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[TheShepherd]

Everyone is trying to save money these days.

We hate to spend money on store brand grocery items that may not measure up. What store brand items do you buy that are as good as the national brands?

[TheShepherd]

The Meijer Jammers brand of cheese sticks, potato skins and related items are all very good.

Their brand of Dorito-type chips are very good also.

[cc]

Kroger brands of most anything (except sausage - toooo greasy) are fine.
(I made my hubby hamburger helper today using the Kroger brand and he did not know the difference....$1 a box compared to at least $2 for the brand name). 

There are Great Value brands that are good too for canned veggies.

[eriemermaid]

I like the meijer dryer sheets better than the name brand ones

[T-M-T]

Big K Diet Cherry Cola

[ybnrmal]

If you are using store brands to save money these days then you should be shopping at Aldi.  I know some of you have a problem with the store because of the quarter for the shopping carts and having to buy or bring your own bags but the savings are phenomenal.  I was shopping at Kroger using my card and buying a lot of store brands but when I got up my courage to try some of the Aldi stuff I was pleasantly surprised.  My food bill has dropped by 1/3.  Instead of hamburger based meals a few nights a week we now have salmon at least twice a week and ribs and very lean pork chops.  Last night I fixed a wonderful corned beef and it was only $1.99 a lb.  Less than I pay for hamburger some places.  I have found some things that aren't as tasty as I would like.  Maybe 3 things.  Every week I try something new.  Very, very rarely am I disappointed (well, 3 times I've been disappointed) and usually I am very pleased.  Things I especially was surprised by---the frozen salmon filets, the beef smoked sausage, the frozen fish filets (both battered and crumb), the luncheon meat in a can (Spam, in other words.  You either love it or hate it. lol) 
A note about the carts----you never have to worry about them in the parking lot!  I have never seen a loose cart. Never had to get out to move one to get into a parking spot.  There's something to be said for that.

[TheShepherd]

I have never been happy with Aldi brands. My mom used to shop there years ago.

We have found that shopping sales and using coupons makes it work out about the same.

Maybe they have gotten better over the years. That's the whole point of this thread. Help each other to weed out the bad without everyone buying the products that don't cut the mustard. 

[ybnrmal]

I never was happy with them either.  But-like I said-I was buying mostly store brands anyway so I thought I would try them.  They are a lot better than they used to be.  A lot. 

Oh, and speaking of mustard.......their brown mustard is awesome!

[mommyto2]

We love Kroger brand doritos and macaroni and cheese (blue box, not their value brand in the white box).  But to be honest, we really don't have any complaints about anything Kroger brand that we have bought.

[Kingdiamond9]

Meijer brand spaghetti sauce is awesome and their velveeta clone cheesy does it is also great !

[hardheadedwoman]

As for the value brand at Kroger's the only product I use is their coffee.  I do use Kroger brand veggies and their shredded cheese.  The value brand cheese (shredded) is GROSS!  As for mac n cheese I eat only the kraft brand as I can tell a difference.  I also shop at Aldis and like most of the stuff I buy.  I think Ive only been disappointed maybe 2 times.  The Kroger brand mayo and salad dressing is pretty good but again I can get Kraft mayo and Miracle whip on sale.. Matter of fact its on sale this week at Meijer and is 2for $5.  I shop around between Kroger's mostly Meijer and Aldi's.  Being on a fixed income I have to make ends meet and thats how I do it.  I also get my fresh veggies and some fruits from Ciolinos.  Cheapest place in town as a rule.

Oh yeah Monettes on Secor just south of Alexis has deli cheese real reasonable, also lunch meat.  American cheese(the real thing) is $3.99 every day and from time to time it goes on sale for @.99.  They have cheese and lunchmeat specials every week, and I think their Genoa brand deli salami is no more than $2.49 a lb and most times THATS on sale.  So yes I shop around on shopping day and try to get the most bang for my buck.

[curious]

I cannot say enough great things about ALDI.  There is never a sense of urgency to stock up on an item when it is on sale.  The prices are always them same.  It is a quick in/out store - you CAN grocery shop / check out / and pack up the car in less the 1 hour in Monroe !!!

The snack chip selection is great.  Everyone loves their "doritos" even more than name brand.  Their "Fritos" and corn chips are great too.  Produce is cheap - not a large selection (no fresh parley or cilantro), but they do stock avocados.  The Easter candy looks great (many items made in Gemany).  The fresh flowers are beautiful too. 

Here are some everyday prices
"doritos" 11 oz - $0.99
"fritos" 12 oz - $0.99
3 pack Romaine lettuce hearts - $1.99
grape tomatoes - $1.89
whole wheat "ritz" crackers - 1.69

A couple tips - you need a quarter deposit for a shopping cart (will get it back when you return your cart) and bring your own bags (not many boxes to use). 

Hope this helps.

[tampachicken]

Your Aldi's must be different than ours... actually ours are probably different depending on where you go..  I went to the one in North Tampa... I did not find much I wanted to buy there.. Except for a spiral ham that was $1.49 a pound... which is about half of what even the Publix (Our better store chain) spiral ham would be... However.. since I live alone.. that one ham about filled me up on ham for the rest of the year..

The store I went to.. was pretty new.. since Aldi is new to our area.. I thought the store was dirty.. again.. there was not enough items to actually do my grocery shopping with.. Also their fresh meat.. is like the meat they sell at Wal Mart... soaked in Nitrate solutions.. that makes me sick!  It also adds wieght to the product.. and I think theirs had 20% solution... 20% liquid weight maked things wiegh a lot more.. and it steams out when you cook it.. so think about when you buy packaged meat that has solutions in it.. it maybe cheaper per pound that what you would buy at danny's or a place that does not add solutions.. but then consider 20% is going to steam away.. and leave those awful nitrates behind!!!!  so what you pay per pound.. you may not be saving that much...

There is another Aldi in Brandon which is more of an upscale bedroom community, so I am pretty sure the store would be nicer and cleaner...

[Mike Ingels]

I like Aldi.  They also provide a price list which is nice when shopping other stores.  That provides a baseline price on most items.  You can often find better deals in regular grocery stores when using double coupons.  But if you need to stock up without coupons, Aldi is where to go.  BTW, farmer's markets can be very good pricewise during the warmer months.

[Mike Ingels]

Oh, btw, one of the better store brands is Meijer beef jerky.  My brother in Seattle loves the stuff but can't get it out there.  So we send him care packages with bags of the stuff.