I thought those 'dollar store spice' videos were a total scam

My roommate bought a jar of garlic powder from the dollar spot for a dollar twenty five and I was sure it would taste like sawdust. We did a blind taste test against the name brand stuff I paid six bucks for, and I could not tell the difference at all. We tried it in meatloaf and a simple pasta sauce over the weekend. The jar is half gone already and it works just fine. Has anyone else found a specific spice or pantry item where the cheap version is actually just as good?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_olivia1mo ago

Yeah, the blind taste test is the real proof... I did the same thing with basic black pepper. The expensive stuff in the fancy grinder and the cheap pre-ground tin. In cooked food, it's impossible to tell. I only notice a difference if I'm eating it on something plain, like eggs. For anything that gets heated up with other ingredients, the cheap stuff does the exact same job.

elliot_hall1mo ago

Totally get what you're saying. I had the same moment with salt, honestly. Bought the fancy sea salt flakes for way too much money, used it in a stew, and realized it made zero difference once everything cooked down. You're right, it's only on the simple stuff where you can actually taste it. Feels good to know I'm not just imagining things.

jamieh7622d ago

Right, so my whole fancy spice rack is basically just for show then.