this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2025
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Prices keep climbing, so I’m trying to pick my battles in the supermarket. Which items do you refuse to cheap out on, and why? Taste, health, longevity, peace of mind… I’d love to hear what’s worth the few extra dollars for you.

For me, it’s honey from local beekeepers—supermarket brands locally are known to sell fake or adulterated sugar syrup as honey.

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[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 hour ago

From my shopping, there is just about none. Arguably sausages but then there are cheaper alternatives I go for instead usually. Pork shoulder is cheaper per kg than all but the lowest meat content sausages.

Typically been spending £10-15 each per week on shopping at Aldi. But it also depends on how far you go. You could say everything is paying extra if you are spending more than £2 as that could get enough rice for the week. Got several herbs growing in the garden too so it wouldn't even be completely plain.

[–] napkin2020@sh.itjust.works 3 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Instant noodles. I live in South Korea and there are gazillion options, from little more than a quarter(USD for your convenience) to almost $1.5 a pack.

Huge difference. I eat 2 packs per meal almost always and yes, it's often 2x more expensive but I'd just not eat cheapest ones.

[–] awaysaway@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 hour ago

what are your favorites? would love to see if i can find them locally.

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 3 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

some people at WF, will only go after certain honeys, even if they are more expensive. i will still buy different flavor sparkling waters, from different brands. but the key is to know which ones are shrinkflationed, some will only sell 8packs, while others will sell 12cans per box. stevia, i specifically only look for the ones that dont have sugar in it, more often than not most brands of stevia has sugar in it, in the form dextrose/maltodextrin. its pricier but worth it for a brand that has pure stevia powder, also one thats not mixed with ethyrthiol.

certain organic veggies are better , if you dont want to know which used the most chemicals, like org celeries.

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 12 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

Real parm instead of the canned stuff.

Chicken breasts - you can get massive pumped up chicken breast for the same price as "normal" chicken breasts. The problem is when you cook the big ones, they just leech out all their liquid.

[–] zipzoopaboop@lemmynsfw.com 3 points 10 hours ago

Plus they're so inflated it's hard to cook them properly

[–] PodPerson@lemmy.zip 3 points 12 hours ago

150% on real parm.

I’d also argue for getting whole chickens (and spring for the nicer ones too). Roast it, pull off the breasts and eat those, eat the drumsticks if you enjoy them, or use the entire rest of the carcass for making really good stock.

[–] null_dot@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 13 hours ago

The huge ones are just gross.

I think "woody" is the technical term.

[–] toomanypancakes@lemmy.world 4 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Honestly a lot of stuff I like to get the nice version. Most packaged products you can get away with cheaper, but paper products you wanna splurge on, and produce you wanna get from a local store with good stuff rather than your local megamart when possible. A farmer's market or even just a neighborhood grocery store is usually gonna have fresher, tastier veggies in my experience. A little more expensive, but worth it.

[–] turtlesareneat@discuss.online 8 points 13 hours ago

The paper thing stopped being true in the past year around here. Name brand paper towels are now so thin, store brand is thicker at half the price. Q-Tips don't have the same cardboard in the middle, less cotton Kroger brand is closer to the old q-tips (but still a step down from what I grew up with).

Toilet paper is basically a toss-up, the nicer store brands are about comparable to the non-specialty name brands now. For the extra strong or extra soft, name brand still wins, but it's changing.

[–] RBWells@lemmy.world 13 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

Fresh corn tortillas.

Tequila.

Haircare stuff

Husband bought "the good eggs" once and has not looked back since. I used to keep chickens and the bougie store eggs are much closer to those than they are to the factory farmed thin shelled light yolked ones.

[–] ericatty@infosec.pub 4 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

I got a tortilla press and masa harina. I will not buy premade corn torillas again. Masa isn't that expensive, add salt, water, mix, press, and cook on a dry pan (or super lightly oiled, i put a very light layer on mine since it's cast iron)

So much tastier than store bought and better texture.

[–] Krudler@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

It's the curse of discovering good food, once you make it from scratch, you never want to eat the store trash again lol

[–] BonesOfTheMoon@lemmy.world 5 points 16 hours ago

The best eggs are eggs from a farm that are unwashed and you keep on the counter. They taste a zillion times better and last for a long time. I get 3 dozen for 15 dollars at the local farm. It's honestly better than the store.

[–] ThrowawayPermanente@sh.itjust.works 12 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

Good ketchup Real butter, not reconstituted which should be illegal Good bread, fresh or at least not the cheapest stuff

[–] ericatty@infosec.pub 3 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Real butter for things where you can taste it. Store brand for things where the other flavors are more overpowering and don't really notice the butter.

[–] hardcoreufo@lemmy.world 2 points 9 hours ago

Having two butters to manage seems like a lot of work.

[–] ramsgrl909@lemmy.world 15 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Paper Towels and Trash Bags - the cheap ones just don't hold up as well

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 1 points 5 hours ago

trash bags, was very difficult to find, that isnt thin, they shrinkflation/cheapflation most of thier brands. Target had excellent trashbags, before they switched to dealworthy, which is more expensive if you notice the bags are now superthin and they sell the "up and up" ones at a markup. i went to Grocery outlet and got the same quality as the old trash bags with none of the bs of the shrinkflaiton on it.

[–] toomanypancakes@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago

Toilet paper too! As someone who needs to use it for peeing, it likes to stick if you get the cheap stuff. Not fun!

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