Generic vs. Name Brand: Which Should You Buy?

Wondering whether you should opt for the store brand vs name brand food at the grocery store? We have saving deal pro insider secrets to share!

Generic vs. Name Brand: Which Should You Buy?

Should you spend the extra buck or two on that name-brand ketchup or just reach for the store brand? If you’ve declared your undying loyalty to a specific brand of cake mix or butter, you may be overspending at the grocery store!

With prices continually going up you may find yourself wondering more and more if you should be purchasing more generic products than name-brand ones. Well, friend, I am glad that you are questioning yourself at the grocery store.

Is there a difference? Let’s talk about generic vs name-brand products and which ones you should be buying and why!

women shopping in refrigerated section of grocery store

Pantry Staples

For pantry staples, you should be purchasing generic products. When it comes to flour, sugar, salt, corn meal, cake mix, broths, pasta, rice, beans, canned vegetables, and condiments you can save some money without losing quality or taste.

Many of these products are made by a name-brand company and just labeled differently. Our family just loves shopping at Aldi. If you have not tried it I suggest that you do. It took us a while to build up the courage to purchase Aldi brand Mayonnaise.

We were stuck on Hellmann’s. What can I say Hellmann’s is the best. Then we bought Aldi mayonnaise – SURE enough!! It tastes very similar to our favorite tried and true brand.

Deal Pro Secret – You should always buy these products as generic.

Frozen Foods

When you are shopping for frozen fruits and vegetables you can skip the name brand and purchase the generic or store brand options. There are only so many ways to blanch and freeze frozen broccoli you know?

Save a few dollars each week by purchasing the generic brand when it is available.

Deal Pro Secret – You should always buy these products as generic.

Paper Products

When it comes to paper products like tissues, paper towels, paper plates, and toilet paper the choice is up to you. You can find some generic brands that work well, and cost less than the name brands.

However, we have probably all run into generic paper towels or toilet paper that just really didn’t live up to expectations or you had to use more so it didn’t save you any money.

Deal Pro Secret – You should always buy these products as generic first and shop around until you find a good fit. If you don’t it is time to test out some brand names. Personally, we use brand-name paper towels and store-brand napkins.

Cleaning Products

When you are talking about cleaning products there really does seem to be a difference between the generic products versus the name brands. While some generic cleaning products are fine, many others are just not as effective or you have to use more of them which means you aren’t really saving any money.

If you have some generic cleaning products like laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid that work well for you, that’s great. If you don’t, then you may want to combine good sales and coupons and just purchase name-brand cleaning products for your family’s needs.

Here are some of the most common household items you can buy. And my take on whether or not to purchase the store brand or name brand:

When it comes to the basics, like baking soda or bleach, the generic version is just as good! If you have kiddos or pets at home, we do suggest splurging a bit on the other cleaning products.

Clean products cost a bit more, but it’s worth the peace of mind! And you can always look for coupons to find extra savings.

Over the Counter Medicine

You may be wondering if there is any difference between generic vs name brand medications like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and allergy medication. The answer is not really.

Most generic over-the-counter medications have the exact same active ingredients as their name-brand counterparts at a considerably lower price. This is also true of vitamins and most health supplements. The generic versions work just as well and you get to keep a little more money in your pocket.

Generic versions of band-aids, gauze, hydrogen peroxide, and rubbing alcohol are also just as good as the name brands, and if you have kids, you know you can go through a lot of band-aids!

Deal Pro Secret – You should always buy these products as generic.

Batteries

Will your batteries really last longer if you purchase the name-brand version? Probably not! There are only a few factories that make batteries, so chances are your Duracell battery is exactly the same as the Member’s Mark version sold at Sam’s Club.

The manufacturers just change the way they look for different brands. Deal Pro Secret – You should always buy these products as generic.

Grocery Items Worth The Extra Cost

Most of the time my answer will be GENERIC! However, there are a few items that are worth spending a few extra dollars for;

Peanut butter – the ingredients are higher quality and more than likely not filled with added sweeteners. Generic contains more fat.
Plastic wrap – They just work! I have not come across any generic that does the job right.
Olive oil – Not all oils are created equal and do not contain 100% oil made from olives (can you believe that)!

Lastly…

The choice to buy generic versus name-brand products is a personal one.

In many cases, the generic products are every bit as good as the name-brand ones, and by using those you can save some money on your groceries and household items.