You don’t always have to pay extra for the familiar label. Meijer shoppers have been comparing the retailer’s store-brand foods with national brands, and some surprisingly inexpensive staples keep coming out on top.
Meijer actually has several tiers of private-label foods, including its everyday Meijer brand and the more premium Frederik’s by Meijer line. In recent shopper discussions, people repeatedly singled out snacks, dairy, sauces, frozen foods and pantry staples they would willingly choose over bigger brands.
1. Meijer Ripple Cheddar & Sour Cream Potato Chips
The Shopper Review: These may be one of Meijer’s strongest arguments for skipping the national brand. Shoppers repeatedly praise Meijer’s ripple-style chips, with cheddar and sour cream among the flavors getting especially enthusiastic mentions.
Taste & Texture: Expect a thick, sturdy ripple chip with plenty of crunch and a savory cheddar flavor rounded out by tangy sour cream seasoning.
Better Than: Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream is the obvious comparison.
Why They’re Worth It: The seasoning-to-chip ratio is generous without sacrificing crunch. Meijer’s current listing also shows the 7.75-ounce Cheddar & Sour Cream Ripple Chips holding a 4.5-star shopper rating.
Best For: Sandwiches, cookouts, lunchboxes or eating straight from the bag.
Final Verdict: BUY. This is one of the easiest Meijer-brand swaps to make.
2. Meijer Honey Wheat Pretzels
The Shopper Review: This comparison gets surprisingly specific: more than one Meijer shopper has called out the honey wheat pretzels as preferable to Snyder’s. Recent comments describe them as a product they would choose over the name-brand version without hesitation.
Taste & Texture: Slightly sweet with the malty flavor you expect from wheat pretzels and a firm, satisfying crunch.
Better Than: Snyder’s Honey Wheat Pretzel Twists.
Why They’re Worth It: Honey wheat pretzels can sometimes lean too sweet. The appeal here appears to be the balance between sweetness, salt and toasted wheat flavor.
Best For: Lunchboxes, road trips, snack boards or dipping in mustard.
Final Verdict: BUY. An under-the-radar snack that deserves more attention.
3. Meijer Cottage Cheese
The Shopper Review: Cottage cheese might be the most passionate recommendation on this entire list. Meijer shoppers describe the store brand as creamier, saltier and better textured than several competitors, with some saying they specifically seek out Meijer for it.
Taste & Texture: Creamy without becoming overly soupy, with distinct curds and enough salt to make it enjoyable straight from the container.
Better Than: Shoppers have specifically compared it favorably with Daisy, Great Value, Kroger and other mainstream cottage cheeses.
Why It’s Worth It: Cottage cheese is largely about texture, and this is where Meijer appears to win over repeat buyers.
Best For: Breakfast bowls, fruit, everything-bagel seasoning, toast or simply cracked black pepper.
Final Verdict: STRONG BUY. One of the most consistently praised Meijer-brand foods we found.
4. Meijer Fresh Salsa
The Shopper Review: Fresh salsa earned praise not just because shoppers like the flavor, but because they find it consistent from container to container. One recent shopper specifically preferred its reliability over Garden Fresh, saying competing batches can swing from too mild to too hot.
Taste & Texture: Fresh tomato flavor, chopped vegetables and enough seasoning to taste considerably fresher than shelf-stable jarred salsa.
Better Than: Particularly appealing as an alternative to pricier refrigerated salsa brands.
Why It’s Worth It: Consistency matters when salsa is something you buy every week. Knowing roughly what flavor and heat level you are getting makes this a dependable refrigerator staple.
Best For: Tortilla chips, tacos, eggs, burrito bowls and grilled chicken.
Final Verdict: BUY. A good example of store brand not feeling like the compromise option.
5. Meijer Steamable Corn
The Shopper Review: Frozen vegetables rarely inspire strong opinions, but Meijer’s microwaveable corn managed to do exactly that. A recent shopper said it tastes better than Birds Eye Steamfresh and reported encountering fewer undesirable kernels in the Meijer bag.
Taste & Texture: Sweet corn that remains pleasantly firm when microwaved instead of turning overly soft.
Better Than: Birds Eye Steamfresh Corn was the direct shopper comparison.
