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16 Mexican Foods at Target That Are Better Than Takeout (For a Fraction of the Cost)

Target has can’t-miss deals on your favorite Mexican meals.

Target store sign on building Los Angeles
Updated Nov. 14, 2024
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Are you paying too much for takeout? While ordering your favorite Mexican meal on an app is a convenient way to feed your family, you can save money at Target on almost identical items.

From grilled chicken fajitas to spicy salsa, the big red bullseye retailer has everything you need for an affordable Mexican dinner at home. And bonus, you won’t have to pay a delivery fee or tip a driver. That means you can keep your shopping budget on track and leave cash in your wallet.

Editor’s note: Prices are subject to change and may vary by location.

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Good and Gather Grilled Fajita Chicken Strips

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz Good and Gather Grilled Fajita Chicken Strips

Price: $7.99

No time to cook from scratch? No problem. You don’t have to order out just to save time. Save money with this pre-cooked grilled chicken breast. The MSG-free protein is lightly seasoned with southwest flavors. Add the strips to a fajita, quesadillas, or a Mexican-inspired salad.

Compare the store brand’s $7.99 price tag for 12 ounces to $8.29 for an eight-ounce pack of Applegate’s Fajita Style Grilled Chicken Breast Strips at Whole Foods Market.

El Monterey Signature Cheese Enchiladas

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz El Monterey Signature Cheese Enchiladas

Price: $4.49

At less than $4.50 for two enchiladas, this Target deal is a fraction of what you would pay for the same item in a restaurant. The protein-rich meal is topped with Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, and a savory Verde sauce. But that’s not all. You’ll also get a side of cilantro lime rice.

Good and Gather Mexican-Style Street Corn Dip

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz Good and Gather Mexican Street Corn Dip

Price: $4.69

Skip the pricey restaurant dip and serve your party guests this Target store-brand instead. Good and Gather’s Mexican-style blend is a zesty mix of roasted corn, cheddar, cotija cheese, and green chiles. Serve the 10-ounce tub with chips or spread it over a warm tortilla.

Target regulars praise this dip’s savory flavor. Shopper Krista wrote a rave review: “So good! My husband and I ate the whole thing in two days!”

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El Monterey Signature Chicken Quesadillas

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz El Monterey Signature Chicken Quesadillas

Price: $4.49

At Qdoba, a smoky chicken cheese-crusted quesadilla costs $11.70 or more. But at Target, the El Monterey version sells for $4.49. The 10-ounce box includes a single serving of the Mexican-inspired meal, creamy queso sauce, and Spanish-style rice.

Good and Gather Homestyle Guacamole

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz Good and Gather Homestyle Guacamole

Price: $3.59

Score this 10-ounce tub of homestyle guac for under $4. The artificial color, flavor, and preservative-free dip is made with Haas avocados, onions, and tomatoes. Garlic and cilantro add a zesty flavor, giving this pick a subtle zip.

You won’t find this bargain in other stores. Whole Foods Market sells a smaller eight-ounce container of mild Yukatan guacamole for $5.49.

Goya Sofrito Tomato Cooking Base

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz Goya Sofrito Tomato Cooking Base

Price: $2.79

Start your next Mexican meal with this tomato, green pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro cooking base. Use the olive oil-infused seasoning to make soup, rice, beans, seafood stew, or a roast.

Target’s low $2.79 price is a bargain compared to $3.89 for the same 12-ounce jar on Shop Goya’s website.

Las Palmas Enchilada Sauce

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz Las Palmas Enchilada Sauce

Price: $1.79

A good enchilada sauce isn’t easy to make from scratch. This Las Palmas buy saves time, energy, and money. The 10-ounce can is ready to heat and eat. Old El Paso’s version costs $0.40 more.

Good and Gather Poblano Chili Verde Sauce

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz Good and Gather Poblano Chili Verde Sauce

Price: $3.19

This Mexican-inspired cooking sauce adds just the right amount of tanginess to your next meal. The Poblano pepper, jalapeno, and cilantro-based blend is the perfect marinade for chicken, pork, steak, or seafood.

