12 Name-Brand Copycats Worth Buying From Target

While it may seem as if Target stores have only been around a few decades, the origins of this Minnesota-based chain of discount retailers date back over 100 years. It started off as a dry goods store in 1902 before turning into a local chain of department stores in Minneapolis. In 1962, the first Target store launched as a discount division of its regular stores that had a pared-down customer experience so as to provide lower prices to shoppers. The company kept growing through the 1900s, and at the dawn of the current century, it shifted its identity to focus on the Target brand, whose logo is one of the most recognizable in the United States.

The retailer has had a lot of high-profile collaborations with fashion designers and celebrities over the years, which may downplay the existence of its own brands, especially its in-house food brands. One of them, Good & Gather, actually has high standards for ingredients and doesn't include things like high-fructose syrup, artificial sweeteners, synthetic dyes, or artificial flavors. Other in-store brands include Market Pantry and Favorite Day. Together, they include some products that are excellent copycats of big name-brand items and are often less expensive, too. Below are 12 Target dupes that you shouldn't pass up on your next shopping trip to this big-box store — just note availability and prices may vary.

Veggie straws are shaped like french fries with hollow centers and are crispy without the extra oil of many conventional snacks, like potato chips. They're a great alternative to Garden Veggie Straws and come in the same medley of flavors: tomato, spinach, and plain potato. Potatoes are the base ingredient in these, and the flavored ones are made with tomato paste and spinach powder. They're great as an on-the-go snack but even better dunked into your favorite dip.

Good & Gather Sea Salt Veggie Straws are available at Target for $2.99.

Peanut butter and buttery crackers are a match made in heaven, and the Ritz brand is famous for its peanutty sandwich crackers. However, it's not the only one available for these delicious savory treats, and Target's Good & Gather line has its own. Like most products belonging to this store brand, it's free of 100 controversial ingredients, so you can rest assured that your favorite snack features things you can feel comfortable giving to your family. Each pack features eight sleeves of sandwich crackers.

Good & Gather Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers are available at Target for $1.99.

On a hot day, there are few things as refreshing as lemonade, and it's only made better with the addition of fruit, like strawberries. Target's in-house brand has a ready-to-drink bottled version that tastes like you made it from scratch and features cane sugar, lemon juice, and strawberry puree. It's a dupe for Simply Lemonade and contains the same ingredients. You can use it in all sorts of creative cocktails or freeze it in popsicle molds for a cooling treat. It also comes in plain lemonade.

Good & Gather Strawberry Lemonade is available at Target for $2.69.

Prebiotic beverages contain a special ingredient called inulin that is said to help with your digestive health. This dietary fiber can help feed the healthy bacteria in your stomach, which in turn can have a positive impact on your health. Having it present in a soda is an easy way to get inulin in your diet while also being refreshingly delicious. Poppi is a popular brand that's available in many stores, including Target, but it doesn't hold a monopoly on prebiotic soda, and Target also has its own version. It's available in several flavors, including strawberry vanilla, grape, and cherry citrus.

Good & Gather Strawberry Vanilla Prebiotic Soda is available at Target for $1.99.

Macaroni and cheese is a classic comfort food, but it can be an ordeal to make from scratch, often involving shredding cheese and making a sauce. That's why boxed mac 'n cheese is such a convenient kitchen savior in that it streamlines the whole process. Kraft is an iconic manufacturer of these kits, but Target's in-house Market Pantry brand also makes its own version. Instead of the traditional powdered cheese that many associate with this type of food, it features a packet of creamy cheese sauce. It also doesn't contain any artificial flavors, synthetic colors, or preservatives. As another bonus, it's considerably less expensive than the name-brand stuff.

Market Pantry Macaroni and Cheese is available at Target for $0.69.

Fettuccine Alfredo was introduced to the U.S. by an old Hollywood couple in the 1920s and has since become a staple on menus at Italian restaurants throughout the country. It's not a terribly complicated sauce to make, but it does require some special ingredients and can take a bit of effort to get right, which is why store-bought sauces can be a lifesaver when you want to enjoy this dish in a jiffy. While shelf-stable jarred sauces abound, refrigerated versions like those made by Target's Good & Gather brand are the best choices for traditional flavors with little to no preservatives. This one is a great stand-in for more expensive refrigerated sauces, like Rana.

Good & Gather Alfredo Sauce is available at Target for $5.99.

Breakfast bars come in a variety of iterations, from granola to dessert-like crisped rice studded with chocolate chips, but one of the best types is the kind filled with fruit jam. The Nutrigrain brand by Kellogg's is commonly associated with this type of bar, but you can also find brand alternatives, including the one that Target makes. Each bar includes 8 grams of whole grains, and they're organic, too. Furthermore, the fillings are made with real fruit. They're available in strawberry and blueberry.

Good & Gather Organic Whole Grain Strawberry Fruit & Grain Bars are available at Target for $3.29.

Graham crackers are incredibly versatile — they can be used for a wide range of recipes from homemade cheesecake and key lime pie to s'mores and icebox cakes. It's always great to have a box of them around, not only so that you have ingredients for making desserts but also to have something to munch on when you crave something crispy and not too sweet. These are made by Target's Favorite Day line of products, and they're less than half the price of Honeymaid, the leading brand-name competitor. They feature the same texture you come to expect of these crackers with a light honey flavor.

Favorite Day Honey Graham Crackers are available at Target for $2.19.

Water crackers are the ideal accompaniment to a charcuterie board or fruit and cheese pairings, as they tend to have a neutral flavor that doesn't compete with the flavor of other foods and actually serve as effective palate cleansers if you're tasting a variety of cheeses or cured meats. However, brands like Carr's can be a little on the pricier side, even though they're the go-to water crackers for many connoisseurs. Luckily, Target's own version of this essential accouterment is much less expensive than the name-brand competitor.

Good & Gather Classic Water Crackers are available at Target for $2.69.

For the uninitiated, hummus is a Middle Eastern dish consisting of chickpeas blended together with sesame paste and other seasonings and usually enjoyed with pita bread. There are numerous brands on the market that make ready-made versions, like Sabra, but Target also makes its own store brand that features ingredients you'd find in a homemade version, including garlic and lemon juice. You can enjoy this on its own or utilize it in creative ways, including making it into a pasta sauce.

Good & Gather Classic Hummus is available at Target for $2.99.

Takis are a brand of Mexican chips that are a play on the word taquitos, which are rolled tortillas stuffed with various fillings and fried until golden and crispy. These aren't stuffed with anything but feature the same rolled format and come in a variety of vibrant flavors inspired by Mexican cuisine. Target's Good & Gather brand makes an excellent copycat in a chile and lime flavor that hits the right balance between tangy and spicy. Enjoy them dunked into some guacamole or queso dip.

Good & Gather Chili Lime-Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips are available at Target for $4.19.

Texas toast is a specialty that originated in Beaumont, Texas, when a restaurant received a loaf of bread that was too thick to put into a toaster, so the kitchen staff buttered it and threw it on the grill. It's a fixture in Texas-style barbecue, but it also shows up as a side to many Italian-American dishes. The New York Bakery brand is one of the most commonly known makers of this Southern specialty, but since it's not the inventor, there are other brands available, including Target's own Market Pantry. These are rich and buttery with a subtle garlic flavor and cook up with toasty crusts and soft, fluffy interiors.

Market Pantry Garlic Texas Toast is available at Target for $2.39.