# Cheap, worse quality foods you (sometimes) prefer to their superior counterparts **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 5, 2013, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186 "2013-11-05T22:29:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/21 "2013-11-06T03:59:25Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > For my money, Cheez-Whiz makes a better Philly steak sandwich than Provolone. And Velveeta makes a better cheese sauce than grated Cheddar. Ya know, when I’m doing mac and cheese, I’ve tried it a million different ways, but my favorite is still Velveeta with some butter and evaporated milk or regular milk. But the Chef-Boy-Ar-Dee ravioli? _shudder_ Hey, if you like it, that’s great, but I can’t get my tastes around any of the canned pasta products. They all taste “off” to me, and overly sweet, to boot. ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/22 "2013-11-06T04:07:13Z")
I’d take a well made meatloaf over a good beef steak any day. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/23 "2013-11-06T04:10:13Z")
Generic (not really worse quality) potato chips is tastier than Lays because they’re usually fried. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/24 "2013-11-06T04:31:21Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > Generic (not really worse quality) potato chips is tastier than Lays because they’re usually fried. Lays are usually fried, too. Unless you specifically get the baked Lays. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/25 "2013-11-06T05:26:59Z")
I love Mexican food, I make my own Mexican food, I like going to real Mexican restaurants, but when I’ve been at work all day or my daughter’s crabby or I don’t feel like cooking there’s nothing wrong with grabbing Taco Bell. Their food is really good if you accept it for what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/26 "2013-11-06T05:36:19Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Still have never had better ravioli than the canned Chef Boy-Ar-Dee brand…and the even cheaper house brand is every bit as good. I’ve had much more expensive ravioli at Italian restaurants…and don’t like it anywhere near as much. Why pay five times the price for a product that I don’t like as much? Hand me the can opener! I used to love Chef Boy-Ar-Dee ravioli, too. Either my tastes have changed or the recipe has changed. I dearly love the fresh cheese ravioli in the dairy case, though. Buittoni is the brand I get, and I serve it with either just a plain spaghetti sauce or a meat and veggie spaghetti sauce. It’s not nearly the same thing as CB is or was, but it’s really good. The purpose of those cheese slices with plastic slipcovers is to make either grilled cheese sandwiches or cheeseburgers with. Velveeta is also pretty good for both purposes. My husband and I have discovered that we don’t like fresh asparagus, but we love canned asparagus. Maybe it would be different if we grew it ourselves, but we don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/27 "2013-11-06T06:10:28Z")
Tony’s pizza is an abomination nutritionally, but damn if I don’t love it and crave it more often than good pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/28 "2013-11-06T06:18:58Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I love Mexican food, I make my own Mexican food, I like going to real Mexican restaurants, but when I’ve been at work all day or my daughter’s crabby or I don’t feel like cooking there’s nothing wrong with grabbing Taco Bell. Their food is really good if you accept it for what it is. I similarly think that McDonald’s food is good if you accept it for what it is. I don’t think it’s fair to compare it to actual hamburgers, but I still like it. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/29 "2013-11-06T06:54:27Z")
I greatly appreciate that I have access to a number of authentic Indian restaurants, family run, where Grandma still does the cooking just like she did in the old country, and that I can choose specifically regional types of a cuisine that did not exist in my city until fairly recently. I just really really wish that amongst the Punjabi and Gujarati and so forth, somebody would open up a Birmingham version. Manchester maybe. Hell, I’d settle for Glasgow. ---
**Author:** ![Zago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zago)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/30 "2013-11-06T07:46:16Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I love Mexican food, I make my own Mexican food, I like going to real Mexican restaurants, but when I’ve been at work all day or my daughter’s crabby or I don’t feel like cooking there’s nothing wrong with grabbing Taco Bell. Their food is really good if you accept it for what it is. I cook well and Mexican dishes are well within my scope but for junk food - Taco Bell is my all time favorite. Ummmm good. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/31 "2013-11-06T08:55:36Z")
I’m not sure how processed cheese got such a bad reputation. It has it’s place, and I remember hearing that from more than one high profile chef. I’m pretty sure most professional chefs would agree with that. Anyway, I just found out last week that Kroger’s chicken Alfredo with farfalle (w/spinach) is way better than the Bertolli version. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/32 "2013-11-06T08:58:06Z")
Sometimes I actually get a craving for McDonald’s hamburgers. I think that the store’s brand of tomato juice tastes better than Campbell’s. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/33 "2013-11-06T09:17:36Z")
Oh man, I forgot, I’ve been going through a Totino’s pizza phase lately. I’ve discovered that if you cook them on a preheated cast iron skillet and cook them for 1.5 - 2mins longer than the directions on the box tell you to, the end result is a wonderfully crispy pizza. Dose with hot sauce and you can’t beat it! Bonus that they’re only $1.25 a pop! ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/34 "2013-11-06T09:18:42Z")
I like those tiny eggroll pockets I can’t find anymore, although they have the pizza version everywhere. They had about half a teaspoonful of ingredients in them which would always squirt out one end while in the oven but my god, the taste! What was that chemical? It’s right on the tip of my tongue… ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/35 "2013-11-06T10:46:41Z")
> [@Becky2844](#): > > I like those tiny eggroll pockets I can’t find anymore, although they have the pizza version everywhere. > > They had about half a teaspoonful of ingredients in them which would always squirt out one end while in the oven but my god, the taste! What was that chemical? It’s right on the tip of my tongue… We had a [thread about those beige blisters of salty celery pain almost exactly a year ago](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=672894) (yeah, it’s only painful if you can’t control yourself around them). Apparently they’re made under the Michelina’s brand, but I don’t know if they’re available near you. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/36 "2013-11-06T14:31:36Z")
> [@Becky2844](#): > > I like those tiny eggroll pockets I can’t find anymore, although they have the pizza version everywhere. > > They had about half a teaspoonful of ingredients in them which would always squirt out one end while in the oven but my god, the taste! What was that chemical? It’s right on the tip of my tongue… I was gonna say that, but you beat me to it! How I miss those cheapie little La Choy ‘eggrolls’! Gone, just disappeared. Michelina frozen foods section LOOKS like they would have them, but they don’t. ☹ Mr. Sali says he prefers Kraft Original Barbeque Sauce (like 99 cents a bottle) over anything else, including home-made potions. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/37 "2013-11-06T14:50:54Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Sometimes I actually get a craving for McDonald’s hamburgers. I call that “McPica” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/38 "2013-11-06T14:56:12Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Oh man, I forgot, I’ve been going through a Totino’s pizza phase lately. I used to live on those things, and still get a few every now and then. They’re dirt cheap and I would buy and eat one of those before I’d ever pay $7.99+ for a frozen California Pizza Kitchen pizza or even more for delivery. > [@salinqmind](#): > > How I miss those cheapie little La Choy ‘eggrolls’! I had completely forgotten about those things, but they were amazing! ETA: [apparently](http://www.walmart.com/ip/La-Choy-Mini-Chicken-Egg-Rolls-7.25-Oz/13908405) you can still get them at Walmart. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/39 "2013-11-06T15:20:46Z")
Sometimes, secretly, in the dark of night I buy and eat canned tamales. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186/40 "2013-11-06T16:03:30Z")
Kraft Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese Velveeta Shells and Cheese Old Style Beer Andre Cold Duck or Pink Champagne Totino’s Party Pizza Jewel Frozen Pizza Store Brand Ice Cream Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup When it comes to cheap comfort food, I am the queen. And **Ellen Cherry** my husband does that too. But he does it by the full light of the day! :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheap-worse-quality-foods-you-sometimes-prefer-to-their-superior-counterparts/673186.md?page=3)