Garbage

[Dreamstalker]

The name-brands we will always buy:

Barilla (their "Plus" enriched pasta and Garlic Mushroom sauce, both of which have been on sale recently)
Brighams
Ben & Jerrys (I'm now completely addicted to their "Flipped Out" peanut butter chocolate sundae cups).
Kozy Shack

Store-brand Jello is OK, but a lot of what we've seen has aspartame, which I can't eat (I'm not actually allergic, just don't like the aftertaste and it sometimes gives me a headache)

I find Wise brand "Cheez Doodles" to be better than Cheetos.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Some things we don't skimp on at my house . . .

Kraft Mac & Cheese . . . all the other brands (our store brand included) just isn't as good

Coffee Mate liquid French Vanilla creamers . . . even the store brand versions are not quite as good.

Crisco canola oil - other brands scorch too bad or are too heavy tasting (I get fussed at it I pick up a different brand)

Land O'Lakes butter - My mom swears there's a difference in taste and that's the only brand of butter she'll use in her pound cakes

JFG Mayonnaise . . . Duke's is too greasy tasting, and the others are just too heavy

Pillsbury flour . . . we switched to this one some time back because the brand we've always bought for years, Daily Bread, is hard to find. But everybody in my area carries the Pillsbury and it's great for cakes. Has to be all-purpose in the bag with the blue label.

Now some things I will buy in a store brand version, such as

canned vegetables . . . really, there's no difference. It's all the same stuff . . . only difference is in the name on the label. When I can buy a 15 oz can of store brand white whole kernel corn for 92 cents versus the same size can of Del Monte corn for $1.25, which do you think will go in my cart?

milk . . . we'll buy the store brand gallon in the red top. Now my store has introduced another brand in addition to the regular store brand that they've been carrying. Same milk, only New Brand is 30 cents cheaper per gallon. So I'll buy that, but Old Brand if New brand is sold out.

bagged beans/rice . . . we're not picky, just whichever brand is cheapest for the size, which usually is store brand (unless a name brand of the same size is available.)

chicken nuggets . . . we like the WM brand and they have two sizes to choose from. We'll get the smaller size bag if the larger one is sold out (which is about half the time - they're very popular.)

But I guess it all comes down to personal preference and what works for the individual.

[EricKei]

Some things we don't skimp on at my house . . .

Land O'Lakes butter - My mom swears there's a difference in taste and that's the only brand of butter she'll use in her pound cakes

JFG Mayonnaise . . . Duke's is too greasy tasting, and the others are just too heavy

LOL butter -- Yeah, i gotta agree. I get the generic for plain ol' cooking, but I'll splurge for LOL, especially if there's a good sale.

Mayo -- Hellman's (classic, I like the hint of lemon and the texture) or Blue Plate for me

Now some things I will buy in a store brand version, such as

milk

bagged beans/rice . . .

Milk - Whatever's cheapest; I've never found a noticeable difference

Dry beans - yeah; how you prepare it is the important part. For CANNED red beans tho, it's Blue Runner creole cream style or nuthin'!

But I guess it all comes down to personal preference and what works for the individual.

Yup ^_^

There are some other things that differ, but that and store brand soda using the Pepsi formulas are probably the biggest sticking points for the notion that it all tastes the same.

I have never, ever, EVER found a generic soda which tastes anything even remotely like the genuine article (let alone like The Real Thing ). Any suggestions on ones to try?

The only thing I will disagree on here is Kraft original mac & cheese. I have never found a generic brand that matches it for flavor. Velveeta mac, on the other hand, can amazingly be made by melting velveeta cheese into hot pasta...who'da thunk?

MMmmmmmmmmm, Kraaaaaft. seconded thirded pi^r squared, dammit!

[dalesys]

MMmmmmmmmmm, Kraaaaaft. seconded thirded pi^r squared, dammit!

No no no. Pie are round. Cake are square!

Technicianical correction to foolish mathemetricksian wabbit.

[Teysa]

I buy storebrand or generic on most things. That said, there are times when the name brand is actually marked down lower than the equivalent generic item. I also keep an eye out for items that have been marked way down because they're close to the sell by date. If it's something that can be stuck in the freezer, or I know I'll use it up quickly, I'll get that too.

[Fufu487]

Store-brand Jello is OK, but a lot of what we've seen has aspartame, which I can't eat (I'm not actually allergic, just don't like the aftertaste and it sometimes gives me a headache)
.

I get the same thing from aspartame. People think I'm being crazy picky but I'm not, I get a nasty headache afterwards and the taste ruins the drink for me Almost everything diet/low-calorie/low-sugar has aspartame in it.

[Dreamstalker]

I use agave syrup; it's much sweeter so you need a lot less than if you were using regular sugar, but is "low glycemic index" which makes it OK for diabetics/people who can't have a lot of the stuff. Relatively more expensive, but you don't need that much. I just wish some "sugar free" stuff could dispense with a sweetener altogether and just let the consumer add what they see fit.

Splenda claims that it's "made from sugar so it is sugar" yet I get the same reactions (aftertaste, headache).

[BookstoreEscapee]

The only difference I've ever noticed in milk is between where I buy it. When I get it at 7-11 across the street from my apartment complex, it seems to go bad more quickly (regardless of how close to the sell date it is). I don't have the same problem when I get it at Wawa or the grocery store. I'm thinking it's more of a storage issue at the store.

Hellman's mayo is the only kind I'll eat (then again, I don't like mayo much; I use it for a few specific things and then I use the bare minimum).

[LadyAndreca]

I can identify a food as being artificially sweetened almost immediately by taste--sorbitol is the worst and sucralose is the one I can tolerate best. (I can also taste excessive amounts of food coloring. Green in particular is very bitter.) I prefer things sweetened with fruit juice, honey, or just plain old sugar.

Regarding milk: we've taken to buying organic, not because of any health benefits, but because it tends to have a longer time before the expiration date and we don't go through it all that fast. Brand doesn't matter, though. We're actually more likely to buy Target brand milk just because we're in there most often.

[EricKei]

No no no. Pie are round. Cake are square!

Damn tricksy pies...They told me they were square....Does this mean that the pie is a lie, too?!

Splenda claims that it's "made from sugar so it is sugar" yet I get the same reactions (aftertaste, headache).

Yup. Sugar and, iirc, a derivative of chlorine.

Could be worse, could be Olestra...