Own Brand foods - any ones you hate?

[Postdog]

What prompted this was that I have just had a lunch of roasted pork bellies, done so the fat turns to crackling, and to add to the flavour I added some brown sauce. Normally, this is deliciious, but the sauce I used was Morrisons own brand brown sauce, and it tasted vile - and no it wasn't off, it was a new bottle.

Of course I should have stuck with one of the branded ones, but it made me realise some of Morrisons stuff is so awful, I wonder if anyone actually likes it.

Besides the sauce, they do a cook yourself southern fried chicken, which again is dire, not a patch on Icelands. They also do a 2 pack cheese quarter pounder which they supply with relish, and though the burgers are passable, the relish is disgusting. Sainbury's are miles better all round. Sainsbury's also make a chicken and brocolli shortcrust pastry roll which is divine - Morrisons do the same, and you might as well bypass the stomach and throw it down the toilet.

Anyway, anyone else got any own brand gripes? Oh, and of course I know the answer of what to do about them - just never buy them again.

[carolegif]

Sainsbury's own brands are dearer than Morrison's, and we have had some of Morrison's stuff which has not been up to par. We often shop in Lidl's but again it is hit and miss. The fruit cocktail and baked beans with or without sausages are awful and the cheese is not strong enough for our tastes, but the tinned, pulped tomatoes at 15p are fantastic, as is the 75p Orange Juice and the ham, bratwurst, frozen food and ice cream. You just have to try these things.

The Lidl's tomato ketchup and brown sauce are not bad if a bit vinegary (like the chip shop), but we take down to our beach hut as it keeps for months outside of the fridge!

carolegif

[tubeway]

The best thing that you can buy in lidl is their potato salad with ham in it - it is lovely

[nickmo]

Got to ask carolegif - what the hell is a tin of 'fruit cocktail and baked beans - with or without sausages' used for - does that cut out the need for one lot of washing up???

I know Lidl have some foreign goods but that make s me feel all icky.....

[msemma]

Have a read of the ingredients on the bottle. Think about them, what is there in there that you wouldn't have a clue what it looked like? i.e. hundreds of additives, flavourings and preservatives that you wouldn't even consider putting in a sauce if you made it yourself! I'm not saying everything that is organic is fabulous or better value, but don't just presume that even the better supermarket's own brand stuff is brilliant quality just because of the name - look at how M&S have bowed to pressure and started to remove addidtives from thier ready meals! (after the Co-OP have made a move to do this, mind). Things are often so awful becuase they are made of awful things! Look at what you're buying and try to make as much from scratch yourself - you'll make a saving, feel a lot better about the food you are making and eating and be able to spend more on the really good stuff from time to time! Why spend money on chemicals? Sorry, rant over. I used to buy things that were full of rubbish and changed my ways, I'm no high earner and I don't have a lot of spare time, but I've made the effort! My cupboards are full of the basics, and lots of natural flavourings and herbs that last a lot longer than one ready meal!

[nickmo]

Ditto