Paddy and I recently locked horns in an epic marital battle, and I think it's important to document these things from time to time so we can learn from our mistakes, you know, or at least remember how right I was. We're not typically fighters, but sometimes a girl's gotta engage when the stakes are high.
The whole scene began when Paddy returned from a grocery shopping trip to WinCo and complained about the (apparently excessive) cost of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
"The off-brand is fifty cents cheaper," he said, eyebrows raised emphatically as if that would be the difference between sending Bug to college and finding ourselves living under the viaduct with all of our belongings perched in a stolen shopping cart.
I argued the extra half dollar was worth it for the name brand stuff, especially since we eat boxed macaroni and cheese as a family just this side of never. He argued that when that fifty cents represents a 100% mark up over the other options, it was silly.
(I'll admit it; when you say it like that, it does seem a bit unnecessary.) In general, I'm totally on board with generic brands. What can I say? I'm a bargain shopper! But there are a few things in life that require the expertise and research and development background only found in the name-brand product. Peanut butter, for example. Q-tips. And, I'll argue, boxed macaroni and cheese.
Anticipating my response, Paddy had come home with several boxes of the off-brand and a couple of the familiar blue one, and challenged me to a taste-off.
To begin with, I say he cheated, because he got the regular boxes of Kraft and the spiral boxes of the off-brand, and everyone knows that spirals are way better than regular. No matter, though. I still won, and won handily. The verdict is in. If I'm going to eat neon orange powdered cheese product, by golly I'm paying a premium for it.
Agree? No? What do you only buy the name-brand version of? Perhaps most importantly, did your mom put hotdogs in your Mac when you were little?
8 comments:
I am SOOO with you on the mac and cheese, the generic is disgusting! We buy mostly Kroger brand stuff because we get Brad's employee discount, but a girl has to draw the line somewhere! :) The same goes for string cheese, poptarts and cheez-its. Seriously, have you tried knock off cheez-its? So gross.
You totally win this argument! And I'm with you on the spirals-something in them makes them taste so much better! The store brand macaroni is just nasty! I have to buy name brand TP, Paper Towels, Oreos and graham crackers! Anything that I put into something like, cream of something soup, sugar, etc. I buy store brand.
Back when I could eat mac 'n cheese without throwing up, I did like to splurge on the good stuff. Generic just doesn't cut it.
I agree with all that has already been said. I would like to add: name brand Jell-o pudding is a must, as well as Cool Whip. The store brand is watery and nasty and almost ruined Thanksgiving once.
Thanks for making me laugh! Ha ha ha!
I guess I'm a little even more high-end than you because I only buy Velveeta shells and cheese. I hate Kraft mac and cheese and will only eat it if I'm starving. When I was on my mission, though, I always bought the store brand version of Velveeta and it was just as good. I won't buy the store brand here though because it's just not yummy, or I can't ever find it, or something like that (I can't remember). Tony loves Kraft though and always buys that version. And since you asked, no, I never had hot dogs mixed with my mac and cheese.
Hmm. I'm with you on the Q-tips. I get name brand ketchup, mayo, yes on the Cheez-its, and graham crackers. I totally disagree on the Pop Tarts, though. The Walmart pop tarts are soooo much better. They have way more filling. It's like the only thing I like getting at Walmart. I think I may just go get some right now. Yum.
This did make me laugh! :) I love how Patrick had brought home both for a taste off!!
I get the name brand of the cracker sticks and cheese. (Do you know what I'm talking about?) The cheese in the store brand is nasty. Name brand: Grahm Crackers, Oreos, wheat bread- for some reason the store brand wheat bread out here isn't good :(
Post a Comment