20 Copycat Recipes for Packaged Foods (2024)

Last Updated: September 1, 2022 | Copycat Recipes

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These copycat recipes for boxed or canned foods are easy to make, delicious, and less expensive than their packaged versions.

20 Copycat Recipes for Packaged Foods (1)

As a newlywed, all I knew how to make was boxed or packaged food. Rice-a-Roni, Hamburger Helper, and Wheat Thins were on our shopping list nearly every week.

After a surprise layoff at the company we both worked at, we had to really stretch our budget. Our grocery budget was $25 a week! That was the beginning of my journey into cooking from scratch.

I was happy and surprised to learn that homemade recipes taste better and are far less expensive than boxed foods, even when those packaged foods are on sale. Plus we didn’t have to read labels for hidden ingredients like MSG or preservatives.

Here’s a collection of my favorite copycat recipes for packaged foods. Give them a try–you’ll love them!

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Chewy Granola Bars

These are the best homemade granola bars out there. My kids LOVE them, and they only have 7 ingredients (Quaker Chewy has 28+). Ditch the mystery ingredients and make your own snacks with this easy recipe.

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Rich, Hearty Sandwich Bread

Don't let yeast bread scare you! If you can bake cookies, you can bake bread. For less than 50 cents a loaf, you can make rich, hearty sandwich bread that stands up to all the sandwich fixins' you can pile on.

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Easiest Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

This delicious, homemade spaghetti sauce cooks itself in your Crock Pot. So easy and your kids can help make it, too.

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Homemade Hamburger Helper

Make your own delicious, homemade Hamburger Helper recipe--it's as quick as the box and tastes SO much better. This one's a family favorite!

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Taco Seasoning Mix

Make your own healthy, homemade taco seasoning mix. No fillers, MSG, or weird chemicals--and you can make it as hot or mild as you like.

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Perfect Copycat Rice-a-Roni

Make copycat rice-a-roni from scratch, just as fast as the kind in the box. Plus this secret ingredient puts your homemade version over the top on taste.

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Panda Express Orange Chicken

This Panda Express Orange Chicken copycat is ready in minutes. Enjoy the bright, fresh orange sauce in this easy recipe that's healthier than the original.

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DIY Caramel Corn (no corn syrup needed)

Make your own caramel corn without using corn syrup. This easy recipe comes together in no time, with ingredients you already have in your kitchen.

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Best Homemade Soft Pretzels

These soft pretzels are a snap to make, and so much tastier than the ones at the mall. They're amazing dipped in cheese sauce or grainy mustard.

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Nacho Cheese Sauce

This creamy nacho cheese sauce is ready in 5 minutes—without Velveeta!—and is delicious with chips, pretzels, vegetables, or pasta.

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Copycat Cracklin' Oat Bran Recipe

It's easy to make copycat Cracklin' Oat Bran cereal. This homemade version is filling, nutritious, and so much cheaper than the box. A favorite crumbled over ice cream!

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Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits

These savory copycat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuits mix up in one bowl, with ingredients you already have in your kitchen.

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Natural Kool-Aid

Kids love this copycat natural Kool-Aid! It’s easy to make in several delicious, fruity flavors and is sweetened with honey, not sugar.

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Homemade Cinnamon Bread Recipe

Your taste buds will flip over this easy, homemade cinnamon bread. It's amazing toasted with butter or made into a PB&J.

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Hearty Oatmeal-Cinnamon Waffles

These tasty waffles are made with healthy ingredients, and they're hearty enough to fill up toddlers and teenagers (where DO they put all that food they eat, anyway?).

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Crock Pot Apple Butter

It's so easy to make apple butter in the slow cooker! 5 ingredients make a flavorful spread for toast, english muffins, or best of all--turkey sandwiches.

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Honey-Garlic Chicken

This easy Honey-Garlic Chicken recipe transforms simple ingredients into a sticky, sweet sauce that's just as delicious as your favorite Chinese restaurant.

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An easy recipe for basil and garlic pesto with a secret ingredient that cuts the cost in half! Includes bonus recipes and freezing tips too.

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Killer Hot Sauce

Learn how to make homemade hot sauce in 20 minutes with this easy recipe. Go mild with Banana Pepper Hot Sauce or feel the burn with Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce.

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Honey Lemonade

This delicious, homemade lemonade recipe is a burst of tart and sweet flavors--without corn syrup, artificial flavors, or dyes.

Love cooking from scratch? Check out Off The Shelf: Homemade Alternatives to the Condiments, Toppings, and Snacks you Love.It’s chock-full of recipes for even more pantry staples, made without chemicals or preservatives!

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Hi, Im Pam!

I created Brown Thumb Mama to share my natural living journey, and help you live a greener life. Thanks for being here!

20 Copycat Recipes for Packaged Foods (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients that make a dish healthier? ›

Include beans, pulses, fish, eggs and some meat, as these are a good source of protein. Include dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) in your diet, choosing lower-fat and lower-sugar options. Choose healthy, unsaturated fats (such as olive or rapeseed oil), and keep them to a minimum.

