I only buy Hellman's Mayonaise. Kraft Mac and Cheese. Diet Coke. Lay's potato chips. Cambell's Soups. Barilla pasta. Tropicana juice. El Milagro tortilla chips. I don't really know why. It's not as if I have done taste tests or anything but I just always get these brands. What are you loyal to and why?
lilmomma
May 11, 2009 09:54AM
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Wine and Drinks, posted April 24, 2009
Heinz Ketchup, Hellman's mayo, Stouffers Mac and Cheese.
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I forgot Heinz.
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You know, Cooks Illustrated (the same people who bring you PBS's "Americas Test Kitchen") did a blind taste test of ketchups, including fructose sweetened and organic varieties of big brands like Heinz. They broke down the ketchups in a lab to determine pectin content (to determine viscosity... a watery ketchup is unappetizing), salt levels, and pH (They determined that a high acidity level is important, as is a higher salt and sugar content, and a high tomato content).
The winner....?
Hunts!
I know it sounds like blasphemy. But it's true. Heinz was ranked "Recommended with Reservations" for being bland and too sweet, though texture was praised.
Hunt's on the other hand was ranked high for an inviting, smooth texture, tangy fresh flavor and well balanced flavor profile.
Heinz Organic came in at #2
And the bottom-ranked one? Westbrae fruit sweetened ketchup (for being an overly sweet molasses and tomato train wreck.)
Mr Taster
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how ironic, because hunt's *tastes* sweeter than heinz, no matter what atk says.
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Yeah, it was strange, since a couple of years earlier, Heinz was the winner. Hunts tastes fine for a condiment, but Heinz IS ketchup.
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Where is the prior taste test for ketchup? I didn't find one, either on the CI website or by doing a google search.
I did, however, find this blind taste test that a newspaper set up in Heinz' hometown of Pittsburgh:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06267/...
Brand loyalty is a powerful thing!
Mr Taster
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It was around 1999-2000, I think. I remember the test because the editors wrote that they suspected Heinz won because the testers already have in their mind the Heinz as the benchmark. So of course, Heinz measured up to their ideal.
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But really, if I were to do a blind tasting of ketchup, I would have no idea what Heinz tasted like in relation to other ketchups... I would only know what tasted "right" and what tasted "wrong". But there's a whole flavor profile range of what would taste "right", and once that line is crossed, it would taste "wrong".
I'm addressing this simply because I feel it's always good to agitate complacent tastes and habits. How many things do we do, eat, experience in our lives not because we actively enjoy doing it, but simply because doing the same thing doesn't require any additional effort?
Truly, I'm much more comforted by the Heinz label than Hunts'. And it's also my impulse to reach for the white label. But I certainly wouldn't dismiss CI's findings out of hand without trying it out for myself.
Also, bear in mind that I'm not advocating one ketchup or the other. I haven't done the taste test myself. I'm simply presenting the information in order to agitate the complacent :)
Mr Taster
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i'm not stating a brand loyalty when i say that hunt's tastes sweeter than heinz. i rarely *buy* ketchup, as i don't use it very much.
and i hope you're not implying that brand loyalty is always born of "complacent tastes and habits" rather than of experience, and a decision about which product one prefers.
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Not always.
Mr Taster
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When I was living with my parents there were certain brands that mom was loyal too. Of course I never knew anything else so that was what I bought when I moved out. Good Golly, was that a mistake. I started branching out and found that NO, I really don't like Miracle Whip! I ended up with totally different brands of everything from peanut butter to cleaning solutions. I had to keep my mouth shut around her, and be careful not to complain when I went to her house. She thought I was a traitor because I had salad dressings that were not made by Kraft! LOL! And yes, it was an informed decision that made me turn away from her Hunt's ketchup and start using Heinz.
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this could almost qualify as a separate thread, what brands would you switch from if you had a choice (grew up and moved out, don't have to keep the spouse, parents, children happy, they sold the alternative in your area, etc)
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You're touching on a very powerful and controversial subject...
That is, did our tastes develop because of habit or by choice?
Certainly a great argument can be made for habit, because cultures around the world eat different foods, and human tastes develop based on a lifetime of experience rooted in what our culture presented (or didn't present) to us. In America, many of us (including me) were primarily presented with the big brands we know and trust... Heinz ketchup, Quaker Oats, Philadelphia cream cheese, etc. But the question rarely comes up... WHY do we trust them, love them?
The easy answer is "because I like it, so go away and don't bother me Mr Taster". But I'm fascinated by the question... WHY do we like certain things and not others?
Let's say hypothetically you grew up in a society that historically only provided potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your friends, family, your peers all eat potatoes 3 times a day. Potatoes are shared at celebrations, at funerals, standard mealtimes. Some of the people in that society might be naturally inclined to like potatoes more than others, but everybody eats them because, well, that's what the diet is.
I believe that if those VERY SAME people from Potato Society grew up in Carrot Land, you'd have virtually the identical situation... everyone would eat carrots-- they'd have a special place in people's hearts. They'd want the carrots their mom grew. But everyone would eat them, because that's what the diet is and that's what's available.
Applying my high school level application of the scientific method, this says to me that when you have a common thread among divergent situations, you're getting closer to the truth. The food itself is incidental to the argument, and that tastes are malleable, flexible-- according to what we become used to, what our parents introduced us to, what our friends ate, and what we discover on our own within the limited paradigm of what actually is available to us. (For example, in Taiwan a great char broiled steak is very hard to come by, just as a great stinky tofu is hard to find here)
Bear in mind that I am not saying that Chowhounds do not exist in the Potato Society, Carrot Land, Taiwan or America. What I am saying is that I believe personal taste is largely arbitrary, and that what one likes or doesn't like is more about attitude, personal outlook, and yes-- HABIT rather than a critical decision or some hard wired "I like it" / "I don't like it" response to a particular flavor/texture/smell/etc.
To argue otherwise would be to tie ethnicity directly with taste for food, which I find extremely hard to swallow (*Rim shot*)
How often do we actually challenge the notion that Philadelphia cream cheese, for example, is really the tastiest/best value/best for you/whatever your criteria for evaluating and buying cream cheese is? I'll tell you what I believe.... almost never.
