I guess the Duggars buy name brand food now

[xDreamerx]

Ahhh me too!! I've been trying to think of a specific episode, can't remember any. They did an Aquafina water commercial at one point, but that's all I can think of. (link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0-gebU_yTQ)

Sorry this is off topic!

Yeah, I'm a huge GG fan as well. They did have a coke tie in. They feature coke products as you mentioned (Rory asking for it)...but also in Season 3 (I think) they talk about coke and how Lorelai bought the new lemon coke. She offers some to Jess when he comes to clean their gutters in the episode where he steals the bracelet Dean gave to Rory. Lorelai also makes New Coke jokes a lot. Also in Dosie's market they show many things that are brand name as opposed to fake TV brands or no brandage (like when they show people drinking from milk cartons that just say 'milk') so I think they bad tie ins with different brands perhaps to a lesser degree but definitely coke.

[ADoyle90815]

I'm also one who can't drink off brand soda, and I have to have the mac and cheese from Kraft. Other things I can get away with using the store brand.

I definitely teared up when that 91 year old man in Joplin talked about having to start over at his age.

[emesbe]

It's sort of popular in Utah where there is a large population of Mormons who can't have caffeine. I didn't think you could find it anywhere else though.

I've never seen it here---I do know Dew distributed in Canada doesn't have caffeine. My exhusband went on his mission to Canada and was very excited about it (his family is very legalistic about that sort of thing). I saw the pictures of the towers of Dew cans in the missionary apartments.

[Wolfie]

Then again the makers do put this chemical found in vomit into the chocolate to preserve it or something. Bleh! I'll stick with the foreign chocolates... and Dove. I love me some Dove chocolate.

Okay, references, or I'll write this off as an urban legend.

But- wait, Water is found in vomit. Maybe I should stop drinking any liquids.

[emmiedahl]

I thought Joseph Smith said no hot drinks? There was nothing about caffeine. I have relatives who are very legalistic LDS and they have an occasional soda. No wine in their cooking though--found that out the hard way with my toffee bread pudding in bourbon sauce.

[xDreamerx]

I thought Joseph Smith said no hot drinks? There was nothing about caffeine. I have relatives who are very legalistic LDS and they have an occasional soda. No wine in their cooking though--found that out the hard way with my toffee bread pudding in bourbon sauce.

I always thought it was no caffeine because caffeine is an impairing substance or a drug. The same line of thinking goes for alcohol. I heard Mormons find decaf okay so I assumed it was solely about the caffeine.

[clarinetpower]

I live near a Wegman's, where store brand is equal to or better than name brand every single time. Wegman's is the bomb. It's like Whole Paycheck, only as cheap as Walmart, with higher quality and less snootification than WF. I always buy their store brand. And frankly, knock-off cheerios are fine--half of them end up under the couch anyway.

I did notice a Nutella difference--in France, it was awesome (I used to live there.) In the Midwest, where it was made with a different type of oil, it was nasty. I found an Italian knock off at our coop that was close enough. When we moved out East (PA), the Nutella here is fine.

Oh, and please don't judge American chocolate on Hershey's. Buy some Dove (still a tish waxy) or Ghirardelli or Scharffenburger. Hershey's shouldn't even be called chocolate. Though, I'm a Lindt girl. :)

[emmiedahl]

Joseph Smith drank beer even after his relevation; he said no hard alcohol, no hot drinks, and that tobacco is meant to be a medicine for sick cattle.

The Mormon relative told me that if I read their books with an open mind, that God would speak to me and give me a testimony of the truth. So I did read them. We also discussed it and I did not get any such testimony--more of a WTF? testimony. To each their own I guess.

[Lillian]

Yeah, I'm a huge GG fan as well. They did have a coke tie in. They feature coke products as you mentioned (Rory asking for it)...but also in Season 3 (I think) they talk about coke and how Lorelai bought the new lemon coke. She offers some to Jess when he comes to clean their gutters in the episode where he steals the bracelet Dean gave to Rory. Lorelai also makes New Coke jokes a lot. Also in Dosie's market they show many things that are brand name as opposed to fake TV brands or no brandage (like when they show people drinking from milk cartons that just say 'milk') so I think they bad tie ins with different brands perhaps to a lesser degree but definitely coke.

OMG yes they did! Gah how did I miss that. Need to go back and rewatch the early seasons.

Snarkykitty: Caramello Koalas, they are amaaaazing. When my Mum lived in Seattle for a while there was an Aust/New Zealand bar that sold them...but that's all I know of, sorry. I'll eat some over here on your behalf :D :D

[Rowan]

I agree with a lot of people that I get only name brand Mac and Cheese and Peanut Butter. And don't deprive me of my Dr. Pepper!

