5 Trader Joe's Copycats That Are Better Than The Real Thing

Over the years, a veritable parade of Trader Joe's items have amassed cult followings, including standouts like Buffalo Chicken Dip, Speculoos Cookie Butter, and Everything But the Bagel Seasoning. That's because the chain knows how to deliver a pretty great product for a decent price. Moreover, although many of its offerings have short ingredient lists, they are filled with flavor. That makes this store a popular spot for frugal foodies and ingredient-conscious folks alike. Perhaps best of all, since Trader Joe's sells private label foods under its own company name, you can often get something comparable to or better than a more expensive name brand option for a fraction of the price.

The difference in quality can be glaring when you factor in how big the competition is. For instance, Trader Joe's jumbo cinnamon rolls outshine Pillsbury's. And if you put TJ's Dijon mustard up against a fancier brand like Grey Poupon, it would take home the blue ribbon. You don't have to take our word for it. The internet hath spoken.

It's hard to call Trader Joe's Scandinavian Swimmers a Swedish Fish dupe if you think the former is far out of the latter's league. A chewy and sticky candy made with cornstarch, Swedish fish are deemed overly sweet or one-note by some detractors. By contrast, the Trader Joe's iteration is notably softer, while the shapes, colors, and flavors are varied and unexpectedly delightful. There's an orange-flavored rockfish, a huckleberry-flavored dolphin, a mango-peach seahorse, and a lobster that tastes like mixed berries. And much like the Smashing Pumpkins cover band Squishing Squashes, the name is so on-the-nose that it adds to the gag.

As far as some folks on the internet are concerned, there's no contest when it comes to which is better. "I always thought Scandinavian Swimmers was a cute name for knock off Swedish Fish. And Swedish Fish are...fine," one person wrote on a Reddit thread dedicated to the subject. "But a bag caught my eye today and...OOOH, the colors," they gushed, "Each one it's own delectable flavor. Suffice to say, a monster has been created today." As a matter of fact, multiple people revealed that they hadn't tried the gummies sooner because they thought they'd be more like Swedish Fish. So grab a bag, and if you ever see the sour version around, try those too. But be careful! By all accounts they're wildly addicting.

Grey Poupon is one of those store-bought condiments that has the ability to totally transform a meal. It's intense flavor — spicy and pungent from the use of brown mustard seeds and white wine — make it a top choice for marinades, dressings and sophisticated sandwiches. While you'd think it would be too hard to beat, Trader Joe's Dijon Mustard pulls it off. Currently priced at $2 depending on the location, it costs around half of what you might pay for Grey Poupon elsewhere. TJ's version is a true-blue Dijon mustard, emanating from a mountain town that borders the famous French city. The short ingredient list includes water, mustard seeds, distilled vinegar, white wine, citric acid, and salt. 

"I have been loyal to this Dijon for like decades now," one fan reminisced on Reddit. "I first tried it on a veggie hotdog when I worked there. All of a sudden it felt like a fire truck was running through my sinuses," they said, adding, "Amazing." By multiple accounts it's quite a bit spicier than your average Dijon, with some batches being comparable to horseradish or wasabi. Its sharper, more potent flavor means it goes a long way so you don't need to use as much. It received such glowing reviews that one person was ready to drop their old mustard sight unseen. "WHAT!?!?! I've been buying Grey Poupon all these years. Reading these comments, I'm a convert even before trying it."

Trader Joe's offers a smorgasbord of hummus in every flavor imaginable — plus some you probably never imagined, like Dill Pickle or the now-retired Edamame flavor. Some might be pretty niche, but all and all, the Trader Joe's iteration is just as creamy as popular brands like Sabra, and has loads of options and interesting flavors like Ithica. Plus, it comes at nearly half the price of those name brands. 

When it comes to hummus, everyone's got their favorite kind. Maybe you're a roasted red pepper person or a ride or die for original.  As far as the comments online go, however, nobody would kick Trader How's Mediterranean Style hummus out of bread (get it?) "I have tried every grocery store hummus under the sun, from the highest end to the lowest end, and, to me, TJ's Mediterranean hummus is by far the best," one fan wrote on a Reddit thread dedicated to the spread. Extra creamy and topped with pine nuts, red bell pepper, olive oil, and spices it's praised for it's authenticity. "This is the only one that I just demolish in a couple days," someone said on another, equally as celebratory thread.  "Next best thing to homemade IMO."

It's never a bad day when you wake up to a freshly baked plate of cinnamon rolls. But when push comes to shove not all cinnamon rolls are created equal. When Pillsbury's version is put up against Trader Joe's, the latter is the clear winner. Looking at them side by side both before and after they're baked, it's hard to ignore the difference in size and structure. Sure, the Trader Joe's version is bigger and fluffier, but it also actually functions like an actual roll. Pillsbury's, however, looks more like a biscuit without distinct layers. As such, the icing drizzled on Trader Joe's cinnamon rolls drips down into the cracks and crevices rather than resting on top like cupcake frosting. 

Plus, Trader Joe's iteration passes the taste test. "I like TJ's much better," one commenter wrote on Reddit, adding, "Better texture and [flavor]." If it's more icing you're after, people think TJ's has got the upper hand there too. While they are already an improvement from your average grocery store cinnamon rolls, you can still zhuzh them up a bit. In the same way you can upgrade Pillsbury cinnamon rolls with half a cup of heavy cream in the baking dish, Trader Joe's version will respond positively to this treatment. The buns will absorb the liquid and become lighter and more moist. 

Okay, we know what you're probably thinking. When it comes to peanut butter cups, Reese's is the undisputed champ forever and ever, amen. And while that may be true in some regards, there are other ways in which the Trader Joe's version is the superior choice. For starters, the peanut butter cups from Trader Joes have an ingredient list that is nearly half the size of Reese's. What's more, if you have a milk or nut allergy, you can opt for Dark Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter Cups that are free of both peanuts and dairy.

In terms of taste, some people say the difference is negligible. Others, however, are adamant that the TJ version is better, referencing the richness of the chocolate and the coating-to-filling ratio. Whether they're truly a cut above or just another vehicle to shovel chocolate and peanut butter into our mouths, Trader Joes fans can't get enough of them. "I actually swore the first time I tried these," one person wrote on Reddit, "I didn't expect them to be that good."