Store Brands

Carolina Cooking

New member
are not so bad. In fact, at Publix their store brand is much better then name brands. Thier Ice Cream for one. Even thier sugar free is so much better the name brands. I know from eating them all :laugh:
There is one called Lemon with sugar cookie. :a1::a1:

I was lurking 'over yonder' and they put up a area like this one. Sortof.. In fact it was after someone was lurking here lol lol. Back on tract..

she , the mod, said to save money use store brands.. I agree somewhat.

I think you must try it first. We all have differant taste in food.

I don't shop for food items that much in Wal Mart persay. I wouldn't have even thought to buy the Great Value brand. TILL someone told me thats what she buys & it is great. I did in fact buy some. I agree..

Its all I buy now .In the way of Frozen onion rings, frozen fries, bags of frozen vegs. canned soup, canned beans for chili, canned chic peas for my hummas,artichokes( I was paying $5 can) bl.olives, canned fried onion rings. Just to name a few items. This brand is very good . I am now not a food snob..:biggrin:

so this other 'mod' says NO to Wal Mart Brand its crap.. :yum::yum:
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
the issue I have with "store brands" is simply that what you buy "today" is apt to be different from what you bought "last month" or "next quarter"

big chain needs 500 tons of flour; they put out a request for bid. lowest bidder wins. the flour could be seriously different in grind and (assorted variables) content.

now, this is not a dis on the chain / buyers - it's just that different mills - and for other products different suppliers - do / make / process things differently.

I personally prefer to be up-close-and-personal with my staples. I _want_ to know how they react / bake / brown / finish. I actually _want_ the ability to "replicate" a prior result. that's tricky to do - especially in baking - when the underlying staples are "assorted" - yes, it could/might work 2-3 times in a row; then it doesn't work.

unfortunately the "doesn't work" bit always seems to coincide with some "important" event......
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
I am not a baker, so can't comment on flour etc...
But have found that the many store brands I do use are pretty consistent in
quality, be it high or low. (I don't get Walmart green beans; lots of woody ends.)
But generally, I don't bother with brand names for most staples; store brands do
me just fine.
Recently bought a can of low end Kroger coffee... its a bit more bitter, so I use
less and save more, and at a $3 a can savings, well worth it!
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
I mostly shop at Shop-Rite and Stop-N-Shop.

We LIKE/LOVE many of the Shop-Rite brand products compared to brand names in most cases the flavor or quality is much better than the brand name counterpart. For instance bacon, butter, pork roll (the tangy shop-rite is much better than the Taylor Ham brand), 1/2 & 1/2, mozzarella, yogurt, diet pink lemonade, paper towels, napkins. I am sure there are others but you get the idea. I DON'T buy for the brand/cost most of the time it is quality. EXCEPT for butter - If Land O Lakes is on sale I WILL buy that.
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
The one and only actual chain grocery store in this town carries Flavorite and HomeBest, which I think are just as good as name brands.
Some things, I do prefer the name brands.
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
I agree Sass I ONLY use Hellman's Mayo, Heinz Ketchup, Sacramento Tomato Juice (I think that brand is regional because I couldn't find it in Ohio, PA and down south, I had to get Campbell's which isn't as good) and a few others.

I also like Shop-Rite store brand cream cheese.

Most of the store brand items I have mentioned I see little or no taste difference.
 

Cooksie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
I buy some of the Great Value products. Some that I like are:
- milk
- butter
- brown gravy mix packets
- coffee
- canned cream of soups for cooking

Some that I don't like are:
- their answer to worcestershire sauce (really pitiful IMO)
- beef broth
- mayonnaise
- sour cream (too watery)
 

Wart

Banned
Second time Wife bought chicken wings she got Tyson. She forgot the first time we got GFS brand (from GFS). The Tysons were tiny, meatless and way overpriced. GFS wings are full , plump and ice coated.

I make my pizza sauce from crushed or stewed tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes from Red Pac should be called tomato juice. Never had an off brand as bad as Red Pac.

Just looked in the pantry, not much name brand, mostly things branded with names like Value Time.

Margaret Holmes. Is that a name brand?

Like what ChowderMan said, there is a consistency issue so when I'm making something to take someplace else for others to consume I'll mostly use the 'name brand'. One time I used 'store brand' cream cheese for a cheesecake. I swear wax floated to the top while baking. 'They' didn't know better because the cakes were still on par with the better stuff that could be gotten out of a deli.

Flour? We have about 50 pounds of Red Mill in the pantry. Takes me well over a day to make a good batch of bread, 3~4 hours of actual time, no way I'm spending that much time on something 'iffy'.
 

Wart

Banned
- canned cream of soups for cooking

If we were 'someplace else' you would be berated for ... Mayhaps thats why I never really went back there.

- their answer to worcestershire sauce (really pitiful IMO)

For most things I like Lea&Perrins.