How many of us eat something simply because we're used to it, or because we simply don't know a better/tastier/more appealing alternative exists?
I'm still blowing people's minds with steel cut oats. My stepdad, an decades-long avowed oatmeal hater, tried it reluctantly several years ago. His reaction: "This can't be oatmeal." Case in point. There are so many things in our society which people like, or think they like, or don't like based on the fact that they just aren't aware of what else is out there, or because they don't feel comfortable challenging their comfort zone.
Mr Taster
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you have a low opinion of people's ability to judge what they like and prefer, don't you?
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We only have the ability to choose from the limited set of choices presented to us at any given time in our lives.... first as kids (because our parents make the food-buying decisions for us) and later as adults as our tastes develop and grow.
At any given food-purchasing moment, we have a finite selection of foods to pick from, whether the choice is what's on the shelves of the local Megamart, or if we are choosing one of 5 lunch restaurants that's within a 10-minute walking radius of our workplace. Our choices are nearly always based on a selection of A, B or C... or 1, 2 or 3.... it's never realistically 1 - 9,999,999,999,999.
Imagine growing up in the suburbs and going apple shopping in a suburban supermarket. A mom is presented a choice of two different kinds of apples.... let's say Delicious and Mcintosh. She makes her apple buying decision for the family (and subsequently her kid's taste for apples is developed) based on those choices... i.e. the kid grows up associating sweet apples with Delicious, and sour with McIntosh. Let's say this suburban mom loved sour Mcintosh apples, but her kid tried them a few times hated them. For the kid's whole childhood he ate Delicious apples because he know that he intensely dislikes the other kind, the kind his mom liked.
Now let's move forward in time... the suburban kid grows up and only eats Delicious apples, because based on his experience "I don't like sour apples." That means out of 1) habit 2) lack of knowledge and 3) rebelling against his mom for making him eat sour apples, he has grown into an adult that thinks that all apples aside from Delicious are "unsafe" to eat (too sour, etc.). He instinctively gravitates towards Delicious apples, because that's what he knows, and quite frankly, he's got better things to do than worry about getting a bum apple. So he goes with what he knows. There's no crime in that.
Now imagine if this same kid had grown up on an apple orchard in the country... he grew up eating Fujis, Winesaps, Galas, Romes, Gravensteins, etc. His taste for apples would have developed entirely differently. With an entirely different set of circumstances forming his tastes, perceptions and habits, would the exact same person still come out of that apple orchard as a sour apple averse, Delicious-only-eating adult?
Again, I know many people love to reduce this question to "you either like it or you don't" but there are a really interesting, complex set of circumstances leading up to why people develop tastes for certain things and not others.
I really believe that culture (recognition of brand labels and peer influence), circumstance (the life events introducing you to specific foods), attitude (open mindedness) and- yes, habit, dictate our food preferences, not some inherent genetic blueprint that causes one person to like Mcintosh vs. Delicious, Hunts vs. Heinz, or stinky tofu vs. hamburgers.
True, it's all a matter of personal taste, but if what I've said is true, then our personal tastes are entirely arbitrary and given the right circumstances, people have the capacity to develop a taste for a lot more things than we give ourselves credit for.
Mr Taster
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To a certain extent what you say is true. If I ate mayonnaise "x" all my life, I am going to have a tendency to prefer mayonnaise "x". But what we find is that a certain number of people find they like mayonnaise "z" a whole lot better. The "z" people get on a website like chowhound and proclaim loud and long that "z" is a far superior mayonnaise. Eventually some of us are going to try mayonnaise "z" and decide it really does have a better flavor, or maybe we will decide that the "z" people need their tastebuds decertified. In any event we have a large enough taste base to encompass not only those who like mayo "x" with both their potatoes, and with their carrots, as well as those who have seen the light and changed to mayo '"z".
I know this is true because I think skippy is really good peanut butter. I used to think it was the ONLY peanut butter, then I came on chowhound and found that some people don't care about peanut butter, and others like other brands. After reading some of their comments I began to wonder, and one time when jif was on sale at the market i tried it. Lo and behold, I found that - for me - it did taste more like fresh peanuts. And I found that I liked that flavor. So now I buy jif, usually. Sometimes Skippy is on sale and I still like it, but I am now loyal to two brands.
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I have now stared a thread on switching product loyalties.
<http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6228...
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And then there is the question.... why did mayonnaise "x" get to become so popular in the first place? Is it truly a superior product (tastier, healthier, cheaper, etc.), or does it just benefit from generations of name/label recognition?
Quaker Oats is a great example. A couple of years ago they had a commercial where they were interviewing "regular people" and one of the Joe-the-plumber types said something like "Seriously, what other oatmeal is there?" I wanted to scream and throw something at the TV every time I heard that. Steel cut oats are such a superior product in terms of flavor and texture, but the vast majority of Americans don't even know what they are or that they even exist.
The typical person when entering the oatmeal aisle of the supermarket is going to be overwhelmed by a wall of the smiling blue Quaker oats man and grab one of 10 different kinds of the same product (old fashioned, quick cooking, etc.)
The supermarket **might** stock some Irish oats... tucked away in the bottom shelf way in the back will be an overpriced $8 tin.
So here's the problems:
1. For most people, Quaker rolled oats IS oatmeal
2. Supermarket might only stock Quaker/store brand rolled oats
3. Steel cut oats are way more expensive
4. Steel cut oats take way longer to cook (so for people that might overcome the intrinsic psychological/economic/marketing hurdles to actually pick up a tin with a foreign logo, they very well might be scared off by the 30 minute cooking time and put it back)
Ultimately, the very small percentage of people that overcome those substantial hurdles will experience a vastly superior product. Of course not all will like it. And some will overcook them into mush, because that's what they're used to eating anyway. But a small percentage will take the time to find out how to cook them right, and their worldview of oatmeal will be transformed (like my stepfather, an avowed oatmeal hater, whose story I outlined in another post on this thread)
*whew*. I'm exhausted just thinking about it. There's no way this could go mainstream without a major marketing push with serious bucks behind it.
