Last month, we asked readers to tell us which food brands had earned their undying loyalty. Now it’s time to go the other way and take a look at those products — not just food this time — that you only buy in their most generic forms.
For example, I’ll never be caught dead buying anything but generic or store-brand paper towels. And I’ve found — at least in my grocery store — the store-brand nuts and chocolates are often as good if not better than the brand-name products that cost significantly more.
So what’s filling up your shopping carts with labels like “corn flakes” and “beer” that make you look like you just stepped out of a scene from Repo Man?
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Ibuprofen!
If you look at advil and the generic active ingredients it literally has the same thing. Ibuprofen USP, 200mg. I have no idea why any one would pay more just for a logo.
The only reason I’ll buy name brand Advil is that there’s no generic Liqui-gels. But the ones I keep in my desk at work are all generic.
Toilet paper is the one thing I will never shop generic. I’m not willing to endure the awful generic stuff at work, and all public restooms, only not endure the same crappy toilet paper at home. Pun intended.
Beyond that. It’s all fair game.
There’s never a good excuse for buying name-brand medicines when a generic is available.
I’ve started buying dill pickle chips at the dollar store – they’re fine. Store-brand cheese doodles are usually crap though – poor replacement for Cheetos, although the Frito knock-offs might be passable.
Cheap pop is fine. Store-brand ice cream is fine, particularly if you’re going to slather it with toppings anyway. Cheap pasta. Get pasta sauce in a can instead of the bottles, even name-brand…way cheaper and quality is the same. Generic paper products. Dollar-store storage containers, dish soap, shampoo, candy – just be aware that just because something’s in the dollar store, that may not be the cheapest place to buy it. And be wary of the expiration dates on stuff in the dollar store.
I’ve tried store and/or ‘generic’ brands on just about everything… The ones I’m in love with?
Condiments, pasta sauces (store brand has SUGAR! not HFCS..and it’s cheaper than named brands with HFCS), spices, ‘staples’ like flour/butter/sugar…
I’m lucky because I have a Kroger and the Kroger brand (as well as their slightly higher ‘Private Selection’ brand) is a lot better than a lot of ‘name’ brands, and always worth the price drop, IMO.
I’ve learned the hard way to compare ingredients and nutrition information between generic and name-brand foods. Case in point: My local grocery store’s off-brand bouillon cubes contain MSG, while the famous label version does not.
I shop based on sale prices and coupons more than brand loyalty for the majority of products though for things like paper towels, rubbing alcohol and such, I tend to go for the Target house brand because I’ve been pleased with the quality so far. When it comes to food, a good portion of the things stocking my pantry are from Trader Joe’s — can’t beat their selection and price on a lot of things we use often.
In this day and age, the concept of “generic” and “brand” are not really distinct. Many generic products are produced at the same factories that make brand name products. They are just sold in different boxes (and for a different price). Store brands also vary in quality, because each company negotiates with different producers. Even the same store may carry different generic brands. Plus, a lot of stores now come up with a name for their own products to build up their “brand”.
For me, brand loyalty is a thing of the past. I am always on the lookout for a better deal/better quality product. There is a set of established product brands in my mind, but I periodically buy cheaper or more expensive versions of these products to see the difference. And then decide if it is worth trading up or down.
Virtually everything. I shop at Fred Meyer, which is a Northwest chain that sells Kroger brand stuff. I’ve never had any sort of problem with Kroger at all.
I will say, though, that generic “Marshmallow Stars”, or whatever they’re called, do NOT compare to General Mills Lucky Charms.
I think the Trader Joe’s house brands are superior to name brand items at other stores for most things. For a while they even had a soda called Mountain Joe’s that was like Mountain Dew, but way better.
My prescriptions are always generics because my insurance won’t pay for anything else. I had a really bad intestinal infection once (sorry) and the pharmacy was out of the generic for the antibiotic I needed. They waited (and made me wait) THREE DAYS hoping they’d get more in before finally grudgingly giving me the name brand. They basically relented because I told them I wasn’t going to leave without it and would just stand there til the infection killed me.
