunch better than the original," a lover of the Crunchy Cinnamon Squares wrote. "It’s my favorite breakfast cereal!"

Related: The Trader Joe's Freezer Item That Sold Out Almost Immediately Is Finally Back in Stock

5. Condiments

Picnic season continues thanks to football tailgates and warm weekend afternoons. Shoppers recommend scouring the Trader Joe's shelves for store-brand add-ons that beat the "real things" on any given Sunday (and Monday through Saturday, too).

"Their Dijon Mustard is elite," proclaimed a fan. "It’s like real French Dijon with a serious spicy kick. Much better than any American market mustard."

"I actually prefer their mayo over Hellman’s," said another.

Even mayo-resisters gravitate towards the brand's organic offering.

"I...hate mayo, but sometimes it’s a necessity in certain things," said a poster. "TJ's mayo is the only one I can stand."

"Ketchup," wrote a fan of few words. To which another enthusiastically replied, "YES!!!"