Hmm... that begs another interesting hypothetical question...
What if Quaker branded their own line of steel cut oats?
I'd bet you that sales of steel cut oats would skyrocket. Admittedly, the long cooking time might render it incompatible with American lifestyles and render it financially unviable in the long term, but I would bet that having that smiling blue doofus on the package would probably increase overall steel cut oat sales by some insane percentage... not because American tastes have instantly changed overnight, but because people trust the logo.
There's something very "Push lever, get food pellet" about brand marketing and logo recognition that just doesn't sit well with me.
Of course some percentage of those new rash of Quaker steel cut oat sales would be mistakes ("honey... they filled the oatmeal box with rocks"), and some more adventurous types would try it because people trust the logo. It's as if that smiling Quaker gives people a little encouragement... "Go ahead, try it. Would this smile steer you wrong?" And then there would be those of us already familiar with steel cut oats, who would buy them just to see how they compare to the Irish oats the "oatmeal cognoscenti" have been enjoying for decades.
What do you think?
Mr Taster
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I would have to agree that branding is a factor that hugely underscores our choices. Look at all those people who preferred Hunt's ketchup in a taste test, but swore loyalty to Heinz. Like cutting off your nose to spite your face! In day to day life, I have witnessed variations on this "Heinz-craze". My husband is prejudiced against anything "organic" on penny-pinching principle alone and if he has seen the label, will pronounce the product bland and "healthy-tasting" (ie. smacking of bitter whole grains or lacking salt and sugar). Prejudices do trump tastebuds in many cases as our minds inform choices before the product hits the palate. So I guess I agree!
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Replying to my own post...
Looks like Quaker HAS in fact released their own version of steel cut oats (although the giant photograph shows a bowl of rolled oats) in a distinct blue package.
http://www.quakeroats.com/products/oa...
I'll have to take a look at the oatmeal section of the supermarket today to see if they stock it.
Mr Taster
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Follow up again....
My supermarket (Ralph's) does not, in fact, stock Quaker steel cut oats but they do stock McCann's Irish Oatmeal for an overpriced $8 a tin (compared to Trader Joe's $5, or $3 for the non-McCann's brand). And McCann's wasn't on the bottom shelf... it was next to the bottom :)
The point is that even with the oatmeal marketing behemoth that is Quaker, they're in no rush to inform people about it or make it as widely available at the local supermarket level.
Mr Taster
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The Quaker steel cuts are widely carried in my local Publixes. They showed up a couple years after the stores started carrying McCann's, Spouse is the oatmeal person in the house, and far prefers the McCann's Quick and Easy (5 minute) steel cut oats to the Quakers because they're a better trade off in terms of cooking time/flavor.
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I've seen those quick cooking McCann's at Trader Joe's and often wondered... how in the world can you quick cook steel cut oats? The whole point is that more of the fiber is there, and it takes longer for the water to boil through. They must process or parboil in some way.
Honestly, I really don't get why people think steel cut oats are such a chore.... it's 30 minutes of mostly unattended cooking time. You can make a gigantic batch because it reheats, freezes and thaws out like a dream. Pour oats in water, watch a TV show, and like magic you have breakfast for several days.
Mr Taster
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I used to be a die hard SKIPPY PB fan...until I tasted (just out of curiosity, and not for any health reasons) one of the "natural" brands, made with only ground peanuts and sometimes a little salt. After one taste, I just couldn't handle Skippy, Jif, or any of those hydrogenated, sugar added brands anymore. Suddenly, they tasted to me like flavored Crisco.
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damn straight, professor! A few years ago, I bought a jar of Smucker's natural and never looked back...thought my son (teen at the time) would reject it, but he loved it at first bite also. I'm not 100% brand loyal on this either...cost and availability are a factor but am willing to try new kinds.
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This correlates interestingly, to me, anyway, with the study out about the levels of high fructose corn syrup and mercury in popular foods. Hunt's was at the tip top of the list (if I recall. please, I gave birth twice in two years, don't quote me on anything. i can't even remember their birthdays)
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I remember seeing this episode and wondering who the people judging were and where they lived! I dont like hunts at all and even though I tend to like ATK's recomendations, I videmately disagree with this one....Heinz just tastes like America in the summer for me :-)
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I thought it was Del Monte that won.
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not in the episode I watched but it may have been a later/earlier episode? I don't really like del monte either!
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I love Hellmans mayo, but, when at a brger king I asked for some mayo to take out. I got some packets that say Heinz mayo. I remember Burger King advertising that they only used Hellmans, but that was in the 1970's. I have never seen Heinz in the store and haven't checked their website. this stuff tasted exactly like Hellmans to me.
Recently on Americas Test Kitchen they rated Hunt's over Heinz ketchup. Haven't tried it but definitely will.
Kraft Philly cream cheese.
Turkey Hill all Natural ice cream.
Maille dijon mustard.
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hunt's ketchup is sweet, imo. and not "sweeeee-eeet" in the slang way, either!
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Yes. Hunt's is too sweet, that's why I'm a Heinz girl. My only other strong brand loyalty when it comes to food is Diet Coke.
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See my comment above
The sugar content in Hunt's and Heinz is the same (4g per 17g serving size).
However, the difference is in the pH level.... Heinz is less acidic with a 3.84 pH versus Hunt's 3.82
By contrast, the bottom-ranked ketchups had the lowest acidity at 4.15 and 4.29 pH
Mr Taster
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Yeah, and Cook's Illustrated preferred a domestic dijon to Maille as well. This is one of the few times I've ever seen Hunt's rated over Heinz.
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But to be fair, they did rank both of them extremely highly... Maille also came in "Highly Recommended" (alongside #1 Grey Poupon and #3 Roland Extra Strong) with the only even slightly negative comment that Maille is slightly less hot than GP.