For one thing in particular Heinz is far superior.

Other brands? I would taste them but they wouldn't be the only on hand doing the Q.


- beef broth

Who was it who said you're much better off using water than almost all prepared broths? M. Simon?
 

Carolina Cooking

New member
ya'll are right some things you are better off buying name brand.
Even tho for the most part it is cheaper at Wal mart lol

Lea Perrins for me too.

Hellmans Mayo & thier other items . Around here its Duke mayo. :yuk:

Phili cream cheese. I made the mistake of store brand 'once' ..

Coffeemate only.. powder. not flavored.

I have used other brands of bread flour & I see no differance , KingA.Or Pillsbury. however I am far from expert bread maker.lol. Name brand Yeast.
White Lily & Southern Biscuit Self rising.


Not a fan of any store brand coffee. Or Tea.

Wal Mart brand stuffing mix Is good.
the packets of gravy, sausage gravy, Taco seasoning,
even the corn bread mix is fine.


I stock up big time when land o lakes butter is on sale.
same with 8oclock coffee.

I think its a matter of taste too.I just plain don't like canned vegs or canned fruit. Hate TUNA Fish in any brand except Kirkland/costco.

It depends on the store too. Food Lion brands I never buy. The 'Pig' I don't even go in there.

Costco/kirkland. Publix. Some , Great Value.
 

Cooksie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
If we were 'someplace else' you would be berated for ... Mayhaps thats why I never really went back there.





For most things I like Lea&Perrins.

For one thing in particular Heinz is far superior.

Other brands? I would taste them but they wouldn't be the only on hand doing the Q.




Who was it who said you're much better off using water than almost all prepared broths? M. Simon?

Gotta have my cream of's and my Velveeta :D, and my favored brand of worcestershire is Lea and Perrins too :thumb:.

For prepared broth/stock, I'll agree that homemade is better, but Kitchen Basics is pretty darn good.
 

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
i get this gravy from my pharmacist's. & 'iggle items- olive oil, produce, eggs, deli meats, pasta, bulk spices

(BTW i luv thier deli-turkey, thick-cut & yummy. usually i get iggle's market district brands.
 

QuirkyCookery

New member
I buy lots of store brand items. Or I especially buy from Aldi's a lot, which doesn't use name brand items at all, but most things are comparable for less than half the price, yeesh.

At the same time, some of it is definitely trial and error. Most items may taste exactly the same, or occasionally slightly better or worse. Sometimes, though, the name brand (or a different store brand even), will obviously be better. By saving money on all the other offbrand stuff, I don't mind dishing out the extra money for our favorite name brand items sometimes. Like my mom can't stand any mayonnaise but Helman's and I've found that it's pointless to try buying "cheap" bacon because you'll need twice as many packs after all the fat melts off anyway.
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
Trader Joe's is almost ALL store brand and fantastic!! Most times MUCH better than the national brands!!
 

JoeV

Dough Boy
Site Supporter
It's a crap shoot. We try store brands and if we like them then we buy again, if not, we don't. We like some things from Aldi's, and I can say some of theur cereal is better than the national brands. Like Wart, I invest too much time in making bread to use junk flour. besides, store brand flour is all bleached and/or bromated, and I don't like added chemicals in my food. I buy unbleached flour 50# at a time and always from the Amish store. I'm making calico beans to take to a Memorial Day picnic, so I just bought store brand/off brand beans for less than $1 per can. With all the stuff I put in them, nobody will know where the beans came from anyway. Some of Wal-Mart's store brands are very good, and the prices are often half of the national brands.

Some people poo-poo store and off brand so they look like food purists. If that's the way they want to spend their money, that's fine with me and fine with the stores. They love food snobs.

I just got back from Giant Eagle and the discount store. I looked at a 2.5 oz. container of garlic powder with GE's "Great Value" label for $2.99. Went to the discounter and bought "Spice Classics" for $1.09 for the same size container. GE is that way on most of its items, and I only shop there when I can get buy-one-get-one deals, or there is a 10 for $10 sale on items normally $1.29 ea or more.
 

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
joe, have yinz got a market district 'iggle?

i get these packets of herbs/spices @ these ones here & i can get them usually 4 less than $0.30-$1.00
& there's bulk candy & produce, meats & 'at 'er on sale when they get near to thier sell-by, & there isn't much i cannot find @ these places
luv 'em so much
 

cookingirl

New member
Getting to really like Trader Joe's!!:mrgreen:
I go there just about every week~ OJ, veggies,--salad fixings, and whate hits my fancy.. Wish it was closer cuz frozen food defrosts a little; not sure about their meat though..:laugh:
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
Getting to really like Trader Joe's!!:mrgreen:
I go there just about every week~ OJ, veggies,--salad fixings, and whate hits my fancy.. Wish it was closer cuz frozen food defrosts a little; not sure about their meat though..:laugh:
I haven't tried the meat and I have heard that it's not always so good. And a bit pricey. BUT thats ok I love everything else and IF I don't I can get a rebate even if I don't have the product or receipt!! It's great!!
 

