To ask which cooking ingredients you would never use own brand for?

[Babadookie]

I buy own brand for about 80-85% of our weekly shop, but I switched from supermarket tinned tomatoes to a more expensive brand last year and I swear I'll never go back. I find that the difference in the end result is night and day, and the dearer ones go so much further with flavour. I'm a cheapskate with everything else though 😁

What product would you never cut corners with?

Before reading your post I was going to say tinned tomatoes. The cheaper ones always give me acid reflux for some reason!

Nothing ... I buy own brand for everything if available.

In blind tasting the brands rarely beat generics consistently! It's all in the marketing (tea, pasta etc in particular often surprise people who think they "know")

Butter, coffee, tea bags, condiments - Mayo/ketchup etc, most confectionery

Own brand English mustard, tinned rice pudding and value tea bags are a no no for me.

Had a very bad experience with Asda digestive once. They were a substitute Mcvities, and I thought a digestive was a digestive whatever the brand. How wrong was I! Even kids, must have been toddlers at the time refuses them , they were so horrible. Really has put me off own brands 😂

Interesting! I'd love to see the results, can you link? It'd be really useful to know which ones do best in blind testing.

There’s own brands and own brands though. Own brand M&S pitta breads are bloody lovely whereas Tesco are merely acceptable.

Coffee I notice and also honey so I buy nicer versions. Stuff that’s eaten as part of other things like tinned tomatoes or meat I’m not bothered by and just add more spices/wine/salt until it tastes nice.

I buy value chopped tomatoes because I once paid for premium brand and was surprised that it was like chopped tomatoes in water. The value brand was much better. Nicer tomatoes, thick rich tomato juice.

Herbs and spices - anything other than Swartz or McCormick might as well be dust.

Soy sauce - Anything other than Amoy is just far too salty.

Coffee - it's only gold blend but I've tried the supermarket versions and it's not nice.

I'll also be going back to cadburys highlights - I don't like Options and the own brand is like that, not creamy enough.

Everything else has pretty much switched to supermarket brand. Most was done a few years ago when I was on made redundant whilst pregnant, but there were still a few branded items through habit - ketchup, soup, beans. When I saw a tin of Heinz soup was £1.40, I decided Tesco own was worth a try, and it's absolutely fine.

I won't compromise on my toothpaste though (Colgate). And Tesco toilet cleaner was too watery to be of any use so I'm back to Toilet Duck for that too.

I miss Jacksons Bread. It is the best. I live nowhere near a Waitrose now. 😭

For me its Hellmans Mayo, Yorkshire Tea and really very little else. I am not particularly brand loyal.

Can't stand own brand drinks, I have to have my pepsi. Also, Rachel's rice puddings

heinz ketchup, hellmans Mayo and smoked paprika 🤣 if it doesn’t come in a tin it’s not the good stuff !

Princes who make Napolina make most of the supermarket own brand stuff you know.

I've never heard of Jackson's bread. Is it a regional thing?

Ah not sure I am down south and can only get it in Waitrose , it stays so fresh .

Nothing beats red bisto gravy for me.
I will go value on baked beans, pasta, all kinds! Not gravy though the value one is awful. Supermarket marmite is actually ok to be fair as well its just a little thinner.

Ketchup
Baked beans

Longley farm cottage cheese (the full fat plain one) I can literally eat it straight from the tub. It is ridiculously thick and creamy.

Supermarket own brands always looks like watery baby sick with a few lumps floating in it.

Jackson's isn't regional, I used to buy it north west.

I think it might be a Waitrose exclusive.

Heinz ketchup
Proper Coke
Golden syrup (pp- they do own brands but they're awful)
Bovril
Custard powder
Cadbury chocolate

None of which I buy often, but when I do, nothing comes close to these.

Nah. Nothing really. I like Lidl Deluxe Colombian instant coffee, but it’s just the cheapest good quality instant I’ve found.

Kit Kat knock offs aren’t great.l but I only buy them once Imin a blue moon.

Morris ons original washing up liquid is better than Fairy.

I've heard Mutti recommended on here for chopped tomatoes though I'm yet to try them myself.
I agree the value and own brand versions can be pretty watery.

I'll drive miles to find longley farm cottage cheese. Love the chive one.

Heinz ketchup and beans. Hellman's Mayo. Philadelphia. Branson. Yorkshire tea. Yeo valley plain. yoghurt, Ariel. Marigold stock. Lurpak.

Everything else I'm open to suggestion.

Ditto. But ham stock cubes I just can’t