Hy-Vee may not always have the lowest shelf prices, but some of its house brands have surprisingly loyal fans. From ice cream to croutons, these are the private-label foods shoppers say are worth choosing over familiar national names.
1. That’s Smart! Spices
Spices are one of the easiest places to stop paying extra for a recognizable label.
Hy-Vee shoppers have specifically called out the That’s Smart! spice line as a good value, and Hy-Vee currently carries basics such as basil, crushed red pepper and cayenne alongside much smaller containers from national brands. For everyday garlic powder, cinnamon, chili powder or Italian seasoning, this is the kind of swap that barely changes dinner but can make a difference at checkout.
Skip the name brand: McCormick and other premium spice labels.
2. Hy-Vee Frozen Vegetables
Frozen vegetables don’t need much branding to do their job, and this is one category where shoppers have specifically defended the Hy-Vee version.
Hy-Vee’s current frozen vegetable assortment includes numerous Hy-Vee and That’s Smart! options sitting alongside Birds Eye and Green Giant. One shopper comparing private labels even singled out Hy-Vee’s frozen vegetables as an area where they preferred the Hy-Vee offering.
Keep a few bags around for soups, casseroles, stir-fries or quick dinner sides.
Skip the name brand: Birds Eye or Green Giant.
3. Crav’n Flavor Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
This one has perhaps the clearest name-brand comparison of the bunch.
In a discussion about Hy-Vee private-label products, one shopper said they actually preferred the store’s chocolate sandwich cookies to Oreos. Hy-Vee currently lists Crav’n Flavor chocolate sandwich cookies with vanilla crème, and Crav’n is included in Hy-Vee’s private-brand lineup.
That doesn’t mean Oreo loyalists will suddenly switch sides, but it’s exactly the kind of inexpensive taste test worth trying once.
Skip the name brand: Oreo.
4. It’s Your Churn Premium Ice Cream
It’s Your Churn has built something close to a small cult following among Hy-Vee shoppers.
One Iowa shopper said they still make occasional Hy-Vee trips specifically to pick up the ice cream, while others said it was much better than expected. Hy-Vee currently carries a surprisingly broad flavor lineup, including vanilla bean, cookies and cream, Moose Tracks, salted caramel and plenty more.
The ingredient lists aren’t especially minimalist, so this is a taste-and-value pick rather than a clean-label one.
Skip the name brand: Breyers or Blue Bunny.
5. Hy-Vee French Onion Sour Cream Dip
Sometimes the best store-brand products aren’t complicated at all.
French onion dip keeps popping up when Hy-Vee shoppers talk about their favorites. In one discussion, a shopper went so far as to say French onion dip was the only store-brand product they would buy. Hy-Vee has long carried its own French onion sour cream dip in multiple sizes.
Grab a bag of ridged potato chips and this one doesn’t need much explanation.
Skip the name brand: Dean’s or other refrigerated onion dips.
6. Hy-Vee Stone Ground Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips
Tortilla chips are another category where the logo on the bag may matter less than the crunch inside it.
Hy-Vee shoppers have specifically recommended the chain’s tortilla chips, and the current catalog includes Hy-Vee Stone Ground Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips right alongside Tostitos.
These make an easy pantry staple for salsa, queso, taco night or nachos without automatically reaching for the national brand.
Skip the name brand: Tostitos.
7. Hy-Vee Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth
Broth is one of those pantry items where paying extra for the front of the carton doesn’t always translate into a noticeably better pot of soup.
A Hy-Vee shopper specifically described the chain’s chicken and beef broths as “great cheaper alternatives.” The current reduced-sodium chicken broth contains chicken stock along with basic seasonings and is listed as 33% lower in sodium than Hy-Vee’s regular version.
Use it for soup, gravy, rice, stuffing or any recipe calling for stock.
Skip the name brand: Swanson or College Inn.
8. That’s Smart! Shells & Cheese
This is where store-brand shopping gets especially easy.
A Hy-Vee shopper called the store’s boxed shells and cheese an absolute favorite, and Hy-Vee’s current catalog still lists a That’s Smart! Shells & Cheese Dinner.