Why It’s Worth It: This is exactly the kind of everyday product where paying extra for a national label may not make much sense.
Best For: Weeknight sides, taco bowls, soups, casseroles and quick corn salsa.
Final Verdict: BUY. Simple, inexpensive and useful enough to keep permanently stocked in the freezer.
6. Meijer Taco Sauce
The Shopper Review: Sometimes the shortest recommendations say plenty. Meijer taco sauce received a direct shout-out when shoppers were asked which store-brand products they prefer over branded versions.
Taste & Texture: A smooth, pourable taco sauce with tomato, mild spice and enough tang to brighten tacos without overpowering everything else.
Better Than: Think of it as Meijer’s answer to mainstream taco sauces from Ortega or Old El Paso.
Why It’s Worth It: Taco sauce isn’t an ingredient where a fancy label necessarily adds much. A dependable balance of tomato, vinegar and seasoning is what matters.
Best For: Ground-beef tacos, nachos, quesadillas, taco salads and breakfast burritos.
Final Verdict: BUY. An easy pantry swap that can save you from paying extra just for the label.
7. Meijer Creamy Peanut Butter
The Shopper Review: Peanut butter is a tough category to challenge because shoppers tend to be fiercely loyal to Jif or Skippy. Yet a recent Meijer shopper described the store version as tasting fresher and even more peanut-forward than Jif.
Taste & Texture: Smooth, creamy and roasted-peanut forward with the familiar slightly sweet flavor expected from traditional American peanut butter.
Better Than: Jif was specifically named in the recent comparison.
Why It’s Worth It: Peanut butter is an everyday staple, so even a modest store-brand savings adds up if your household goes through several jars.
Best For: PB&J sandwiches, toast, crackers, smoothies, oatmeal and baking.
Final Verdict: BUY. Particularly worth trying if Jif is normally an automatic purchase.
8. Meijer Deluxe-Style Macaroni & Cheese
The Shopper Review: Meijer’s richer boxed mac and cheese has developed its own following. Shoppers describe the deluxe-style version as creamy and surprisingly good, while white cheddar variations have also received praise.
Taste & Texture: Richer and creamier than basic powdered-cheese mac, with a smoother sauce that coats the noodles.
Better Than: Kraft Deluxe is the closest comparison.
Why It’s Worth It: This works especially well for shoppers who want something one step above basic boxed macaroni without paying premium prepared-food prices.
Make It Better: Add black pepper, hot sauce, shredded cheddar or toasted breadcrumbs.
Final Verdict: BUY. A worthwhile pantry backup for busy nights.
9. Meijer Corn Tortilla Chips
The Shopper Review: Meijer’s tortilla chips quietly showed up among the products repeat shoppers say they genuinely enjoy rather than merely tolerate because they’re cheaper.
Taste & Texture: Straightforward corn flavor, salt and the sturdy crunch you want for scooping salsa or queso.
Better Than: A smart alternative to mainstream tortilla-chip brands when you’re buying primarily for dipping.
Why They’re Worth It: Tortilla chips often disappear quickly at parties and family dinners, making this an especially sensible place to consider the store brand.
Best For: Salsa, guacamole, queso, nachos and taco salads.
Final Verdict: BUY. Spend the extra money on the guacamole instead.
10. Meijer Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches
The Shopper Review: One shopper summed up the appeal perfectly: there wasn’t enough difference between the Meijer frozen breakfast sandwiches and the name-brand competition to justify paying more for the national label.
Taste & Texture: The familiar combination of egg, cheese, breakfast meat and bread designed to go from freezer to breakfast in minutes.
Better Than: Comparable in concept to Jimmy Dean and other national frozen breakfast sandwiches.
Why They’re Worth It: Convenience is the entire point of a frozen breakfast sandwich. If the store-brand version delivers comparable results for less, the value proposition is pretty straightforward.
Make It Better: Heat the sandwich according to package directions, then give the bread a quick toast or air-fryer finish if you prefer more texture.
Final Verdict: BUY. Particularly useful for rushed weekday mornings.
