What % of food in your kitchen is generic or store brand?

**sabrelvssammy** · 06-12-2012, 08:26 PM

Just curious -

I think I hit about the 75% range favoring generics or store brands. Most name brand foods you find in my kitchen are there because I got them on a deep clearance or had some kind of coupon/sale - making them come out cheaper than their store counterparts.

For the most part I don't have a problem with store brands or generics. Every once in a while I might find something that we find unacceptable, but I don't think I have had that problem in awhile.

**savvy_sniper** · 06-12-2012, 08:46 PM

I would say about 75% or better. Like you, if I have name brands it is because I got it deeply discounted (probably at the salvage store). I don't like HEB BBQ sauce or Kroger crescent rolls.

**nuisance26** · 06-12-2012, 09:04 PM

~Me too, 75% or better for pantry items. There are only a few things I'm a stickler about buying the actual brand. I just went to the pantry and started counting and it's overwhelmingly store brands. The regular brands in there were mostly loss leaders that were purchased cheaper than the store brand.~

**frugalfranny** · 06-13-2012, 12:31 AM

I would say probably a very small percentage.

The main reason for that is that some of the smaller chain stores (Yoke's, Rosauer's, Trading Co.) I shop at
don't have their own brands. (they will carry Western Family---which I am not fond of for some things) I don't shop that much at WM to use their brand..........don't like much--if anything---of Fred Meyer......and seldom go there.

Think I have some Safeway cheese and some WinCo canned goods...........but a small % overall! And Albertson's is probably higher even on their STORE BRANDS!!

**SwirlyThing** · 06-13-2012, 10:02 AM

I would say my kitchen is 95% generic. I only buy brand name if I don't like the generic version. For example, DH only drinks Pepsi. And I keep a couple of frozen pizzas on hand for when I just don't feel like cooking, and those are brand names. That's all I can think of that's in my kitchen now that's not generic. For most items, we actually prefer the generic version.

**Contrary Housewife** · 06-13-2012, 10:48 AM

I would say 10% or less. Salt, sugar, shortening, butter, a few condiments. For much of it there is no generic (a lot of the ethnic food) or DH and I have specific tastes. He likes Kashi cereal, for example, and Hellmann's mayo, and I drink a lactose free milk and I'm fussy about the taste of my canned tomato products. My show-bred cat only eats designer food (we've tried...) and the other one has digestive issues that limit him to one or two name brands.

I don't have anything against generics, I've just found that in a lot of cases we prefer the flavor or texture of a brand name product.

**Brat** · 06-13-2012, 10:56 AM

I would say that 90% of mine is store brand

**many houseapes** · 06-13-2012, 11:47 AM

I would say about 90-95% of our groceries are store brand/generic. I hate HEB's peanutbutter and their mac n cheese.

**Telephus44** · 06-13-2012, 01:09 PM

Probably 80-90%, assuming I can count the Trader Joe's brand as generic. Since they carry so few brand names and that's where we do 90% of our grocery shopping, it means most of my pantry is generic.

**Hamada** · 06-13-2012, 01:29 PM

About 50% is generic. I usually am fine with generic and store brands. Most of the foods I eat are fresh produce, fish/meat. But there are dried fruits, herbs and spices, coconut milk, etc., that I will purchase if it is cheaper generic or store brand. Other items like canned fish I stockup when they go on sale. Because of diet concerns what I eat is limited. If I had less restrictions then I would probably have 90% generic or store brand.

**cab54** · 06-13-2012, 06:43 PM

It's about 50-50% in my kitchen/pantry.

**melanies** · 06-13-2012, 06:48 PM

95%. I have very few "prepackaed" foods. Off the top of my head I can think of Mayo (Ralphs brand) Artificial Sweetener (Target Brand) ... the rest are "whole" foods: fruit, veggies, meat, cheese. I think the cheese is Land o Lakes and my butter and eggs and other dairy are from Alta Dena... a local dairy that I think is exclusive to CA.

Unless its a better value or there isnt an alternative (I dont coupon) I avoid brand name anything and everything.

**BlissMommy** · 06-13-2012, 06:48 PM

I'd say it's about 75 percent in my pantry.

**dcompton** · 06-13-2012, 09:14 PM

Almost all of it. There are, off the top of my head, only a few things I buy national brands, unless, like most of you, they happen be cheaper in a particular sale. The things I insist on are Kraft sandwich spread, a reduced sugar ketchup (I think it's Heinz, but may be Hunts, don't remember), Jif extra crunchy pb (but I use very little of that), and tea for hot tea. Iced I'm not as particular about. Otherwise, whenever there is a house brand option, I use it.

**mamamia** · 06-13-2012, 10:35 PM

Less than 5%. Milk, sugar, butter, Publix yogurt, and (certain flavors) sodas. Otherwise, I'm usually disappointed in some way, shape, or form. And that's especially true of WM brand items. I'm more than willing to try it, but I guess because of the way I shop, and probably what I buy also, the nt'l brands are cheaper for me. So I stockpile the sale, and it continues to stay the cheapest way.

Theresa