It isn’t trying to reinvent macaroni and cheese. That’s the point. It’s quick, cheesy comfort food where paying more for Velveeta may not feel necessary every time.
Skip the name brand: Velveeta Shells & Cheese.
9. Hy-Vee Deluxe Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix
This may be one of Hy-Vee’s most quietly loved baking products.
Shoppers have specifically praised the chain’s cake and brownie mixes, while another separate discussion called out the brownie mix again. Hy-Vee currently lists its Deluxe Mix Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix, so this isn’t a discontinued favorite hanging around in old recommendations.
Add eggs, oil and a pan, and you’re most of the way to dessert.
Skip the name brand: Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines.
10. Hy-Vee Seasoned Croutons
Croutons shouldn’t be this interesting, yet Hy-Vee shoppers keep bringing them up.
One shopper simply said they were “obsessed” with the Hy-Vee croutons. A separate discussion independently recommended the seasoned version. Hy-Vee’s assortment has included seasoned, Caesar, butter garlic and cheese-and-garlic varieties.
They work on salads, obviously, but they’re also good crushed over casseroles or soups when you need a little crunch.
Skip the name brand: New York Bakery croutons.
11. Hy-Vee Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese has become much more than the forgotten tub at the back of the refrigerator.
A Hy-Vee shopper singled it out as one of the store-brand staples they regularly keep at home, along with the low-carb tortillas. Hy-Vee currently offers several versions, including low-fat and fat-free small-curd cottage cheese.
Eat it with fruit, spoon it onto toast or blend it into higher-protein sauces and dips.
Skip the name brand: Daisy, Kemps or another regional dairy brand.
12. Hy-Vee Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
This isn’t the flashiest item on the list, but it may be one of the most useful.
Hy-Vee shoppers have recommended the store’s yogurt, and the current plain nonfat Greek yogurt has an especially straightforward ingredient list: cultured pasteurized Grade A nonfat milk. It also contains live and active cultures.
Use it for breakfast, smoothies, marinades, dips or in place of sour cream.
Skip the name brand: Chobani or Fage for everyday plain yogurt.
13. Hy-Vee Low Carb Tortillas
These aren’t just an occasional purchase for some shoppers.
One Hy-Vee customer specifically described the chain’s low-carb tortillas as a household staple. The product is also still listed in Hy-Vee’s current online assortment.
They work anywhere you’d normally use a flour tortilla: breakfast wraps, quesadillas, tacos or quick lunch roll-ups. That’s what makes this kind of store-brand swap easy to keep buying.
Skip the name brand: Mission Carb Balance.
14. Hy-Vee Spinach Artichoke Dip
There are some grocery-store dips you buy once for a party and never think about again. Hy-Vee’s spinach artichoke dip has at least a few shoppers coming back.
One customer called out the Hy-Vee version specifically and recommended eating it with tortilla chips. Spinach artichoke dip also remains part of Hy-Vee’s current prepared-food assortment.
Warm it up before serving and it becomes an easy shortcut appetizer.
Skip the name brand: Premium refrigerated deli dips.
15. Hy-Vee Cocktail Sauce
Cocktail sauce seems like a strange product to inspire brand loyalty, which is exactly why this recommendation stands out.
In a Hy-Vee shopper discussion, one person said the Hy-Vee version was better than any branded cocktail sauce they’d tried. Hy-Vee’s own condiment assortment has included a 12-ounce cocktail sauce alongside national competitors.
It’s a small purchase, but if shrimp cocktail is on the menu, this is one private-label bottle worth checking before automatically reaching for Kraft.
Skip the name brand: Kraft or another national cocktail sauce.
Hy-Vee’s private-label shelf is bigger than many shoppers realize. The retailer currently groups brands such as Hy-Vee, That’s Smart!, Crav’n Flavor, Good Graces, Gustare Vita and It’s Your Churn within its private-brand portfolio.
Not every generic product is automatically better, and shopper opinions definitely aren’t unanimous. But these are the ones that keep coming up when Hy-Vee customers talk about the store brands they actually bring home again.
