This Post, However, Is Quite Generic

A couple of days ago I made Pioneer Woman’s Chex Mix, and when I got to the part where you add the Worcestershire sauce to the butter, I had a flashback to 1998 when I went to a grocery store in Louisiana with my sister-in-law, Rose.

Rose is a fabulous cook, and she had a big ole grocery list of stuff she needed. We decided to divide and conquer the list, and one of the things I was in charge of finding was the Worcestershire sauce. Once I’d managed to locate everything, I made my way back to Rose and dropped the items in the cart.

She took one look at that Worcestershire sauce and said, “Ooooh – I can’t use that.”

I double-checked the bottle to make sure I hadn’t grabbed steak sauce or some other such nonsense, but sure enough, it was Worcestershire. So I said, “What’s wrong with it? Did I get the wrong size bottle?”

“Oh, no,” she replied, “the size is fine – but I can’t use French’s. I only use Lea & Perrins.”

I was completely fascinated. At that point, as a newlywed of less than a year, I hadn’t really been cooking long enough to have favorite brands (with the exception of Hamburger Helper, of course). So the whole notion that my sister-in-law had noticed a difference in Worcestershire sauces and then also had a preference?

FANCY.

However, now that I’ve been cooking for awhile (truth be told, after 12 years of marriage, some days it feels like I’ve been cooking FOR A SWEET FOREVER, AMEN), I definitely have favorite brands. I mostly buy whatever the store brand is, but when it comes to certain products, I am fiercely loyal.

Here’s my Fiercely Loyal list:

1) Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce (Rose taught me well)
2) JIF peanut butter
3) Blue Plate mayonnaise (I know. I’m a Southern girl and supposed to prefer Hellman’s. But I LURVE Blue Plate.)
4) White Lily flour
5) White Lily cornmeal mix
6) Maxwell House coffee
7) Campbell’s soups
8) Diet Coke
9) Hidden Valley Ranch dressing packets
10) Heinz ketchup

I think the only way I’d deviate from these brands is if I could get a competing brand for free. But even then I’d have to wave at these products – and maybe even whisper a bittersweet “I miss you” – as I passed them by in the grocery store.

What about you? What are your favorites? Or am I the only weirdo who has favorites?

(Please don’t tell me if I’m the only weirdo.)

(I find great comfort in my illusions of normalcy.)

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Comments

  1. It was a sad day the day that Hubby came back from the store with Hunt’s ketchup. *Shudders.* It will always be Heinz for me.

  2. 1. Green Giant Corn Niblets in can
    2. Land o’ Lakes Butter
    3. Domino Powdered sugar
    4. Philidelphia cream cheese
    5. Hellmans
    6. Tetley British Blend Tea Bags (makes AWESOME iced tea!)
    7. A1 Steak Sauce
    8. Claussen Relish (in the refrig. section – nothing compares – so fresh!)

  3. no one will believe me, but great value honey nut cheerios are crunchier and yummier than the real ones. they don’t get soggy as fast. and $1.98 a box almost all the time. try it!

  4. Q-Tips, Heinz ketchup, Nestle Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips, Tropicana GROVESTAND OJ. (Only in our house, we call it “Sea Monkey” OJ, because of the little floating pulp thingies.)

  5. Oh Boo Mama-
    You’ve made my day! I have forwarded your post to my husband who is a Sr. Manager for HJ Heinz USA (and he thought all my blog surfing is a waste of time!).
    His plant makes your precious Lea & Perrins as well as most of the ketchup sold in the free world. You should see my pantry!
    Thanks for posting…and I’ll be praying for the Hunt’s ketchup preference people. :)

  6. I really enjoy your blog! This is a fun post. I usually buy name brand products, mainly so they will taste the same to my finicky eaters!ha! I always feel guilty buying Heinz ketchup, I will try Hunts next time. I like Bounty towels and Charmin Basic tp. We used to like Peter Pan Pb before it was taken off the shelves. Now we use reduced fat Skippy. Have a great day all!

  7. Husband only allows Heinz ketchup to pass his lips, but nearly gave that up when a certain someone who is privy to that fortune nearly got to live in the White House.

    I, on the other hand, must have Hidden Valley Ranch. The real ranch.

    Other than that, we’re not really brand loyalists. True, some of it is better than others, but I’ve found that if you obsess over everything, it wears you out far too early in the day.

  8. Hidden Valley Ranch packets are the only way to do ranch dressing. Fo sho.

  9. JustBetty says:

    Food Smood. Don’t really care.
    But don’t even *think* about bringing an off-brand Q-Tip into my home!

  10. Desiree says:

    My mom was a total brand shopper and when I got married we would at least try some store brands and a few I’ve found to stick with are:

    *Kraft Macaroni and cheese
    *Newman’s Own spaghetti sauce
    *Any good orange juice – Minute Maid, Dole, Tropicana(no store brands of any kind)
    *Green Giant canned veggies
    *Green Giant or Birdseye frozen veggies
    *Kraft Miracle Whip
    *Betty Crocker cake mixes
    *Betty Crocker pancake mix
    *C & H sugar
    *Pillsbury flour
    *Coke (for my hubby – no others will do)
    Non-food items
    *Q-tips
    *Colgate gel toothpaste
    *Downy
    *Sunlight dishwasher detergent (I’ve found all others leave a white scum)

    I have recently been alerted to checking to see where everything is processed first. I don’t want to support a company that sends their product to another country for processing because there are too many jobs that are being taken away from us Americans.

  11. I am with you on the Blue Plate Mayo. I can’t find it here in Nashville so I buy it at the Wal-Marts in Mississippi when I am home seeing my mama and bring it back. I will eat Hellemans and I love me some Dukes to cook with.

  12. Can not live w/out Blue Plate Mayo. My parents have brought it to me as needed fron MS while I lived in OK and now in TX.

  13. The cost of buying only certain brands: a few dollars at the grocery store

    The full enjoyment of my food: Priceless!

    Here are some of our faves:

    *Heinz Ketchup
    *Mrs. Bairds Bread and buns
    *Quaker Simple Harvest Granola Bars
    *Dr. Pepper
    *Challenge butter (It has no hormones.)
    *Colgate Total toothpaste
    *Adams vanilla extract
    *Blue Bell ice cream
    *Betty Crocker muffin and cake mixes
    *El Milagro tortilla chips (the closest to restaurant chips I’ve ever eaten)
    *Eggslands Best eggs
    *Ghirardelli chocolate chips
    *Hormel Natural Choice lunch meat
    *Fisher Boy fish sticks for my daughter

  14. Our lists are very similar, though I am a Hellman’s girl (Best Foods out here) but child, do you still use White Lily?? Do y’all have the REAL kind still????

  15. A true Southern girl here…

    Hellmans or I’ll just do without, thankyouverymuch

    Community Coffee, dark roast–the BEST

  16. Wow!! My list is the exact same as yours except—Kraft Real Mayo!!!

    I would add:
    French’s yellow mustard
    Coffeemate Creamers
    Daisy sour cream
    Lipton Tea bags—if I am making the sweet tea–REAL sugar—if not Milo’s Splenda tea
    Kraft Jet-puffed marshmallows
    McKenzies baby limas frozen in a bag
    Leseur Early Peas–silver can!!!
    Quaker Oats
    Crest
    Q-tips Brand

  17. April Z says:

    I usually buy the store brands, too, but I actually had to have a chat with my husband tonight not buying generic hotdogs. I’ve come to realize that FunDog Franks are disgusting and no child should have to eat them. I also like to buy the Taco Bell taco seasoning.

  18. No, your suppose to use BAMA Mayo. I was so upset when we went on vacation to find that they only sold it in BAMA.

    I have tried all brands of Mayo and it is THE BEST!

  19. Over 100 comments? My WORD you know how to fire up some passion, woman. Are you even still reading? :)

    Jif. Amen.
    Diet Coke. For the love of all holiness, YES.
    Maxwell House? Someone needs to fancy up your coffee, sister!

    And yes, Blue Bell ice cream is truly the only ice cream worth the eating.

  20. I am with you!

    ~Jif Peanut Butter
    ~Angel Soft Toilet Paper
    ~Walmart brand paper towels
    ~Huggies Diapers and wipes
    ~Tropicana or Minute Maid OJ (Low Acid)
    ~Kraft cheese (I tried to branch out, but I do agree with one other commenter – Sargento cheese is gross!)
    ~Kashi granola bars
    ~Honey Nut Cheerios (no substitute will do)
    ~Q-tips
    ~Philadelphia Cream Cheese (unless it is one minor ingredient in a dish – then I may substitute)
    ~ Nature’s Own Whole Wheat Bread
    ~ Progresso Soup

    You are not alone BooMama!

  21. Skippy peanut butter. (not available everywhere)
    Hellman’s LIGHT mayo. (called Best Foods west of the Rockies)
    Q-Tips. Any other kind is just awful.
    Tide.
    Downy, the original kind.
    Quaker Oat Squares and Quaker Honey O’s.
    Cheerios!
    King Arthur flour, unbleached

    But otherwise I buy HEB’s store brand for just about everything else. God bless HEB and all their taste testers.

  22. Seriously so funny! When I was a new bride…all those years ago…I thought I was being all Proverbs 31 and going to the marketplace and finding a good deal on ketchup. I bought the store which shall remain nameless’ brand and my husband wouldn’t touch it. WOULD NOT TOUCH IT. So I endured some of it and realized that you really can tell a difference.

    It’s been Heinz ever since.

  23. I have favorites too…Heinz ketchup is the only way to go. And I do prefer Kraft Real Mayo. I’ve tried to find your flour here in Texas, but it eludes me. Any suggestions?

  24. Boomama, you sure can pick the topics that get your inter”peeps” going!!

    I buy Kroger brand on several things but not these:

    Pepsi
    Diet Coke
    Sierra Mist
    JIF peanut butter ( Although, when cooking, I buy Peter Pan…..JIF makes my No-Bake Cookies too thin.)
    Hershey’s Syrup
    Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
    Miracle Whip
    Kahn’s Hot Dogs
    Snyder’s Potato Chips
    Starkist Tuna
    Keebler Town House crackers
    Oreos
    Dawn dishwashing soap
    Dial soap
    Cascade dishwashing soap
    Breyer’s Vanilla Ice cream (I’m going to have to go to Texas and try this Blue Belle brand you all love.)
    Hunt’s ketchup…..political reason’s, too
    Scott TP
    Bounty PT

    Gee, I’m pickier than I thought :)

  25. White Lily flour…which you cannot purchase in AZ, so my aunt used to mail it to me. Duke’s mayo, which again, is not available in AZ. So sad.

  26. Diet coke is my one and only MUST. I mean, nothing else even tastes close to the same . . . I dont cook enough (at all really) to know anything else . . . haha

  27. Hellman’s mayonaise
    Heinze ketchup
    Hidden Valley Ranch packets. The bottled dressing doesn’t taste right.
    Newman’s Own Family Recipe Italian salad dressing
    Clausen dill pickles
    Bongo Java coffee (a Nashvegas roaster)
    Crest toothpaste – I only like the paste… can’t stand the gel.
    Tropicana pulp free oj
    Zout stain remover

  28. Last week as we sat down to burgers, slathered with Heinz ketchup, Hubs said, “I don’t care if she’s a little kooky, Theresa Heinz Kerry knows how to make good ketchup.” So there you go.

  29. Wow. Your “favorites” list looks just like my former shopping list, with the exception of Diet Coke (I’m a Pepsi girl!). But when we moved to Korea, I had to give up most of my brands. Then my mom brought 4 JARS of JIF on her last visit, and I am in heaven!!! Yay! for the peanutty goodness!

  30. Things really do taste different. My mom always bought generic or the cheapest of things, when I grew up I refused to EVER compromise when it comes to food.

    Kraft Real mayo
    Dannon Yogurt
    Tide (cause my ex was allergic to anything else and now I’m just used to it
    Jif really does taste more like fresh peanuts.
    Natures Own honey wheat bread
    Martins potato rolls for hotdog rolls and hamburger buns
    Dry Idea for more than 30 years
    Helluvagood dips
    Toms of Maine toothpastes because I’m allergic to whitening ingredients and they are about the only brand that hasn’t added that to every tube!

    I also only buy real butter, real maple syrup, whole milk and brown eggs.

    My sweetheart thinks I’m Kookie cause he doesn’t see the difference in brands, but you’d better not put anything but premium BEER in his fridge!!! :D

    He just bought 3 GALLONS of fake syrup cause we might run out in this millenia and it was on sale.

  31. the ONLY real Ranch Dressing is Hidden Valley. I prefer making it myself with packets.

    And amen and amen to the Q-tip loyalists – nothing else even comes close.

  32. The only two things that are non-negotiable are:
    1. Bounty paper towels–because it’s worth it
    2. Breyer’s Ice cream

  33. Elisabeth says:

    ok so i don’t have that many to add to the list, but here are a few.

    1. can cokes must be Cokes.

    2. Duke’s mayo ONLY!

    3. as Reagan Republican as i am, Heinz ketchup is it for me. Hunt’s is too sweet.

    4. Pet Brown Mules (bonus for anyone else who knows what that is!)

    5. Scott toilet paper. yes, i know it’s rough, cheap, & thin. i grew up with it b/c my parents have 4 kids. nuff said? =)

    6. Kotex pads. i like the fabric wrapper. ha!

  34. My sweet Holy Lord you should be getting mounds of cash for all the free advertising you’re doing right now.

    ConAgra Foods? Proctor & Gamble? Hello??? Are you listening, you big corporate people you?

    The Almighty List…never to be deviated from or changed lest thou invoketh a curse and the wrath of Mom.

    1.Dawn dishwashing detergent (Hubs??? Honey??? Love of my life??? Dawn is spelled D-A-W-N. Not J-O-Y. ‘mkay?)
    2.Lipton tea bags
    3.Oreos
    4.Gain
    5.Downy
    6.Gain Dryer sheets
    7.Reynolds Aluminum-ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES!
    8.Velveeta
    9.Miracle Whip
    10.Heinz Ketchup
    11.Shedd Spread Country Crock
    12.McCormick’s seasonings
    13.Mayfield’s Brown Cows
    14.Colgate Toothpaste
    15.Secret Deodorant
    16. Charmin Ultra (Mr. Whipple R.I.P.)
    17. Chicken of The Sea Tuna
    18. Hefty Trash bags
    19. Country Time Strawberry Lemonade mix
    20. Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo AND Conditioner
    21. Revlon Mascara

    And this isn’t something you can buy at the grocery store but since I’ve already overextended my comment post anyways…Clinique Happy Perfume. I love it.

  35. Old El Paso enchilada sauce. Except they stopped making the “medium” heat flavor in a normal-sized can.
    Bounty paper towels
    Charmin toilet paper
    Q-tip brand q-tips
    Band-aids
    Crest

    And I inherited all of it from my mother.

  36. Oh Boomama the main-most one for me is:
    Sunflower Corn Meal Mix and I only get this when I visit family in Mississippi:( To me it is ‘the only way’ to make GOOD cornbread!
    For my husband, there’s 2 brands no longer made and he fusses about it d.a.i.l.y.:
    Welch’s Grape Juice Bars
    La Menu Frozen Dinners
    You can tell I don’t cook much, right:)?
    Blessings….and thanks for sharing,
    Kaye
    Matthew 21:22

  37. Oh yeah, count me in among the frugal crowd, but there are a few things that we have to have the specific name brand on:
    1.) Pepsi (DH) and Mountain Dew (me)
    2.) Heinz ketchup (DH)
    3.) Yoplait Yogurt (me)
    3.) Crystal Light Pink Lemonade (kids)
    4.) Maxwell House Coffee (DH)
    5.) Aveeno body lotion (me- but in my defense, I’m allergic to many others)
    6.) Gain or Tide detergent (horror stories with cheaper products, just not worth it to me anymore)

  38. De-lurking Denise says:

    I will stop drinking iced tea before I purchase anything other than Luzianne Decaf. I refuse to order tea in restaurants because it is always such a disappointment.

  39. OH I have very definite favorites. (I’m a tad fussy, in just a few areas.) Hmm.

    Starbucks coffee.
    PG Tips tea.
    Adams peanut butter, extra crunchy
    Emerald Valley medium salsa
    Nancy’s plain yogurt
    Kettle Chips, any flavour

    And yes, I live in Morocco, where I can get exactly NONE of these items. The cheese is better here though.

  40. Dee from Tennessee says:

    Well, well, well.

    I didn’t think I was a brand snob, but after skimming a bunch of posts, I guess I am because I was agreeing with so many.

    Diet Coke – Period.
    White Lily.

    And a ton of others.

    Just tried Duke’s mayo after reading another blog (and yes from SC)…and I gotta admit, I like it. (I only bought an itty bitty jar thinking it wouldn’t stand the test, but it did.)

    Now to the important part….granted Blue Belle is good. Really good. Yes I agree it is worthy of being brand loyal and would eat it BUT only if they don’t have Mayfield. You gotta try Mayfield…just give it a try.

  41. I’ve been a silent lurker for awhile, but I decided to post on this topic ;)

    I grew up on store-brand only stuff from Publix when I was a kid because 1) my dad works there, and 2)store brand was all we could afford. (This was before the days of Super Walmart).

    But when I married a military man and we got stationed overseas and our only options for groceries was the commissary (which only carries name brands), I became a total brand snob.

    Pampers Diapers/Pullups for all my kids (but diapers are a thing of the past now…hooray!)
    Smucker’s preserves
    Sunbeam King Thin sandwich bread
    Campbells soups
    Capri Sun juices
    JIF peanut butter
    Hunts ketchup
    Heinz Dill Pickles
    Old El Paso tortillas
    Tostitos tortilla chips and salsas
    Shedd’s Spread Country Crock
    All laundry soap
    Bounce dryer sheets
    Spray & Wash Dual power stain remover

    Ok I think that’s it :)

    I love your blog, by the way!

  42. I think we are sisters…Our lists are almost the same except for Hunt’s ketchup. Also Nilla wafers are a must around our house. There is no other mayo except Blue Plate! ( And, I can always tell the difference.)

  43. Miracle Whip (I once did a fun post on a Christian message board titled “Miracle Whip or Mayo,” just asking their preference and why. People have strong opinions about their condiments!!)

    Green Giant canned green beans.

    Charmin toilet paper.

    Bounty paper towels.

    Decaf Diet Pepsi (in bottles at the store. I like fountain root beer at restaurants when I can find it, but at home I like the decaf diet Pepsi .)

    Tropicana orange juice (my husband likes it even though it is more expensive. He says it tastes most like it came from real oranges to him. :) )

    Hunts ketchup (less runny than others.)

    Dove soap (preferably for sensitive skin).

    Curel lotion.

    There are other brands I usually buy but will get something else if I can’t find the usual. But for these I’d go to another store.

  44. 1. Bounty paper towels
    2. Community Coffee
    3. Kraft mayo
    4. Heinz ketchup
    5. Pepperidge Farm Soft Oatmeal bread

  45. Dunkin Donuts Coffee is the best.
    Love me some Hellman’s, but I’ve need had the pleasure of meeting Blue Plate.
    Super Sugar Crisp Cereal, now known as Wheat Puffs, or something that doesn’t mention sugar….but we know the truth.
    Diet DP
    HaaganDaaz – specifically Salt/Caramel oh so good

  46. I’m not too picky about brands (I tend to get whatever’s cheapest) but some things I can’t compromise on.

    1. Jiff Peanut Butter…it tastes better to me.
    2. Diet Coke
    3. Lean Cuisine frozen meals (especially the mac and cheese) all the other brands taste gross
    4. Ben and Jerry’s Frozen Yogurt
    5. Silk Chocolate Soy Milk
    6. Welch’s Grape Juice
    7. Toll House Chocolate Chips
    8. Quaker Rice Cakes
    9. Honey Nut Cheerios (generic just doesn’t work for cereal)
    10. Baked Ruffles (Cheddar and Sour Cream)

    I’m sure there’s more, but I can’t think of any off the top of my head.

  47. I’ve got to stick with the Bama Mayo that I grew up on. Can’t beat Bama jellies, either! Bisquick, for sure. And I’m DEFINITELY a LeSeur and a Heinz girl.

  48. My husband is more brand loyal than I am. For mayonaise, he prefers Bama (even though we are Auburn fans!). And, for a drink, it’s nothing but Mountain Dew. One time (when we were more broke than we are now), I tried to trick him by buying “off brand” Mountain Dew and putting it in a Mountain Dew bottle. He went on and on about how that Mountain Dew was “rurnt”! lol

  49. You will definitely be able to tell I am from Louisiana.

    -Community Coffee–anything else in my family is sacreligious
    -Tony Chachere’s seasoning–it’s the BEST
    -Jiffy cornbread mix
    -Coke and Diet Coke (except sometimes I buy the small cans of the Walmart brands for my son)
    -Log Cabin syrup
    -Bounce fabric softener

  50. lavonda says:

    I haven’t watched the last two weeks of the Bachelorette, so am about to hit that DVR pretty hard when I get off this here computer. (being out of town visiting friends the last two weeks I’m feeling very technology deprived short of what my cell phone’s had to offer with it’s limited online viewing… only so much can be said for reading print that tiny day after day when you’re almost 40).

    anyway, here’s my list in no order of importance:
    1. Duke’s mayonaise
    2. Skippy Natural peanut butter
    3. Blue Bell ice cream (Moolineum Crunch if I’m lucky enough to find it. is it wrong that I pray for it when I’m approaching the ice cream aisle??)
    4. Dove soap
    5. Secret deoderant
    6. Kleenex Viva toilet paper
    7. Bounty paper towels (no print people. no print. and choose your size, please.)
    8. Crystal’s hot sauce, or Lousianna hot sauce
    9. Maybelline great lash mascara. brownish black. curved brush.
    10. Cornsilk translucent loose powder. forever and ever.

    and for good measure, I’ll share with you number 11. Goya ham seasoning — you have not loved vegetables at all until you’ve cooked them with a packet of this in them. Amen.

  51. These have been so much fun to read! My picky-ness is not related so much to brand loyalty as to a need to find peanut-, nut-, and egg-free items. My kids love Strawberry Cheerios and Strawberry Mini Wheats. Rold Gold pretzels, Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, and Oreos are ‘safe’ treats. I buy generic soy butter. If allergies weren’t an issue, we’d have Dukes mayo and Reese’s PB cups in our house!

  52. Hopefulmom says:

    I guess I have a pretty long list. It’s not that I ALWAYS insist on them, but if given the option I certainly PREFER them:

    Peter Pan peanut butter
    Karo pancake syrup
    Philadelphia cream cheese
    Kraft American cheese slices
    Bounty paper towels (select-a-size)
    Hidden Valley Light ranch dressing
    Milton’s bread (from Sam’s club)
    Nestle break-and-bake cookies
    Scott toilet paper
    Newman’s Own salsa
    Tampax tampons
    Always w/wings pads (yellow wrappers)
    Crest toothpaste
    Cheer laundry detergent
    Downy fabric softener (pink lid)
    Kleenex tissues (w/lotion)
    Kodak cameras
    Fuji film (ironic, I know)
    Q-Tips
    Mary Kay facial cleanser and moisturizer
    Cover Girl concealer, blush, and powder
    State Farm insurance (hubby is an agent)
    GM automobiles (brother builds them…still)
    Hoover vaccuum cleaners
    Fiber One bran cereal
    Miracle Whip light
    Heinz ketchup (but will now have to reevaluate after seeing so many political comments about it!)
    Welch’s grape juice
    Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce
    Jack’s frozen pizzas
    Windex
    Clorox disinfecting wipes
    Luvs diapers
    Huggies wipes
    Pantene shampoo (w/out conditioner)
    Degree for women deodorant
    Snyder’s of Hanover sourdough pretzels
    Trident sugarless gum
    Hungry Jack pancake mix
    Quaker oats
    C&H sugar
    Gold Medal flour
    Arm & Hammer baking soda
    Frostie root beer (in bottles)

    Whew! I think that’s all! Fun topic!

  53. jif
    hellmann’s
    folgers
    mennen speed stick
    biolage hair product
    sas shoes
    wrangler jeans
    arm & hammer laundry deterg
    jetdry
    and not a brand, but if it isn’t iceberg, it isn’t lettuce.

  54. Melissa says:

    I am loyal to:

    Heinz ketchup (even though I am a huge Republican)
    Hellman’s mayo
    St. Ives apricot scrub
    Oil of Olay products
    Diet Coke (Pepsi is horrible)
    Tide (lavendar and vanilla)
    Special K
    White Lily flour
    Pampers
    Blue Bell vanilla ice cream

    I buy a lot of Publix brands. They are usually great. By the way, Publix brand peanut butter is made by Jif…you can save money and buy the same product with a different label. :)

  55. From the deep, deep, south, y’all. Yalobusha County, Mississippi. Went to China with the baby sister to bring home my sweet baby niece. I thought I had food preferences such as Diet Rite or Tab for my diet drink of choice. When we saw the Coke Zero on the shelves of the little store, I almost wept with joy.( And that is no lie!!) My preferences went right on out that window. And friendgirl, when we saw those golden arches of McDonald’s, I went weak in the knees.(Sadly, it did not even taste like ours her in the states) and the same for Pizza Hut and Subway (which was exactly like ours here). So to make my epistle shorter….. A Coke Zero in the hand is worth two Diet Rite’s in the bush.

  56. 1. TIDE detergent, lord it’s so expensive!
    2. BOUNTY paper towels
    3. Crisco shortening
    4. Wesson oil (don’t ask – I don’t know – my mamma always said you have to fry chicken in wesson oil.
    5. Yoplait yogurt
    6. Golden Eagle Syrup
    7. Blue Bell icecream
    8. Clorox
    9. Dial soap
    10. Biolage shampoo (ditto the expensive)
    11. BAMA mayonnaise – and no, i’m not a BAMA fan and you know what i mean cause you live in alabama. I’m a DAWG, honey!!
    12. Scott toilet tissue

  57. ooh, ooh, thought of some more…(i need to get out more)
    Sunflower cornmeal mix
    Martha White Flour (I love Rhonda Vincent)
    Domino Sugar all types
    Del Monte Sloppy Joe sauce
    Kraft mac & cheese
    Digiorno Pizza

  58. For those of you who have lost your favs through distance, try this website. mybrands.com. You may be able to order your lost loves and have them delivered right to your house.

    For those of you who refrain from buying Heinz ketchup, you might want to print a list of the things Heinz makes…..way more than ketchup. Aren’t you being a little silly?