The No Name brand has been delighting thrifty Canadian shoppers with its well-priced grocery products since 1978. Beyond being inexpensive, these products actually work—and usually taste great, too. Here are the No Name brand products the Chatelaine Kitchen team stocks up on.
Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches
This ultimate summer treat was voted the Chatelaine staff’s favourite ice cream sandwich in a blind taste test. (And they’re also the most cost efficient in comparison to other brands.)
Cocoa Powder
The Chatelaine Kitchen has deemed No Name cocoa powder the best cocoa powder for baking thanks to its rich, chocolately taste, compared to two other big brands.
Parchment Paper
The Chatelaine Kitchen prefers No Name parchment paper for its weight, texture and—most importantly—because it’s super easy to tear.
White Vinegar
This four-litre jug of white vinegar costs less than $2 at No Frills. It’s a featured in many triple-tested recipes (and it also keeps the Chatelaine Kitchen sinks clean!)
Ripple-Cut Chips
These chips satisfy even the most serious cravings for salty, greasy goodness. And, they’re like two bucks cheaper than Ruffles (and just as good, if not better).
Sultana Raisins (And All Dried Fruit)
If you can’t make it to a bulk food store, No Name offers relatively cheap options for dried fruit and nuts, including big bags of raisins, dried cranberries and of course, prunes (No Name prunes are seriously good).
Dehydrated Minced Onion
No Name’s dehydrated minced onion is the key to Chatelaine’s triple-tested (and Trader Joe’s dupe) everything bagel seasoning recipe because it doesn’t clump.
Shredded Coconut
Choose your own adventure and pick from No Name’s sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut. Both are delicious stirred into plain yogurt and are essential to recipes like coconut macaroons, coconut cream pie and our epic pink coconut snowballs.
Fudge Brownie Mix
In an office boxed brownie taste test, the Chatelaine staffers rated this their runner-up favourite for flavour and texture, only behind one other brand. No Name’s Fudge Brownie has a surprisingly simple ingredients list, and bakes up with a crispy top and a denser interior.
Naturally Imperfect Fresh and Frozen Produce
The fruits and veggies (both fresh and frozen), might not look amazing in this No Name line, but they’re perfectly fine to eat (and you’re saving food from going to landfill!). If you love frozen fruit, you can fill your freezer with two-kilogram bags for just over $10.
Puréed Pumpkin
“A small-sized can of pure pumpkin purée is gold,” says food content director, Irene Ngo. Many pumpkin recipes don’t call for an entire 796-millilitre can (as is standard for name brands) of puréed pumpkin, so you’re usually stuck with leftovers that often get thrown out. A smaller can equals less waste.
No Name Fruit Glace
If you’re making fruitcake or panettonne, use this polarizing-yet-affordable mixture of sweetened dried cherries, pineapple and ginger. Or eat it with a spoon, if that’s more your scene.