10 Kroger Dupes That Put The Name Brands To Shame

That bi-weekly trip to the grocery store can often leave your pockets sore, so who doesn't love getting a good deal on groceries? Many people are resorting to buying retro grocery staples due to inflation, but a change in snacking habits isn't always the best way to cut costs. Instead, buying store-brand versions of your favorite snacks is a great way to avoid overspending at the grocery store. 

As someone who grew up in a family that exclusively shopped at Kroger, I've been testing out its cheap store-brand replicas of popular products for years. Kroger was a pioneer of the private-labeled store brand concept, starting all the way back in the early 1900's with its founder Barney Kroger. The store has even spun off its products into multiple different generic brands, including Simple Truth and Private Selection. If you don't have a Kroger near you, you can also find its branded products at other stores, which include regional chains like Smith's, Fred Meyer, and Harris Teeter.

The best part about saving money by buying Kroger-branded snacks is that they taste just as good as — or even better than — the original. Why spend more money when you can get something better for an amazing price? As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect; Kroger has a lot of practice manufacturing its own versions of beloved snacks — and I've perfected eating them. Below is a selection of my favorite Kroger products that made me swear off buying the name-brand version ever again.

Samoas have always been my favorite Girl Scout cookie. Since Girl Scout cookies have different names in different regions, you may know them as Caramel deLites. Whatever you call them, these treats are irresistible rings of gooey, caramelly, coconutty goodness. The problem is, Girl Scout cookies can be hard to come by when they're not in season, and if you're liable to eat a whole box in one sitting (like me), the Girl Scout prices can start to really hurt your pocket. That's where this delicious Kroger dupe comes in: The Coconut & Caramel Fudge Cookies are just $3.79 per package for 8.5 ounces of cookies, while the real thing will run you about $6 for 7.5 ounces.

Not only will you save money with this store-brand version, but these Coconut & Caramel Fudge Cookies would throw off even the best Girl Scout in a blind taste test. They've got everything the original does: toasty, chocolate-covered coconut, melty caramel centers, and crunchy shortbread. I've been buying this dupe for years, and it always fulfills my craving for my favorite Girl Scout cookie in the off-season.

Tortilla chips are usually just a vehicle for salsa or guacamole. That is, unless the chip itself is so delicious that it really doesn't need any dip to be a great snack. That's how I feel about these Kroger Kick of Lime Restaurant-Style Tortilla Chips.

There's something super addicting about the salty-sour flavor of a lime-dusted chip, and Kroger has really perfected it, in my opinion. Tostitos might have popularized this category of snack with its Hint of Lime chips, but Kroger ensures that this snack lives up to its name. I prefer the stronger citrus kick because it really makes it more of a standalone snack, although it also tastes great with any dip.

Made with 100% white corn, these are a classic tortilla chip that's been taken to the next level. Plus, these Kroger brand tortilla chips are a steal at just $1.99 at my local Smith's, while a bag of Tostitos Hint of Lime goes for $5.99 at the same store.

Applesauce pouches are one of my favorite easy snacks for hiking, before the gym, or just on-the-go. The handheld pouch is much more convenient than the typical plastic cup style, which requires a spoon. I like to get the pouches with the vegetables and fruit in them to get some extra veggie servings in.

I first discovered these pouches from the brand GoGo Squeeze, but it wasn't long before Kroger came out with their own store-brand dupe. Naturally, I had to give it a try. The Kroger applesauce pouches come in a variety of flavors, including Classic Apple, Cinnamon, Strawberry, and two veggie flavors: Apple-Zucchini-Strawberry and Apple-Peach-Sweet Potato (my favorite).

I really like that all of these flavors have no sugar added. The fruit in the pouches provides the perfect amount of sweetness, and the texture is always smooth and never too watery. Plus, the Kroger dupe offers significant savings over the original GoGo Squeeze brand — about $3.20 in savings on a 12-pack.

My family has been buying the Private Selection brand ice cream for as long as I can remember. Not just because it's a deal, but because it's genuinely some of the best ice cream in the frozen aisle. If you didn't already know the difference between Kroger's private label brands, Private Selection is the store's gourmet line, offering unique culinary creations crafted with quality ingredients at an affordable price. The Private Selection ice cream is a staple of the brand and truly a testament to the luxury it has to offer.

I would consider this Private Selection ice cream a dupe for Häagen-Dazs, because it's really that high-quality. When I think of Häagen-Dazs, I think of luxurious, indulgent richness made with top-tier ingredients. That's exactly what the Private Selection ice cream offers, but at a significantly more affordable price. A pint of Häagen-Dazs is around $5.79, while Kroger's version is $3.99. My favorite Private Selection flavor is the Black Raspberry Chocolate Chunk, but the brand has plenty of options to dupe whatever your favorite Häagen-Dazs flavor might be.

There's something just so addicting about fruit and dark chocolate together. It's the perfect not-too-sweet treat that also feels somehow a little healthy... I mean, it's fruit, right? I was super excited to find these Simple Truth Freeze-Dried Raspberries in Dark Chocolate at my local Smith's. They remind me of Brookside's chocolate-covered blueberry snacks, except these are better for you because they're made with real fruit, rather than juice concentrate. As a dupe, they're likely meant to mimic Tru Fru Freeze-Dried Raspberries in Dark & White Chocolate.

