Would a Mayo By Any Other Name Taste as Mayo-y?

I've been too busy to cook lately, and to be honest, I'm not entirely sure what I've been eating. Since I don't have much in the way of recipes to share this week, I thought I'd focus on shopping.

When it comes to buying food at the grocery store, I always tend to gravitate towards certain brands. I have my favorites, as I'm sure you do. The funny thing about having favorite brands is that I get pretty snobbish about my purchases. I'd rather pay full price for what I really want than save a few pennies on a cheap imitation. And I also tend to think that if you don't like my brand, then it's obvious that you're lacking in the taste department (told you I was snobbish).

So here you have it: Lydia's favorite brands, by item:

Mayonnaise: Hands down--Best Foods (or Hellmans if you're on the East Coast). I like the regular and low-fat versions of Best Foods mayo, and could probably tolerate other brands (like Kraft). But never, ever, ever serve me Miracle Whip. What is that junk anyway? It's not good.

Butter: I'm not as passionate about any particular butter brands (though I tend to favor Land O'Lakes), but here's the deal: I never buy margarine. If you're going to use butter, use the real thing. I'll bend the rules and use the easy-to-spread Land O'Lakes spreadable butter with canola oil, but really? The real deal is so much better.

Sour Cream: Daisy. All the way. It's creamier and oh-so much better than the grocery store brand. Plus the annoying "Do a dollop of Daisy" jingle gets stuck in my head and makes me laugh.

Yogurt: I eat Tillamook yogurt almost every day for breakfast--not because I like it, but because it's easy. If I want to indulge myself or if I am cooking, I use Greek yogurt, especially from Fage. Their Greek yogurt with honey is so sinfully rich and good.

Cookies: I don't like boxed cookies as a rule. My only exceptions are Girl Scout Thin Mints and Tagalongs...and an occasional Oreo here or there. But my husband? Now he's a cookie fiend. And for him, there is none better than Chips Ahoy. I tried buying him the store brand once...yeah, that'll never happen again!

Bacon: I go back and forth on thick vs. regular bacon, but I almost always buy my bacon from Farmland Foods. I'm not big on Oscar Mayer bacon--it seems to be missing some flavor.

Cheddar Cheese: I lived in Vermont for awhile, so I have to say Cabot's Cheddar (and other products) are my sentimental favorite. But since I'm living in Washington state now, I use a lot of Tillamook Cheddar. And if you're in the market for already shredded cheddar, the Tillamook Classic Cheddar Blend actually tastes like Cheddar cheese (unlike the Kraft or store brands that taste like...nothing).

Peanut Butter: Here's a case where I almost don't care what I'm using as long as it isn't Adam's. I loathe the taste, texture, and layer of oil found in natural peanut butter. I know it sounds bad, but give me the processed stuff, whether it's Skippy or Jif!

Pop (or Soda): If you're going to drink sugar-laced crap, there's nothing better than a nice cold Coke Classic. Don't give me a diet soda (the fake sugar is disgusting), and don't make me settle for a Pepsi. There is a difference, and I'm a Coke girl.

What are your favorite food brands? Leave me a comment if I missed anything (or if you disagree and you happen to think Miracle Whip is the bomb).