The Grocery Store Brand Taco Shells That Are Worth Buying Over Ortega Every Time

Taco Tuesday is serious business, and you can't expect to impress your guests if their first impression of your taco skills involves dry, brittle shells. Sure, there are plenty of taco shell name brands in the mix, such as the classic Old El Paso and even Taco Bell's own brand, but sometimes it's the generic brands that really knock your socks off. While we didn't deem Signature Select's Yellow Corn Taco Shells the very best, we determined they're worth buying over Ortega brand taco shells.

Coming in third place on our ranking of nine store-bought taco shells from worst to best, we found that Signature Select's shells had a great corn flavor, a combination of sweetness and nuttiness that made them stand out against other store-name brands. These shells were crisp and fresh, not at all stale or brittle the way some prepackaged taco shells can be upon opening. These shells were not only a great budget-friendly option among store-bought taco shells, but also good enough that we were ready to keep coming back for more.

These taco shells come 12 in a box and average somewhere between $2 and $3, making them a rather good bargain. Similar to our ranking of five store-bought prepared ribs, Signature Select didn't quite take the top spot, but it also didn't take the bottom — meaning these taco shells may be a worthy investment, especially compared to the Ortega brand. "Great tasting corn tortillas. I like them because they are not fried," said one review on the Albertsons website, continuing that "they are crispy and crunchy." Instructions on the box recommend heating these bad boys in the oven for a few minutes before stuffing with fillings for a crispier crunch, or sticking the wholly prepared taco into the oven.

Signature Select is a private-label brand sold by Albertsons, which means these taco shells are also sold at Shaw's, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, and other grocers under the umbrella. Though many people seem to enjoy the Yellow Corn Taco Shells, such as a reviewer who praised the shells for being nicely thick, some customers won't give the shells such a ringing endorsement. One review said that the shells were "stale right out of the package," while another reviewer commented that they would not purchase the corn shells again. Those people may want to stick to homemade taco shells.