The DU Lounge

Mac & cheese, salty snacks, sausage, soft drinks are hyper-processed. They have almost zero nutritional value aside from calories, and they carry questionable additives. Not worth the money. Ditching them is a good way to "save some coin".

Off-brands are different here.
I buy off-brand cheddar cheese (store brand), old aged. Better tasting than Cracker Barrel or Armstrong's.

Store brand green tea; not as good but plenty good enough.

Store brand flour: chef told me it is the same mills as name brand. Can't detect difference. I bake my own bread.

Store brand tuna: plenty good enough, name brand is better. Store brand canned salmon, fair to good, I don't know what the name brand is like.

Store brand olives: Great.

Store brand cinnamon: good, name might be better. Italian seasoning: bought it but has not come up in rotation.

Store brand dish detergent, dishwasher pods, dishwasher rinse, hand soap: no detectable difference. Don't neglect saving on non-food supermarket items by buying off-brand.

Beer & cider: I go the other way, I go above brand to craft brews. Life is too short for factory beer. I don't consume much. 1 to 3 a week.