Gotta love our health care system. I have waited for more things like this than I ever waited for anything when I lived in Canada.
Canned or frozen fruits and veggies (except tomato products)
Disposable items
Basic dairy
Staples (flour, sugar, oatmeal, some baking mixes, etc.)
Legumes
Breads
Juice
OTC meds
Bath and body products (except some for me because I’m allergic to nearly everything)
Snack foods
All spices and herbs are purchased at a bulk herb shop.
It might be easier to list what I buy on brand, hopefully on sale although some I will only buy on sale- Cereal only on sale, soda on sale, pancake syrup, cake and muffin mixes (but there aren’t any good off brand options), tomato products, tortillas, butter (use a special low fat kind), specialty pastas, raisins and canned pumpkin (only because it isn’t sold off brand which is really weird).
We buy almost exclusively store-brand items. The only store-brand I try to avoid is Acme/Shaws. For some reason, their ketchup and cheese items are really off so I’m wary of their other products.
Shoprite, Wegmans (especially!!!), Stop and Shop/Giant and Target are almost always either indistinguishable or better than brand names.
We also try not to buy processed foods which limits my need to buy brand names stuff, too.
The only things I can think of that I don’t make from scratch are Kraft Mac and Cheese (so salty, but so good) and Black Bear deli meats (who has time to make their own deli meats?).
We buy almost exclusively store-brand items. The only store-brand I try to avoid is Acme/Shaws. For some reason, their ketchup and cheese items are really off so I’m wary of their other products.
Shoprite, Wegmans (especially!!!), Stop and Shop/Giant and Target are almost always either indistinguishable or better than brand names.
We also try not to buy processed foods which limits my need to buy brand names stuff, too.
The only things I can think of that I don’t make from scratch are Kraft Mac and Cheese (so salty, but so good) and Black Bear deli meats (who has time to make their own deli meats?).
Vegetables canned or frozen are always generic for me. Heck, I just look for what’s lowest in price for that.
I also go off-brand for my clarifying shampoo since that doesn’t matter.
I do a lot of snacks off-brand while I wait for my precious Doritos to go on sale.
And of course meds too. Except for Theraflu. Never again will I buy off-brand Theraflu. That stuff is NASTY!
The only place I really make no compromise is when it comes to lotions and shampoo and makeup and other body stuff. I’ve ventured with off-brand stuff when it comes to that a few times, but nothing compares to a name brand for those.
We buy mostly generic, especially Costco or Target brand. I HATE Costco’s dishwasher liquid (leaves a weird, nasty film). The only things we don’t go cheap on are: Mt. Dew, Q-tips, laundry detergent (I’m allergic to a lot of the “fillers” they put in the cheap stuff), and, strangely, Rice Krispies Treats, cause my kids love them and I can’t seem to get homemade ones to turn out right.
I LOVE cheap, generic grape soda. I will buy the cheapest grape soda I can get my hands on, because it only gets better the less expensive it is. Srsly.
Pretty much anything from Costco (Kirkland) or Whole Foods (365 Everyday – some great products).
I buy a lot of the Target brand stuff. Archer Farms especially. The Archer Farms chips are goooood.
Over the counter or prescription drugs. I’ve always been this way.
Any paper goods except for toilet paper. Plastic bags (target). Baby wipes (kirkland).
I will not buy generic of diapers, soda, canned tomatoes (unless Whole Foods), toilet paper, ice cream, beer, or cereal. I used to buy a lot of store brand at my neighborhood grocery store when it was owned by Kroeger. I buy less now because the store was bought out and the store brand is crappy.
Dish soap, laundry detergent and sponges.
In my college days, “Beer” Beer was our official brand. They had puzzles on the caps, which were amazingly hard to solve later in the evening.
I buy mostly generic for everything except:
–Weenies (must be Oscar Meyer. I’m trying not to eat so much of that stuff).
–Conditioner for my hair. Generic shampoo is not a big deal, but the conditioners SUCK.
