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For the experiment, taste testers tried name brands and lower-cost lookalikes from Aldi. First up: crème-filled sandwich cookies. The first cookie got quick praise,"It tastes like an Oreo," a tester said, but another found it a little dry. The second cookie earned more love for flavor, while some still preferred the filling in the first cookie. When asked which was the real Oreo, the votes split. The reveal: the first cookie was the Oreo, but the testers admitted they liked the second cookie, Aldi’s version, more.Next, the taste testers compared cheesy crackers. The first cracker landed as "really cheesy," one taster wished for a touch more salt. The second drew instant recognition: "That’s a Cheez-It!" Two of the testers bet the second was the name brand; a third tester went with the first option. The reveal proved that the second was Cheez-It. Still, the consensus was that the two tasted so similar it was hard to tell them apart, even after the blindfolds came off.Finally, cinnamon cereal. The two samples got near-unanimous approval for tasting the "exact same." Texture, flavor, everything felt like a match. The reveal showed the first was Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but again, the panel agreed the dupe could easily pass in a real-world bowl at home.After three rounds, the takeaway was clear. Even when the name-brand won on paper, the tasters often preferred — or couldn’t distinguish from — the less expensive Aldi versions. If you’re stocking up on pantry staples like sandwich cookies, cheesy crackers, and cinnamon cereal, the store-brand dupes can deliver the same satisfaction for less. Try swapping in a generic on your next grocery run. You might find your taste buds (and your wallet) can’t tell the difference.