4.16.2008

Thank you Target

I think most of us would agree that Target is waaaaaaay better than Walmart.....from the decor, to the product selection, the dollar section, the clothing!, the cute home decorating and frames, even the fun red color. Walmart's blue is cold and boring and why do they have to post their ugly sale price numbers and happy faces everywhere?! Tacky. Of course there are still things I can only get at Walmart so I make a special trip every once in a while. But I probably go to Target about 3 times a week. Sometimes, it's just an excuse to get out of the house. No shame in that! But usually, I actually need to get something there.

Of course I like to save a buck, so I've often tried many of their generic products (especially since name-brand is mostly marketing, right?).
Target Brand items we use at home and love:
- Diapers
- Soap/Body wash/Dish Soap
- Dental Floss (SO good)
- Shave gel
- Vitamins
- Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen
- Napkins/resealable bags/trash bags/foil/plastic wrap
- Baby formula
The only thing I don't care for are their Baby Wipes. I don't think they feel wet enough, so I still buy Huggies brand.

But the reason I started this post was to praise their Market Pantry products. Sadly we don't have a Super Target with a full-blown grocery section, but I still do most of my grocery shopping at Target. After finding so many of their products in our cupboards, Casey finally asked me, what's the deal with this Market Pantry brand?
Well, it's the Target brand and it's so great! So....here are a few things that we've tried that I think are spot on (great replicas of the brand-name version).
Honey Graham Crunch cereal. Tastes JUST like Golden Grahams and perhaps even better! Each graham is dusted with a little brown sugar or something. Yummy: In fact, most of their cereals are really good. But I've never tried the wannabe Lucky Charms. It just seems like a hard one to duplicate (I guess name-brand is worth it sometimes).

I bought this on a whim and wow, it's better than Rite Aid's mint chip. I know there are some big Mint Chip fans out there (Darci) and this Market Pantry version was just dreamy.
The ice cream was thoroughly infused with tons of chip shavings. This picture doesn't do justice. You have to try it:
Like most of you, I'm a Mac N Cheese snob and will only eat Kraft brand. But for Lucy I started buying the cheaper stuff and no joke, this version is GREAT! And it's only $.44/box. Seriously.
These little bite-sized peanut butter & crackers are like candy (or like cookies). There must be more than just peanut butter in there because Casey and I both kept downing them in handfuls. They never made it to Lucy's snack bag.
We just bought some of their salsa the other night and like that too! I'm on a quest now to try many of their products. ONE thing I've tried and do NOT like....their generic Zone Bars. Horrible. And I don't care for their granola bars either. I usually still get Quaker Oats brand.
But to the chefs of Market Pantry and Target I say, "Well done! We're huge fans!"

20 comments:

Connie said...

Too bad you don't have a Super Target. I serioulsy love that place! I love Market Pantry- like you said- really great, non-generic tasting stuff! Target also has a brand called Archer Farms that is just as good!

Suman Family said...

ava and i love their fruit snacks! not to mention many, many other things that they offer. i also do a lot of my grocery shopping there.

Camille said...

Wow, thanks for the info. I think I might go shopping tomorrow and try some of that stuff....especially the Mint n' Chip. Yum!

I was shopping the other day at Walmart and I was so annoyed at their baskets. Seriously they are so beat. Every time I get one it is all jacked up. I'll stop and trade it for another one and it's messed up too. So I don't even try anymore. Yesterday the basket I was using was pointed to the right the entire time, but I was pushing it straight forward. Why can't Walmart be a little more like Target?

Darci said...

I completely agree with EVERYTHING you said! I couldn't have said it better. Taget is the best, Market Pantry is the best, Target baby products are the best, Target knock off funishings are cute. I haven't tried the mint chip yet (because I haven't found it) but I will!

Zen Mama said...

I'm so with you! We've been using Target diapers for years -- I feel like a Target diaper missionary, I've told so many people about them.

And I love their mac and cheese, but I'm sad the price has gone up. (Seriously, two months ago and for years leading up, it had been 34 cents. Then suddenly 44 in Pasadena --where I send Paul to buy the things at his Target that are lower in price than mine-- and 52 cents in Glendale!!! yikes!!!)

I am all about Target. In fact, I've found myself singing more than I'll admit, "I'm a Target girl, in a Target wo-orld."

