In an effort to cut down our grocery bills, tell me...

[1babysmom]

...what generic brand foods taste exactly the same as the name brand, IYO. And please tell me which generic brand they are, too.

I have a hard time straying away from non-brand name foods because it seems like every generic I've tried just ruins it for me by tasting waaaay off and totally nasty compared to what I was expecting (the REAL stuff : ). We already only spend about $75-150 a month on groceries (depending on what's going on and how much DH works in a month), but I could still drop that a lot if I stopped buying only brand name stuff for the most part.

[ustasmom]

I will often times use a generic brand if it is an ingredient in another dish, like soup.

We only buy the cereals in a bag (not the generic kind, but still much cheaper.) My kids like instant oatmeal and the store brand is usually a larger portion and much cheaper than Ouaker Oats. I make my own yogurt and I do pay a bit extra for the name brand yogurt as a starter. I don't use quick cooking rice. And I do buy wheat berries and organic oats in bulk.

One oddity, though. I found that off-brand sugar sometimes turns brown when I boil it for syrup. So I typically won't buy the store brands on sugar unless it has a really good sale price.

Other than that, I stock up on the sales. I don't bat an eye about clearing a shelf of something that we will use. Buy One Get One Free offers are best for this.

[quirkylayne]

Most generic food is off the same line in the same factory as brand name stuff. Are you looking for particular items? Are you buying the store brand or other generic?

[Dar]

All of the Costco store-brand stuff is excellent (Kirkland).

Quirky's right, though. The same companies make the brand name stuff and the generic stuff; the only difference is the label.

Dar

[Thystle]

Yep many times it "mental".

Alot of the generics are the same name brands relabeled.



Only way to know for sure is a blind taste taste.

[tbone]

Originally Posted by Dar

All of the Costco store-brand stuff is excellent (Kirkland).

Quirky's right, though. The same companies make the brand name stuff and the generic stuff; the only difference is the label.

Dar

I second the Kirkland brand stuff.

[scheelimama]

Originally Posted by quirkylayne

Most generic food is off the same line in the same factory as brand name stuff. Are you looking for particular items? Are you buying the store brand or other generic?

Although I know that's true with some things, I know for a fact that no store brand of mac & cheese tastes as good as Kraft. They don't even look the same when cooked.

The flavored rice packs are usually just as good generic. A lot of cereals are fine generic, the bags of cereal almost always taste just as good. Generic oatmeal is no good, but I only like Quaker Old Fashioned oats or bulk oats from a HFS. I used to buy a lot of generic stuff, but I honestly can't remember which items I thought were decent replacements for the name brands. We've been shopping at the commissary (military grocery store) for so long now that I've forgotten. They really don't carry many generic items.

[organicmommy]

I get most of out soups for cooking gemeric, some cereals, I have found that aldies brands are good for cooking. I will also get crackers from the store brands for using in some of my recipes, but I am not brand specific on generics

[KnockedUpButtercup]

One place where you can safely go to generics and save a bundle is OTC medications...tylenol, advil, benadryl, etc. Just read the label to determine the active ingredients, and compare it with the brand you would normally buy. For example, Robitussin DM is $6.89, but the Walmart's "Tussin DM" is 2.74. They both contain exactly the same amounts of exactly the same medicines (guaifenesin and dextromethorphin). Diphedryl is their brand of Bendadryl. There's even generic Claritin.

Most stores have generic medicines, but Walmart seems to have the cheapest ones. I know they're the evil empire, but sometimes I just have to go there.

Holly

[lmonter]

Originally Posted by KnockedUpButtercup

Most stores have generic medicines, but Walmart seems to have the cheapest ones. I know they're the evil empire, but sometimes I just have to go there.

I get my generic 12-hour Sudafed there. It's half the price there than even Fred Meyer's or Walgreens' generic stuff, not to mention the brand name. So if we do happen to swing by there for something, I'll go up and get a box, then have dh go up and get a box (the whole meth thing . I've even had my mom and sister bring me some as a birthday/holiday present or whatever.