Mr Taster
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French's mustard, Heinz ketchup, Duke's mayo (southern), Green Mtn. Coffee, Diet Cokes, Lea and Perrins worcestershire sauce, Cabot Seriously Sharp cheddar cheese,
Kellogg and Kashi cereals, Sister Schubert's rolls, Niman Ranch prime dry aged beef, Blue Bell ice cream, Simply Orange OJ, Old Bay seasoning, HUBS peanuts, and I am sure many many more........
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I am actually not very loyal to many brands and will try the supermarket versions however Heinz, campbell's veg beef soup and illy coffee will not be substituted for
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what is Illy coffee?
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It's pretty good Italian coffee that's on the pricey end; one tin costs approx $13. You can find it at your local market.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Illy+coffee
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I love Illy, but interchange it with Lavazza, another ground Italian coffee or espresso in a vacuum can. Both seem cheapest at World Market... the Illy at least some number of dollars under the usual grocery store, and the Lavazza $6-8 for the espresso in the can, even the gold one (slightly premium). I think it's a little larger can than Illy ??? But both are wonderful and smooth. I like them better than all but one local-roasted I used to be able to get on the other side of the U.S.
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We brew Illy in pods here at home. I love the stuff. But I've had Lavazza out and love it, too. We are definitely on the same espresso page. I don't even need sugar or syrup when I drink my Illy.
Just curious--where on the other side of the U.S. did you find the local roast you loved?
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This one! Coffee Tree in Greenwich, CT (first one mentioned here, opened by a guy from Maxwell House)
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/10/nyregion/dining-out-coffee-bars-find-their-place-in-the-state.html
But if you go down there you've also gotta try Terra for dinner (Northern Italian, cozy upscale but casual place with its own pizza oven.
)http://www.shopgreenwichavenue.com/Pa...
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Thanks, Cinnamon! I very rarely get down to CT's "Gold Coast," but when I do, I will keep this in mind. I run with someone who spent years in FFD County, so I will ask him about these places. I appreciate the tips!
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I'll have to try it...thanks for the tip!
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I've tried others and no mayo beats Hellman's (Best Foods when we're in LA). Heinz ketchup is still the best, too.
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I agree only Hellmans mayo
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Cheerios. I can eat multiple versions of most other cereals, but Cheerios have to be Cheerios.
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Agreed! Nobody else gets the texture right. Especially with the Honey Nut variety.
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I tried the brand (whose name I've forgotten) from Whole Foods in desperation and was surprised to find how great those were. Subsequently bought Cheerios, which now taste like cheap wispy paper by comparison. (Although I did get a box of the Banana Nut Cheerios gratis with a delivery recently, and those are pretty wonderful.) But for the basics, now I'll always prefer that brand at Whole Foods. (But I wouldn't go conventional store-brand on Cheerio wannabes.)
Some of my top brand preferences are:
Diet Coke
In Mexico, Diet Pepsi
Heinz ketchup
Farmer John bacon/sausage
Meyenberg goat milk
Trader Joe's brand cinnamon, and organic peanut butter
Lindt Excellence chocolate
Kahlua liqueur
Starbucks espresso liqueur (distinct from Kahlua)
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I agree. I'll eat the store brand of any cereal except Cheerios!
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Jif peanut butter, Heinz ketchup, Hidden Valley for ranch dressing, Sabra for hummus, French's mustard, Barber's french onion dip, Milo's sweet tea
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Best Foods mayonnaise
Diet Coke
Mrs. Grass vegetable soup mix (for spinach dip) NO SUBSTITUTE
French's Worchestershire Sauce
Quaker Oatmeal
Skippy Peanut Butter
Hebrew National Hot Dogs
Duncan Hines Cake Mix
Jell-O Pudding mix (never instant)
Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Mix
Knudsen Cottage Cheese
Daisy Low Fat Sour Cream
Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Trader Joe's Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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Heinz Ketchup and Chili Sauce
Diet Coke & Coke Zero
Beaver Brand Deli Mustard
Nathan's natural casing hot dogs
Best Foods Mayo
Philadelphia Cream Cheese
CoffeeMate
Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies
Lea & Perrins Worecestershire
Newman's Own Oil & Vinegar Dressing
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Can I ask, how did Beaver deli mustard get into your lineup? I wonder if it's a regional thing.
Where I come from, which is to say from the shadow of New York City (sounds better than New Jersey), it's Guldens all the way.
The first time I had Beaver mustard was out here in LA. The gigantic seeds got stuck in my teeth, and I found it strangely sweet by comparison. Guildens definitely has a fine grain, a sour tang and not the slightest hint of sweetness.
Mr Taster
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President's Choice Decadent Chocolate Chips
Kellogg's All-Bran Flakes
Habitant Minestrone soup
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Crosse & Blackwell
TJ's Mayo, Ketchup, EVOO
Lea & Perrins
Gulden's spicy brown
Pastene Kitchen Ready
Green Mt. Gringo
Probably others I cannot think of right now....CRS syndrome, you know.
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None really. Honestly. Real mayo, don't care who's brand, kraft, not really, stouffers, not really, butter, what is on sale. I realistically can say I don't have any main brand. I do like Vernos Ginger ale since we had a thread on that and only buy that ginger ale. I do like Publix brand Caesar and balsamic dressing which I keep on hand, but usually make my own, and like Ore Ida fries, but if Publix made them I might get their brand but I do like Ore Idas curley fries.
That is about it. No faves really.
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Hellman's
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Hellman's mayo if I can't find Duke's
Diet Dr. Pepper
Lea and Perrins
Cabot extra sharp white cheddar
Kraft Mac and Cheese
Stouffer's Mac and Cheese
Cheerios
Sister Schubert's yeast rolls
Blue Bell ice cream
Mary B's frozen buttermilk biscuits
Eggland's Best eggs
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I've been thinking long and hard and couldn't come up with a single one! I tend to search for offers and buy any brands, although the only processed foods I get are cheddar cheese, baked beans, potato chips and ketchup for my boyfriend who doesn't give a flying fig about what brand they might be.
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Phillip's Crab
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martin's potato rolls and burger buns. great for pulled pork sandwiches!
https://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10052&catalogId=1&productId=372562
pepperidge farm bulk stuffing (in the bag) herb flavored, and mixed with real home-made cornbread at thanksgiving for the best dressing. http://www.pepperidgefarm.com/Product...
i only buy hellman's mayo, but don't turn up my nose at kraft <because it has really improved in the past few years>; duke's is just too "neutral" without any sugar at all, but mom prefers it -- especially for her savory salads, like the lesueur pea salad she makes with minced onions, chopped celery, chopped boiled egg and cubes of sharp cheddar cheese. there are variations, some with pimento, some using grated cheese, some with bacon...
stonyfield farm organic whole milk yogurt is so rich and creamy. the trader joe's organic whole milk yogurt is *very* similar.
and frozen food: spinach soufflé from stouffers. i could eat it every day, and am so happy it can be zapped in the microwave.
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Fage yogurt...love that stuff!
Boar's Head mustard.
As others have said, Lea & Perrins worcestershire and yes, the Stouffers mac & cheese is just so creamy and tangy and luscious. I usually try to make my own but hell, that stuff is delicious and I can't get mine to come near it, though I DO keep trying.
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Nabisco Premium saltines, regular, salted please. No other saltine compares.
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Duke's Mayo, although it used to be Blue Plate, but go with Hellmen's when my supply of Duke's runs out.
Diet Coke
Simply Orange Orange juice, or any of their juices
Lea & Perrins
Zapp's Potato chips
Heinz ketchup
French's yellow mustard
Zatarains crab boil
Zatarains Jambalaya mix
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simply apple is divine. i will not drink apple "juice" but for that one.
good apple cider is another matter....
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Heinz ketchup
Hellman's Mayo, unless I'm where I can get Duke's.
Plochman's mustard
Maille dijon mustard
Vernor's ginger ale
Lea & Perrin worcestershire
Barilla dried pasta
Philadelphia cream cheese
Jif Creamy
Alziari olive oil
Smucker's jellies / jams
Hodgson Mill flour and yeast
Bob's Red Mill semolina flour
Bush's baked beans
Snyder's of Hanover pretzels
Crisco and Crisco Oil
McCormick dried herbs/spices
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Kikkoman soysauce and Kadoya sesame oil
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I forgot Kikkoman! My wife thinks it's a food group. . .
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Muir Glenn tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste
Barilla pasta
Good Seasonings Italian dressing mix
Emil's frozen pizza
Pastene olive oil
Jif creamy peanut butter
La Yogurt yogurt
Roland or Maille mustard
Diet pepsi
Simply Orange orange juice
P.G. Tips Tea
Pastene canned beans
365 (whole foods) balsamic vinegar
Santarita's tortilla chips (big bag only $1.79)
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Muir Glen totally rocks! I could drink their ketchup from a paper cup.
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Me too...and I don't really like ketchup that much! I think it must be that it has real sugar and not HFCS. I have to keep Heinz in the house for the rest of my family. They just don't understand.
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Seems like a lot of us agree on many products! Here are my favorites:
Hellman's Mayo
Vlasic Pickles
Jif Creamy reduced fat peanut butter
Nabisco premium saltines
Mezzetta marinated olives
Heinz ketchup
Hunts canned tomato products
Ore Ida frozen potato products
Kraft Deluxe american cheese
Fritos corn chips
Powerade Sports drink
I am a coupon clipper, so I have tried other products for most of the above, or other brands/store brands, and once I did I decided that I would never do it again! Some things are worth the extra money.
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Hellman's mayo
vlasic pickles (gotta have that crunch!)
Jif peanut butter (forget the reduced fat, it just has more sugar)
nabisco saltines (sb's just dont't compare)
Heinz's ketchup
muir glen tomatoes (all varieties)
rienza canned beans
kraft mac and cheese (when i must)
GG frozen veggies (when i must)
Smartlife meat replacements (when i have the craving
Fage greek yogurt (chobani sucks in comparison)
Barilla whole wheat pasta
Amy's soups/chilis
Kashi cereals
Tropicana OJ
Farmer's cow milk and eggs (local)
Breyer's ice cream
Coke products
yeah apparently i'm pretty loyal to certain brands.....
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Vlasic? really?
I used to be a Vlasic fan, but not in many years.
Have you tried Claussens? Fresher, brighter flavor and much crunchier in my opinion!
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There's more discussion about pickles further down. I had forgotten about Claussens when I made my list and put Vlasic in. I actually like both, but they are so different. Vlasic has more variety, and I like the sandwich toppers, or whatever, but then Claussens sit right beside them in the fridge because sometimes only a claussen hits the spot!
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claussen's has the sandwich "slices" now - 'cause they're in my fridge: crunchy, dilly-icious!
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Oh yeah re the Kraft Mac 'n Cheese. And it has to be the kind in the box with the powdered orange stuff that passes for cheese. Not into any other pasta shapes, sizes, preparations, other cheeses, etc., not even any other Kraft varieties of it. If I want a cheesy pasta dish I'll use some other kind of pasta and fancy cheese with other ingredients, etc., but I don't really like any macaroni and cheese except for Kraft's - they just taste like... something else... and I still haven't gotten my mac-n-cheese. It's a HUGE brand preference. I don't eat it often.
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I’ve been loyal to Coca-Cola for years. (I will occasionally buy RC Cola for something different.)
Other brands are:
Gibble’s – for plain potato chips
Martin’s for BBQ potato chips
Dawn for washing dishes
Devoutly loyal to Kunzler bacon – better by far than any big commercial brand
Mt. Olive pickles
Kool-Aid – original flavors only
Crest toothpaste
I loyally avoid any product with phenolketoneurics, and I always buy locally grown/made produce and bread when available.
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cuccubear, i'm with you on the great quality of kunzler bacon. and mt. olive pickles populate my pantry and fridge, along with claussen's, vlasic, and b&g pickles.
dawn is a destroyer of my hands, though.
ps, where's your bear? is it now a gummy bear?