11. Frederik’s by Meijer Black Label Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce
The Shopper Review: Frederik’s is Meijer’s more premium private-label line, and its pasta sauces attracted some of the strongest praise we found. The Black Label Cherry Tomato sauce was specifically called out as a favorite, while another shopper said they prefer Frederik’s pasta sauce over essentially any branded option.
Taste & Texture: Cherry tomatoes should bring a slightly sweeter, brighter tomato profile than a standard basic marinara, giving the sauce a more premium feel.
Better Than: This is the Meijer product to consider before automatically grabbing Rao’s, Carbone or another premium jarred sauce.
Why It’s Worth It: Frederik’s makes sense when you want store-brand value without necessarily wanting a bare-bones store-brand product.
Best For: Spaghetti, baked pasta, ravioli, chicken parmesan or dipping garlic bread.
Final Verdict: STRONG BUY. One of Frederik’s most interesting pantry products.
12. Frederik’s by Meijer Gorgonzola & Pear Pizza
The Shopper Review: This may be the most unusual product on our list. A self-described basic-pepperoni shopper called Frederik’s Gorgonzola and Pear pizza a favorite, while another said they always keep one in the freezer because they haven’t found the same combination elsewhere.
Taste & Texture: The concept combines salty, assertive Gorgonzola with sweet pear, creating the kind of sweet-savory contrast you would expect from a restaurant flatbread rather than an ordinary frozen pizza.
Better Than: Rather than directly copying DiGiorno or Red Baron, this one wins by offering something the big frozen-pizza brands rarely do.
Why It’s Worth It: Store brands are most interesting when they stop imitating national brands and introduce genuinely distinctive products.
Best For: An easy dinner with arugula salad or sliced into small pieces as an appetizer.
Final Verdict: BUY FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT. Especially appealing if you enjoy blue cheese and sweet-savory combinations.
13. Frederik’s by Meijer Five Seed Crackers
The Shopper Review: These earned enthusiastic praise from shoppers, particularly as a cheese-board cracker.
Taste & Texture: Crisp, seeded and considerably more interesting than an ordinary plain cracker. The mix of seeds gives both extra crunch and a lightly toasted, nutty flavor.
Better Than: Instead of comparing these with basic Ritz crackers, think of them as an alternative to pricier specialty crackers sold for charcuterie boards.
Why They’re Worth It: This is exactly where the Frederik’s line shines—foods that look and taste a little more upscale without requiring a stop at a specialty grocery store.
Best For: Brie, cheddar, goat cheese, hummus, cured meats and preserves.
Final Verdict: BUY. A particularly good choice when entertaining.
14. Frederik’s by Meijer Feta Cheese
The Shopper Review: Frederik’s feta received praise for being sold as a substantial block rather than dry, pre-crumbled pieces. One shopper specifically highlighted its quality and texture.
Taste & Texture: Creamier and more substantial than dry crumbled feta, with the salty tang that makes feta work so well in Mediterranean dishes.
Better Than: Pre-crumbled tubs from many mainstream cheese brands.
Why It’s Worth It: Buying feta in a block lets you control the size of the crumbles and generally gives you a more satisfying texture.
Best For: Greek salads, roasted vegetables, pasta, eggs, watermelon salads and homemade flatbreads.
Final Verdict: STRONG BUY. A small upgrade that can noticeably improve a simple meal.
15. Meijer Girl Scout-Style Cookies
The Shopper Review: Shoppers have been buying Meijer’s versions of familiar Girl Scout-style cookies for years, and the comparison resurfaced again recently. The chocolate-peanut-butter and caramel-coconut-style cookies were specifically praised, with shoppers pointing to both taste and value.
Taste & Texture: Expect the familiar dessert formula: crisp cookies paired with chocolate, peanut butter or chewy caramel-coconut flavors depending on the variety.
Better Than: The obvious comparisons are Tagalongs and Samoas.
Why They’re Worth It: The biggest advantage is availability. Instead of waiting for Girl Scout cookie season, shoppers can satisfy a similar craving during an ordinary grocery run.
Best For: Dessert drawers, lunchboxes, coffee breaks or keeping hidden from everyone else in the house.
Final Verdict: BUY. One of Meijer’s more fun store-brand discoveries and an easy impulse addition to the cart.