Adding another one to the list - generic brand Cool Whip. Don't do it. Just don't. :hand:

[Deleted03]

I live near a Wegman's, where store brand is equal to or better than name brand every single time. Wegman's is the bomb. It's like Whole Paycheck, only as cheap as Walmart, with higher quality and less snootification than WF. I always buy their store brand. And frankly, knock-off cheerios are fine--half of them end up under the couch anyway.

I did notice a Nutella difference--in France, it was awesome (I used to live there.) In the Midwest, where it was made with a different type of oil, it was nasty. I found an Italian knock off at our coop that was close enough. When we moved out East (PA), the Nutella here is fine.

Oh, and please don't judge American chocolate on Hershey's. Buy some Dove (still a tish waxy) or Ghirardelli or Scharffenburger. Hershey's shouldn't even be called chocolate. Though, I'm a Lindt girl. :)

ooo yes nutella! I just had some of my roomate's - I am not allowed nutella in my grocery shopping - and since it's been very hot, it was all oily/gooey/watery... I wonder if it's just the heat or the difference in the way it's made...

[emmiedahl]

I buy Nutella in the US and it is fantastic. If it is better in Europe--does it cause an orgasm or make you lose 20 lbs per bite? That's the only way I could imagine it being better.

[Deleted03]

I buy Nutella in the US and it is fantastic. If it is better in Europe--does it cause an orgasm or make you lose 20 lbs per bite? That's the only way I could imagine it being better.

considering that many of my french friend eat nutella on a daily basis I'd say it must make you lose weight - does not work with me!

I don't know, it's just different, I think it's a little smoother or something...

[bananacat]

I agree with a lot of people that I get only name brand Mac and Cheese and Peanut Butter. And don't deprive me of my Dr. Pepper!

Adding another one to the list - generic brand Cool Whip. Don't do it. Just don't. :hand:

I can one-up you :P I don't buy Cool Whip at all. I'm not a food snob about most things, but I want my whipped cream to actually be real cream. I buy the stuff in spray cans, but I do get the generic version. I also can't stand the taste of margarine even though I grew up with it and used to like it. Now I buy store-brand spreadable butter with canola oil. I do like plenty of other "fake" substitutes, like the frozen dairy treats that aren't actually milkshakes at most fast food places, but whipped cream and butter are just two things that I won't compromise on.

[bananacat]

I thought Joseph Smith said no hot drinks? There was nothing about caffeine. I have relatives who are very legalistic LDS and they have an occasional soda. No wine in their cooking though--found that out the hard way with my toffee bread pudding in bourbon sauce.

I have some Mormon friends who basically treat it as a command to keep your body healthy. So they're sort of health nuts, but they will treat themselves occasionally, like when I bring chili to our D&D games (yes, my very first D&D group was started by a Mormon couple). I think this is the most reasonable and balanced view, but of course every group has variation.

I know that for some Jews who keep extremely Kosher, their reasoning is that you can't know for sure if God would care about a cheeseburger, for example, or even washing meat and dairy silverware in the same dishwasher. God might not care, but it's better to be extra safe just in case and avoid mixing the two. So maybe some Mormons have the same reasoning about alcohol and caffeine.

[keeperrox]

I live near a Wegman's, where store brand is equal to or better than name brand every single time. Wegman's is the bomb.

I drive by 2 Giants, 2 Walmarts (which I refuse to patronize), 2 Nell's (Shurfine), and a Weis to go to Wegman's. It's just a much more pleasant shopping experience.

[aelar]

I have to admit, I'm stunned at how many people eat peanut butter with sugar in it. I can't eat peanut butter if the ingredients say more than peanuts and salt. But since those are the only ingredients, it doesn't much matter which brand I buy. As long as it meets that criteria, they all taste the same.

I shop at Trader Joe's which s the nirvana of store brands. They have a lot of special things you can only get there, and then a lot of generic staple stuff under their brand that is either the same or better than the name brand.

You can find really great chocolate in any country, if you're willing to pay enough. Swiss and French chocolate stands out above UK and American chocolate because their generic cheap chocolate is as good as all but the high end American chocolate. Nestle is so much better in Europe, for example. I also ran across a generic brand nutella in a supermarket in Paris that was soooooo good, like normal nutella, but with darker, richer chocolate. I have kicked myself many times for not going to the store and buying a few extra jars before we left.

[Samantha]

I thought Joseph Smith said no hot drinks? There was nothing about caffeine. I have relatives who are very legalistic LDS and they have an occasional soda. No wine in their cooking though--found that out the hard way with my toffee bread pudding in bourbon sauce.

Yeah no coffee or green/black teas because they are considered "hot drinks." And no alcohol whatsoever. And the caffeine thing isn't a written rule, it is debated if it really a rule. And from my personal experience is a way of one-upping other members. The mormons I knew who wouldn't drink it, did so in a holier-than-thou attitude.