Somos Mexican Brown Rice

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz Somos Mexican Brown Rice

Price: $3.79

Make a healthy side of rice in under two minutes. This prepared pick only takes 90 seconds to microwave. The non-GMO, gluten-free brown rice blend includes roasted red bell, guajillo, and ancho peppers. Sea salt and garlic add a subtly savory seasoning to the mix.

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Good and Gather Pequin Crema Sauce

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz Good and Gather Pequin Crema Sauce

Price: $2.89

Add this medium-heat Pequin Crema sauce to Mexican rice, refried beans, burritos, tacos, and more. The rich, creamy, pepper-packed condiment will add a distinctive flavor you’ll savor. The 8.1-ounce bottle is a steal for $2.89. You’ll pay over $2 more for a similar chili crema sauce from Sir Kensington’s at Whole Foods Market.

Good and Gather Refried Beans with Lime

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz Good and Gather Refried Beans with Lime

Price: $0.99

Instead of the same side your family is used to, this Good and Gather buy adds a bright, citrusy flavor. The store-brand buy is $1 less than the same size can of Old El Paso’s traditional recipe.

Mission Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz Mission Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips

Price: $2.89

Mission’s Restaurant Style Thin and Crispy Chips have a delicate crunch that shoppers approve of. Target reviewers give the buy 4.7 stars for quality. And at $2.89 for nine ounces, this bag is a bargain. A 10-ounce size of Tostitos Cantina Thin and Crispy tortilla chips costs $4.99.

Good and Gather Medium Restaurant Style Salsa

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz Good and Gather Restaurant Style Salsa

Price: $2.99

Do you need something to eat with your chips? Target has plenty of options. This preservative-free Good and Gather Restaurant Style Salsa has a slightly spicy flavor that won’t overwhelm your senses. Jalapenos, cilantro, onions, lime juice, and garlic add just the right amount of zip.

Save with Target’s store brand. The Good and Gather version is 16 ounces for under $3, and Tostitos' 15.5-ounce jar of chunk salsa costs $5.49.

El Monterey Steak and Cheese Taquitos

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz El Monterey Steak and Cheese Taquitos

Price: $7.99

Prep for a party with this 20-count box of El Monterey’s ready-to-heat steak and cheese taquitos. Serve the protein-rich roll-ups with spicy salsa, crema sauce, or shredded cheese. Eight dollars for the 20-ounce box is a budget-friendly alternative to catered fare.

El Monterey Beef and Bean Burritos

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz El Monterey Beef and Bean Burritos

Price: $5.29

Feed your entire family for less at Target. For $5.29, you can score an eight-count of El Monterey’s frozen beef and bean burritos. A single Beef Barbacoa burrito costs $10.70 or more at Chipotle.

Good and Gather Street Corn

Courtesy of FinanceBuzz Good and Gather Street Corn

Price: $3.79

Serve a savory side that doesn’t break the bank. This steam-in-bag bargain contains lime juice, chili pepper, cheese, and (of course) sweet corn. Target shopper BrookeM gave this Good and Gather product a five-star review, “I like the flavor and ease of cooking. I bought it about three times and have not been disappointed…Honestly, I think you get a good amount for the price.”

Bottom line

Serhii/Adobe Mother and daughter at grocery store

Make a Mexican meal for less with these hot Target buys. Whether you’re whipping up veggie quesadillas, want a ready-to-heat-and-eat enchilada, or are happy snacking on chips and dip, the superstore has can’t-miss deals right now.

The unbeatable bargains don’t stop at our list. You can save more on everyday essentials, pet products, beauty buys, clothing, and more at Target.

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Author Details

Erica Loop

With more than a decade of experience writing about everything from e-commerce to pets and parenting, Erica Loop has written for sites such as BuzzFeed, Brit+Co, Tinybeans, Family Education, and Care.com. Erica has a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and an MS in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh.