Jenis gets all the attention (well deserved for many reasons including Jeni herself) but Grater’s deserves a spot in the refrigerator as well - especially their “chip” flavors - chocolate “chips” matched up with many, many ice cream bases. Mint chip, peanut butter chip - my fav is black raspberry chip 
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Many brand name items in my shopping basket. Here are a few that come to mind quickly.
-Diet Pepsi (never Coke LOL)
-Hellmans Lite Mayo
-Boars Head deli mustard
-Heinz Ketchup
-Bell & Evans chicken
-Hebrew National Hot Dogs
-Raos marinara sauce
-Juniors cheesecake (not often)
-Sabra classic hummus
-Barilla (dry) pasta
-An array of brand name cereals (Special K, Cheerios, Rasin Bran Crunch)
-Edys ice cream (for H)
-Thomas’ English Muffins
I’m sure there are many more…
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peanut butter chocolate chip?
That’s it… I’m starting a petition to bring Graeter’s to Iowa.
I doctor spag sauce with milk and either white wine (quick bolgnese prep) or vodka (vodka sauce prep) when making a meat sauce. I also typically add a bunch of garlic, nutmeg, parm, and Italian seasoning. So I don’t really have a brand preference – I buy mainly based on price, because when i’m done with it, it will not resemble its jarred self. Thus, I have never tried Rao’s.
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Adding to the chorus of Sir Kensington’s mayo lovers. I have some Duke’s open in fridge right now and it’s okay, but I love SK traditional. I have messed up and picked up the Vegan option once and the Avocado option once. Used them, but didn’t love them.
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Anyone else a Charles Chips fan?
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When I was 8! 
Back when they delivered the tin cans of them. Haven’t had in decades.
Noticed today at Costco that they carry the Good Culture 2% - 48 ounces for $7-8 !!! I’ll be getting that after I finish my 4% regular sized one.
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My favorite is black raspberry chocolate chip too!
Good stuff.
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I haven’t had Charles chips in many decades, but I may be regretting not taking some of the metal containers that were available as part of an inheritance if I wanted them.
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and the Buckeye Blitz
Hellman’s and Best Foods are basically the same. Hellman’s is in the East and Best Foods in the West.
Dukes is a good bit more “tangy” (vinegar) than Hellman’s. Many people like Dukes more for potato salad but Hellman’s for sandwiches.
Miracle Whip has a real sweet taste and lighter than Hellman’s. My MIL made potato salad with it and it was really good. But I couldn’t eat it on a sandwich.
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Only Thomas’ English muffins. Never had a good one with any other brand.
Only Kellogg’s Raisin Bran. No others taste good.
Even though I have to have those brands, I will still only buy if on sale. Consequently, rarely eat Kellogg’s. Thomas’ are always on sale.
Only locally produced honey. It’s so much better. No particular brand though.
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Both of them have numerous varieties of toothpaste. Colgate also has a cheap brand UltraBrite that seems similar.
Heinz ketchup
Duke’s Mayo
French’s mustard
Daisy Sour Cream
Oscar Meyer bacon
ha ha, Smucker’s Strawberry Preserves
Welch’s grape jelly
Bush’s original baked beans
Green Mountain Dark Magic coffee
Eggland’s Best eggs
Ritz crackers
Cape Cod potato chips
Mt. Olive sweet relish
Boars Head dill pickles
Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
Cento canned tomatoes
Crystal hot sauce
Pacific tomato soup
Orville Redenbacher pop corn
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Same. All grass fed dairy, which for me means Good Culture sour cream and cottage cheese, Stonyfield grass fed yogurt, Kerry Gold cheddar cheese and butter (or Costco grass fed butter). Milk there are a few options so I get the least expensive. Organic Valley half & half and cream.
One Mighty Mill bread
Dr Sheffield’s toothpaste
Triscuit crackers (preferably organic)
Genova canned tuna
Pomi boxed tomatoes
Fevertree club soda and tonic
King Arthur flours (preferably organic)
Brand matters to some extent for the overwhelming portion of foods I buy. Some examples are below.
- Rotisserie Chicken – Sprouts > Supermarket > Costco > Walmart
- Oatmeal – Quaker Oats > Sprouts > Supermarket/Walmart
- Shredded Wheat Cereal – Post > Supermarket > Walmart
- O’s Cereal – Walmart > Supermarket > Cheerios
- Dried Rice – 3rd Party > Supermarket > Walmart
- Frozen Vegetables – Varies depending on the particular vegetable
Some rare exceptions where brand makes nearly zero difference to me include:
- Milk – I choose based on with or without lactose. Comparing the default store brand to 3rd party among these categories, I notice little difference.
- Dried Beans – Different vendors have different types of beans, but I note little difference between the same type. For example pinto beans from one vendor are similar to another.
Martinelli’s Apple Juice.
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We have a Graeters bricks and mortar store in town, plus the local grocery stores carry it. I am not a fan of chocolate chips in my ice cream which really limits the options there. DH is a big ice cream guy and Culvers has won out over Graeters and Ben and Jerrys.
Agree, no other brand or private label comes close!
Good Culture. Nothing else is acceptable.
Eggs and unsalted butter from TJ
Canned beans Bush
Marinade Lawry’s
Coffee beans Lavazza
For ice cream, I prefer different brands depending on the flavor. For example, I am not a fan of Breyers in general, but I prefer their strawberry flavor to the overwhelming majority of others. The 2nd ingredient in Breyers is real strawberries – more strawberries than sugar or cream. However, quite a few other Breyers flavors taste like artificially flavored sugar to me. I have very different feelings about different flavors within the same brand. There isn’t any one brand that consistently outperforms others across all flavors.
Most of the ice creams that I do buy are unique flavors for which there are few comparables in other brands. For example, there was a 2 for $5 sale on Tillamook last week. The 2 I chose were German Chocolate Cake and Marionberry Pie. I don’t like all Tillamook ice cream or even the majority, but I do especially like these 2 Tillamook flavors, and I’m not aware of any other brand that offers these flavors.
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