6. Cereal and Snack Foods (Great Value)

If you have kids or grandkids visiting, you know how quickly boxes of cereal and bags of crackers can disappear. The snack aisle is filled with colorful boxes and clever marketing, all designed to make you reach for the most expensive name brands. However, a quick look at the Great Value offerings will reveal that you can get nearly identical products for a fraction of the cost.

Many Great Value cereals are direct duplicates of popular name brands. Their “Toasted Oats” are just like Cheerios, their “Frosted Flakes” are a stand-in for Kellogg’s, and their “Crispy Rice” is a perfect match for Rice Krispies. The same goes for snacks. Great Value’s cheese crackers are remarkably similar to Cheez-Its, and their saltines are a perfect swap for Nabisco’s Premium brand.

This is one of the best store brand alternatives to test with your family. Do a blind taste test. You might be surprised to find that your family either can’t tell the difference or, in some cases, even prefers the store brand. When you can save $1.50 to $2.00 per box of cereal, those savings add up incredibly fast over a year.

Your Money-Saving Move: Start with one swap. On your next shopping trip, if you normally buy a box of name-brand crackers, buy the Great Value version instead. Don’t announce it to the family. Just put them in the pantry and see if anyone notices. If no one says a word after a week, you’ve successfully made a permanent, money-saving switch. You can repeat this process with a different cereal or snack food each month.