What’s In A Big Name?

Sometimes, certain brand names become so familiar that we use them as a sort of shorthand for their competitors, too.

We refer to all facial tissues as Kleenex, all bandages as Band-Aids and all toaster pastries as Pop-Tarts.

But the original product isn’t always the best - as we discovered when sampling several strawberry Pop-Tarts, er, toaster pastries with our reader food panel.

We matched the Kellogg’s classic against a longtime imitation by Nabisco and a newer, low-fat knockoff from SnackWells.

Nabisco’s Toastettes were the winner by default, on the strength of a superior, sugar-coated crust. The real Pop-Tarts finished in a dead tie with the SnackWells, which were by far the most expensive of the three (you sure end up paying for all that fat you don’t get).

The main complaint from our health-minded panel: We didn’t serve the frosted versions.

Just to be sure panel members got some vegetables for breakfast, we also tried a trio of frozen hash browns.

A local, organic product, the slightly sweet offering from Willow Wind Farms, was a slim favorite over industry giant Ore-Ida and the Western Family store brand (which we had a heck of a time getting to brown at all).

By the way, the “no fat” in the nutritional information is for the potatoes themselves; the final figure depends on how much Mazola - er, vegetable oil - you use to cook them.

Nabisco Toastettes Toaster Pastries, Strawberry

Price: $1.72 for 13 ounces (8 pastries).

Nutrition: 190 calories (24 percent fat calories); 200 milligrams sodium per pastry.

Taste: ***

Value: ***

Comments: “Nice flavor, crust light and flaky. Could use a little more fruit filling.” - Beverly Smick

“Good crust but fake fruit goo! Show me the berries!” - Karen Buck

Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts, Strawberry

Price: $1.93 for 14.7 ounces (8 pastries).

Nutrition: 200 calories (25 percent fat calories); 190 milligrams sodium per pastry.

Taste: **

Value: **

Comments: “Crispy crust, but sickening-sweet filling. Be glad that it’s so thin.” - Sandy Davidson

“I never had these without frosting before; they’re pretty bad - how sad.” - Helen Span

Nabisco SnackWells Toaster Pastries, Strawberry

Price: $2.41 for 12.3 ounces (8 pastries).

Nutrition: 160 calories (6 percent fat calories); 190 milligrams sodium per pastry.

Taste: **

Value: **

Comments: “Extremely crunchy, crackery crust; same old fruit filling.” - Beth Kowal

“A cookie-like pastry with strawberry jam that had a horrid aftertaste.” - Emily Bush

Willow Wind Farms Organic Hash Browns

Price: $2.03 for 24 ounces.

Nutrition: 60 calories (no fat); 5 milligrams sodium per cup.

Taste: ***

Value: ***

Comments: “Nice consistency, a little bit of sweet flavor.” - Beverly Smick

“Acceptable, but needs a little more flavor somehow.” - Helen Span

Ore Ida Country Style Hash Browns

Price: $1.89 for 26 ounces.

Nutrition: 60 calories (no fat); 20 milligrams sodium per cup.

Taste: ***

Value: ***

Comments: “Tastes and looks like ‘real’ hash browns. This Idaho boy likes them.” - Bob Bates

“These look better, but taste gummy - even the brown and crispy pieces don’t save it.” - Jeannie Coffey

Western Family Hash Browns, Country Style

Price: $1.72 for 24 ounces.

Nutrition: 70 calories (no fat); 10 milligrams sodium per cup.

Taste: ***

Value: ***

Comments: “Melts in your mouth. These hash browns have the texture of acorn squash, but less flavor.” - Beth Kowal

“Screams ‘bland’ - salsa alert! Not much better with salt and pepper.” - Emily Bush

, DataTimes