Sara said...

I heart target and i hate walmart, every time i go there i hate it more! The only market pantry thing I would not recommend is their cheese crackers (The ones like the peanut butter crackers you like) They are so so nasty!

Nat said...

All time best post! Target really is the bomb.com...one of the only things I miss about Provo is the Super Target in Orem. :( But yes, cheap and GREAT food! And it's always nice to pick up a few shirts or something along the way...

Lexie & Sharrid said...

Target diapers are ok, but if I want no trouble at all I've got to get the Luvs or Pampers, esp. Pampers...and if I'm going to eat mint chip ice cream which I love, it better be real, like Breyers brand, which is pretty much the only "real" mint chip I've seen, you can easily know if is real or too artificial...if it's green, it's fake, if it's a white color, it's real!

dana said...

Lexie, it's funny you mention Breyers Mint N Chip, because that is Casey's all-time favorite ice cream. And he agrees, if it's green, it's no good. I think the Breyers is great too. But I'm a sucker for the cheap green stuff with chip shavings too.

dana said...

Sara,
Yes! I've tried the cheese crackers you mentioned. And they smell HORRIBLE, like dirty feet. Don't get me wrong, I like blue cheese which also smells like dirty feet. But these crackers are...whoa, no good. They actually taste okay, but it was hard to get past that smell.

Miriam Oh Painter said...

i hope you wrote them a letter to praise them. Everyone and everything needs to know that they are appreciated as well! i bet you'll get something free!!!

Miriam Oh Painter said...

PS-going to Target is like a treat. It's an escape. Except when i go to the one on Jefferson. I hate that Target.

dana said...

I hate the Target on Jefferson too...worst parking lot, almost ever.
I feel gross and dirty inside too.

Lettie B. said...

I have had a Target all my life and as a kid it used to be the store that was laid out weird. It was not as comparable in pricing them as our other 2 favs - Kmart and Walmart. As Target has expanded across the country it definitely has made some changes for the better. (They still don't have a fabric dept though - not that most people use those anyway!)I have specific reasons I go to Target and Walmart now and there isn't much overlap. As far as the cool factor though - yeah - Target is much cooler.
I am a generic girls and also like there stuff. Have you tried their dog shaped animal crackers? Yum. I bought them for the boys, but of course ate most of them. I love their diapers and agree that their wipes aren't the best. They used to be more like the Huggies ones, but changed to a "new and improved" version, which obviously is not an improvement to some of us. I just get Kirkland wipes at Costco now.
I love their (somewhat)new dollar bins. There is some good/cute stuff in there sometimes. Great for kid birthday parties. I haven't had their ice cream (I generally don't buy groceries there), but Nate is like you and loves the fakey stuff. In fact he prefers it and doesn't really care for the real deal. Man, now I want ice cream...

dana said...

Collette, you're so right...Target has come a long way. It used to just seem like any other store. But about 10 years ago, they started shifting their image and brought in some new/young designers to update their clothes, home decor, and apparently their groceries! I laugh when I see a Target ad in Vogue magazine and it looks totally cool/funky. Great move on Target's part...way to market to the younger generation.

teresa and the boys said...

Totally late to this party, but needed to put out there that I agree completely. Target (especially if I get to go unaccompanied) is like a mini-vacation!

If Target and Wal*Mart had a fight, Target would sooooooooooo win.

megan said...

why do I never run into you at target? I am there several times a week as well...I ran into jean there last week and also mentioned to her that it was one of my fav places to go, just to get out...especially when caden was a baby. I can always find something to look at/buy...the baby has a lot to look at and can easily get there and back between feedings. fun stuff!

Jean said...

I heart Target. I second Megan's comment, I'm surprised we've never run into each other there!

Great post!! I think you should notify someone at Target Corporate, and get some sort of huge freebie for your happy promotion of their products. :-)

Shelley said...

Dana, I miss target. Man, to able to go to one store and get everything that you need-- groceries, diapers, a swim suit. I've been to a few of the "Target-like stores" here. Not even close. I would rather go to Walmart in the states, and I HATE Walmart. Maybe I should bring Target to Tokyo!! That and Trader Joe's.

Kim said...

Are their diapers really, truly good...we have serious diaper issues in our house! :(

I love Target, but can never escape without spending far too much money, so I am sure my husband hates Target!