For devoted soda enthusiasts, the nuances between different brands and formulations are readily apparent. I will admit that I am a Diet Coke snob. It is my favorite soda and I love it, and I probably drink too much of it. The Diet Coke versus store-brand debate is a common one, with many claiming the difference is negligible. To put this to the test, I embarked on a Diet Coke taste test challenge, pitting my beloved Diet Coke against several store-brand versions. The question: Can I tell the difference between Diet Coke and the store-brand version of Diet Soda? We all are on Team Coke or Team Pepsi. So many people say you can't tell the difference, so I thought I'd take the challenge and see if I could.
Store Brands in the Gauntlet
I am a big fan of the store brand products. There are two things I will not use store-brand products for. Soda and toilet paper. I was told by a co-worker that I couldn't tell the difference, so this is why I'm doing this challenge. I'll be 100% honest when it comes to anything other than Diet Coke, I don't know that I could tell the difference. That's why I buy a lot of store brands. The store brands selected for this challenge included:
- Publix
- Food Lion
- Kroger
- Aldi
- Sam's/Wal-Mart
The Methodology
To maintain impartiality, Cody was recruited to assist with the taste tests. Each store brand was sampled alongside Diet Coke, with careful attention paid to subtle differences in flavor, carbonation, and aftertaste.
The Taste Test Results
Challenge #1: Diet Coke VS Aldi Brand
First up, I took the Diet Coke challenge against the Aldi store brand. It's branded as Summit Diet Cola. Just so that it can't be said it was rigged, I brought Cody in to help. The first thing about this brand was the price. You can get a 12-pack for just around $3.50. Summit also carries regular cola, lemon-lime, root beer, a Dr. Pepper-style soda, and orange. They also have 2 liter bottles that can run around less than one dollar. Time for my first taste test. Did this one stump me, or did I know my Diet Coke?
Challenge #2: Diet Coke VS Big K-The Kroger Brand
Cody joins me this time to see if I can taste the difference. This time around it's "Big K", The Kroger version of diet soda. Kroger has a bigger variety of store-brand sodas. They even carry a crisp apple flavor, fruit punch, and a mango soda! Kroger also offers all of their sodas in 12-pack cans and 2-liter bottles. 12-pack cans are just under $5.00 and the bottles are around $1.50 for two liters. Now let's see if Big K was able to put Diet Coke's senses to the test. How did I do with the Big K and the Kroger version of diet soda?
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Challenge #3: Diet Coke VS Food Lions Brand Of Diet Soda
Cody is back to keep things honest as I try out the Food Lion store brand of their diet soda. Now when it comes to over all Food Lion store brands, they are very good and you will save money. Most of the products are made by the major companies with the store brands name on it. Food Lion comes with their soda line being very affordable also. Most 12-packs are under $5.00 and A 2 liter will run around $1.50. The carry a wide variety also with me now try the Food Lion Zero Soda. So could that hint lead you to think I didn't know the difference between the two. Only one way to find out.
Challenge 4: Diet Coke VS Publix
This one had me nervous going into the challenge because the Publix brands are good. Publix is where I do 90% of my grocery shopping and I will be the first to tell you, their store brands are on point and save me lots of money. It's hard to find a Publix brand that doesn't come close to the original. I will say, I've tried any of the store brand sodas until this challenge. The one thing I noticed while looking at the sodas, they carry the biggest variety of store brand sodas, even a Ginger Ale Publix brand. I said it at the start, this one made me nervous. Could I tell the difference?
