Generic or Name Brand: What Tastes Better?

Name brand versus generic is a feud that has lasted decades.

But some of us, like Jean Baer, still find ourselves forking over more for name brands because it just seems right.

“I guess their marketing has worked on me,” Baer said.

But generic crackers made her a believer this holiday season. In a taste test, she chose Aldi Grocery Store’s Savoritz crackers over Ritz Crackers. The price difference between the two brands is almost a dollar.

Other taste testers tell us they couldn’t really notice a difference.

Target’s buttermilk ranch dressing, which is a $1.60 cheaper than Hidden Valley’s buttermilk ranch, was the dark horse in the competition. It won over more palettes among our taste testers, including chef Phil Huerta.

“I like what tastes good,” Huerta said.

If you’re making cookies for Santa, he’ll probably be OK if they’re made with Target’s generic brand chocolate chips. The Target brand just about tied with Nestle’s Toll House and cost around 50 cents less.