Yes, I buy generic.... but don't go back to the "original". Thus, I have never had an experience similar to yours.

Moni

Sometimes, not always.

I buy quite a few. Wegman's store branded items are great, and lower prices than nationwide.

I buy a lot of generics. I don't have a lot of brand loyalty.

I buy generic for some things, not for others. I have certain things where I like the generic better - Top Foods mushroom soup, yogurt, Safeways microwave in bag frozen vegetables, frozen brown rice, and I like every Kirkland (Costco) product I've tried.

I've been disappointed with store brand dried pastas a couple of times though.

For some things yes,others no,because I did find a difference in some items.
Kathi

Some generic items I like, others I don't...it's not all one or the other...

I buy a few store or off brands that I:ve found just as good as;

I often do and as many of you, I find the off-brand better. Plus, all the few cents and dollars of savings do add up.

LOL, I recently found that this particular item I've been buying are sold both at Kroger and Walmart but marked with their own brands. Pretty sure it came from the same manufacturer.

This post was edited by ntt_hou on Wed, Nov 27, 13 at 1:21

I buy Giant and Wegman store brands.

I buy some generic/store brands, but very few. I shopped at the base Commissary for 23 years and they didn't carry generic/store brands. i have ventured out on a couple of things since moving here and shopping in a regular grocery store.Have bought canned corn & canned kidney beans that are store brands and they are ok. But my peanut butter will ALWAYS be Jif Smooth & Crunchy. Mayo will always be Hellemans. pasta will always be Barillo, tried a store brand & it was one big glob of angel hair..

I'll happily try a generic brand and will stick to it IF I like it. At Publix, for example, some store brand foods are great while others are dreck. Most are pretty bad, sadly.

Sometimes but I pretty much stick to name brand.

I'm not brand loyal. I'll buy any item based on price.

Always, when it's Kroger, and when it's dairy. We have a local dairy they utilize and it's so much better than anything else. Other than that, it's hit or miss.

Absolutely! A penny saved is - well, a penny saved!

We usually buy the brand names of paper products, dish liquids, washing detergent, shampoo and soap...off the top of my head that's about it...everything else is usually just as good when it's generic. OH yeah, we buy brand named candy bars. I'm sure there's other things but I can't think of it now...

I like most of Meijer brand canned foods. Not their pork and beans, Van Camp's for me. Not the dish washing liquids either. However for the most part I do use the store brand.

Sue

I prefer Publix brand to the name brand in green beans, corn and cranberry sauce. Honestly it's better than Ocean Spray. But I have to have Tide, Charmin TP, Brawny paper towels, Dawn, Kraft Mayo, Jif and Smuckers.

Sue, I always used Van Camp's pork and beans in Indiana. Hard to find around here.

one of the stores will double your money back on generics if not satisfied. Also Aldi has the same policy. What I normally do is just buy one can when they have a new generic and if we are happy, go back and continue to buy. Have not taken one item back since we have started to try generics. Most bread is name brand, but we did find one store that we cannot tell the difference, so its generic bread there.

I buy store brands often - Our Compliments, President's Choice, many other brands. . When I think of generic I think of the yellow label items - I usually don't buy those

Always, if given the chance...We do shop at Aldi's and have found their cereal to be much better than name brand....2 funny stories.....One of my son's mother in law would eat anything but name brands and when visiting if they didn't have a certain thing, she'd make them run to the store...Well, they were coming for a visit and my daughter in law bought the Aldi's brand pancake syrup and put it in an old "brand name" bottle and her mother never knew the difference....
The other story...Years ago, shortly after another of my boys was married, his new wife asked about buying the generic brands and what to stay away from....In my nice mother in law voice, I told her never buy generic ice cubes...And of course she asked why and I told her they melt too fast...The poor little thing actually believed me for a couple of minutes.....Of course she's also the one (being left handed), I told her she might have to shop early for her turkey because they don't get in too many left handed turkeys.....She had been an only child, never allowed in the kitchen but now she's a top notch cook and not afraid to tackle anything....She's my best friend and more than a daughter in law.....

It never hurts to try but I find I'm often disappointed.

With two exceptions - Trader Joe's products and Whole Foods 365 lines. I've found both to be pretty consistently worthwhile and often quite unique.

Those of you who are Jif or other brand name peanut butter lovers should try one of the preceding brands, made only with peanuts and salt. Or any other brand so made.

Many of the national peanut butter products have sugar or other sweeteners added and it's really unnecessary.

CherryFizz, we love the Compliments Corn Flakes. Hubby likes cranberry juice and he prefers the the Irresistible Low Calerie over the Ocean Spray by far.

The Generic, No Name products aren't as good, I agree.

I'm pretty brand loyal, but, as mentioned above, I haven't tried a Kirkland product that has disappointed me yet.

I'll buy generic or store brand. I find that some off brands have gone down in quality.

I will buy some generic but most times it is brand names

Generic/store brand is fine. Sometimes a name brand will be on sale cheaper. Just saving a nickle here & there.

Piggly Wiggly's house brands are so-so, but I found their house brand of instant coffee was good.

ABSOLUTELY!! They are ALWAYS worth a try. Most are as good as, IMHO-a few not. Our school gets money for store brand labels so that is also an incentive. No harm trying is my motto!!

jasdip and cherryfizz - I too buy some Compliments and PC products also - although I am having a problem at the moment since I am very annoyed with Loblaws and its decision to stop selling Organic Meadow milk. If I wanted Neilson, PC or Natrel - double-UHT'd I would just buy regular. I can tell the difference and I use it to make Bird's custard every day. Some Sobey's are carrying it - just finding the ones that do in Toronto is hard because they keep on changing - and you need to know the delivery dates - and whether the staff has gone to lunch leaving the products in the aisle rather than refrigerated. Seems to be hit or miss. Every Sat. a.m. I call around and if a store has the milk I ask them to hold 4 litres for me. A lot of people are very annoyed. Apparently there is a store named Dominion in Newfoundland that is owned by Loblaws - so Organic Meadow is toast there too! The Sobey's at Laird near Eglinton is "supposed" to carry it but they didn't have it last week - just the eggs. Good thing there is a liquor store located in the same outdoor mall.....

Hi there Torontonian Eccentric,

You wouldn't be suggesting that some of the store employees may be out to lunch, on occasion, now ...

... would you?

I often use generics, and find some of lower quality, but quite a few are acceptable.

This Frugal Fella likes the Financial Facts 'o the situation.

ole joyfuelled ... with some help from some kinds of generics, on occasion

Eccentric, check Metro, they carry Organic Meadow dairy products in our stores. We don't have a Loblaws in Windsor

I buy Natrel milk because I find it better and lasts longer than other milk because it is fine filtered, I really don't drink it but use it for baking, cooking and a dash of milk in my coffee.

Birds or Harry Horne's custard, love the stuff, make it often. I buy Metro's Irresistible Brand of Devon custard when I make trifle or banana pudding with Nila wafers