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18 Generic Brand Items I Buy at Target to Save $40 On My Grocery Bill

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If you’re anything like me, you loathe how much money you have to throw at groceries every week...and you freakin’ love Target. While I realize there are things I can’t control—like food inflation and the amount of spaghetti that ends up on the floor instead of in my 5-year-old’s mouth—I have found that I can save a significant chunk of change on pantry and refrigerator staples by choosing the generic (bullseye) brand. Read on for the proof.

5 WAYS TO SAVE ON GROCERIES DESPITE HIGH INFLATION, ACCORDING TO A SHOPPING EXPERT


Generic target brands to save money target milk horizon milk
PureWow/Target

1. Good & Gather whole milk ($3.99) vs. Horizon whole milk ($5.69)

You couldn’t live without a generous splash of milk in your coffee and your kids practically swim in the stuff for breakfast. Fortunately, a gallon of milk doesn’t have to break the bank, provided you opt for the Target brand instead of the pricier Horizon version.  

Generic target brands to save money target cheese tillamook cheese
PureWow/Target

2. Good & Gather medium cheddar ($2.29) vs. Tillamook medium cheddar ($4.89)

Quesadillas, omelets, grilled cheese sandwiches…it doesn’t take long to go through a block of cheddar. That’s why I opt for Target’s Good & Gather cheese that has just the right amount of bite (and the savings don’t taste too bad, either).  

Generic target brands to save money target eggs vital farms eggs
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3. Good & Gather cage-free large brown eggs ($4.19) vs. Vital Farms pasture-raised eggs ($7.39)

Everyone knows that the best eggs come from happy chickens, but you don’t have to pay hand over fist for the humane choice. The Target brand cage-free eggs are easy on your conscience and your wallet, too.

Generic target brands to save money target butter land o lake
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4. Good & Gather salted butter ($4.79) vs. Land O Lakes salted butter ($6.79)

Fact: Butter makes everything taste delicious. That said, you’d be wise to save a buck by skipping the Land O Lakes and spreading the generic stuff on your toast instead.

Generic target brands to save money target rice or carolina rice
PureWow/Target

5. Good & Gather long grain rice ($1.59) vs. Carolina long grain rice ($2.79)

Psst: The secret to perfect pilaf is not which brand you choose but to wash your rice before cooking. Which means that you might as well opt for the cheaper version.  

Generic target brands to save money target spaghetti or barilla
PureWow/Target

6. Good & Gather spaghetti ($0.85) vs. Barilla spaghetti ($2.59)

We never thought we’d say this, but Barilla is giving us sticker shock. 

Generic target brands to save money target tomatoes or san marzano tomatoes
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7. Good & Gather whole peeled tomatoes ($1.39) vs. Cento San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes ($3.99)

Whole peeled tomatoes are a staple you can’t do without when the craving for midnight pasta calls. Here, we suggest you pocket the difference and put it in your piggy bank so you can taste the real deal in Italy one day.

Generic target brands to save money target bread or brownstone
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8. Favorite Day multigrain bread ($4.39) vs. Brownberry multigrain bread ($5.69)

Both options are good for your gut, but only one is good for your bank account (just sayin’).

Generic target brands to save money target chicken or perdue
PureWow/Target

9. Good & Gather boneless, skinless chicken breast ($3.99/lb) vs. Perdue boneless, skinless chicken breast ($4.99/lb)

Have you seen the price of meat these days? And when you’re hauling home ten pounds of poultry at a time, a $1 per pound price difference is a pretty big deal.

Generic target brands to save money target olive oil or california olive ranch
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10. Good & Gather EVOO ($8.89) vs. California Olive Ranch EVOO ($10.79)

In case you missed it, the price of olive oil is rising due to the unusually hot and dry climate conditions in Europe. As such, it’s a good idea to check the sticker on this pantry staple. (Spoiler: Target’s brand is a steal.)

Generic target brands to save money target paper towel or bounty
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11. Up & Up make-a-size paper towels ($18.29) vs. Bounty select-a-size paper towel ($23.99)

Sorry, Bounty, but we found a cheaper, quicker picker upper.

Generic target brands to save money target ice cream or breyers ice cream
PureWow/Target

12. Favorite Day vanilla bean ice cream ($3.49) vs. Breyers natural vanilla ice cream ($5.69)

Because sometimes you need to go to town on a container of ice cream and not feel bad about it.

Generic target brands to save money target yogurt or chobani
PureWow/Target

13. Good & Gather whole milk plain Greek yogurt ($4.19) vs. Chobani whole milk plain Greek yogurt ($5.49)

Here, a versatile refrigerator staple that plays nicely with fruit and granola in the morning and can be used to make a mean curry come evening.

Generic target brands to save money target crackers or ritz
PureWow/Target

14. Good & Gather 20ct peanut butter sandwich crackers ($3.99) vs. Ritz 16ct peanut ($9.29) butter sandwich crackers

It turns out you can save big on this convenient and kid-friendly snack when you go off-brand.

Generic target brands to save money target wet wipes or pampers
PureWow/Target

15. Up & Up 192ct sensitive skin baby wipes ($5.29) vs. Pampers 168ct sensitive wipes ($8.19)

If we’ve learned anything from the packs we keep in our car, on the countertop or in our purse, it’s that the uses for baby wipes extend way beyond what you, ahem, commonly think. [Insert poop emoji here.]

Generic target brands to save money target washing up liquid or dawn
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16. Up & Up original liquid dish soap ($3.99) vs. Dawn ultra liquid dish soap ($4.99)

Needless to say, this will be our go-to until the dishes start washing themselves.

Generic target brands to save money target mac and cheese or annies
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17. Market Pantry mac & cheese dinner ($0.75) vs. Annie’s mac & cheese dinner ($1.69)

Your kid’s favorite meal is also one of the easiest to make… and cost-effective to boot, provided you opt for the generic brand version. 

Generic target brands to save money target pizza or del giorno pizza
PureWow/Target

18. Good & Gather self-rising crust pepperoni pizza ($7.59) vs. DiGiorno self-rising crust pepperoni pizza ($8.89)

When late night hunger strikes and laziness reigns supreme, this tasty frozen pizza has your back.

Total money saved: $39.88



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Freelance PureWow Editor

  • Has 5+ years of experience writing family, travel and wellness content for PureWow
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