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.

  • CobblerScholar@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Butter, life is too damn short to cook with and eat shitty butter.

    Also anything that goes between me and the ground, my bed, my shoes, and my tires.

    • BertramDitore@lemmy.zip
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      3 months ago

      I agree with every part of this.

      A while back I was standing in the butter section, waiting for a couple to move so I could grab my pricey-but-worth-it butter, and overheard them talking about how butter is a scam and it all tastes the same no matter what. I had to hold back a chuckle. They of course grabbed the cheapest option and went about their lives in complete ignorance of the glory of high quality butter.

      I still wonder if I should have said something to encourage them to try a better butter, but they talked about it with such blind confidence that I didn’t feel right about it at the time.

      • parody@lemmings.world
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        3 months ago

        Ever double blinded yourself with Kerrygold (or w/e) vs. regular stuff? Always try to do this and surprise myself with some products

    • RamenJunkie@midwest.social
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      3 months ago

      Yeah, if we end up with cheap trash bags by mistake I find the rim always rips apart when I go to take out the trash and I end up using a second trash bag anyway.

      • Ledericas@lemm.ee
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        3 months ago

        i noticed alot of instore brands, and some brands being sold on amazon are super thin so went to a local grocery outlet to get the normal quality ones.

  • Tudsamfa@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    For purely economic reasons, the less often I need to buy it, the more I allow myself to splurge.

    So vegetables and my go to drink I consume everyday are bought the absolute cheapest, but that spice blend for those veggies lasts me months so I really don’t care if there’s a cheaper alternative.

    Of course, expensiveness is measured per kg/litre, paying a bit more up front is always worth it if it means a lower price per kg (if you can consume it before it goes bad).

    • LadyButterflyshe/her@lazysoci.al
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      3 months ago

      Spices are a great investment! Small independent Asian stores often have amazing ones which last way longer that supermarket ones. I don’t have any shops like that near me so I buy on amazon and have found great ones there

  • something_random_tho@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Farmer’s market tomatoes. I went through my whole life thinking I hated tomatoes. Turns out, I hate grainy tomatoes that taste like nothing, and real tomatoes grown nearby and picked ripe are wonderful.

    • acockworkorange@mander.xyz
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      3 months ago

      Tomatoes are also quite easy to grow in the summer and are very prolific.

      Also in season are strawberries. The ones I’ve got are small and don’t look good, but the taste is superb.

      Both can be grown potted, and the strawberries are quite hardy.

      • RamenJunkie@midwest.social
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        3 months ago

        Yeah, even just growing them are better. I thought I hated Cherry Tomatoes, but then I had some off my own plant and they taste so good.

        • acockworkorange@mander.xyz
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          3 months ago

          Oh, home grown fruits will always taste better because you can let them ripen on the plant, allowing for full flavor development. There are cultivar variations too.

          Seasonings are another crop that you can pot and even have on a windowsill in a tiny apartment. Parsley, basil, and oregano grow well in the same pot. Scallions / chives and Rosemary also pot well together.