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
i don't like them. went once during a blizzard when 'iggle clsed early, & the food was unimpressive 2 me, my humble thoughts though....... most of the foods were placed in the trash, though i kept the seasalt. that was clumped together. spent over $100 4 ???????
 

vyapti

New member
I swear by some name brands, others I' don't care about. Mostly, though, I stick to brands I know & like.

  • I always buy S&W low sodium beans (chickpeas, black beans, etc).
  • I can tell the difference in bread between King Arthur, Gold Medal & off brand flour. I buy King Arthur when it's on sale.
  • I prefer Muir Glen tomatoes and ketchup.
  • A lot of the food I buy is name brand because there aren't many vegan options or because I know there's no animal stuff in it. . . Ghiradelli, for instance, makes milk-free choco chips. I buy them even though they're gawd awful expensive.
 

janerice

New member
Getting to really like Trader Joe's!!:mrgreen:
I go there just about every week~ OJ, veggies,--salad fixings, and whate hits my fancy.. Wish it was closer cuz frozen food defrosts a little; not sure about their meat though..:laugh:

I agree, you can't go wrong at trader joes, whether it's their brand, or any of the brands they sell
 

Calicolady

New member
I too buy some select Walmart brand products:
Milk
Butter, except when L o' L is on sale.

I think their Great Value Columbian coffee is a good replacement for the BROWN GOLD brand I can no longer get here.

Pizza Sauce is a little watery, but had good seasoning/flavor. When I use it, after I spread it on dough, I lay a papertowel on top & it absorbs excess H2O and works perfectly.

I love their vanilla sandwich cookies (like oreos, only vanilla)-so do the grubbers/moochers I work with. :huh:

I think their frozen veggies suck, like the beans Kimchee mentioned. Their broccoli are all stems too. Frozen fries and onion rings - nothing compares to the Alexia brand IMHO.

Great Value canned milk is good and I don't see a difference in the granulated sugar either.

I just bought a canister of their chilled cresent rolls (like the pilsbury brand) to try out a new idea I have. Will get back to you on that.

Their white bread stales in a day, which I use for my stuffings. I guess that's not a good thing for sandwich makers though, eh?

I buy their jams and jellies; apricot or pineapple/apricot & peach to use in some of my asian type marinades.

I think that's about all the store brand products I use on a reg. basis.

I made the mistake-once- buying their pasta-rigatoni cut. DON'T, I repeat, DON"T! It fell apart in the pot as it was boiling, and was gummy to an inetable state. I complained at store level, to no avail. I should have brought them a bowl.
 

Phiddlechik

New member
I like Great Value natural ice cream, it is like Breyers (with real ingredients that one recognizes and can pronounce), but less expensive. We usually shop at Smith's, where they have Kroger brands. I use a mixture of name-brands and store-brands. I prefer name brand flour, I've tried store brand, but it just doesn't work as well as my favorites, Montana Wheat, and King Arthur. The sugar is also usually beet sugar instead of cane sugar, and I find a difference in making candy or jams/jellies.
As for pasta, I have been getting some of the high fiber/extra protein stuff, but quite frankly, yuck. I don't like the texture, it doesn't hold up well in salads or as leftovers. I stick to American Beauty or Barilla. Tomatoes, I get crushed store brand, but don't use much of it. Store brand olive oil for cooking, and high end for drizzling/raw. I love Queen Creek olive oil from AZ, and a local guy here has ties to a family farm in Crete where they have olives. He sells it here, but it is very expensive.
 

Calicolady

New member
2 other things I realize I use Store Brand
Walmart fresh pizza dough, from the deli dept. $0.88! It gets me 2 - 10" pizzas-thin crust.
And Fudgemint Cookie Squares (Publix) . They taste just like Girl Scout Thin Mints, but are square, not round. One caveat: tastes best when stored in fridge or freezer, and with ice cold whole milk. LOL!
 

Phiddlechik

New member
What's even better is biting off a bit on each side, and using it as a straw to drink (suck) milk through the cookie.... mmmmm (a wide cup or mug works best)
 

Calicolady

New member
What's even better is biting off a bit on each side, and using it as a straw to drink (suck) milk through the cookie.... mmmmm (a wide cup or mug works best)

:yum: Never tried that! But I have bitten off opposing corners and dunked so the milk enters the cookie part better. (There's the child coming out is us. - true confessions! :blush:)
 

Phiddlechik

New member
Well then, ya gotta try it! It soaks the inside while the outside stays hard (the chocolate part), especially with frozen ones!
I put the milk in a tea cup, and yes, it looks kinda goofy!
 
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