# "Generic" packaging ca. 1980 - your memories and thoughts about it

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-packaging-ca-1980-your-memories-and-thoughts-about-it/971941>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 20, 2022, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-packaging-ca-1980-your-memories-and-thoughts-about-it/971941 "2022-09-20T22:54:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 5

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-packaging-ca-1980-your-memories-and-thoughts-about-it/971941/81 "2022-09-25T01:12:34Z")

</div>

If the “banana” was plantain, that might make sense even to us Westerners. Plantains are a banana that has to be cooked.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [September 25, 2022, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-packaging-ca-1980-your-memories-and-thoughts-about-it/971941/82 "2022-09-25T01:40:06Z")

</div>

I remember no-brand being black lettering on white boxes and cans. My mom didn’t buy them when I was growing up(mid-80’s), but there were a lot of them on the shelves.

When my wife and I were first married(2004), we were not earning all that much. We found ValuTime foods at our local store and with the few exceptions(green beans, french fries), their food was quite good and as cheap as the no-brand food had been.

Here is ValuTime, apparently still going:

> **[Tops Friendly Markets - ValuTime](https://www.topsmarkets.com/ourbrands/valutime/)**
>
> Tops Friendly Markets provides groceries to your local community. Enjoy your shopping experience when you visit our supermarket.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2022, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-packaging-ca-1980-your-memories-and-thoughts-about-it/971941/83 "2022-09-25T14:33:30Z")

</div>

That makes sense. I know he definitely said banana, but it could have been because he knew we probably were not familiar with plantains way back then.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generic-packaging-ca-1980-your-memories-and-thoughts-about-it/971941.md?page=4)