We tend to think of generic products as a popular brand's less-cool little brother, but a recent study from the University of Chicago's Booth School shows that chefs are more likely to buy generic food for their homes and these are the foods they go generic with.


The researchers collected a ton of data, comparing chefs and standard households in their grocery shopping activities, to determine what generics food industry professionals go for. Some of the generics chefs prefer is somewhat surprising:

Canned Seafood

Salad Dressings & Mayo

Spreads and Dips

Tea

While others make sense because they are just basic ingredients to be transformed within dishes:

Baking Goods

Frozen Vegetables

Cheese

Bottom line: if anyone knows food, it's a professional chef. So take a tip from them and go generic to save yourself some cash when you're grocery shopping. Unless it's ice cream, apparently. They don't skimp on that.


You've probably long been told to buy generics, but now you know all the cool kids are doing it. Just a few trips avoiding the brand names and you'll likely start to see the difference. Check the graphic below to see a complete list of all the generics you should be buying instead of brand names. The complete study is worth a look too, so check the link to read more.

Do Pharmacists Buy Bayer? Informed Shoppers and Brand Premium | University of Chicago Booth School via NPR