You're going to a movie, having friends over to play games, it's a Tuesday… Whatever your reason, there's always a good time for some snacks. And Dollarama is an excellent place to get budget-friendly options.
It's cheap, yes, but it also has a ton of knock-off brands that are just as good, if not better than, the name brand. And because I enjoy snacks and I enjoy a deal, I went on a mission to find the best Dollarama food knock-offs that are better than the originals, for way less. I won't lead you astray, either — some do not make the cut.
Here's the breakdown. Now get yourself to Dollarama.
Cheese Nacho Tortilla Chips
Knock-off Doritos at Dollarama
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
I'm just going to start off with the clear winner. These knock-off Doritos were actually so good and so close to the original. As soon as I opened the bag, I had the full Doritos smell experience, and each chip was visibly coated with plenty of flavour powder. They tasted exactly like Doritos, that's all I have to say! Highly recommend as a cheaper option.
Price: $2 for 170 grams vs. Doritos at $3 for 170 grams.
My rating: 10/10
Sour Peach Slices
Fuzzy peach knock-offs at Dollarama.
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
The name could use some work, but these are an awesome Dollarama knock-off for Maynards Fuzzy Peaches, which just so happen to be one of my favourites.
The peachy flavour and the sweet-sour vibe were really good…. Surprisingly good tbh. The texture was a bit different from the original, a little gummier. To me, this made very little difference, and at $1.00 for the package, it was inconsequential.
Price: $1 for 125 grams vs. Maynards at $2.50 for 154 grams.
My rating: 10/10
Titan
Taste testing Dollarama chocolate bars.
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
Titan is supposed to be a dupe of Snickers, and, to me, it tasted exactly the same. It had a good crunch from the peanuts and, overall, tasty caramel and chocolate. Overall, a good alternative.
Price: $0.63 (sold as 2) for $1.25 vs. $0.99 for each Snickers.
My rating: 7/10
Duet
Duet bars at Dollarama.
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
I'm a big Twix fan, so I was excited to try Duet, the Dollarama knock-off. I did a taste test with my sisters, and we were all pleasantly surprised by this one. Duet tasted nearly the same as Twix, though the biscuit part was different. Not worse, just a slightly different mouth feel (I hate that word, but you know what I mean). It had a nice crunch and just enough caramel flavour.
Price: $0.63 (sold as 2) for $1.25 vs. $0.99 each for Twix.
My rating: 7.5/10
Island Bar
Island Bars at Dollarama.
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
Another chocolate option, this time a knock-off for Bounty. I am a BIG coconut fan, so I would probably enjoy almost any iteration of it. But this one really hit the spot. The texture was nice and chewy, and the balance between coconut and chocolate was perfect. Definitely as good as Bounty!
Price: $0.63 (sold as 2) for $1.25 vs. $0.99 each for Bounty.
My rating: 9/10
Meteor
Meteor bars at Dollarama.
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
We're now moving into the "not worth it" category… And I have to admit that Mars bars are really not my favourite chocolate to start with, so know that it's not my go-to. And I have to say, these were even worse — no one I asked liked this version. Here's the review of my Mars-loving sister: "The chocolate is too thin, there's no caramel, and the nougat is the wrong texture."
The packaging is super similar to Mars, so they've done a good job there. But taste-wise, this is not it.
Price: $0.63 (sold as 2) for $1.25 vs. $0.99 each for Mars.
My rating: 3/10
Mint Thins
Mint thins at Dollarama.
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
Mint Thins are a bargin version of After Eights, the classic minty chocolate treat. They've got similar external packaging — a green cardboard box — but they are not in the same individual sleeves as an After Eight. I know mint and chocolate are polarizing flavours, but I personally love them and was excited to try.
Sad to say, they were a big disappointment. We all agreed they tasted way too much like toothpaste. Not good.
Price: $2 for 135 grams.
My rating: 1/10
Chocolate Vanilla Flavour Cookies
Oreos and Chocolate Vanilla Cookies at Dollarama.
Alyssa Wiens | Narcity
Yeah, "Chocolate Vanilla Flavour Cookies" really doesn't have the same ring as "Oreos" does it?
And, it really doesn't have the same taste, either. While they've done a good job mimicking the packaging, I would honest to goodness never eat these again or recommend them. This is a case where the name brand really does matter.
They were dry with barely any icing and just didn't have the Oreo flavour.
Price: $1.50 for 300g vs. $3.50 for 270 grams of Oreos at Dollarama.
My rating: 0/10
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
