Buying off-brand products presents a lot of convenience to consumers because they help save money. Of course, there's a disadvantage to this given private-label groceries aren't as tasty as the products we've come to know and love through advertising.
And with stores rolling out their own labels becoming a trend these days, consumers don't stand a chance. When there's a bargain, people flock. But are they always a bargain?
Generic brands are, in most cases, fairly nutritious and cost-effective. But some products can differ enormously in their specific ingredients, which is why the careful reading of nutrition labels is crucial. Key point: Some generic peanut jars of butter contain unhealthy, pointless additives such as added sugars, or extra fat from unsustainable resources such as palm oil.
There's not a lot of ingredients in anything like mixed almonds - maybe salt, nuts, and a couple more things. And probably you're not going to find a lot of difference between brands. On the other hand, breakfast cereals can have several inch long lists of ingredients. Read how much added sugar it contains, or how much fiber it includes.
Certain ingredients such as marinara sauce, pasta sauce, or plain tomato sauces that use premium tomatoes and spices with good olive oil are more likely better tasting and don't need a ton of salt or sugar. Store-brand variants could be more suitable for recipes that require smaller quantities of tomato sauce, including soups and stews.
One packaging may look like any other but not all eggs are made equal. It all depends on what was fed to the chickens that laid them. For example, Eggland's Finest has six times as much vitamin D as other products, and with less saturated fat, too.
Quite often, cheaper or generic cheese has far more additives and fillers, which are not required. Plus, they tend to fare less on taste tests than brand-name cheese, and on the whole, don't save you all that much.
While you won't find much difference in taste among chickpeas or canned beans, there's another good reason to prefer a brand that's known. In recipes, they hold up better. Store brands tend to get overcooked a little bit.
There are far too many brand-name products on the market that it can be difficult to clearly select from among those. Generally, it's about taste. Shoppers would respond better towards something that has the texture and taste they want best. Also, some generic brands sneak in extra additives or sugar, so checking the label is best.
