The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Like any Canadian, No Name brand products were everywhere in my life when I was a kid. Those bright yellow packages adorned with sans-serif font were in my, my friends', and my grandparents' cupboards, fridges and pantries.
But, with a name like No Name, you do have to wonder how the products compare to the "name" brand versions.
Can the Canadian yellow budget stalwart compare to similar products made by the big boys?
Well, to find out, I went to my nearest No Frills and picked up seven No Name brand products and tried them all to see if they were up to snuff.
From tea and chips, to crackers and soup, I taste-tested them all. And, let me tell you, some are actually really, really good.
Caramel Coconut Cookies
The caramel coconut cookies.
While these didn't immediately jump out to me as something that had a name-brand equivalent, they were the best-looking cookies in the smallest box at the store.
Let me say these cookies honestly slapped. They whipped. They went hard.
While definitely on the sweeter side, it didn't stop me from taking down about four or five in one sitting. So cookie-heads like me be warned, because these are delish!
Cost: $2.00
Score: 5 / 5
Sesame Rice Crackers
Sesame rice crackers.
Now, as someone who doesn't typically get rice crackers, these got the job done as far as I'm concerned.
They were good and crunchy, had a nice subtle sesame taste and really would have paired well with whatever you pair rice crackers with.
However, they did have a bit of an aftertaste that was a bit "off." But, it was nothing that would be too noticeable or ruin your snack.
That also might be what rice crackers taste like and I'm just a fool!
Cost: $1.59
Score: 3 / 5
Original Snack Crackers
Original snack crackers.
These were right next to the Ritz crackers, so I assumed they would be similar to those. However, they are just not an adequate replacement.
These small round crackers look like the real thing but taste more like a round saltine.
While that's not the worst thing, if you're really looking for that buttery, baked cracker taste, just grab a box of Ritz crackers.
But, if a round saltine sounds up your alley, then grab these. Like what you like!
Cost: $2.79
Score: 3.5 / 5
Chicken Noodle Soup Mix
Chicken noodle soup mix
Compared to a brand like Liptons, these are essentially the same. But, they do miss a little bit of "oomph."
For all intents and purposes, these would work ok for any sick day or quick lunch.
After a few slurps it became clear that the broth was missing a je ne sais quoi compared to the real stuff. But maybe I'm just imagining things!
Cost: $1.00
Score: 4.5 / 5
Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
A bowl of prepared macaroni & cheese dinner.
This one I was a bit worried about, as I'm as passionate about Kraft Dinner as any other Canadian.
But, I was pleasantly surprised.
While it didn't taste as cheesy as KD does, it still was good enough that I didn't feel I needed to choke it down.
Even though it didn't have the authentic taste, once I added ketchup, it honestly tasted exactly like Kraft Dinner.
Now that's a win in my book.
Cost: $0.79
Score: 3 / 5 without ketchup
5 / 5 with ketchup
Chamomile Herbal Tea
A prepared cup of chamomile herbal tea.
Yes, it's super hard to screw up something as simple as chamomile tea, but that didn't change the fact that this was great!
It tasted like any other chamomile tea you could get from the grocery store and was at an affordable price.
While I'm sure a tea snob could tell you that this is actually bad, I'm not a snob so this is great.
Cost: $1.99
Score: 5 / 5
All Dressed Potato Chips
All dressed potato chips.
Oh boy. Like many Canadians, all-dressed chips are my jam.
No Name knocked these out of the freaking park.
These honestly might be better than any name-brand all-dressed chip out there — excluding Ruffles of course.
There was just enough flavouring, they had a great crunch. They were just so good.
I honestly had to put them away to stop my munching. My only critique would be that they're a tiny bit hard. But, other than that, it's perfect execution.
Cost: $1.29
Score: 6 / 5