# Preferring store brand over name brand **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 28, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950 "2009-05-28T17:53:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/1 "2009-05-28T17:53:59Z")
What store brand products do you enjoy more than the name brand? When I lived in Texas I liked shopping at HEB, because they had the best store brand products. Their frozen pizza in particular is head and shoulders above Red Baron, Tombstone and all the other major brands - fresh tasting ingredients, crispy crust slightly blacked around the edges, reheats well. I’d even put it up with some restaurant pizzas. I also loved their mango ice cream - better than all the name brands, with the possible exception of Blue Bell. I hate not being able to buy it where I now live. HEB needs to move to more states. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/2 "2009-05-28T17:58:48Z")
HEB’s made-in-store tortillas are incredibly tasty and smell divine as they’re being made… I generally prefer whatever generic Raisin Bran is available to the name-brand ones, as the generics tend to have thicker bran flakes that don’t go all mushy as fast. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/3 "2009-05-28T18:01:07Z")
**Trader Joe** ’s products are often superior, and almost always cheaper, then national brands. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/4 "2009-05-28T18:10:19Z")
Safeway brand cherry jam - way better than any other, even la fancy Francais brand. Only my own homemade can beat it. I have a hard time convincing my wife that this is possible so she keeps coming home with the crappy expensive stuff. I guess she thinks I’m just trying to save a dime. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/5 "2009-05-28T18:14:31Z")
Aldi’s brownie mix. Not only better than any other mix, better than any other brownies I’ve ever had, store bought, bakery bought or homemade. Anyone who wishes to challenge this is welcome to send me their brownies for taste testing. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/6 "2009-05-28T18:20:34Z")
I agree with **spooje**. When I lived in SoCal I’d sometimes shop at Ralph’s. I haven’t seen any up this way. Their Private Select brand Old Fashioned Franks (or Hot Dogs – I’ve forgotten what they call them) were my faves. First, they had a skin on them so that they ‘snapped’ when you bit into them. Second, they had just a little bit of ‘zing’ in their seasoning. Finally, you could get them in the ‘family pack’ so they were inexpensive. I’d take out five to eat through the week, and freeze the rest. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/7 "2009-05-28T18:21:13Z")
Potato chips. I always buy store-brand potato chips, from whichever store I’m in, because they’re better than the name-brands. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/8 "2009-05-28T18:22:37Z")
We buy a lot of the HEB store brand products, from their corn chips to cottage cheese to milk to tamales and dips. Great stuff and we’re old friends with the Butts so we know much of the profits are going to very worthy, charitable causes. Kroger’s Premium brand too is really good, especially their pickles. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/9 "2009-05-28T18:28:49Z")
I think the Giant Eagle store brand boxed mac 'n cheese is better than Kraft - cuz it tastes the same and is usually cheaper. I like their frozen pizza, too. Like the OP, it just seems to taste better than any of the name brands AND it is sometimes half the price. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/10 "2009-05-28T18:30:18Z")
Publix diet Root Beer, its the only brand I’ve found made with Splenda. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/11 "2009-05-28T18:33:39Z")
Back when I lived in CT, there was a supermarket called Finest (do they still exist?) which had the best cola on earth. I STILL miss that stuff. Target Pantry cereal is exactly the same as the name brands, but less than half the price. For all of you robojunkies out there, Rite Aid Tussin is actually BETTER tasting than Robotussin. I also prefer their Tums to the ‘real’ thing. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/12 "2009-05-28T18:34:10Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > Their frozen pizza in particular is head and shoulders … Imagine that! Generic frozen pizza works for shampoo! For me, I like Sam’s cola better than Coke, and it’s about half the price. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/13 "2009-05-28T18:36:52Z")
I drink almost nothing but Kroger brand Diet Big K. And I like Aldi’s frozen chicken patties. They remind me of the chicken patties we had in high school. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/14 "2009-05-28T19:45:18Z")
I think Jewel-Osco’s “President’s Choice” Mac & Cheese is way better than Kraft’s. ---
**Author:** ![MissGypsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@MissGypsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissGypsy)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/15 "2009-05-28T21:00:30Z")
After I chewed out my husband for buying Food Lion mayo, I found that it’s actually better than Hellman’s. And Kroger’s onion bagels are the absolute best. I just wish there was a Kroger in my state. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/16 "2009-05-28T21:54:56Z")
Publix thin crust Premium frozen pizza is fantastic - best I’ve found. (Never figured out why a store brand would have regular and premium types, but whatever.) And I would fight you over my homemade brownies, **WhyNot** , but I know your statement is just a ruse to wheedle me out of baked goods. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/17 "2009-05-28T22:22:52Z")
Albertson’s used to have good soft drinks-- Their cola was somewhere between Coke and Pepsi, and their root beer was better than Mug, Barq’s, etc. (though still inferior to IBC et al.). And they had cream soda, which is hard enough to find even in name brands. They just changed their store brands, though, and I think the recipes are different: Their new cola tastes almost indistinguishable from Coke (I prefer Pepsi). Most products, I only ever buy the cheapest in the first place, so I don’t really have much basis for comparison. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/18 "2009-05-28T22:31:54Z")
> [@emmaliminal](#): > > I generally prefer whatever generic Raisin Bran is available to the name-brand ones, as the generics tend to have thicker bran flakes that don’t go all mushy as fast. Ralston-Purina–in addition to having its own cereal line–used to make most of the private label store brand cereals on the market. However, I’m not sure if that’s still the case. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/19 "2009-05-28T23:04:54Z")
Target’s Archer Farms labels are really really good. I haven’t bought anything there that I haven’t liked. Lowe’s Foods Southern Style Mayo is just as good as Duke’s (but don’t tell anybody or I’ll lose my Southern Card). ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950/20 "2009-05-28T23:17:58Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > **Trader Joe** ’s products are often superior, and almost always cheaper, then national brands. IIRC, Trader Joe’s and Aldi have the same store brand factory, but with different branding. That said, I much prefer Aldi frozen items over mainstream brands. Their tater tots, waffles, pizzas, etc., are much better, and taste much less “chemical-ly” even if they are. I also like Aldi’s generic cereals, peanut butter and canned fruits and vegetables. Their pickles…not so much ETA: We just paid thirty freakin’ cents for a loaf of bread there. _Thirty cents_, and it’s good bread! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/preferring-store-brand-over-name-brand/497950.md?page=2)