–Prefer name TP but have found an acceptable alternative at ALDI.
–Cheerios.
–Mac n cheese – must be Annie’s Organic, Kraft every once in a while.
–The ONLY generic tuna I like is Kroger in the pouch. I can get it at Dillon’s. I’ve quit buying any brand of canned tuna because it’s now all the little mushy bits and is just gross.
–Bread. Nature’s Own or Nature’s Pride don’t have HFCS. Also artisan breads at the bakery at Walmart or grocery.
–Pork n beans. Has to be Van Camps, but only on sale.
–Canned soups. Campbell’s or nothing.
–Ketchup. I tried the name brand without HFCS recently and LOVED IT. It was cheaper at Walmart than the regular kind. I don’t know how long that will last, though.
Mostly I shop at ALDI. They carry European stuff sometimes (based in Germany) like really, really good dark chocolate so I don’t feel as though every single thing I’m buying is cheapo.
Contact solution, iburpofen and most pharmaceutical goods like band-aids, aloe vera, cough medicine, cough drops, etc. Make-up, lotions, shoes (Payless/Wal-mart). Wal-mart has this great tropical trail mix I get a lot too that has dried papaya, pineapple, apricots, banana chips, and cashews. Yummy!
Now TMI time: When it comes to Tampons, there isn’t really a generic national equivalency to Tampax Pearl or other plastic applicator tampons beyond CVS brand plastic applicator tampons, except here in Maine we don’t have a CVS around at all. Also Dayquil/Nyquil, gotta have it!
Costco everything here or mejier
Oh and NEVER BUY STEAK SAUCE GENERIC! The generic steak sauce simply does not compare to my beloved A1.
meijer brand corn & black bean salsa. I haven’t found anything else that good. yum.
but we go generic for everything unless we try it and its bad. but usually we will jsut switch to generic from a different store. IMO most generics are just as good. and in some cases (see salsa example above) better.
Always the cheapest and most generic box mac and cheese. For some reason, the more generic and cheap it is, the better it tastes,
Oh – and baby formula. its about 1/2 the price, and is very heavily regulated much in the way that medication is.
Generics- Lamotrigene (Lamictal), Benzotropine (Cogentin), Trazdone (Brand does not exist anymore), Risperidone (Risperdal), Klonopin.
But you cant pry the brand name Wellbuterin from my cold, dead paws.
you too? did you also try the generic and get really sick?
Acme Frozen pizza is so much better then Elios
Unless I have a good coupon for the name brand:
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Plastic cups/forks/spoons/plates
Rice
Trail mix/raisins/nuts
Block cheese like cheddar or mozzarella
Canned beans
Coffee filters
Household cleaners
Most of the rest of what I buy doesn’t have a name brand per se but I almost always buy the store-brand meat instead of, say, Jennie-O or Pilgrim’s Pride.
Pretty much everything that’s available as a generic, so long as a name-brand is not on sale for less. The only thing I won’t buy generic is mayonnaise — it’s Helmanns (Best Food for you westerners) or NOTHING!
I don’t know if it’s actually generic, or just has an incredibly generic name, but I recommend staying as far away as possible from “Beer 30″ in either its Light or Ice varieties.
It depends on the store. If I go to Tom Thumb, I always buy their Lucerne store brand cheeses and dairy. I wouldn’t touch most of their other store brand stuff. Target? I wouldn’t touch the dairy but love their other stuff.
I don’t really like generic products. They usually don’t work as well as most brand names. But I do like Target brand stuff. It seems to be better than the standard generic stuff at other stores.
* Medications, across the board, wherever possible. Absolutely no reason in the world to pay for a brand name on a medication. If there’s no choice but a brand name for a given med, I strongly consider whether an older medication will do me just as well.
* Kitchen supplies. Target plastic baggies art the same as Ziploc, only cheaper.
* Not really “generic”, but I buy grains and baking supplies and spices in bulk and store them in my own containers.
