While branded baked beans, artisan peanut butter and good quality olive oil were mostly non-negotiable expenses for the local cookbook authors and culinary academics we consulted, other staples – including milk, butter, flour and eggs – were all cited as products where savings could be made.
Cameron says choosing a familiar brand could make a difference when that ingredient was the hero of a dish or precision mattered.
“In those moments, it can be worth reaching for something you trust. Otherwise, use what works for you. If that’s own-brand, that’s a smart choice, not a compromise.
“The reality is many own-brand staples are made by the same producers as branded products, or perform just as well in everyday cooking and baking. I’m not a professional, just a mum who cooks and bakes a lot – this is simply what I’ve noticed and learned over the years.”
Kathy Paterson, cookbook author and a former teacher at Le Cordon Bleu whose recipes are promoted by the likes of Beef + Lamb New Zealand, says her attitude to branded products has shifted over recent years.
“Food shortages, standing in queues, etcetera, puts life and eating into perspective.”
Paterson advocates buying local when you can (transport costs should be lower) and says it pays to be adventurous.
“Try new products as you can often be surprised at how good they are . . . ingredient shortages facilitate this too. And save by buying in bulk and sharing costs with friends.”
For longtime food writer and cookbook author Lauraine Jacobs, buying top quality is a priority.
“I cook almost every day – in fact, it keeps me happy – and rarely regard any good, pricey food as a splurge. It’s essential for me to buy top quality.”
That said: “I sometimes compromise and go for the store’s own brands. Some are outstanding, such as ‘Pams Finest’ duck breasts and legs.”
With food costs up, and Christmas still on the credit card statement, where can consumers most easily save? Our experts proffered opinions on everything from pasta to salt to cereal …
Anna Cameron, author of Just a Mum’s Kitchen (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand, $45) says home cooks should “use what works for you”.
Butter
Anna Cameron: “In New Zealand, most butter is produced by just a few main suppliers. By law, butter must contain at least 80% milk fat, so in most cases you can swap a more expensive brand for a cheaper alternative with no issue at all. Some premium or artisan butters may have a slightly higher fat content or distinct flavour, but for everyday baking, the difference is minimal.”
Kathy Paterson: “The biggest difference is in the packaging. I buy butter in aluminum foil/paper composite, as it provides excellent oxygen and light barriers to preserve aroma and freshness. I never buy spreadable butter (how hard is it to cut off your daily needs from a block of butter and put in a covered buttered dish in the pantry?). I also don’t understand why some bakers say they buy cheaper butter, which usually has a higher water content, and freeze it. Baking deserves good butter, especially recipes that use the creaming method. Also, Aotearoa New Zealand’s butter is lightly salted so I don’t feel the need to buy unsalted butter to make the likes of sweet pastry and lemon curd.”
Lauraine Jacobs: “I eat Lewis Road or Lurpak – it spreads so well straight from the fridge – but use the Home Brand/Budget good old NZ butter for baking. I keep a block or two, cut in halves, in the freezer.”
Sugar
Anna Cameron: “I almost always use own-brand sugar. In New Zealand, sugar is largely produced in the same place, though it may be processed slightly differently and to different quality standards. For most baking, this makes no noticeable difference. The one exception is meringues and pavlova, where a finer, more expensive caster sugar such as Chelsea can give better results.”
Flour
Lauraine Jacobs: “It must be fresh, but whatever is on the shelf at a good price is okay by me. Having said that, my husband bakes seedy sourdough bread and there are forever little sacks of New Zealand-grown grains arriving at the door which he mills fresh every week on an amazing little flour mill/grinder. I reckon his loaves cost around $20-plus each to bake and we have numerous friends almost begging to have a loaf.”
Anna Cameron: “I regularly use own-brand flour and find it works well for everyday baking. While there can be small differences between branded and budget-friendly flours, you are unlikely to notice this in most recipes. One area where brand does matter more is gluten-free flour, where higher-quality blends (such as Edmonds) tend to perform better.”
Kathy Paterson: “Unless you are a busy baker, buy smaller bags of flour and store in an airtight container after opening so it doesn’t dry out. I only buy self-raising flour if I know I am going to use it reasonably quickly as it changes in quality and flavour over time. I’d love to see support for local grain growers so we can see more locally milled flour here.”
Oil
Lauraine Jacobs: “I never compromise on olive oil. Sabato imported and flavoured olive oils, Lot 8 brand from Martinborough. For cooking I use Cobram – an Australian brand which is not quite as expensive.”
Anna Cameron: “The only time I reach for a higher-quality oil is when it is the hero of the dish, such as in a dressing or when baking focaccia bread. I keep a general cooking oil and a nicer extra virgin olive oil such as Kāpiti or Village Press in the pantry for those occasions.”
Kathy Paterson: “Extra virgin olive oil is a pantry essential (for roasting vegetables, dressings and drizzling), but I also like to use a smaller number of versatile cooking oils e.g. rapeseed from The Good Oil.”
Grocery bills are rising but food experts say that brand swaps can help manage costs.
Tinned tomatoes
Anna Cameron: “The cheapest tinned tomatoes are perfectly fine for everyday cooking. Differences between brands tend to be in texture, acidity, and tomato-to-juice ratio. If tomatoes are not the main feature of the dish, go cheap. If they are the star, using a better-quality tin can make a noticeable difference.”
Lauraine Jacobs: “Always look for these on special, but they must be in tomato juice.”
Peanut butter
Kathy Paterson: “You get what you pay for. Buy Aotearoa New Zealand peanut butter as there are many excellent brands that use just peanuts and a little salt, and the nuts are roasted and milled here.”
