Question On Generic Brands/Store Brands...

[davi78239]

Who here is big on them? Do you find that they taste the same at a cheaper costs? And which ones are better? Great Values(walmart) or HCF (HEB)? Or is it all the same? I find that a lot of the stuff is the same damn thing but there are some differences. For instance, Walmarts Honey Spinners (honey nut cherrios) are better than HCF and might be a tad cheaper. There are others but too long to go into. What do you guys think??

[ChumpDumper]

Depends on each individual product, but yeah -- there's almost no reason at all to buy name brand cereal, hot or cold. Condiments, too. Other foods can be hit or miss (turkey and ham slices for sammiches are way too salty for instance), but HEB/HCF is generally good stuff.

The one thing store brands could never get quite right is Dr. Pepper, but I pretty much gave up on caffeine so who cares?

[PM5K]

Yeah one could go on and on about these types of things.

So for example the HEB A1 tastes the same as A1, but the Walmart brand isn't even close.

Another is that I actually prefer the HEB brand of shredded wheat over the name brand.

Having said that I can't stand the HEB brand Nutri-Grain bars so it varies.

[ashbeeigh]

I'm not a store brand person...I'll go out of my way to get the name brand. Call me a snob.

But, I went to HEB Plus to do some grocery shopping done today (first time I grocery shopped instead of running in and out) and stopped at the frozen food section. I saw they had some pretty tasty looking frozen dinners (because..yes..I eat those for lunch). I grabbed two because they were 2 for $4 instead of 2 for $4.50 like the Lean Cuisines that I usually get. I thought, "What the hell? I'll try it." I heated one up when I got back to the office...it was actually better then the lean cuisine. It was Rosemary Ginger chicken or something like that. So, I recommend the HEB frozen dinners. Everything else can go to hell.

[balli]

Every store brand item you buy at Costco comes with this disclaimer on its packaging

Every Kirkland Signature product is guaranteed to meet or exceed the quality standards of the leading national brands. If you're not completely satisfied, your money will be refunded.
So, per usual, Costco FTW.

[Frenzy]

i just go to the cheaper unless i don't like the taste.
only one i have discovered to be diff is Kelloggs Corn Flakes vs HCF corn flakes.

kelloggs by a mile....

[TDMVPDPOY]

hey dude they all come out from the same factory when its mass produce and the leftovers of exceed the capacity of production, they usually repackage it......

go taste it, sometimes non brand taste better than the branded stuff.....

[exstatic]

I'll buy anything generic except soft drinks. I once got a coupon for a free 6pack of HCF Cola. I threw out 5 cans, plus the remainder of the one I was tasting. Nasty stuff.

[Trainwreck2100]

energizer make CVS brand batteries

[Cheeto]

Generic ketchup sucks. I have to have Heinz. No store brand has ever got it right IMO

[koriwhat]

i like the heb ice cream.

[ploto]

I buy almost exclusively name brands. I think the only thing in my house right now that is not is Bravo detergent- that I realy like alot. I get frustrated with certain HEB's that seem intentionally not to restock the name brands to force you to buy store brands.

[Heath Ledger]

In many cases the generic brands are simply relabeled but produced from a namebrand factory.

[Ginofan]

I've been buying a lot of generic brand items lately because Matthew gets a 10 percent discount on all HEB products...so that has influence over us. But generally we've been pretty satisfied with the generics...except the english muffins...tasted like cardboard, blah!

[fraga]

Yeah I buy the generic brand most of the time...MOST of the stuff tastes close and sometimes better...for less money...I'll take that...and for me...all I buy is the HEB Hill Country Fair soda...the Wild Red...Dr. B...and Cola all taste the same as the name brands...

[mookie2001]

remember the generic aisle?

it just all the B&W labeled shit POTATO CHIPS, PAPER PLATES

whatever happened to those kind of generics anyway?

[Wild Cobra]

When it comes to food, I buy what I like. I don't shop by price, except to stock up on the things I like that are on sale. I don't know which ones, but some plain label or generics are exactly the same as the expensive stuff. Just a different label.

[SonOfAGun]

I've been trying to eat healthy so it all tastes like shit to me, regardless of name. :depressed

[CosmicCowboy]

I buy very few food name brands. Kirkland products are great...their olive oil is excellent and their laundry detergent is the #1 consumer reports detergent for price AND quality. Costcos meat is excellent too and they are my first choice for pork loins, ribs, steaks, and lamb. Costco has by far the best lamb selection in town.

HEB products are generally excellent too for the price...Their ice cream is every bit as good as Blue Bell and the HCF canned and frozen foods are as good or better than the national brands for half the price. The only HEB product I have bought that I didn't like was their zip lock bags. The zipper sucks.

