Hi all,
Like most of us, I’m having to cut back a little. For our RPG games (also a *cheap *hobby) everyone brings some kind of food item. I usually bring sodas and maybe chips.
So my question to y’all is, what’s the best store brand soda (overall or specific flavors)? I figure it’s useful info for us all.
Oh, and any recommendations for the best chips in ‘classic’ (BBQ, Salt-n-Vinegar) flavors would also be appreciated.
Thanks in advance…
Super Store’s President’s Choice brand potato chips are unbelievably good and cheap. The Greek flavour and Barbecue Back Ribs flavours are delicious (the rib chips actually taste like ribs - holey moley!). I think they also have regular flavours; we’ve been too busy trying all the exotic flavours.
I’m not a huge fan of Safeway house brand sodas, and I don’t really buy sodas anywhere else. You might just have to use trial-and-error for that.
I don’t know what supermarkets you have available, but I have always found that Kroger’s store brand “Big K” is pretty good, even the diet. Meijer’s store brand is also good. Wal-Mart’s house brand seems to be hit & miss on the sodas.
When in doubt, you can always buy Faygo (if it’s available). It’s usually priced substantially cheaper than other major brands, but it’s not a store brand.
I was going to suggest Big K also. The Big K knockoff of Coke Zero is particularly good, IMO.
Avoid Sam’s Choice. Like the plague.
Since the OP asked us for location-specific ideas and didn’t include his location, I just assumed he was in Calgary.
Meijer Brand Diet Root Beer is excellent.
I’m not sure if the chain even still exists (I think Stop & Shop or Waldbaums bought them) but Finest Cola was THE shit. 10x better than the name brands.
Key Food also has surprisingly good ginger ale, orange and cream soda. Their cola blows though.
Price Chopper has really good soda, especially their grape and root beer. Their root beer is better than several brand names. I like it better than Barq’s, Polar, and Adirondack, and it’s on par with Mug. Pales to any “high end” root beer, like Stewart’s, IBC, or Virgil’s, but is one of the best of the “plastic bottle” root beers.
My friends swears by President’s Choice “Dr. Smooth”.
Actually, I’m in Fort Worth but there are Dopers from all over so I suggest we list any supermarket choices.
I wholeheartedly second Cat Whisper’sPresident’s Choice… choice.
The Piri Piri chips are lovely, but Russian Roulette in a bag. The first one is delightfully piquant, the next one mildly savoury, the next one OMG I’M EATING FIRE, the next one is a gentle and slightly sweet heat…
President’s Choice pop is also pretty good. I like how there’s two kinds of generic store brand cola - “red” and “blue”
I’m going to ring in on the Kroger Big K brand as being really great (drink the caffeine free-diet cola). If you are looking for cheap chips, Aldi’s Clancy’s BBQ chips stand up to any other brand name I have purchased, and they are only $.99 per bag!
I think it’s the Kroger Big K brand because I shop at Smith’s, but I get the Cherry Cola and the Deep Red, which is a kind of light cherry soda, kind of like Cheerwine.
I’ve gotta go with the Buffalo Wing and Blue Cheese; AMAZING 
( the loaded baked potato kind isn’t half bad either though)
The H-E-B (Texas store) Dr. Pepper knockoff Dr. B is one of the few that I’ve ever found to be nearly worthy of the original. H-E-B’s “Big Red” soda has a major local following too, which I don’t believe is a knockoff of anything, actually. Not a fan myself.
Dr. B also had a starring role in ending a police standoff here in San Antonio last month. The brand isn’t mentioned in this story, but it was widely reported. 
Whotta slogan that must be.
“Dr. B, good enough to go to prison for!”
Thanks to all for all of the replies…
When she was in school, my little sister did a taste test between various colas. Publix Cola came in very first, topping out over Coke and Pepsi by a healthy amount. Sam’s Choice came in dead last.
I have to agree with this. My husband of 13 years suddenly blurted to me “You have bad breath!” out of nowhere after a week of drinking the Safeway diet soda. There is something ooogy and “not right” about it.
We love Walmart’s Twist Up - a Sprite/7-Up knockoff. It’s only 66 cents a 2-liter.