5 Store-Brand Groceries You Should Buy (And 2 When Only Name-Brand Will Do)

When it comes to saving money at the grocery store, one of the most common tips you’ll hear is to "stick with the store brands." From the house brands at Aldi to Great Value products at Walmart, most stores have a private label that's more affordable than the name brands.

Like everyone else, I have a grocery budget that I need to stick to, something that feels tougher than ever in this era of ever-increasing prices. Naturally, I’m always looking to save a couple dollars on my always-lengthy grocery list. I find myself turning to store brands more often now than I have before, but I’m not willing to sacrifice quality to save a few cents on an ingredient that’s the star of the show in my recipe. I spent my days developing recipes and writing about ingredients, so it’s important to me that the private-label swaps taste as good as—or better than—the brand-name stuff.

If you’re used to buying well-known brands, the idea of replacing Barilla or Sargento with private-label dupes might feel like a downgrade. Could Aldi’s Savoritz Golden Round Crackers really live up to the real-deal Ritz? Yes, as it turns out! I’ve spent a lot of time figuring out which store-brand products are worth the swap.

The Store-Brand Products You Should Buy

Cooking Oil

While I might be willing to spend a bit more on fancy olive oils with nuanced flavor, when it comes to neutral oils like canola and vegetable oil, I’m going with the store brand every single time. Whether I’m frying, baking, or sautéing vegetables, generic canola or vegetable oil performs identically, and costs way less. I love Graza, but I'll skip the $14 "Frizzle" cooking oil in favor of a store brand every time. If an organic option is important, Whole Foods’ 365 Organic Canola Oil is a staple in my grocery cart and only $4.99 for a 16-ounce bottle.

Granulated Sugar 

While it’s true that granulated sugar can come from different sources (sugarcane or sugar beets), the two perform virtually identically in baked goods and other culinary applications. The two products are both pure sucrose. Though some people claim there are subtle nuances in their flavors. I have never noticed those nuances when baking private-label sugar into cookies or stirring it into tea, and Kroger’s Smart Way Granulated Sugar is as good to me as the cane sugar that costs nearly twice as much.

Cereal 

As a kid who grew up on store-brand cereal, I begrudgingly admit that my mom was right: It usually does taste about the same as the store brand. When I’m making crispy rice treats or pouring a bowl for breakfast, I tend to reach for Walmart’s Great Value Rice Crisps. Aldi’s Millville line also has a ton of dupes for name-brand cereals, including its popular Cinnamon Crunch Squares, which are great for both your budget and your breakfasts.

Garlic & Onion Powder

These two eminently affordable spices are workhorses in my kitchen. If I’m making a savory dish, you can bet I'll grab one (or both). Because I use so much granulated garlic and onion powder, I grab the store brand to save a few bucks. I frequently toss a couple of bottles of Walmart’s Great Value Garlic Powder and Onion Powder in my cart so I'm never without my most essential seasonings. Both are priced at $1.08 in my home base of Dallas, about one-third the price of McCormick garlic and onion powder, which are $3.46 and $3.86, respectively.

Frozen Vegetables

You will never be able to convince me that the vegetables inside a name-brand bag of frozen broccoli are not identical to their store-brand counterparts. I always keep a bag of Target’s Good & Gather Organic Steam-In-Bag Edamame in my freezer for nights when I need a zero-effort side dish to go along with a stir-fry dinner. It's $2.89 per bag, about half the price of the name-brand alternative.

Name-Brand Items Worth the Splurge

Heinz Ketchup 

For me, store-brand ketchup isn’t the same; it’s got to be Heinz every single time. There’s something about that exact blend of seasonings, salt, and sugar, and the way they balance out with the vinegar punch and tomato-y umami that makes it worth the extra cents. 

Kraft Mac & Cheese 

Sure, I’d like to save about 50% on the boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese I insist on keeping in my pantry for emergency dinners. But the generic version simply isn’t as good. The Kraft brand is noticeably cheesier and more flavorful than any of the store-brand options I’ve tried. It’s also creamier, and private labels can’t get that nuclear-orange color exactly right. In this case, the taste and visual cues feel equally important, and as such, I simply can’t switch. Fortunately, I save enough on store-brand purchases that I have the budget to splurge when it's important!