I've been branded!

I've been blogging with three fabulous women for almost two years and have been enjoying all the fun topics we come up with week after week. If you want to see what we've discussed in the past, check out our posts here.

This week, Froggie wants to discuss Brand loyalty: Is it a good thing? Bad thing? Is there a brand that it would take a vast shift in the universe to get you to stop using?

Before reading ahead, first see what everyone else had to say on this topic:
Froggie
Mom of Many
Moma Rock

This was an interesting topic for me. I don't really give brand loyalty much thought, but when it came up, I immediately associated it with food. I'm sure brands of clothing or brands of electronics could also fit in this category.

I don't really know that I've been loyal to all that many brands. After I started keeping Kosher, the Kraft macaroni and cheese had to hit the road. I also had to give up on Lean Cuisine, Campbell's soup and a few other products I had been using prior. For regular pasta, I just get whatever's on sale. There are Kosher ramen noodles, but they are more expensive than the non-Kosher brands. Most ice cream brands (Edy's, Ben and Jerry's, Breyer's, etc.) are Kosher too. I am even fine with getting the store brand from Giant (especially with Ande's mints inside). Nabisco Wheat Thins are not Kosher, but Target makes the same product for less of a cost, and it has a hecksher (Kosher symbol). When I bake, I usually lean towards Duncan Hines, but Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix is good too. I don't mind buying the store brand for most products if it's less expensive and also Kosher. It's usually the same quality or pretty close. Shop Rite chocolate chips are the only kind that are pareve, so I'll stock up on those when I want to do some major baking. I also go for store brands when it comes to buying soda. When Giant has a 79 cent sale for bottles of their soda, why not start hoarding them like crazy?!? It tastes fine and I can't even tell the difference between their diet cola and Diet Coke. And since we shop at Costco a lot, most of the stuff we get there is Kirkland brand (usually items that don't have to be Kosher, like paper goods).

The one thing that would shift the universe if it stopped being sold is Kellogg's Vanilla Almond Special K. When that goes on sale, I buy tons of it and that is on top of my Amazon subscription! There are other versions of this kind of cereal, but it's just not the same! I could never stop using it unless it stopped being sold....and I completely dread a time when that would be even possible. *Shudder*

What are the brands YOU stick by no matter what, if any?