# Do you buy generic or store brand foods? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 22, 2012, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468 "2012-03-22T03:20:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/1 "2012-03-22T03:20:50Z")
I was just reading the [coffee thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=645801). Folgers vs Kroger . I don’t drink coffee but I do buy a lot of generics or store brands. Here are my 3 favorites generics. Raisin Bran. I buy the “Always Save” Raisin Bran, because I like it better than Kelloggs or Post and I think it has more raisins. and it is a lot cheaper. $3.29 for 2 lbs verses nearly $5 for 24 oz of the name brand stuff. Butter: Best Choice butter is usually a $1/lb cheaper than Land o lake. I can’t taste the difference. Occasionally Land O Lakes is on sale Milk: Best Choice 2% Milk tastes a lot better than the local brand name dairy (Prairie Farms) and it is about a 80 cents cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/2 "2012-03-22T04:52:11Z")
I sure do! I find most times it’s just as good as the name brand stuff. There are _some_ things that are not- taco flavored Doritos will NEVER be equaled, but yeah… I save buck wherever I can. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/3 "2012-03-22T04:53:14Z")
Kirkland makes products that are a cut above most store brands. We buy a number of them, such as the TP and paper towels, and have used their olive oil and maple syrup in the past. There are also some Kroger things we buy, such as their equivalent vitamins, aspirin and Aleve products, which are significantly cheaper than name brands. We refuse to shop at Safeway or Albertsons. ---
**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:** [March 22, 2012, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/4 "2012-03-22T05:04:38Z")
I’ll buy some generics or store brands, but not always. Albertson’s seems to cut costs by not having QC for its store brands, so I try to avoid shopping at Albertson’s except for emergencies, and then I’ll buy the name brand. With WalMart, sometimes the store brand (Equate) is actually BETTER than the name brand, and sometimes it’s worse. It depends on the product. For most things, I’m willing to give the store brand two chances, and that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/5 "2012-03-22T11:56:27Z")
Most of the Kroger brands I’m happy with, but a few I’ve rejected: Their version of Coke Zero is not good. Their canned veggies seem to have more water than veggies. Their beans are just awful. NOT a fan of their instant coffee. I am a fan of Nescafe. Everything else is great. Love their cheese (Kraft Deli slice generic and shredded varieties) bagged frozen chicken breasts, turkey burger patties, every frozen veggie, especially the three pepper onion blend and any plain rice or pasta. I don’t buy many packaged foods so I’m not sure about the flavored meals like the helpers and seasoned pasta/rice. My little girl loves the strawberry shredded wheat and I always get their bran flakes and oatmeal. I think their dishwasher packets are as good as name brand, but their toilet paper isn’t. Paper towels are just fine and so are ziplock bags but the aluminum foil is flimsy. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/6 "2012-03-22T12:09:35Z")
Store brands almost whenever possible. The only exceptions I can think of are in the baking and cereal aisles: we use King Arthur flour, Ghirardelli chocolate chips, and Cheerios, because the name brands are all a lot worse. A month or two ago, our store had a weekly special on Plugra (fancy European-style butter), so I bought some, and it replaced our normal store-brand butter for awhile. I almost wish I hadn’t, because it was so amazingly much better than store-brand. I have to look on it as one of those brief, fleeting pleasures in life. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/7 "2012-03-22T12:15:25Z")
Are there people who _don’t_ buy generic or store-brand foods? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/8 "2012-03-22T12:25:08Z")
I buy store brands all the time. Wegman’s and Giant both have acceptable products, although like most generics, they can be hit-or-miss in terms of quality. I like Wegman’s cereals, for example, because they are identical to the name brands, but some of their canned food doesn’t do it for me. (Fortunately, I don’t buy much in the way of canned food, so it doesn’t matter that much.) ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/9 "2012-03-22T12:26:38Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Are there people who _don’t_ buy generic or store-brand foods? My SIL doesn’t. She sees them as vastly inferior and wouldn’t dream of having them in her pantry, lest a neighbor wandered in and fainted from seeing a generic label. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. And no, you can’t talk her out of it. Everyone has tried. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/10 "2012-03-22T12:46:02Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Are there people who _don’t_ buy generic or store-brand foods? Yep, they’re out there. There are also people who will buy a few store brand items, but will make sure they apologize/explain about it should you encounter such items in their home, being careful to point out they buy the store brand because it tastes better to them or has slightly lower sodium or whatever. Because lord forbid they were doing anything to save a little money here and there. If that were to get around, people might get the impression they’re poor and we can’t be having that. These are the same people who, if you comment on something they’re wearing, will lean over and half-whisper “Would you believe I found it at Target?” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/11 "2012-03-22T12:48:44Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Are there people who _don’t_ buy generic or store-brand foods? I used to work at Meijer(a very large chain in the mid-west USA). Anyway, we had the “brand name” flour on sale really cheap, but we sold out. To compensate, we put the Meijer-brand flour at the sale price so people could still get flour at the advertised price. I remember one lady thinking this was not sufficient, for it wasn’t really the “real” brand. She didn’t buy store brand products. Blew my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/12 "2012-03-22T13:14:43Z")
The only things I really demand name-brands of are the more unhealthy foods, like snack chips, soda, etc. I happily use generics for my staples. Generic pastas, bagged salads, peanut butter, whatever. I’m sick right now… and I’m drinking generic “nutrition shakes” until my appetite returns. The generic just happens to be Nestle Boost bottled by the company under a cover name at about half the cost. The rebottled Boost appears to be a regional thing-- our chain’s generic is rebottled Ensure in some other areas. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/13 "2012-03-22T13:37:18Z")
I shop at Hannaford. Their canned vegetables are as good a brand names and their ridged potato chips are better than national brands. Things like butter and milk are identical. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/14 "2012-03-22T13:41:51Z")
When we could still afford it, the Target house brand was exceptionally good. But what I wish is that we had a Trader Joe’s. I hear their generic stuff is awesome. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/15 "2012-03-22T13:42:07Z")
All the time. As noted above, Kirkland puts out great products. We also love Fresh & Easy salad dressing and ice cream. Target’s house brand is also very high quality. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/16 "2012-03-22T13:54:04Z")
We buy Publix generics almost exclusively. I figured most everyone buys generic, unless they have some attachment to a certain brand. When I was a teenager, my step-sister used to make fun of us for having a pantry full of generics, but she was just a bitch-a-roonie-toonie. Her mama probably did the same. Also, back in those days, I recall the packaging was really awful…like a plain white can with giant bold letters stating **KIDNEY BEANS**. It _was_ a bit humiliating to have all your food dressed up in this way which sort of screamed _poverty chow_! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/17 "2012-03-22T13:55:38Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > It _was_ a bit humiliating to have all your food dressed up in this way which sort of screamed _poverty chow_! You mean like [this](http://image1.masterfile.com/em_w/03/69/78/600-03697886w.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/18 "2012-03-22T13:55:54Z")
I do a mix of store brands and name brands, depending on the quality of the product. Kroger has good generic stuff, especially their dairy. Their premium ice cream is really good - as good or better than the other premium brands. Their frozen tortellini and frozen french fries are good, too. I also buy their organic chicken and eggs. Our dog eats Kirkland (Coscto) dog food, which is rated fairly high for dry dog foods. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/19 "2012-03-22T14:26:11Z")
> [@C3](#): > > I do a mix of store brands and name brands, depending on the quality of the product. This is me exactly. I’m willing to try any store brand but only some make the second purchase cut. Unfortunately I’ve now got myself in a situation where I need to visit different chains depending on what I need because my favorite Salsa comes from Metro and I’m switching to more of the Presidents Choice Blue Menu items. Luckily salsa and a few other favorites from Metro are all shelf stable so I visit there when they are on sale and stock up. ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468/20 "2012-03-22T14:37:01Z")
I buy almost exclusively generic. It just doesn’t make sense to pay more for a pretty box. Pretty much, if some brand label releases something worthwhile, the generic producers will copy it pretty quickly. I’m sure they watch new products closely to see what’s moving product and what’s worth making a knockoff product. And they’re usually pretty good at copycatting. Example: I tried the new Eggo waffles that were out, the “Thick & Fluffy” ones? Had a coupon. Kids adored them. Lo and behold, a month later, WalMart’s generic “Great Value” has new “Thick & Hearty” (or some such) waffles. Tasted the same to me. Kids didn’t seem to notice any difference. Price was about 1/3 less. Things that I do tend to buy the brand name, if only occasionally - junk food! We don’t have ice cream or chips in the house on a regular basis (special occasion or a treat every once in awhile) but when I do buy those things, I seem to find the generic label more of a turn-off. I’m sure store brand ice cream tastes just fine, but somehow I zero in on the Blue Bell carton every time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-buy-generic-or-store-brand-foods/616468.md?page=2)