“Drink” and “food” as consumed in Alex Cox’s masterpiece!
water / drugs / dishwasher soap / laundry detergent
I always get the econosize store brand version.
I always buy generic pain relievers and other OTC medicines. They’re the same thing as the name brand but sometimes better than half the price.
There are several products that I always buy a particular store brand for, but that’s more of a brand loyalty to the generic brand (off the top of my head, kroger fat free cottage cheese is one example)
I’m one of those “horrible” mothers that buys generic baby formula. Target’s up&up is awesome. ~$17 for 40 oz, versus ~$24 for 23.5 oz of the Enfamil. Thank you for Target! It’s worth the drive.
I buy generic OTC meds (Sam’s, Wal-Mart) and love many of H-E-B and Kroger’s private label products. Sam’s Club has Members’ Mark trash bags that are the most durable I’ve ever used (and about half the price of supermarkets).
Some generic items, however, can be total ripoffs:
Laundry & Dish Detergent: Low end brands (Sun, Kroger Everyday Value) are watered down. Buy the good stuff like Tide – if you’re clothes aren’t horribly dirty, use less per load. Spending a few extra bucks on decent laundry detergent is a lot cheaper than throwing away a shirt because a stain didn’t come out. If you doubt this, check the ratings in Consumer Reports.
Bleach: Read the directions on generics — it it says to use 3/4 cup per load it’s full strength (6% chlorine). If it says 1 1/2 cups it’s diluted and you’ll have to buy two gallons to equal one gallon of real (Clorox strength) bleach.
Paper towels: Buy decent ones (I like Bounty), preferably the select-a-size. Normally one roll of Bounty lasts me as long as 3 rolls of crappy towels. Less money and less paper in the landfills.
Toilet paper: Same issue as paper towels. I like Scott Extra Soft – lasts much longer per roll without feeling like sandpaper.
Frosted flakes! I think the generic version actually tastes better than the branded version. It’s probably unhealthier too!
I shop at ALDI, so everything I buy is store brand. but when it comes to Favorite store brands, out of all of them, it’s gotta be Target’s Archer farms. top notch design, probably the only store brand out there that is as good or better than a name brand (in taste and looks)
Pain medicine, cereal (the bag generic version of Cinnamon Toast Crunch is better than the brand name!), meat (store branded meats), and a lot of Kirkland branded stuff (yay Costco!)
… Wait, does Kirkland branded stuff count? =)
Rice, beans, flour, sugar. Any of the basic staples really. Shoprite has begun carrying some very nice store brand crackers that I have switched to.
And my dog eats Kirkland dog food. The only one that doesn’t give him the runs.
I go with store brand for most paper products. Also for over the counter drugs like pain relievers, cold and sinus meds, vitamins, etc.
Cereal. Seriously, a big honkin bag of “oat rings” or a box of Cheerios that will get me through 2 days?
I’ve moved countries twice in the last 10 years, which meant rediscovering which brands I like for pretty much my entire grocery list. My technique has always been to start with generic everything for whatever my chosen store is, and keep notes on which items I like. If I like the generic tuna, I’ll buy it again. If not, the next time I’ll buy the second cheapest, and repeat the process until I find a brand I like.
Once I’ve set a baseline, I’ll start experimenting with other brands, ideally when they’re on sale. If I find a brand that tastes or works better than my current one I’ll consider switching to it. Depending on price and quality I might switch completely, or only stock up on it when it’s on sale.
It’s easier now that I make more money, but even when I was quite poor, this tactic meant that I rarely ran out of grocery budget, and usually had enough left to splurge on luxury items.
With the exception of a few cookies, anything Kroger has under their name is superior.
The wife and I get the majority of store brands. Especially from Target. They really have some good stuff. The other store was Publix; their store brand goods were awesome!
In Canada, at the Shoppers Drug Mart, they have AMAZING generic toilet paper… odd i know. We (my roommates and I) prefer it to brand name.
Prescription and over the counter meds. The only exceptions are ones that don’t have generic substitutes yet.