Generic or name brand?

So I'm eating some generic store-brand sloppy joe mix, and I must say I'm not impressed. Sometimes store-brand is great, and sometimes, its blaaaaaah.

So what do you guys think? What are the things you'll buy generic, and what is name-brand only and why? Save someone like me from eating bland sloppy joes again!

One generic thing I love is the Great Value flaky buttermilk biscuts. They sell them at Wal-Mart. OMG, so better than name brand.

i actually like the wal-mart brand of mac 'n cheese. i think it is great value or something. it is thicker and better tasting than kraft or something. ranch, only hidden valley. there is a couple things that is only good name brand but i can't think of them right now. i will post more, or add to this one if i still can.

In Australia there's a cereal called Coco Pops. I'm not sure if that's what they're called in the US but they're basically chocolate rice puffs. Anyway, there's a generic brand called Cocoa Bombs. They're bigger and rounder and MUCH more chocolatey!

I buy lots of target brand stuff (Archer Farms and Market Pantry). Their store brand food is SO good.

I buy a couple of brands of generic cereal that comes in bags that is pretty good. I also like the no-name brand of frozen vegetables from Sobeys. However I have found like you a lot of generic brands just don't have the quality that name brands do. This is also true not only for food but also toiletries and cleaners as well.

Originally Posted by littleraven7726

I buy lots of target brand stuff (Archer Farms and Market Pantry). Their store brand food is SO good.

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I definitely agree, their brand is great!

Here in Michigan, we have Meijer's. So many of their store brand items are excellent quality....I tend to use a lot of Meijer brand things. Their paper products, kleenex, toilet paper, paper towels, etc. are just as nice as the name brands. I still tend to shy away from many store brand foods though. Probably because of bad memories from way back when. I do like many of Kroger brand foods, the Private Label stuff. Mostly it's just trial and error until you find the things that you like. I'm lucky though....if I don't like something that I've bought that's store brand, I just take it to work....they'll eat anything!!!

I buy a lot of Meijer's brand stuff also. As for sloppy joe mix my favorite is Spartan.

I shop at Safeway and I find that most of their store brand items are quite good. I cook a great deal with tomatoes so I usually buy the Safeway brand canned tomatoes or canned soups.

One thing I did buy that I wasn't fond of was some kind of chocolate chip cookies. The instant I opened the bag I smelled coconut and the first thing I tasted was coconut. They were "chocolate chip cookies", not "coconut chocolate chip cookies", so why it was filled with ground coconut and extracts is beyond me. All I know is that was the first and last time I bought those particular cookies. However, their "Safeway Select" varieties are very tastey.

I also buy the Safeway Select frozen veggies and even bathroom tissue because it's soft 2 ply.

The only thing I won't buy that is store brand is canned cat food ever since that pet food recall. Chynna likes to have wet cat food so I give her some for dinner, but I buy Friskies even though the Safeway brand is on sale sometimes. I'm sure the store brand is fine, but I'm still leary.

0ver here they have a brand name called "Ja" and its cheaper than the brand name pr0ducts.

I l0ve their Salm0n, fish fingers, t0ilet paper, cleaning pr0ducts and s0me selected c0ld meats. I sure d0 save al0t 0f pennies by buying that brand.

I buy a lot of Kroger's brand items. Their Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream is wonderful. Cheese, sandwich meat, cream cheese, snack foods and some of their cookies are just fine.

The only thing that I'm really stuck on brand names for is Campbell's Cream of Chicken, chicken noodle and cheddar cheese soups. The store brands just don't taste right.

I thought of another store-brand that I use - Wal-mart's Mainstays brand. It might not be as luxurious as the name-brand stuff, but for things like hand towels and such around the kitchen or bathroom, they're a cheap alternative and what I have has held up pretty well. The white tablecloth I bought is a little thin, but with placemats and a tablerunner over the table, you don't even notice.

With B's diabetes I really have to watch the offbrand nutrition labels. A lot of times they will substitute sugar for something else (i.e. more sugar for flour). If I notice that the total carbs are more than the brand name, I'll pay the extra $1 for his health rather than save money.

However if the carbs are the same or less I stock up!!!

I almost always buy the generic brands. I honestly can't tell the difference between them usually, so I see no reason to pay more for something that is basically the same thing.

Oh! I bought a generic brand of peanut butter at the "Dollar Store" and nearly threw up when I tasted it. It was like eating sugar. I looked at the label and the #1 ingredient in there was "icing sugar". Who puts icing sugar in peanut butter?! Now I stick to "Kraft"

I buy alot of "generic" stuff, from Wal Mart. One thing I dont buy is chips, or sliced cheese....that has to be the name brand