The Visual Cue: A Lifelong Hack
Beyond taste, a visual cue can often distinguish Diet Coke from other colas. I am an admitted Coca-Cola fiend. And while I know that the first step to recovery is acceptance, I haven't quite been able to quit completely. I have finally taught myself to like seltzer, and I'm a long way away from my high school days of five Cokes a day-seriously. Regardless, I only bring this up to illustrate that if someone serves me a Diet Coke instead of the fully-loaded classic version, I will NOT be pleased. Growing up with a mother who feels the exact same way I do about Diet Coke instead of classic, we had to come up with a system to figure out on sight which was which when dining out. Then I started working as a server in a restaurant in college and through many, many drink orders, I realized something very important-classic Coke is lighter in color than Diet Coke. Observe:Chelsea LupkinNow it's obvious to my critical, Coke-loving eye that the soda on the right of this photo is Classic Coke, and the darker soda on the left is Diet Coke. Now, I've walked around with this knowledge for years. It has saved me and my dinner companions many upsetting sips of a soda they were not expecting. But I didn't realize exactly how valuable this hack was until I went to dinner with my boss (another Diet Coke aficionado) last week and I stopped her from drinking the wrong soda with this trick. "That's a story," she said. So here we are. Let's see from another angle:Chelsea LupkinI had my critics at the Delish office when I said this was a thing. "The Diet Coke just has more ice," they said. I promise you it doesn't matter. I have six years professional waitress (and a lifetime of personal) experience to back me up. However, I will offer one caveat to this trick: it's specific to fountain soda. We tested the soda from bottles and the difference in color is not as apparent. I do have a theory about why: Classic Coke has more carbonation than Diet Coke, therefore it would make sense that it contains more bubbles, especially when in fountain form. More bubbles means less space for the syrup to shine through, which equals a lighter color. This is probably the smartest I've ever felt (based on no actual knowledge), so Coca-Cola, if you are ready to hire me as for a fancy job where you need someone to overanalyze your product, I am open to discussions. Classic Coke is lighter in color than Diet Coke, a trick honed through years of observation and practical experience. This distinction is most noticeable in fountain sodas, where the greater carbonation of Classic Coke leads to more bubbles, diluting the syrup's color.
Diet Coke vs. Coke Zero: A Matter of Sweeteners
The world of sugar-free sodas extends beyond Diet Coke, with Coke Zero Sugar being a prominent alternative. If you've ever taken a sip of a zero sugar soda and expected diet soda flavor, or vice versa, you already know: Not all sugar-free sodas taste the same. Take Coke, for example. Diet Coke leans solely on aspartame, which gives it a sharper, more acidic flavor, while Coke Zero Sugar blends aspartame with acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) to create a rounder, sweeter sip that aims to mimic classic Coca-Cola. Pepsi follows a similar playbook - Diet Pepsi is aspartame-forward, while Pepsi Zero Sugar adds Ace-K to round out the sweetness. Dr Pepper takes another route: Diet Dr Pepper relies on aspartame, while Dr Pepper Zero Sugar uses aspartame plus Ace-K for more of that signature 23-flavor depth. The key difference lies in the sweeteners used. Diet Coke relies solely on aspartame, resulting in a sharper, more acidic flavor. Coke Zero Sugar, on the other hand, combines aspartame with acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) to create a rounder, sweeter flavor profile that more closely resembles classic Coca-Cola. This distinction holds true for other brands like Pepsi and Dr Pepper, where the "zero sugar" versions employ a blend of sweeteners to mimic the original flavor.
The Psychology of Taste
Ultimately, taste is subjective. If you're confused in the soda aisle, you're not alone. Brands have moved away from the word "diet" in favor of "zero sugar," hoping to dodge outdated connotations of dieting. But for loyalists, the difference is clear. Zero sugar sodas have evolved since their launch, yet the purpose has stayed consistent: It's meant to taste like regular soda, just without the sugar. That's why many sodas use sweetener combos, which helps it land closer to the original's taste. For example, if you grew up on Diet Coke, Coke Zero might taste too sweet. If you're a Zero loyalist, Diet might hit too sharp or too metallic. And it's not just about what's in the can; it's about how it feels when you crack it open and it hits your lips. That idea has been explored in several blind taste tests, many of which nail the difference between Diet Coke and Coke Zero Sugar without hesitation. And while Coke's products are the most recognizable, this diet vs. zero distinction holds across soda brands. Personal preference plays a significant role in determining which sugar-free soda is preferred. Some find Diet Coke's distinct aspartame flavor more appealing, while others prefer the sweeter, more rounded taste of Coke Zero Sugar. This preference is often shaped by past experiences and expectations.
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