How do I make my own recipe? ›

Tips for recipe writing
  1. Write ingredients in the order in which they'll be used! ...
  2. Write the directions in an order that makes sense. ...
  3. If your recipe has multiple "recipes" within it, separate the ingredients and step for each. ...
  4. Offer additional methods or substitutions. ...
  5. Share when to know a recipe is ready.
May 4, 2022

How do I list ingredients in a recipe? ›

List Your Ingredients in the Right Order
  1. Separate your ingredient list from the method.
  2. Every ingredient appears in the same order as it does in the recipe execution.
  3. Each ingredient gets its own line.
  4. Give accurate measurement for every ingredient with the right units.
Feb 11, 2021

How to write a recipe format? ›

Recipes: Essentials in Writing
  1. Know Your Audience. ...
  2. Add a Recipe Description. ...
  3. List the Preparation and Cooking Time. ...
  4. Provide the Number of Servings and Serving Size. ...
  5. List Ingredients in Chronological Order. ...
  6. Be Specific. ...
  7. Spell Out Measurements and Amounts. ...
  8. Separate Ingredients for Major Steps in a Recipe.
Mar 14, 2023

What is the healthiest thing to cook food in? ›

Switch to healthier fats

If you add fats when cooking, use healthier oils such as olive and canola oil. And try these tips to reduce the amount of fat needed in cooking: Cook in liquids (such as stock, wine, lemon juice, fruit juice, vinegar or water) instead of oil.

What are some homemade foods to make? ›

7 Foods to Make From Scratch
  1. Stock. If you only take one thing from this article, keep a container of veggie scraps in your freezer. ...
  2. Bread. This one can be as easy or as complicated as you want, depending on what you are trying to make. ...
  3. Hummus. ...
  4. Salad Dressing. ...
  5. Pasta Sauce. ...
  6. Pickles. ...
  7. Granola, Bars & Bites.
May 17, 2020

Is there an app to create and store recipes? ›

Recipe Keeper is the easy to use, all-in-one recipe organizer, shopping list and meal planner available across all of your devices. Enter your recipes with as much or as little information as you like. Copy and paste recipes from your existing documents or apps.

What should be included in every recipe? ›

A recipe really only needs either ingredients or directions ( the preparation method) to be considered complete. At a minimum most recipes have a title, ingredients list, and preparation method. If you need a more robust look at recipe writing we highly recommend The Recipe Writer's Handbook.

What is the most important step of a recipe? ›

Ingredient List - The ingredient list is one of the most critical parts of a recipe. The ingredients should be listed in chronological order, with the ingredient used first at the very top of the list (Palmer, 2020).

What is the first item on an ingredient list? ›

All ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight, including added water. Remember: The first ingredient listed is present in the largest amount by weight. The last ingredient listed is present in the least amount by weight.

How do I start writing recipes? ›

Tips to keep in mind when writing recipes:
  1. List ingredients in chronological order. ...
  2. Separate ingredients for major steps in a recipe. ...
  3. List steps in order, keeping instructions short and to the point. ...
  4. Give specifics about doneness. ...
  5. Include storage suggestions. ...
  6. Offer extra methods or substitutions (when tested).
Nov 19, 2020

How to make a recipe your own? ›

Start by learning the basics: different cooking methods, flavour pairings, seasonality. Make a list of your all-time favourite recipes and take them as inspiration. How did that particular chef create the dish you love? Think about the flavour pairing and then make something of your own based on it.

What makes a good recipe? ›

Look for recipes that have the following:
  1. Ingredient measurements in multiple formats (weight, volume, size).
  2. Context clues for timing of each relevant piece of cooking instruction.
  3. Explanations on why certain steps are important to the recipe process.
May 26, 2020

What are some healthy ingredients in food? ›

In the refrigerator
  • Vegetables and fruits.
  • Low-fat milk or non-fat milk and yogurt (without added sugar)
  • Reduced-fat cheeses: Cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, Monterey Jack, cottage, Parmesan.
  • Reduced-fat sour cream and cream cheese.
  • Whole wheat and corn tortillas.
  • Eggs.
  • Minced garlic.
  • Ketchup and mustard.
Oct 18, 2021

What to add to meals to make them healthier? ›

Flavour cooked vegetables with herbs instead of butter or oil. Replace some meat in dishes such as shepherd's pie, casseroles and lasagne, with vegetables and pulses (peas, beans and lentils). It is a great way to disguise vegetables for those fussy eaters.

How do I make my menu healthier? ›

Seven Steps To Healthy Menus
  1. Add more veggies. The most important step: finding creative ways to incorporate more fresh vegetables into favourite family dinners. ...
  2. Opt for More Natural. ...
  3. Plan ahead. ...
  4. Use more whole wheat grains and pulses. ...
  5. Add high-quality protein. ...
  6. Use healthier fats. ...
  7. Cut down on salt.

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