Top 5ive Items to Always Buy Generic

ARE YOU A CONNOISSEUR of generic products? If not, you should be — at least when it comes to some items.

While some brand-name products may taste better than their store-label counterparts, others are premium only in price. According to a 2005 study by Consumer Reports, opting for some store-brand or generic products can easily save you 50% — without cutting quality.

In fact, some store brands, also known as private-label brands, are produced by the same big-name companies churning out the products you know and love, says Joanna Pruess, author of "Supermarket Confidential." Yup — that's right. Some are identical (minus the fancy packaging), while others do use slightly different recipes. Exactly which companies are producing what and for whom isn't well advertised: Remember, they'd prefer you shell out for the pricier version. But 4C Foods Corp., for example, has been up-front about its brand-name bread crumbs, grated cheese and drink mixes being used as private-label at more than 50 chains.