Generic Rules
I can remember growing up and opening up cupboards to a wonderful display of color, as long as it was black and white only ( there was the occasional blue or green as I recall also, but mostly black).
I grew up on generic and since I trusted that mom knew what she was doing, I went along with it. There would be the occasion issue come up where quality was lacking, so she would just move up to the next lowest cost brand for that item, say French-style green beans.
When Surfgirl and I started grocery shopping together it was power struggle of epic proportions at times. When you have a budget to keep for groceries, buying brand name isn’t all that important anymore as long as the quality is still there. Over time, I have changed her mind, either that or just worn her down with my constant comment, “But it’s cheaper and doesn’t taste any different really.”
Here are some things to think of when you go to look for generic items
Pantry staples- Single-ingredient items such as flour, salt and sugar are held to government regulations for production, packaging and storage. In other words, sugar is sugar, regardless of its label. Cheaper is better in this case.
Canned fruits and vegetables – Open up a can of Del Monte sweet corn and a similar can of the store brand, and you’re not likely to notice much difference. One disadvantage: When it comes to mixes, the name brand may have a slightly higher count of prized ingredients, say, cherries in fruit cocktail.
Over-the-counter medications- Don’t dismiss the store brand over-the-counter medications. According to rules set by the Food and Drug Administration, any products with the same active ingredient must meet efficacy standards. In consumer-speak, that means your drug-store aspirin must be just as effective as its brand-name counterpart, Bayer. And the price difference can be astounding.
Coupon-scarce goods- A good coupon, especially one that’s doubled by the supermarket, can make a brand-name product the better deal. But some branded items rarely, if ever, get discounted. This includes butter, dry beans, spices and seasonings. So you might as well go generic and consistently save.
Produce- Without the marketing sticker on, say, Dole pineapples or Chiquita bananas, the underlying fruit is identical. Many of these types of “off-brand” produce can be picked up at ethnic grocery stores or flea markets
I remember the generic store from back in the day. They did not provide bags, but you were free to use empty boxes ket in the front of the store. I loved the non-descript white boxes with black lettering- minimalism at its ultimate. My mom was also quick to point out to us that by not having bags and recycling the boxes, we were saving the earth. My mother was so ahead of her time!
We also find that keeping on our food budget (with only one of us moms working) makes it almost a necessity to use store brands or generics. Unless something scores as non-edible or not living up to its intended use (like a cleaner), we refrain from most name brands unless we’ve got a penultimate coupon that brings it below generic or store cost (which is not as often as you’d think). The kidlets have transitioned nicely to cooked oatmeal (rather than name brand instant) as well as many other needed changes in our purchases.