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My brand loyalty for dish detergent is to original formula green Palmolive in the geeky 70's looking bottle, precisely because it still looks and smells the same as it did when I first set up housekeeping.
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Forgot about Claussens! Love their Dill pickles, but Vlasic is great for the zesty dills strips and the sandwich toppers, or whatever they are called.
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Yep...I don't buy pickles anymore to keep in the fridge due to sodium...but Claussens are the best, hands down, for store-bought especially if you don't have a nice kosher deli nearby from which to purchase them...which we don't here in SWFL. <sigh>
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Claussens are not too shabby. I get the ones in the dairy aisle. Cold, Not bad. I use them on my sandwiches and on a burger now and then.
My friend made this BBQ burger, The meat had grated cheese, onion and BBQ in the meat and then topped with spicy sauteed peppers pepper,a mix of jalapenos, cubanellos and red pepper, sliced pickles and sliced tomatoes with lettuce. A aioli and dijon mustard.
Pickles made the burger. IT was amazing!! Without the pickles, iit wouldn't of been the same.
Since the burger I always keep pickles in the fridge.
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hey val, publix has recently had the ba-ta-mpte (sp?) pickles -- the half-sours were interesting. they were on an end-cap for and after passover -- even as recently as two weeks ago. i wanted to try their garlic dills. here's a photo: https://www.allinkosher.com/p-32079-b...
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mmmmm...thanks, sounds very good. Sounds like they are NOT refrigerated like the Claussen, correct?
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Sorry for the delayed response, just got back from Rehoboth and didn't take a laptop.
As for the avatar, just thought I'd change things up a bit. Gummi's are probably a little more "cuccy" than that ferocious monster, lol.
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sorta crummy weather for your trip, huh? ;-(.
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Rained all day Sunday, but the town was deserted and had great lunch at Pig + Fish. Otherwise weather was fine.
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excellent! pig and fish? tell us about it. bbq and fresh atlantic fish?
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Super meal, (probably the best burger I’ve had in years) and great service. Their Doghead beer was delicious too. Friendly atmosphere and very clean. Here’s their website. I highly recommend this place!
http://www.thepigandfish.com/
ed. 13:02 - I'm planning to divulge my complete findings on the appropriate Rehoboth board...
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nice to know the place. the name sounds like a shack kind of place. the menu (and prices) belie that....
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re: my edit above. It did sound like a joint, but as soon as we walked in, we knew it would be nice.
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Wow. This thread made me realize that I don't regularly use many brands at all. Most of the food I buy is fresh--vegetables and fruits with no brands on them. I don't drink soda, except for an occasional ginger beer. I buy my bread from a bakery stand at the market. I make my own soups, mayonnaise, mac & cheese, salad dressing, jams, pasta sauces, and cakes/cookies. I try to buy small farmers' English cheeses.
Having said that, when I buy brands I often buy:
DeCecco pasta
Heinz Ketchup
Maille dijon mustard
Meridien Organics peanut butter
Twinings chai tea
Squid fish sauce
Marigold buillon powder
Waitrose (UK): canned sardines, milk/eggs, pretzels, beans.
Seasoned Pioneers spices
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Kagey, how do you find the time to make your own mayo, jams, cakes and cookies...Mad respect my friend :-)
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this thread reminded me of something I have learned the wrong, and hard way. Never EVER purchase "generic" or store brand saltines or graham crackers. Nabisco for sure.
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So true! I always buy Nabisco grahams, but today the only cinnamon ones they had were low-fat. No thank you. So I figured I would just buy Keebler. NOPE. They don't even taste right! UGH! Nabisco Honey Grahams are where it's at, period.
It's definitely interesting (and kind of cool) that so many of us prefer the same brands.
Other brand loyalties:
DeCecco capellini; Barilla for all other shapes
Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar (I also prefer their butter)
Coca-Cola (accept no substitutes--I can correctly identify it vs. RC and Pepsi!)
Birds-Eye Steamfresh frozen peas (and corn)
Heinz ketchup
Hellman's mayo (though I now want to try Duke's)
Penzey's extracts and spices
Duncan Hines cake mix (butter recipe golden and French vanilla)
Simply Smart OR Over the Moon 1milk (whichever's on sale and/or we have a coupon)
Illy espresso
Munchos--there is nothing else on our planet even LIKE Munchos except Munchos!
Multi-Grain Cheerios and Kix
Stew Leonard's pomegranate juice blend
Tostitos tortilla scoops (handy shapes to stuff with taco meat and cheese) or lime chips
Bahlsen Choco Liebniz (in a league far above Lu's Little Schoolboy)
Noble ruby red grapefruit juice
And as to why--over time, I've discovered these items taste better than the products of their competitors. Some of it is sentimental attachment (Duncan Hines). It's not that I don't bake from scratch, but I've yet to bake either of the kinds I've mentioned from scratch...and they are delicious ties to happy memories. And I do believe Duncan Hines is far superior to Betty Crocker or any other box cake brand. We always made our own frosting, though, and couldn't fathom buying a can. Everybody draws a line somewhere, right? HA HA!
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also, never purchase generic vanilla wafers.
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Due to many many financially lean years, I've gotten used to generic or store brands for a lot of products. The first name brands I use that popped into my head were Hellman's mayo, Heinz ketchup and Jiff Extra Crunchy. Since there are so many things I'm not particular about, I got up and perused the fridge and pantry and realized I have more brand loyalty than I thought. I'm sure there must be more, they just aren't in the house right now. My list:
Dorito's Nacho chips
Smucker's
Wishbone Robusto Italian
Hidden Valley powdered dressing
Velvetta
Arnie's Sourdough bread
8 'o Clock Columbian whole beans
Nabisco Wheat Thins
Maruchan Raman
Cambell's for certain soups like Tomato and Bean and Bacon
Kraft Deluxe american cheese
Cherrios and Wheaties
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Generics other than Kikkoman, Jim beam, Squid or that ugly baby, Maseca, and Nishiki ,Koda Brothers, or CalRose.
