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Regular readers know that I don’t get hung up over name-brand products. Sure, there are a few name-brand products out there that are the best of their kind, but 8 times out of 10 and especially when it comes to food, a discount or store brand is pretty much if not every bit as good as the name brand, especially when considering the price.
Today I’m testing that 8 out of 10 ratio with a discount brand I’ve never tried before, Loretta. A label under the corporate umbrella of Bektrom Foods, Loretta offers a full range of products such as baking mixes, pancake mixes, oatmeal packets, dinner sides, rice and noodle sides, instant potatoes, and some spices.
4.4 ounce box, vs. 4.7 with Better Crocker and other brands
I’m a fan of Au Gratin potatoes, c’mon, who doesn’t love potatoes and cheese, right? So in picking up some boxed potatoes recently, I grabbed the Au Gratin potatoes made by Loretta. Prepared using the stovetop instructions, the first thing I noticed right off the bat, was how the sauce packet did NOT blend well with the hot liquid. Stirring to incorporate, it was clumps of cheese in some hot water, butter & milk, NOT a cheese sauce developing. The word, “gloppy” comes to mind. Continuing to stir well beyond “occasionally” per the instructions, the potatoes were tender at the 15-minute mark. The sauce thickened, but never did distribute evenly.
Inconsistent cheese sauce, didn’t thoroughly incorporate.
The taste of the potatoes was OK, but because of the sauce’s inconsistency, the cheese sauce’s coverage wasn’t even, so some bites were cheesier than others. As far as the potatoes go, while they were tender, the portion is smaller than what you get with Betty Crocker as well as my personal discount brand favorite Chef’s Cupboard (Aldi), each of those weighing 4.7 ounces.
This is a discount brand that isn’t worth the discount price. If you see Loretta Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes on the grocery store shelf, pay extra money for the name brand or a store/discount brand you’ve tried and trust, as Loretta doesn’t fit in my 8 out of 10 guideline. I’m giving these boxed potatoes 2 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars, they are not worthy of a repeat buy.
$pend Wisely My Friends…
~ Mike
Enjoy this post?
If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or monthly donation. Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike
This isn’t a discount brand I recommend.
Food Review: Loretta Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes – Bachelor on the Cheap
Regular readers know that I don’t get hung up over name-brand products. Sure, there are a few name-brand products out there that are the best of their kind, but 8 times out of 10 and especially when it comes to food, a discount or store brand is pretty much if not every bit as good as the name brand, especially when considering the price.
Today I’m testing that 8 out of 10 ratio with a discount brand I’ve never tried before, Loretta. A label under the corporate umbrella of Bektrom Foods, Loretta offers a full range of products such as baking mixes, pancake mixes, oatmeal packets, dinner sides, rice and noodle sides, instant potatoes, and some spices.
4.4 ounce box, vs. 4.7 with Better Crocker and other brands
I’m a fan of Au Gratin potatoes, c’mon, who doesn’t love potatoes and cheese, right? So in picking up some boxed potatoes recently, I grabbed the Au Gratin potatoes made by Loretta. Prepared using the stovetop instructions, the first thing I noticed right off the bat, was how the sauce packet did NOT blend well with the hot liquid. Stirring to incorporate, it was clumps of cheese in some hot water, butter & milk, NOT a cheese sauce developing. The word, “gloppy” comes to mind. Continuing to stir well beyond “occasionally” per the instructions, the potatoes were tender at the 15-minute mark. The sauce thickened, but never did distribute evenly.
Inconsistent cheese sauce, didn’t thoroughly incorporate.
The taste of the potatoes was OK, but because of the sauce’s inconsistency, the cheese sauce’s coverage wasn’t even, so some bites were cheesier than others. As far as the potatoes go, while they were tender, the portion is smaller than what you get with Betty Crocker as well as my personal discount brand favorite Chef’s Cupboard (Aldi), each of those weighing 4.7 ounces.
This is a discount brand that isn’t worth the discount price. If you see Loretta Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes on the grocery store shelf, pay extra money for the name brand or a store/discount brand you’ve tried and trust, as Loretta doesn’t fit in my 8 out of 10 guideline. I’m giving these boxed potatoes 2 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars, they are not worthy of a repeat buy.
$pend Wisely My Friends…
~ Mike
Enjoy this post?
If you appreciate the article you just read and want to support more great content on BachelorontheCheap.com, you can help keep this site going with a one-time or monthly donation. Thank you so much for your support! ~ Mike
This isn’t a discount brand I recommend.