Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I just consumed a store brand version of Ritz crackers. They were at least a buck cheaper than Ritz. But they don't taste even remotely like a Ritz. Which got me wondering, what items do you purchase "brand name only" vs. "store brand"? Canned foods? Cereal? Granola bars? Cleaning products? Soda pop? Condiments? Sugar, flour, baking stuff? Where do you skimp and where do you splurge when grocery shopping?
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder <a href="http://industry.bnet.com/food/images/generic.jpg" target="_blank">http://industry.bnet.com/food/...eric.jpg</a>
Originally Posted By alexbook I'll use store brands for almost anything, except shampoo. I've tried the generics, and I like the national brand (Pert Plus) better.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy I buy generic pharmaceutical products all the time. Over the counter meds, contact lens solution, etc. There are some items, where I know that the manufacturer of the brand name item is also manufacturing the generic label, that I'll buy the generic. For example, my favorite brand of protein bar also makes the generic version for Wal-Mart. So, I buy the generic protein bar since it's exactly the same thing. I don't really do generic food. I'm pretty particular about food. Cleaning supplies (laundry detergent, soap, etc.) I'm also pretty particular about.
Originally Posted By Sara Tonin It has just occured to me that I buy almost everything brand name...I only like Green Giant veggies, coke zero, dr pepper, Tide detergent, sensodyne tooth paste...Any body else remember when stores would have an aisle dedicated to generic products. I particularly remember the generic beer that was in a white can and said "BEER" and that was all the information they had on it...that was a weird time. I need to lie down, I'm feeling quite elderly....
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb There are very few products I must buy name brand, but with those don't even TRY to foist a generic on me. Best Foods (Helman's back East) being a major one.
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 Gosh, I guess I'm mostly a brand name kinda gal now that I think about it. Tide, Downey, Barilla pasta, Coke/Pepsi, Smart Balance, Newmans Own products, Colgate, Bounty paper towels, Dawn, Heinz, Kleenex, etc. Maybe I watch too much TV and read too many magazines (commercials & ads.) I've had some store brand "wheat thins" and "triscuits" that were no where near the original. Maybe it's a cracker thing? I will buy store brand canned tomatoes if I am making sauce, store brand milk, sugar and sometimes OJ is OK. Trader Joes products are usually good. Joes O's come to mind. Store brand yellow mustard is fine. Store brand soup IF its going into a recipe, not being consumed as soup The kids say TJ's brand of beers is A OK
Originally Posted By Ursula Does Kirkland count as a generic or a store brand? I ONLY used a certain paper towel. Then, while at Costco, Husband calls and says he used the laft paper towel. I bought Kirkland and they were SO much better. But I like Coke. I like Pantene. The generic Pantene makes my hair knot up.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>I've had some store brand "wheat thins" and "triscuits" that were no where near the original. Maybe it's a cracker thing?<< Could be. Whatever they did with these "Ritz" pretenders, it was bad news. I would say they tasted like cardboard, but actually the box itself had more flavor. (I was very hungry).
Originally Posted By Tinkeroon Autopia Deb mirrored my own sentiments almost to a tee. (#6) I'm right there with you on the Best Foods/Helman's. But I do use only specific brand(s) of toilet paper, shampoo and cat food.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy Oh. I have to buy generic razor blades. For some reason, all the fancy name brand razor blades make me break out. But the inferior generic brands work just fine!
Originally Posted By alexbook There's also a mid-ground: I prefer national brands of some things, but I'll buy the store brands some of the time, if money's running short. Right now, for example, I've got a bottle of Diet Go2 Cola (Vons's house brand) on my desk, though I'd rather be drinking Diet Coke.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>I prefer national brands of some things, but I'll buy the store brands some of the time, if money's running short.<< That's me, too. I guess the cheapie crackers revealed my finances a bit.
Originally Posted By Mary Poppins Cleaning products are name brand all the way! From Palmolive to Ajax to Tilex, they pack much more of a punch. Trickier to discern are food products. It varies from store to store, too. Like Kirkland from Costco is generally good. Cheeses & coffee should be name brand. Everything else is open to question. I experiment every now and then.
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 Then there is the question of whether I buy something if it is not on sale I'm a stock up shopper. I'll by pass those wheat thins if they aren't on sale I have to really need something to buy it full price. K2, did you at least put a piece of cheese and a sprig of chive on the cardboard
Originally Posted By fkurucz I havce found most Safeway (Vons to you SoCal folk) products are pretty good.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan K2, did you at least put a piece of cheese and a sprig of chive on the cardboard<< Yeah, but it was store brand cheese!
Originally Posted By DyGDisney Most generic food isn't as good as name brand. I really can't stand generic bread or cereal, and I'm right there with ya on the Ritz. Store brand yogurt and eggs are okay, but cheese has to be name brand. Oh, and some store brand ice cream is actually good! For generic I buy Target toilet paper and generic meds like ibuprofin and acetomeniphan. But things like soap, shampoo, paper towels and even tissue (Puffs Plus with Lotion), and cleaning products, name brand works better. If name brand works better or tastes better, why buy generic. That's the waste of money!
Originally Posted By LadyKluck The only food product I absolutely will not buy a generic of is peanut butter. It HAS to be Reese's or I won't eat it. Now the kids on the other hand are currently working on a 5 lb. jar of Skippy. (YUCK!) Some generics I buy are actually better than the product they're knocking off. Like Albertson's brand of Lucky Charms (called Magic Stars) is better than Lucky Charms! I never thought I'd say that - but they are! Western Family yogurt is tons better than Dannon or Yoplait and you get like twice as much as a Yoplait! I also won't use generic laundry soap/dryer sheets, shampoo or conditioner either. I'm with Ursula - generic shampoo & conditioner makes my hair worse, not better when I use generics.