[GoJiRa]

The more people watch this nonsense the higher the ratings. Gotta pay those 19 salaries somehow. :D

[PennySycamore]

I noticed name brand detergent awhile back too. I assumed it was a product placement, since they went through the effort of showing us how they make detergent and mentioning that savings multiple times. Free or paid-to-use beats made-on-the-cheap any time.

Most of the product placements on the show are barely thismuchmore subtle than the ones on Jon & Kate Plus 8. But it's fun to spot them :)

It could be that the Duggars can't use the homemade laundry detergent anymore. They've got all those front-loader washers which in the US usually are high-efficiency machines and those require HE detergent.

[marmalade]

The Duggars had those machines long before they put on the show of making their own laundry soap. I'm sure they gave to the Querys or Hackels the second tape stopped rolling, especially after seeing the All product placement.

The one time they showed Michelle semi cleaning (with Jill to remind her how it's done), it was to pimp Swiffer.

Chocolate? Must be Swiss or German (or Godiva) and be 70% cacao. I like it dark, like my men. :dance:

[xDreamerx]

I found this about Mormonism and caffeine. It was on answerbag.com so grain of salt perhaps but anyway here it is:

It's actually a myth that Mormons are required to avoid caffeine. What is proscribed are “hot drinksâ€, this term having been clarified to mean specifically coffee and tea, and to include cold and decaffeinated versions thereof; but not including herbal teas.

The source for this is what we call “The Word of Wisdomâ€, which is found in the 89th section of the Doctrine and Covenants. See http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/89

Originally, this was given as advice, and not as a commandment. In the early days of the church, members were encouraged to obey it, but were entirely free to disregard it.

It has been narrowed and raised to the status of a commandment. In current application, the Word of Wisdom means that members are commanded to abstain from the use of:

• Strong drink (meaning alcoholic beverages)

• Hot drinks (meaning, as I said before, coffee and tea)

…and…

• Tobacco

This is “the letter of the lawâ€, so to speak, which one must obey in order to remain a Mormon in good standing.

The spirit of the Word of Wisdom dictates that we are to take care of our bodies, and to avoid using or ingesting any product that is harmful to us. However, beyond the three things mentioned above, this is entirely a matter of personal conscience and choice. I think the following statement by Spencer W. Kimball, who was the prophet and president of the church some years ago, best clarifies the principles involved here:

“I never drink any of the cola drinks and my personal

hope would be that no one would. However, they are

not included in the Word of Wisdom in its technical

application. I quote from a letter from the secretary

to the First Presidency, ‘But the spirit of the Word of

Wisdom would be violated by the drinking or eating of

anything that contained a habit-forming drug.’ With

reference to the cola drinks, the Church has never

officially taken any attitude on this at but I personally

do not put them in the class as with the tea and coffee

because the Lord specifically mentioned them [the hot

drinks].â€

(Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 202.)

[tingeofginge]

I LOVE Cadbury from Australia. When I was still working, whenever the rep from the AU office would visit headquarters, she's always bring Caramello Koalas. O.M.G. Nothing compares. (Plus i have a thing for Koalas).

I once tried to have them shipped here via the internet and they melted. It's either summer here or summer there, so it's hard to get a good time for shipping.

(If anyone knows where in the States I can get these, please let me know!)

Do you have a Cost Plus World Market near you? Maybe they have them there? I've found that to be a pretty good source of good chocolate. As for peanut butter, we always go to WinCo and use the machine that grinds the peanuts right there (and it's cheap!).

[autumnchild]

It could be that the Duggars can't use the homemade laundry detergent anymore. They've got all those front-loader washers which in the US usually are high-efficiency machines and those require HE detergent.

We use the homemade detergent in our HE washer. It doesn't create tons of suds so it doesn't clog the lines. Our machine is also old enough to not have to worry about voiding the warranty by using them either.

[pamplemousse]

IMO, Kraft mac and cheese isn't all that. For boxed mac and cheese, I usually buy Pasta Roni shells and white cheddar. If I'm buying anything else, I'll just go with store brand -- I can't see paying more for name brands if I don't think they're that much better. I usually just wait and make my own.

I'm not usually too picky about name brand vs. store brand, but I specifically buy Dawn dish soap, Walmart's Sam's Choice higher-quality plastic wrap, and Kroger's Spicy Salsa chips (because I like them best) and Purina Cat Chow (because the cats like it, so why not stick with it?). Pasta sauce is anything without onions because I hate onions.

When I temped at a major food corporation, often the bosses would bring back European chocolate when they had to go overseas. It was sold in the company store there, too. I miss temping there. :( And if you think American chocolate is bad, Lacta (sold in South America, I believe) is worse -- overly sweet and nasty, similar to that Palmer chocolate with which all those cheap holiday and novelty candies are made.