Lauraine Jacobs: “Any artisan local producer’s when it’s on special.”
Anna Cameron: “While I love my jar of Pic’s peanut butter for my toast, own-brand peanut butter is absolutely fine. The key thing to check is the ingredients list. Ideally, it should just contain peanuts, and maybe salt.”
Lauraine Jacobs: “I rarely regard any good, pricey food as a splurge.” Photo / Richard Robinson
Eggs
Anna Cameron: “Brand matters less than size and freshness. Most New Zealand recipes use large, size 7 eggs, and fresher eggs give more reliable results. You can often see the difference when cracking them – better quality eggs have brighter yolks and firmer whites. A quick freshness check is to place an egg in water. If it sinks, it is fine. If it floats, throw it out.”
Kathy Paterson: “Buy eggs that are produced closest to where you live. Locally produced eggs are the freshest and they should be well priced as they’ll have lower transport costs.”
Lauraine Jacobs: “As long as they’re free range I’m happy.”
Milk
Anna Cameron: “Milk is milk, and own-brand works perfectly well.”
Lauraine Jacobs: “Always standard and whatever comes to hand – no need to seek fancy brands, ever.”
Baked beans
Anna Cameron: “One area where I admit I am a bit of a snob now! There is a noticeable taste difference between brands, and I love my Wattie’s baked beans. That said, the price difference can be significant, so for everyday meals or tight budgets, own-brand is still a perfectly good option.”
Kathy Paterson: “An occasional buy and we prefer organic baked beans in tomato sauce – less sugar and sodium, plus gluten-free as a bonus for some.”
Lauraine Jacobs: “I have never bought baked beans in my entire life.”
Pasta
Kathy Paterson: “My simple go-to summer dinner is often cooked spaghetti with fresh tomatoes, herbs and a dusting of parmesan. Simple dishes require the “best of” ingredients and, with its firm bite, Italian rustichella d’abruzzo is my favourite. However, Home Brand spaghetti, made using Australian durum wheat, provides an excellent alternative (and costs $1.99 for 500g compared to $13.90).”
Lauraine Jacobs: “Imported Italian pasta is one of life’s pleasures and there is no compromise for me on this. I have been known to drag the pasta machine out, dust it off, and make my own rather than use cheap stuff.”
Anna Cameron: “For most meals, inexpensive pasta is absolutely fine. If you want to be picky, higher-quality durum wheat pasta tends to have a better al dente texture and holds sauce more effectively. That comes down to wheat quality and manufacturing processes, but in most family meals few people will notice any difference.”
Stock
Kathy Paterson: “I do make chicken stock from the leftover carcass and bones of a roasted chicken. Otherwise, if buying, I don’t skimp on quality, preferring a chilled, jellied stock. They provide a superb consistency to any sauce and are not over-seasoned, meaning I can build my own flavours in dishes as they cook.”
Cereal
Anna Cameron: “I do tend to notice a difference between branded and generic cereals, so this is one area where I usually stick to my favourites.”
Salt
Lauraine Jacobs: “I thought I would die when there was a hiccup in the production of Marlborough Flaky Sea Salt! But I do use the cheaper plain salt for adding to boiling water for veggies etcetera.”
Anna Cameron: “This one sparks strong opinions, but for me, salt is salt. I use iodised fine table salt for most cooking and baking, and sea salt when needed.”
Kathy Paterson: “Buy the best you can afford. Buy in bulk and get better deals (for example 1.4kg buckets of Maldon salt or large packets of Marlborough flaky salt). I prefer salt with no additives, such as anticaking agents. Flaky sea salt is natural, with a clean and crisp taste and texture, and dissolves beautifully in the mouth as a finishing salt.”
Tracy Berno (professor of food studies): “I won’t confess to how many types of salt I have in total (maybe 20?), and I’m not suggesting you need as many as me, but ideally, there are a few types a well-stocked kitchen should have.
“The first is inexpensive run-of-the-mill table salt, and you will find it in my pantry, but not on my table. I use plain iodised salt in cooked foods – pasta water, baking, etc. But if it is going on top of my food, it must be flaky sea salt. Flaky sea salt has a softer flavour and an inimitable crunch that adds texture and interest to foods both savoury and sweet (think salted caramel or a sprinkle on a chocolate chip cookie).
“Ideally, I would use flaky sea salt in and on everything, but that can get a bit pricey, hence the table salt. If you want to splash out on a fantastic local brand, Opito Bay Salt is excellent. I prefer to use sea salt for fermenting and pickling – I find it results in better outcomes – but your standard grocery store non-iodised salt will do in a pinch. Just don’t use iodised salt for fermenting and pickling, particularly when garlic is involved, unless you like blue garlic.”
Meet the experts
Tracy Berno is a professor of food studies at AUT and co-director of its research centre for critical food studies. She founded Pacific Food Lab – Aotearoa and is a keen home fermenter and collector of salt.
Anna Cameron is a home cook and baker who blogs, runs a website and posts to social media as Just a Mum’s Kitchen (which is also the name of her first cook book, recently published by Allen & Unwin NZ).
Kathy Paterson is a cookbook author, recipe developer, food stylist and former Cordon Bleu Cookery School tutor who recently founded the New Zealand Food Communicators Scholarship.
Lauraine Jacobs is a food and wine writer who has authored multiple cookbooks and served as a food editor on several national magazines.
Kim Knight joined the New Zealand Herald in 2016 and works as a senior journalist on its lifestyle desk. She holds a Master’s in Gastronomy and frequently shops “own-brand” at the supermarket.