[Bender]

HEB products are generally excellent too for the price...Their ice cream is every bit as good as Blue Bell
that is 2 posters who say HEB brand ice cream is as good as the top brands. I don't eat ice cream anymore (not for many many years), but that sure wasn't true back in the 80s.
I tried it once back then and thought it sucked compared to BB or Borden. Maybe it's gotten better.

[CosmicCowboy]

that is 2 posters who say HEB brand ice cream is as good as the top brands. I don't eat ice cream anymore (not for many many years), but that sure wasn't true back in the 80s.
I tried it once back then and thought it sucked compared to BB or Borden. Maybe it's gotten better.

They have their own milk and ice cream plant now instead of contracting out for generics.

[TDMVPDPOY]

if you guys dont like neither of the 2, might as well go buy the ingredients and make it urself

[Shelly]

The only thing I refuse to by generic is toilet paper and paper towels.

[Shelly]

I buy almost exclusively name brands. I think the only thing in my house right now that is not is Bravo detergent- that I realy like alot. I get frustrated with certain HEB's that seem intentionally not to restock the name brands to force you to buy store brands.

I've notice this too. They sell every version of Cap'n Crunch except for peanut butter.

Bastards

[CosmicCowboy]

The only thing I refuse to by generic is toilet paper and paper towels.

Actually, the Kirkland (Costco) TP isn't bad but I hate the way it's packaged. Every roll is individually shrink wrapped. I guess they do it that way so the Indian/Pakistani convenience store guys can buy it and sell individual rolls to the street people.

[Shelly]

Actually, the Kirkland (Costco) TP isn't bad but I hate the way it's packaged. Every roll is individually shrink wrapped. I guess they do it that way so the Indian/Pakistani convenience store guys can buy it and sell individual rolls to the street people.

It's Charmin and Bounty all the way!!!

But I agree, Costco's meat dept is excellent.

[CosmicCowboy]

I find discussing the relative merits of toilet paper with Shelly strangely erotic.:lol

[PM5K]

Costco's meat dept is excellent.

You should see my meat department...

[ChumpDumper]

The only thing I refuse to by generic is toilet paper and paper towels.Agree with the TP, but HEB has some decent paper towels -- "Twice as Strong" I think they are called.

[ChumpDumper]

:lol

I admit I'm no connoisseur of paper towels. I'm trying to cut down on using them.

[Strike]

:lol

I admit I'm no connoisseur of paper towels. I'm trying to cut down on using them.

rags can be used, washed and reused hundreds of times. Paper towels are an epic waste of money. Get yourself two dozen wash cloths, and paper towels become obsolete.

I throw freight for one of the major grocery chains here in the northwest (aiming high!!!) and I get a 10% discount on store brands. I buy the store brand of some things (TP, trash bags, condiments, light bulbs, etc) but for most foodstuffs I go with name brands. Especially soda. Most, if not all store brand soda taste like Coke products. Gotta have my Diet Pepsi. Accept no substitutes.

[davi78239]

some of my generic favorites are the HEB Selections Pizza. The rising crust one tastes almost as good as Digorno's, only difference is that it seems like it's greasier. Kirkland makes some damn good paper towels and some good chocolate almonds, just to name a few. Both their take and bake pizza and the pizza at the concessions are off the hook too. I also like Wal-mart saltine crackers for $1.12. I've gotten HCF from HEB and those crackers were stale like a mother fucker and the sad part is they were brand new. For Produce, HEB hands down. Candy Corn.....you better be coming with Brachs because all others taste like shit.

[jman3000]

I use shamwows as my TP.

[cherylsteele]

remember the generic aisle?

it just all the B&W labeled shit POTATO CHIPS, PAPER PLATES

whatever happened to those kind of generics anyway?
Yes, I do.
My dad would by his beer there.
It was labeled in B&W either "BEER" or "LITE BEER"
then you had
"razor blades"
"potatao chips"
"beans"
"corn"
and a bunch of other "high quality" products.

[JoeChalupa]

We buy HEB brand products and HCF and also SAM's. Now that the wife gets a partner discount on HEB products it helps. :tu

[manufan10]

I buy almost everything generic brand. The few things I don't are deodorant, soap, shampoo, and face cleanser. The deodorant's suck, and leave you smelling funky. Then they only work for half the time as Old Spice or any other name brand. I figured if that's so, then the other cleaning stuff has to be name brand too, don't want to get messed up products that don't work.

[Blake]

national brands on foods and TP/ select a size paper towels.....

generics on all drugs.......you are beyond idiotic if you ever buy the real regular chalk Tylenol

[Big P]

HEB refried beans are the best hands down.

[ChumpDumper]

Enjoying an HEB jalapeño and pepperoni pizza right now.