As Kroger's in-house organic and health food brand, Simple Truth tends to hit a bit higher of a price point than other dupes by Kroger's private store label. However, the high-quality ingredients justify the price. These chocolate-covered raspberries are $7.99 for a 5-ounce bag, compared to $6.79 for a 3-ounce bag from Tru Fru. That's a savings of over 50 cents per ounce. I love taking these Simple Truth chocolate-covered raspberries to the movies with me as a snack, or bringing them along on a hike. This is one of those high-quality food items that you can hardly believe is from the store brand.

Mini rice cakes are a great low-calorie snack. Whether you're on a diet or just looking for a snack you can munch on all day, the fluffy baked crunch of rice cakes satisfies the chip craving. Quaker Oats popularized the mini rice cake, and made it in a wide variety of flavors. However, I'm quite partial to Simple Truth's organic version; I find that it tends to have more flavor. Kroger's organic brand makes a variety of flavors of mini rice cakes, including Himalayan Salted Caramel, Creamy Ranch, Aged Cheddar, and Chocolate. I love the cheddar flavor as a salty snack (it's also a great alternative to pricy Pirate's Booty), and the caramel flavor as a sweeter treat.

This is one dupe where you won't necessarily save money; Quaker Oats and Kroger's Simple Truth both offer their mini rice cakes at roughly the same price: around 80 cents per ounce. However, the Simple Truth version is organic and health-conscious, offering cleaner ingredients that really make it the ultimate everyday snack.

Dipped sundae cones are nostalgic treats that remind me of the days spent chasing down the ice cream truck with other kids in the neighborhood. Nestlé's Drumsticks are the iconic brand-name version that we all grew up with, but the quality has really gone downhill in recent years. Customers on Reddit have complained of shrinking cone sizes, less chocolate and nuts, and soggy cones. I haven't noticed any of those issues with the Kroger Rich 'N Creamy Sundae Cones, though. The variety pack is just $6.79 for eight cones, which is much more affordable than Nestlé's whopping $9.99 for eight cones.

These Kroger sundae cones have everything I need to enjoy a walk down memory lane. The chocolate coating is thick and melts in your mouth, and there are always plenty of slightly salty nuts on top. The waffle cone is crunchy and cinnamon-y, and the ice cream adds the perfect taste of sweet, creamy vanilla. Best of all, there's always a nice chunk of milk chocolate at the bottom of the cone — that was always my favorite part as a kid. The affordable, nostalgic Kroger Rich 'N Creamy Sundae Cones have officially taken over as my household dupe for Nestlé Drumsticks.

Who doesn't love a good Oreo? They're a classic cookie, and if you're not getting the Double Stuf version, you're missing out on indulging in life's simple pleasures. Yet customers have noticed price hikes in recent years, and Oreo manufacturer Mondelez International has been accused of putting less filling in Oreos as a shrinkflation tactic. Currently, a package of Family Size Double Stuf Oreos costs $5.79 at my local Smith's store. Meanwhile, the Kroger store-brand version, Kaleidos, costs just $3.79 and offers over an ounce more cookie in its package. No shrinkflation here!

I was skeptical at first to try this Oreo dupe, because the iconic cookie can be hard to replicate — just take a look at our ultimate ranking of off-brand Oreo imposters to see how many don't stand up to snuff. Honestly, though, since switching to this Kroger version, I haven't missed the real deal at all. The Kaleidos are made with real cocoa, and they have plenty of vanilla filling, which doesn't have any of that chemical taste that cheap icings sometimes have. Most importantly, the Kaleidos cookies are crisp and soften perfectly when I dunk them in milk. After trying these Kroger Oreo dupes, I'll never go back to paying $6 for a package of the brand-name version.

If you're a fan of sparkling water, you know there's about a million and one brands to choose from. Personally, I really like the Topo Chico flavored mineral waters, but they can get incredibly expensive. That's why I recently switched to the Simple Truth organic sparkling waters, and I love them. The flavors aren't overpowering like some other sparkling waters can be (looking at you, Waterloo); they add just the right amount of light essence to the water. I love the unique flavors offered, too. Cucumber Melon and Prickly Pear are my favorites, but they also have Orange Vanilla, Pomegranate Cranberry, Tangerine Lemongrass, Raspberry Yuzu, and more. The flavors make them delicious as a refreshing drink or a swap for sugary soda in your favorite cocktail.

These Kroger brand sparkling waters are made with all organic ingredients, with no added sugar or sodium. Best of all, they're extremely affordable at just 50 cents a can, undercutting the competition from Topo Chico's flavored mineral waters, which go for a whopping $1.34 per can at Kroger.

I have fond memories of French bread pizza day at the school cafeteria in high school. It's just a winning combination: fluffy, crusty French bread with cheese and marinara on top. Who could say no? That's why I love picking up these Kroger French Bread Pizzas from the frozen section at my local Smith's. They're a great snack or dinner that comes together in just minutes. Since they're smaller than full-size pizzas, they cook much faster. Kroger sells these in both cheese and pepperoni style, and each box comes with two in the pack.

These Kroger pizzas are comparable to the frozen Red Baron French Bread Pizzas. I love Red Baron frozen pizzas, but I feel that its French bread version can come out very dense and cardboard-like, whereas the Kroger ones have a good crisp on them right out of the oven. Plus, the Kroger dupe is cheaper than the Red Baron pizza pack, making it the obvious choice over the name brand.