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Hey I totally agree with kikkoman and beam, the others ... not me. but yep. And I admit I forgot this one Yoplait Vanilla Bean Custard Yogurt. Better than the rest, but otherwise I eat yogurt a lot but that one is always yoplait.
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Temp-tee whipped cream cheese. Think this is an east coast thing. Philadelphia doesn't hold a candle!
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oooh I do love temp-tee whipped cream cheese....
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Heinz Ketchup (mom tried to convince me otherwise when I was around 12, no way)
Best Foods Mayo
French's for yellow mustard
Guilden's for Brown Mustard (but I'm open to suggestions)
Lea & Perrins (there's another brand?)
Tabasco (I have others, but I always have tabasco in the house)
Green Giant niblets corn (yes the canned kind)
Dole or Del Monte Pineapple (prefer Dole)
VanDeCamp's Pork & Beans
Dennison Canned Chili
Jif Peanut Butter (converted from Skippy's about a year ago, chunky please)
Welches Concord Grape Jelly (Smuckers in a pinch)
Coke (once I start drinking it again)
Morton's Salt
SPAM (the one and only)
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Kikkoman Soy Sauce
Heinz Ketchup
Skippy Super Chunk Peanut Butter - I hate smooth peanut butter
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
A1 Steak Sauce - I love, love, love this stuff
Better Than Bouillion - both chicken base and vegetable base
Vlasic Pickles
Tabasco
Kellogg's cereals - I'll eat almost any of their cereals and no one else's
Reynolds alumnium foil
I agree with Kaimukiman - gotta put SPAM on the list.. my DH hates the stuff and doesn't even like me saying the word, so just for him.. SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM! :)
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My top ten I'm loyal to:
Oreo cookies
Oreo cookies
Oreo cookies
Oreo cookies
Oreo cookies
Oreo cookies
Oreo cookies
Oreo cookies
Oreo cookies
Oreo cookies
Oh. And Dan-T's Inferno Raspberry Chipotle sauce. Good stuff! Yes. Even on Oreo cookies.
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With the economic downturn, I've been forced to economize. Although I much prefer Heinz, I found that President's Choice is not a bad substitute. Similarly, when Diet Coke is on sale, that's what I buy, but I've found Shoppers Life Brand diet cola acceptable. (Diet Pepsi? I'd rather drink water.)
But the one thing that I am totally and completely brand loyal to is HP Sauce. I've heard there are other brown sauces, and I was even given some at some Scottish B&B's, but HP is head and shoulders above the rest. A1? Feh. Heinz 57? Double secret feh. HP is the real deal!
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I used to only buy Hellman's because to me, the slogan "Heinz is what ketchup tastes like", applies to Hellman's being what mayonaise tastes like. Until I had Admiration brand mayonaise. I was at a food cart and tasted it on a sandwich. I didn't know what it was, but it tasted so much better than any mayonaise I've had including Hellman's. I asked the brand. Admiration is in Englewood, N.J. and is known for their salad dressings, mayo, mustards, and other products. Not available in supermarkets. You can find this brand at some Restaurant Depots and other food warehouses. This mayonaise is also used at 5 Guys. At least the ones I've eaten at in New Jersey.
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do you think the admiration brand is the one in most restaurants? isn't it pretty thick compared with hellman's -- a good bit stiffer? a 4 gallon tub of admiration's "extra heavy" mayo could last me a very, very, very long time. but....for $20.99! ;-). http://www.webstaurantstore.com/admiration-real-extra-heavy-mayonnaise-4-gallon-bulk-tub/125MAYOBULK.html
look at this innovation from admiration: z trim mayo (reduced fat, but with natural fiber for bulk) http://www.redorbit.com/news/business...
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4 gallons of mayonnaise? That would take like 2 or 3 years to use up. Even I don't keep mayo in the fridge that long.
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I know that some restaurants use Admiration mayonaise. One restaurant owner in particular says that she gets compliments all the time about the mayonaise. 4 gallons is a bit much, but I did find one place that sells this brand in a half gallon container. The place is Karis, owned by Best Provisions on Avon and Jeliff in Newark.
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Admiration may be a little thicker than Hellman's, but it may be hard to notice. I wouldn't neccesarily use the term heavy, as it may be a turnoff to some. But if you could get Admiration mayonaise in a small jar, you would never go back to Hellman's again.
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as i said here (or another thread?) there is a restaurant mayo i like quite a lot -- perhaps it *is* admiration. next time, i'll ask.
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other than alcoholic beverages, i have to say i really don't have all that much brand loyalty -- or perhaps it's better to say i have a range of brand loyalty. it's more about availability and price. i do like and often purchase:
santa barbara brand fresh salsa
marukan rice wine vinegar
kadoya toasted sesame oil
kedem canned chickpeas
health valley amaranth flakes cereal
arrowhead mills tahini
... but that's in huge part because they are readily available. i've had excellent products made by other producers; they're just harder to find where i am.
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Kraft Deluxe Mac & Cheese
Oscar Meyer Bacon
Ballpark Hot Dogs
Hellmen's Mayo
Edy's Ice Cream
Chef Boyardee Spaghetti & Meatballs (What?? The cans are convenient for lunch.)
Campbell's Spaghetti O's (See above)
Simply Grapefruit Grapefruit Juice
Pepsi
Dr. Pepper
Rold Gold Pretzels (Whatever happened to Mr. Salty?)
Krakus Ham
Contadina Tomato Paste
Hunt's Tomato Sauce
Campbell's Tomato Juice
V8
Kikkoman Teriyaki and Soy Sauces
Spam
Old Style
Sorry - Editing to say "Why". Because we've tried other brands, we like these the best, we always stock up when they're on sale, and they just are our favorites. Perhaps it's having grown up with them - I don't know.
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Best Foods/Hellman's mayo
Breyer's Vanilla Bean ice cream
De Cecco pasta
Volvic water
Laura Scudder's Natural peanut butter
Penzey's spices
Martinelli's apple juice
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forgot one: Broguiere milk.