[Leylla]

PPs are right, I most generics are made by brand companies...

Although I have never found a good generic soup....so I still use Campbells..

If sticking to name is important, try looking for a bent-n-dent store. Super cheap prices and it's mostly namebrand items. (Damaged generics are usually handled differently as far as stores receiving credit, so the items rarely end up in b-n-d stores)

Steph

[Mama Dragon]

I use generic tomato and Cream of X soups (mushroom, chicken, celery), and most canned tomato/tomato sauces/purees, I use cheaper brand canned vegis - not the generic store brand, but not the best organic stuff either. We buy only Malt O Meal/Mom's Best cereals and oatmeal, we buy generic flours, but NOT sugars. We buy generic milk, we buy generic frozen potatos (hash browns and fries), generic soda, generic crackers...

.... (mentally going through my grocery store here ).....

...we don't get generic coffee creamer, I tried that and never again, gak...we buy generic raisins, they aren't as good as sunmaid or organic, but there's good enough and no one has a clue in cooked items...some spices we get generic, like onion powder, salt, stuff that making it cheaper doesn't hurt the quality....that's all I can think of right now.

Often times, you can cut cost by just not getting the best. Tortillas for example, have like 8 different price levels for pretty much the same darn thing. Just go with less then the best!

[Sharlla]

I buy Malt o Meal cereal and pretty much all WM generic. I have tried generics at other stores and there was a significant difference in taste. For OTC meds and toiletries I get WM too, cheapest price.

[Eman'smom]

Can't go wrong with Kirtkland (Costco).

[Staceyy]

I too prefer to buy name brand products as I've found I waste too much money and time trying to find generic products I like. Name brand companies put more quality into their foods as they have a reputation to uphold. To solve the problem of cost, I use coupons. There are plenty of coupons out there for name brand products, and some stores double the face value of the coupon up to a certain amount.

[ookami]

There are a few things that I must have the brand name (Diet Coke!), but for most things, I like the Whole Foods store brand (365 or something like that) and I love Trader Joes store brand products. Also I try to stock up when I see my brand name stuff on sale for good prices. I don't have a huge amount of storage but I use it for Diet Coke and what not because I know the price of my generics is stable.

[fiesta'smom]

I second the PP who mentioned Costco! Most of their store brand food items have been excellent quality. They also have added in a lot of organics. The organic frozen vegies in the giant bags are great! Plus you can return anything you don't like....they are great about that!

[oneKnight]

I can NOT stand any type of generic brand tomato products. I don't buy generic ketchup, tomato paste, spaghetti sauce, etc. beacause they often taste very bitter compared to the name brand.

I only buy top quality Organic Valley milk and whatever is the best looking butter at the time, only the organic/cage free eggs, etc. Unfortunately I have to buy "regular" meats.

Everything else 'packaged' that I buy is probably Wal-Mart generic brand, especially canned veggies, dry pasta, dried beans, and instant potatoes. I don't buy very much processed food, but I do get those type items.

[wifty]

They aren't a full grocery store, but Targets brand, Archer Farms.....is excellent and usually is better then name brand. Their sodas, bread, ice cream, soup come to mind but I haven't tried any of their things that I haven't loved.

Just a thought!

[BetsyS]

Walmart brand is really good. : And, judging from the last recall, their peanut butter and Peter Pan are the same stuff!

We like almost everything at Aldi's, too. I don't like their oyster crackers or refried beans. But, I buy lots of other stuff there.

I also have a small chain near me, Ingles, and I really like their Laura Lynn store brand.

We have a bread store near us, and they sell Arnold bread, Kirkland, and Archer Farms all together on the same shelf--cause, at least around here, they are the same thing.

On the other hand, I am brand specific on a few things. Ketchup, mayo, my dh's beloved good seasons italian dressing seasoning packets, and cokes all come to mind. Anything else, I'll buy the cheapest.

OP, I'm impressed with your low food bill as it is. I'm curious to see how low it goes after you go generic!