18 Foods You Can Scrimp on at the Grocery Store

If you’re trying to win brownie points in taste and texture by purchasing name brand items only, you’re really just losing money and not helping the flavor of your dishes. If you’ve stuck to name brand items only in the past, break away today and start buying generic brands so you can save your grocery budget for specialty items and organic produce.

Follow along as we debunk these pantry staples to start shopping smarter today. 

Store brand is just fine. 

Store brands deliver plenty of aroma and flavor. 

If you’re not buying artisanal cheese, go for the cheapest option. 

Buy whole fruits and veggies and slice them yourself to avoid the nearly 40% markup. 

Buy in bulk, and store extras in the freezer for up to 9 months. 

Because most recipes use little more than a tablespoon or two, it’s practically impossible to tell the difference between premium paste and less expensive options in finished dishes. 

Buy combo packages, sometimes labeled “poultry mix,” that give you smaller amounts of several herbs to avoid waste. 

Any difference you might notice is lost in the rinsing and draining. 

No quality drop-off in cheaper bulk offerings. 

Store brands are just as good and often on sale. 

Cheaper brands pop and taste about the same as premium kernels. They keep for as long as a year, so buy in bulk and store in airtight containers. 

No real difference in taste or size of grain among brands. 

You’ll get the crisp crumbs regardless of brand.

Canola, vegetable, and safflower—they’re flavorless. Buy cheap. 

All that matters is that it lubricates the pan, which they all do. 

The most fundamental of vinegars, what matters here is its 5% acidity level. While taste does indeed vary among brands of other vinegars, such as white and red wine, balsamic, and sherry, white vinegars are consistent.

Just as with rice and whole grains, you’re fine to go with cheap bags here.