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miracle whip
naturally fresh ranch dressing
any type of greenwise meats
greenwise soymilk
pepsi
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Mess, have you tried the greenwise (I'm assuming you are talking about Publix Greenwise) Blue Corn Chips? They are really awesome! I'm becoming brand-loyal to them!
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Hellman's Mayonnaise
Heinz ketchup
gulden's spicy brown mustard
caffeine free diet pepsi
nathan's hot dogs
Bumble Bee solid white tuna
Philadelphia cream cheese
Cheerios
Ore Ida Tater Tots
Skippy Extra Crunchy peanut butter
Smucker's preserves
Schwepps ginger ale
Ronzoni or Barilla pasta
Tropicana OJ with calcium
Helluva Good Extra Sharp Cheddar
Rosemary and Olive Oil Triscuits
Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk
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ore-ida over mccain's frozen seasoned curly fries -- by a longshot!!!
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Ore-Ida tater tots and crinkle-fries
Gulden's Spicy brown mustard
La Tourangelle Sesame oil
JIF!!
Best Foods Mayo
Heinz Organic (orgasmic...) Ketchup
Ghirardelli Semi sweet chips
KING ARTHUR FLOUR!!!
Better than Bouillon chix base and beef base
Albers corn meal
Dawn dish liquid
Fritos
Daisy Sour cream
Lipton's onion soup mix
Nathan's Hot Dogs (or Kaspers or Caspars here in CA....
Bakers unsweetened chocolate
Hersheys cocoa
Will probably think of more... adam
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adamshoe, should they market it as heinz orgasmic ketchup, do you think?
~~~~~
hmmmm, probably not.
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Embarassing: all of my brand loyalty is consecrated to Lay's potato chips. I will cheat on all of my preferences for budgetary/locale reasons (can't drag my butt to Vons, etc.). But only Lay's will do. But I will only buy soy sauces made in Japan. The Korean and Chinese version just do not cut it. at all. Actually I have a lot of country loyalty versus brand. Perhaps that doesn't even make sense.
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That makes all sorts of sense.
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365 organics frozen veggies, berries, barbecue sauce.
Simply Organic dried herbs
Horizon milk and cheeses.
Muir Glen ketchup
Grey Poupon dijon
Cholula hot sauce
Rao's pasta sauces.
I'm loyal to 365 and Horizon and Muir Glen because they're organic and they are the most prominent brands in WFM.
I'm loyal to Rao's because the pasta sauces are brewed by God himself!
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Armstrong cheddar cheese
Sapporo Ichiban instant ramen
Kikkoman (for table soy)
Hellman's mayonaise
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Gotta be Lucini Italia (http://www.lucini.com). Love them! Their hand-picked, heirloom Tuscan Plum tomatoes from Bolgheri, Italy (in BPA free GLASS jars, no less) are absolutely vibrant and will raise the profile of just about any dish. And I am over the moon about their new infused olive oils. These use pure essential oils for their flavour (rather than synthetics or chopped up bits of stuff that'll surely go rancid...) -- drizzle the Tuscan Basil one over a tomato salad and I am set!
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Ooh - and Newman's Own Prunes. These things are soooo good!! I treat myself to a few each night before tucking in. They are gooey, chewy, and not too prune-ish at all. Kind of taste molasses-y, really. They've made them almost good enough that you want to eat the whole bag...almost (fortunately!). The only thing that bugs me is that the little hole used to hang the sachets in the grocery store is invariably punched BELOW the zip-lock resealing thing, letting air in. Boo.
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I always get Bull's Head sa cha sauce( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shacha_s... ) not really because of any loyalty to the brand, but just because all the others taste bad.
My mom has been trying to get everyone in the family to switch to a different brand because the owners of Bull's Head are mainland sympathizers or something, but all the imitation brands are horrible. Usually overly sweet with a pasty consistency.
For hot pots, nothing beats Bull's Head with some chopped green onions, minced raw garlic, and a raw egg yolk. :D
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Land O Lakes Butter. I was more brand loyal before we got a Trader Joe's!
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Kerrygold butter
Crosse & Blackwell Major Grey's mango chutney
Kraft american cheese
Kraft mac 'n cheese
Claussen pickles
Tropicana OJ
Brown Cow yogurt
Diet Pepsi
Campbell's tomato soup
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It occurred to me following along this thread that it would have been interesting for the posters to identify where they were located (even in the most general terms as in country or region of same) since some of these brand names are unknown to me as I would expect they are to others. (I'm in NYC now but have lived in the Bay Area and upstate NY and grew up in Ontario province. Nabisco Premium Saltines all the way, baby, every location. Perished for the lack of them in Taipei, in the 80's although there were other compensations of course.)
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I am the op and I am from Chicago!
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I too like Heinz ketchup, Frenches Mustard andHelman's mayo. Other favorites include Newman's own cesar dressing, Coke Zero, dececco pasta is the best around, simply orange oj, splenda, tostitos scoops for parties and philadelphia brand cream cheese. As for why, they taste the best and I like knowing that I am getting a consistently good product. My non-food items include, Palmer's coco butter, dove original scent deoderant, Pears soap, shaklee cleaning and face products and Lorac for eyeshadow...I also love viva paper towels and will "stock up" when they are on sale!
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hey there bythebayov! i used to love, love, love the newman's own creamy caesar, for salad and for dipping carrots! then, one day i tasted it, and it just seemed waaaaay too salty. i haven't bought it since! maybe my taste buds changed -- or they changed. who knows, but it just is too salty for me anymore.
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the only paper towels to me are viva.
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they are so soft (and expensive), but they hardly ever go on sale! ;-((.
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I know! I get them at target. My SO thinks the Costco brand is "just fine" but my heard belongs to Viva. It really is the only thing that I wont buy another brand. I could care less about laundry detergent etc.
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they are the best and to me, nothing else compares...like cloth, but not! My grandmother refers to all papertowels as "vivas" as in "grab a viva"...think I may be turning into her!
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The only paper towers (and toilet paper) we buy are Trader Joe's... believe me, we're reminded how we're doing our part for the environment every single time we use them :/
Mr Taster
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just bought a hybred :-) Hope this counteracts my viva use!
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