What's The Difference Between Name Brand And Generic Foods?

Have you ever thought about how much you overspend when you buy name vs. generic brand grocery items? Whether you're prone to grabbing store-brand products or prefer to opt for recognizable names, you may be wondering whether there's a big difference in quality between the two. 

Some stores, such as Kroger, buy their generic goods from the same manufacturers as the companies that produce the name-brand versions. Simply put: Some store-brand products might be the exact same as the name-brand ones, only in generic packaging. In addition to Kroger, Aldi is often praised for the quality of its generic products. Trader Joe's also keeps prices cheap by producing its own brand. Some shoppers prefer these less-expensive options to the name-brand versions. 

When you purchase a name-brand product, you're not just paying for the product itself, but the marketing and advertising that goes into creating a recognizable brand. You might occasionally be paying more for the same when you opt for name-brand products over generic ones, but there's a stark contrast in quality between others. Here's how to decide which to buy.

There are several factors to consider when you're trying to decide whether or not to buy the more expensive name-brand item. If you're trying to save money, the generic brand will likely work just fine in your recipe and will likely cost significantly less than the name-brand option. For example, it's unlikely that you'll recognize the difference between name-brand and store-brand peas in a shepherd's pie. You might also find that buying generic products in bulk offers even more savings than buying standard-size generic products.

When it comes to taste, however, whether you purchase generic or name brand is all a matter of personal preference. It can take some trial and error to figure out which version of the product you prefer. If you're curious about trying a generic product, you may be able to get a sense for how it stacks up against the name-brand version by comparing the ingredient lists on the back of the packages. Doing a bit of research on generic items that are just as good as name brand can also help cut down on the amount of time you spend choosing between two options in the store.