Forget Pop-Tarts, This Great Value Copycat Looks The Same And Tastes Even Better, According To Reviews

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We all have name-brand products we swear by, even though they cost more than generic. But when it comes to Walmart's store brand, some fans feel that in many cases, the chain's Great Value copycats are better than the real thing. Take the frosted toaster pastries, an alternative to Pop-Tarts — countless online reviews say that they're well worth the swap.

While the O.G. Pop-Tarts have received plenty of criticism in recent years for their apparently smaller size, reduced filling, and lower-quality frosting, fans say Great Value gives you more for your money. One Redditor praised the frosted brown sugar cinnamon variety for its "decent amount" of frosting and filling, alleging the filling is "maybe more than Pop-Tarts." Another agreed that it has more filling than the original, adding that "the crust seemed a little softer, which I liked." A third praised the entire line, claiming "they really do taste great. The Cookies & Cream is especially yum!"

The rave reviews apply to other flavors, too. Instagram creator Morgan Chomps tried Great Value's frosted strawberry toaster pastries alongside the Pop-Tarts equivalent and deemed the Walmart copycat superior, saying Great Value's were smoother around the edges, chewier, and softer. She also said the filling was gooier than the original, and that the generic dupe had significantly more sprinkles, although the amount of frosting was basically even. Another TikTok creator had similar thoughts, saying "these are so much better than the name brand; they have more of the filling, they're just delicious."

The main reason to shop store-brand products? Generic is nearly always cheaper. Prices vary by location, but an eight-pack of frosted strawberry Pop-Tarts at Walmart costs $2.62 in the Philadelphia area, or about 33 cents per pastry. A six-pack of Great Value's frosted strawberry toaster pastries is $1.12, or about 19 cents per pastry. They're cheaper, and according to customer reviews, you won't be sacrificing taste or quality for price.

If you compare the ingredients and nutrition facts, frosted strawberry Pop-Tarts contains slightly more calories and protein, while the Great Value alternative is slightly higher in fat and sugar. That said, the differences are so small that they're essentially matched. Nutritionists warn that fans should rethink eating Pop-Tarts because they're high in sugar and contain questionable ingredients, but if you're going to treat yourself, know that one isn't much healthier than the other, so you may as well save a few bucks and go generic.

Cost and nutrition aside, some argue that Great Value's toaster pastries are objectively tastier, which is reason enough to try them. One Instagram user said the Great Value brown sugar cinnamon variety had a "much stronger cinnamon taste" and the Pop-Tarts tasted "more artificial," giving the former the crown in their taste-test. The YouTube channel Saving Money for The Long Run also said "the generic tastes better" when trying the cookies and cream varieties side by side, so Great Value's edge applies to a number of popular Pop-Tarts flavors.