8 Walmart Copycats That Shoppers Say Surpass The Name Brands

Just because something is a name brand doesn't mean it is the best option out there. You should look beyond name brands when purchasing anything from kitchen appliances to those classic black and white sandwich cookies. And that's certainly the case with Walmart. The giant retailer has a surprising amount of Reddit- and customer-backed items that fans say are way better than the name-brand version it's a dupe for. 

We've compiled some of the most beloved Walmart copycats that shoppers swear by, which include choices from both Great Value and bettergoods. From snacks to ready-made meals, you can stock your fridge, freezer, and pantry with a variety of excellent Walmart products. If you need a bit of convincing, we found reviews and insights from actual shoppers to help sway your stance. Once you try them, you may become a permanent fan and fully commit to switching from name brand to Walmart's version. Let's get into it.

Many Redditors agree that Great Value's frozen lasagna selection surpasses anything from Stouffer's. So if you have brand loyalty to the latter, you might be interested in trying Walmart's version. The company sells various sizes and flavors so you can find something that fits your budget and family size. For example, Walmart has a 35-ounce and a 90-ounce three-meat lasagna. There's also an Italian-style lasagna made with meat sauce or a regular meat sauce option. 

Reddit reviewers mention that the Stouffer's version doesn't seem to cook correctly, and that they prefer the ricotta cheese in the Great Value lasagna — although we should note that not all of the GV lasagnas have ricotta. The meat sauce lasagna has a mix of mozzarella, cottage cheese, and Parmesan, while the Italian-style three-meat has ricotta and mozzarella. Either way, they are all convenient to keep in the freezer since they require no preparation other than patience while it bakes.

Many of us grew up munching on Pop-Tarts, so they come with fond memories and a hint of nostalgia (particularly for dessert-loving '90s kids), but you may want to make the switch to Great Value products. Reddit says the Walmart selection of toaster pastries is much better than the Pop-Tart brand. Luckily, Great Value has many flavors to pick from, which is fantastic if you are loyal to a specific one. 

Pop-Tarts' frosted chocolate fudge received the second-place position in a ranking of 15 Pop-Tarts flavors, and Walmart has its iteration, too. Reviews on Walmart even say it's fresher, softer, and fudgier than the name brand, with many noting that it's also more affordable. For something fruitier, get the frosted cherry or fully commit to the dessert flavoring with the cookies and cream pastry instead. If you prefer to go with a classic, there's also the frosted strawberry.

Surely a name-brand root beer has to be better than anything from Great Value, right? Nope, people seem to love Walmart's canned root beer. It's not just one or two people, either. There are thousands of 5-star ratings for Great Value root beer soda pop that comes in a pack of twelve 12-ounce cans. Customer reviews on Walmart compare it to A&W or Mug, and say not to waste your dollars on a name brand. We're happy to save our dollars whenever possible.

One person even says that if you forced them to do a blind taste test of all name brands, this Great Value root beer would come out on top because it's simply that good. People call out the creaminess and frothiness as big factors to why they like it, while others note that they prefer the carbonation level in Great Value's over Barq's. You may want to consider buying these the next time you make root beer floats or host a party.

There's no shortage of chocolate bar options on the market, so it can be tough to decide what to purchase unless you're loyal to a specific brand. Well, you might want to consider swapping to Walmart's selection. The Great Value chocolate bars consistently get called out for being superior to certain name brands out there, namely Hershey, Cadbury, and Dove — arguably some of the most well-known chocolate bars out there. 

The milk chocolate bars are made of 30% cocoa solids, dry whole milk, cream powder, and other ingredients that give it a milky and creamy flavor that people seem to love. Reviews say it's the best chocolate bar they've ever had, that they love the sweet taste, and the satisfying mouth feel. If you're a fan of dark chocolate, customers like Great Value's version that's made with 50% cocoa solids as well — reviews note that it's comparable to Dove's dark chocolate bar. The great thing about these Great Value bars is the versatility; you can eat them in bar form, melt them to coat your favorite fruit, or chop some into chocolate-laden chia pudding.

If you want something chocolatey, but a little more intriguing than a basic chocolate bar as far as taste and texture, then Great Value's version of a KitKat is a sure-fire winner. Customers love this product, which Great Value calls a crispy wafers bar. It has milk chocolate, non-fat dry milk, dry whole milk, and other ingredients to give it a rich buttery flavor. People on Reddit say this Great Value version is so much better than the KitKat name brand, while one reviewer says it's the best wafer chocolate that's available on the market, point blank.

Customer reviews on the Walmart website back up this sentiment; people even say they were shocked that it could be better than the name brand and that it surpassed their expectations. People mention that they are fresh and delicious with crispy layers. Since they are a dupe for KitKats, you might want to enjoy this candy bar frozen because it makes them even crunchier and delectable. 

If you're looking for protein in the form of poultry, you can get some fantastic chicken bites from bettergoods, which is yet another one of Walmart's house brands. Customers say that bettergoods' restaurant-style lightly breaded chicken bites are better than the Tyson's version — although others say it's the best brand out of any chicken bites they've tried or that it's similar to Chick-fil-a. No matter what, it's a well-loved product that has hundreds of people leaving 5-star ratings on Walmart. 

We love them because the exterior gets wonderfully crunchy while the chicken is delicious without any grisly bits to throw off the texture. Reviews love it because the chicken comes in nice-sized pieces and they're not too breaded — a perfect balance. Although they are seasoned with paprika, dried onion, dried garlic, and other spices, you can always enhance the flavor of the bites (in the same fashion as you would with chicken nuggets). Use them to create orange chicken, serve it with a bright pesto, or coat them in a hot honey glaze.

Move over, Goldfish, there's another animal-shaped cheesy cracker in town. Reviewers consistently say Great Value's penguin-shaped crackers are better than name brands — Goldfish is the brand it's most often compared to. "It's like Cheez-its and Goldfish got together and made a penguin," says one Walmart reviewer. People rave about these marine bird crackers, saying that their kids love them, that they're slightly larger than Goldfish, and are of great quality. They're crunchy and salty for your savory snacking needs.

These are made with ingredients like cheddar cheese, onion powder, and other spices to give them a hint of added flavor, which makes them so easy to devour. But of course, the adorable shape is just as enticing as the taste. Next time you're at the store, you might want to pick up the 19-ounce box of crackers or perhaps the pre-portioned ones that come in a pack of 10, ideal for packing in lunches. 

Many people love the bettergoods pizzas across the board. Don't believe us? "Bettergoods pizza is actually the best pizza I've ever had in my life, no joke," says one Redditor. People even say that it's better than local Italian restaurants. 

One of our writers at Tasting Table specifically mentions the bettergoods' Italian Wood-Fired Mushroom and Truffle Pizza as one of the top products to purchase from the Walmart brand. It's the perfect savory and umami-packed pizza for meals and snacks. There are savory notes from the grilled champignon cremini mushrooms and summer truffle. But there's also parsley, lemon juice, roasted garlic puree, and dried red pepper flakes to give it added dimension to set it apart from your basic frozen pizza. 

If you want a starting point, people seem to like the five-cheese pizza because of its buildability and versatility; it's flavorful just as it comes, but you can add favorites like pepperoni or roasted vegetables.