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This is an easy one for me….. it’s Hellmann’s mayonnaise hands down.
And while I never buy generic brands if I can help it, the occasional Covid shortages have forced me to embrace no name ketchup and the grocery store’s line of honey mustard when there’s no other choice. But mayonnaise? Nope. Never. Not happening. If I can’t have Hellmann’s I’ll do without. Truly, no other brand will do. And if you mention that ghastly creation from Kraft that purports to be miraculous? I will seriously have to contemplate unfriending you.
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So how about you…. what won’t you buy generic?
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Beer comes to mind. My father didn’t have much of a sense of taste and he decided that generic beer was “just as good” as name brand. It was easily the worst beer I’d ever drunk and I’ve had Bush beer…
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I’m so thankful Maine has the largest number of craft breweries in the country. Decades of Bud Light and Coors took their toll.
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They don’t make generic Pepsi. All the store brands try to copy off of Coke. Sam Choice cola is even closer to battery acid than Coca Cola…
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Generic sodas are the worst!
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I prefer Coke to Pepsi. It’s not as sweet and has a better carbonated bite. For all that, I’d like a Tahitian Treat, thank you.
I’m locked in a three way tie in the mayonnaise race, Hellman’s, Blue Plate and Duke’s. I can live with any of them, but certainly not generic.
After thinking hard while (slowly) typing this, I have found the answer: Oscar Mayer bologna. I’ll hit the deli case for some boar’s head if I want anything else, but not that. Store brand bologna? What, are you trying to kill me???
Good post, very thought provoking, thanks. Fried bologna (baloney) sammich for lunch today, mmmmmm.
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I’m team Coke but avoid bologna like the plague no matter the brand. Dukes mayo was big down south and would be my go to if Hellman’s didn’t exist.
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I was reading through this post again and made a terrible discovery. “Hellmann’s” is spelled with two n’s and I spelled it wrong. Then, horror of horrors, I saw that you had too. Oh, please, mighty gods of mayonnaise, don’t make us eat a spoonful of Miracle Whip for this. 😛
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Me, spell Hellmann’s incorrectly? I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about….nope. Never. Not me.
😙
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While I no longer eat bologna, you are correct. Oscar Mayer has a way with B O L O G N A.
When I was a kid, we called fried bologna “hats.” Good memories of hat sandwiches!
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I cut them in half and make bologna boats. Same as you, I ate them all the time as a kid.
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Heinz ketchup. It has the perfect combination of sweet and tangy. Plus, the thickness cannot be duplicated. EVERY other ketchup (or catsup) is inferior.
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While I’m not a huge ketchup fan, you’re right… Heinz is irreplaceable. I watched a fascinating show on its origin recently. The Foods That Built America is a weird but wonderful series.
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I like ketchup on frozen meatballs, and mixed with mayonnaise on French fries. I know how gross that sounds, but nothing is a more egregious crime against food than ketchup on a hot dog.
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Love that series!
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I dvr’ed it all and am making my way through. It’s no wonder people died young back in the day. Bleach in the milk, sawdust in the soup. Yikes!
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Pop. In some places, they call it soda. 🙂
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Cereal…I’ll never buy a generic brand. It’s Kellogg or Post, this is one thing I won’t buy store brand ever, even if it is less expensive. Mini Wheats, Frosted or plain Corn flakes just don’t taste the same. This goes for soda as well, no generic brands for me either.
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No name cola is carbonated sugar water. Yuck.
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Also when the name is Shasta.
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I remember that! Yuck.
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Let’s not forget Faygo. Every Juggalo on Earth can’t be wrong, maybe.
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Nope. Don’t know that one…
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Someone has to be the No Name Devil, so I guess it is me. I have not smoked anything in over 37 years, but after 16 years of heavy, and I do mesn HEAVY, smoking I have no taste buds left. Eveything tastes the same to me, tasteless. I eat because I know I have to, but it’s all just food. My partner, who never smoked, and has all her taste buds, cannot understand how I cannot taste anything. Since she was medically retired she took over all the household cooking, whereas I used to cook a lot. I think it’s because my cooking is bland, and she hates bland. But all things aside, NO NAME works for me, in everything that I eat!
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As awful as that is, I suppose it’s a good way to save money.
😉
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Save money? My government pension has not gone up in years. Every year I lose buying power. This year is especially bad.
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Generic is just a brand name with the store’s name! My Dad–manufactured children’s sportswear– sold the exact same snowsuits to Saks Fifth Ave that he sold to Klein’s–the former for $100 more because it had the Saks label!!!
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With clothes, yes. That can be true. But not food, you can taste the difference.
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Salsa. I will only buy Newman’s Medium Peach. Everything else is fair game.
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Not a fan of Newman’s in general but I’ve never tried the peach salsa.
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Spices. Generic spices are spiceless! Out here Hellmans is called Best Foods. Don’t know why …
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Really? How odd.
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Hardee’s is Carl’s Jr on the west coast.
We don’t have Wawa’s in the west!
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Why do they do this? Coke is Coke, no matter where you live.
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They buy major coastal chains, merge, and fill in the midwest.
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The one thing I didn’t know about Hellmans until my niece with soy allergies moved in with me is that it is the only mayonnaise that doesn’t use soy. So for her sake, that is what we buy. But other than that, to me it is just white fat stuff that you put in sandwiches to make them moist … my taste buds aren’t that refined …
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It’s Julia Child’s favorite. And what’s good enough for Julia….
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Coca-Cola, certain types of Mayo (no need to share names, I enjoy your friendship) and Coffee Creamer.
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The mayo that shall remain nameless. Gotcha.
👍
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Totally with you on this one. Best Foods is the same west of the Rockies, so that’ll do, too.
For me, Rice Krispies. Learned my lesson the hard way a few months ago.
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Now that’s a product I wouldn’t have thought would make a difference.
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It does. The snap, crackle, pop was more like a faint hiss.
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Popless krispies? Not good.
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Kinda defeats the whole purpose.
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I used to buy generic when I was younger, but now I buy geriatric.
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Is there a difference?
😉
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Cholula?
I know there are more but I’m blanking out.
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Hellmannnnnn’s is a definite (had to make sure I had enough Ns), Excedrin (any other product with the same exact ingredients and amount of such does NOT stop my headaches), Philadelphia Cream Cheese (other brands always taste too chemical-y to me), Kerrygold Spreadable Butter, Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (from the packet, where you add buttermilk and Hellmann’s and stir like crazy).
Coke and Sprite, natch, not Pepsi and Sierra Mist, though Sierra Mist isn’t exactly terrible. Pepsi is. Kellogg’s Club Crackers. (All others just don’t have the right crunch or hint of butter.) Oroweat Oatnut Bread. (I love bread in general, but this mess is perfect for sandwiches and toasts just right for breakfast. Not a fan of most plain white bread, and I haven’t been since I was a child.) Pop-Tarts. (I think I’ve made my affinity for such clear on my blog in numerous posts, a clear obsession. The other knock-off “toaster pastries” just don’t do it for me.)
You know, I could probably go on for a while, especially since I haven’t yet hit the alcohol category, but perhaps it’s best that I just wind things down and go see what’s in the pantry, because now I’m hungry… 😉
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Mm, I remember Kerrygold. Haven’t seen that for a while up here. Not enough Irish cows I suppose..
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