Value over branded?

[Maryshoppins]

Hi, not exactly an aibu, but...
I would like to reduce my food shopping bill to save a bit of money. I'm a little inspired by Jack Monroe's food blogs and would like to opt for value and store branded foods over big brands.

For anyone that has tried both, do you notice a big difference? And what about health wise. Are the lower branded products filled with crap to add flavour. I don't intend on buying meat products at all. Just tinned goods and dishwasher tablets etc..

Thanks

I've bought value pasta, rice and flour. No difference - I always buy value rice and flour now.

Value veg is fine too. Frozen or fresh. Potatos are potatos - unless you're a spud expert you won't notice a difference.

Might be better off trying 'value' supermarkets rather than value lines in Tesco, Sainsburys etc. Aldi cheeses etc are really nice and cheap and much better than those in some mainstream supermarkets and a shed load cheaper.

Just do your shopping in aldi, their food is great quality and at value prices, you really won't regret it.

Value prices for quality products in aldi

I won't buy value flour anymore because every sodding time I bought it I opened it and there were teeny bugs in it. Has not happened since I started buying homepride.

I buy the best I can afford. For example, I prefer aldi washing up liquid and antibac spray (pink grapefruit one, both are cheap) and Tesco value biscuits, rice, pasta, aldi spaghetti (20p!!), Aldi black olives (40p a jar), Tesco value ketchup is preferable to any other I have had and the gravy granules are fine too. Anything grown really cannot be value can it? and I buy whatever meat is on offer

It depends on what you are getting. Value dishwasher tablets I have always found to be crap (especially asda ones) and also tinned tomatoes seem to be pretty poor quality in value ranges. Value marg/butter is pretty grim too in my experience. pasta, rice, and potatoes all seem pretty much the same to me.

Value biscuits, like ginger nuts and custard creams all seem pretty much the same to me places like home bargains often have good deals on dishwasher tablets, washing powder and cleaning products near us.

I more or less buy everything from the value range.
I only buy special offer branded stuff like washing powder, fabric softner.
There are a few brands I buy like Marmite and Branston baked beans..but only when they're on offer. Beans only when they are half price.
I buy sliced bread when it's reduced to 10p a loaf so I can stock my freezer up.
I do the same with meat.
There are so many easy ways you can cut costs down.

I buy value fruit, veg, pasta, rice, flour, tinned tomatoes, purée, tuna, sardines, orange juice, weetabix, cheese. All things I have found exactly the same as branded versions.

I aldi washing liquid and fabric softeners and they are very nice.

6 x juice cartons for 90p are good for lunchboxes.. 24 pack of crisps (they are nice) is about £2

Tesco value washing powder is good for sprinkling on carpets in place of shake n vac

Aldi is very good, Iceland for some things too. I find most value brands of fine though asda's meat range tastes like cardboard at best imo. Sausages are the worst. The others value are fine.

I've noticed a difference from buying best wholemeal foods to value white/refined such as 18p spaghetti and cheap 'broken' rice. Can also tell the difference between cheap mayo and ketchup and Heinz, but we've had to just put up with that. Baked beans too.

Value four is good imo, but have to go to the bother of sieving it.

Thank you!

I will give it a go. Feel like I'm not doing my children's health any justice by giving them value apple juice cartoons for lunch instead of an 'Innocent smoothie' branded one. I know that sounds daft, but I'm thinking on terms of the ingredients in them!!

I waste so much on food. I need to cut corners, fast.

Need to shop online! Otherwise would give Aldi a go. Never been in one, but heard how cheap they are.

Me and my mum have been doing a bit of a 'value trial' over the past few months. My shopping bill was so high and I never picked up anything value before - nothing to do with snobbery - I would buy Tesco own just not value. Call it perception of quality or just that the branded stuff is better placed, more eye catching - usually on offer (but not necessarily cheaper) etc. Anyway it has made a huge difference to my bills.

I will still only buy the nice meat, free range eggs etc but tinned sweet corn, beans, even ketchup - I eat any ketchup but always bought Heinz - the value bottle is 18p! I had no idea. Also their fabric conditioner is good.

Do what we did. We swapped a couple of items a week for value ones and tested to see what was worth swapping permanently. Washing up liquid no - grated cheese yes - polish yes - shampoo no - shower gel yes - handsoap yes - mustard, pickle, peanut butter, jam & lemon curd all yes and so cheap.

I shop at Aldi so it's all value but I find their very cheap value Apple/Orange juice, pasta sauce and pasta brilliant

don't try any of the coffee though!

value orange and apple juice do taste a little different, but I prefer them. (tesco/morrisons/asda)

value veggies are a different shape. aldi do a good selection, a different super six every week.

aldi value weetbisks are good.

I do not recommend smart price sandwich pickle. that is very different.

value chopped toms from asda/morrisons, but not tesco.

value bran flakes from tesco and morrisons taste the same. morisons vlue cornflakes are not too bad. ( i still eat kellogs) smart price ones are vile
.

value pasta is better at morrisons than asda.

tesco value red pesto was good.

value biscuits are ok from some places not others.

value kidney beans are good, smart price and morrisons value baked beans are ok too. occasionally asda have an offer on for branston beans.

morrisons have meat on offer occassionally. usually pork or chicken.

Lidi do excellent meat products - their sausages, cooked meats and pies are really good quality, and I have found their pork chops and chicken fillets to be excellent value. Give them a try - you won't regret it..!

I never pay any more than £1.00 for shampoo! Am always a bit reluctant to buy value beans, only coz I am concerned that they may be hard and manky (had some once that were!). I never buy cheap coffee though.

Another Aldi washing sachets fan...

I went to Aldi the other day. Bought a shed-load of stuff. Very cheap. The only shop I ever listen to final bill to pay without gasping.

I buy Sainsbury basics and stuff from the Tesco basic range (I think it's called everyday). I find Sainsbury's basic stuff to be pretty good , flour, butter, biscuits, fruit and veg, kidney beans etc. I wouldn't buy basic bread. I tried the cornflakes once and they were disgusting.I can't think of anything else that I've hated though.
I've liked everything I've tried from Tesco. They are very good for spices - either their value range or the world food aisle.
I think there was a thread on here a few months ago with people's recommendations - might be worth searching for.

A rule of thumb for value stuff: the simpler it is- the less it will matter.
Stuff with only one ingredient: frozen meat, veg, flour, eggs etc.. will be indistinguishable from more expensive stuff once it's been cooked into part of a meal.
More complex stuff- baked beans, bread etc.. there will be some difference, discernible to those who have recently switched from higher end brands.
Processed thing like pies, ready meals and so on: I'f your on mid market brands right now- you will definitely notice a difference and will feel you're missing out.

aldis chicken pie is £2 and nicer than birds eye ones.

I would much prefer to give my kids value juice than innocent smoothies because of the ingredients.

I don't do value pasta sauces though - its just tomato puree and water really. Cheaper to just buy a couple of tins of tomatoes and some basil.

I buy value brands of most things except cornflakes, minced beef & tomato soup. I've not really noticed a difference.

I noticed a couple of weeks ago that Aldi have started doing a basics range on things like beans & tinned tomatoes - they're really nice.

If anyone uses MSE, Martin Lewis suggests dropping down a level, so if you normally buy branded, then buy store's own brand. If you use store's own brand, drop down to their value brand. Just try a couple of different items a week and if you don't really like it, at least you've given it a go and if you do like it, you can save a few quid on your weekly shop.

He has no suggestions for me, I'm already on value brands

I've bought value pasta, rice and flour.

Sainsbury's Basics flour is ace. Slightly higher extraction ratio so it makes fantastic pastry.