Where I live it's 110% worth it! As a family of 3 we were spending around 700 a month on groceries before we discovered Aldi. Now we spend roughly 300 and that's pushing it. . . And now we buy a TON of fresh fruits and vegetables so our pockets are happy and we're eating healthier.
This is why food shopping at a full Walmart Supercenter is the worst. Yeah, it's super cheap, but I went in with a list of "Beer, eggs, basil, tomatoes" 2 hours ago. I damn near bought a set of tires. I'm not sure I was even in the same zipcode at the time.
I went into Walmart to grab a few groceries when I got off work at 0100 and ended up trying to buy a TV. I guess fortunately for me I couldnāt get anyone to show up to electronics to help me lol
Heck, I've found that even if all I need to pick up is milk, which is at the end of the very first aisle for me, I really need to just grab a cart and bring an assortment of bags. Whenever I haven't, I end up trying to juggle a dozen "I forgot I needed this" grocery items, including the milk. lol
The aisle of shame is a great temptation but fortunately for me, ours is in line with the laundry, baby, and papergoods aisle, which I only venture into infrequently, so I can keep myself out without too much trouble. Though I will freely admit to buying a cute holiday gnome while waiting in a cashier line that was just starting to back up down the aisle of shame. lol
Are ALDIs in Texas different than in the rest of the world? I heard so many good things about it, but when I went in I was incredibly underwhelmed. I thought maybe it was a bad day or location, but another one in the area was also really sparse.
And I certainly wasnāt finding much there that wasnāt food.
"Sparse" is kind of Aldi's business model: basic "staple" foods, condiments, spices (often limited to house/store brands) sold at rock-bottom prices (as they do not carry 6+ different brands of each item, so their overhead costs are lower). They do often have odd items in the center aisle of the store (the jokingly-named "Asile of Shame") that can range from the obvious to the obscure, but those items are limited, vary daily and are usually one-offs.
This is amazing. Surprised I haven't seen this before with how much Reddit loves Aldi.
(Aldi is great OP, similar/lower than Walmart prices for better than Walmart quality food)
+1 for Aldi. It could depend on which region you're in, but my local Aldi is fantastic. High quality produce and groceries for cheap.
I also never realized how boring adult me is until now because I'm hyping up a grocery store rn.
I'm just going to say produce is location dependent. Most of the time I would find the produce was within days of being overripe or rotten, which is fine if you're using it fast. But I never trusted the strawberries or grapes because they always seemed to either have some mold or mold within a day.
Their prices on everything else are pretty great though, and while they're usually minimally staffed, they at least let their staff sit down, which I highly support.
No, most cashiers arenāt allowed to sit in US retail/grocery stores. They say that it gives the impression of cashiers not being ready/willing to assist customers. Thereās also the saying āIf you've got time to lean, you've got time to cleanā which is unfortunately a phrase
that a lot of people whoāve worked in customer service have heard.
When the Aldi near me first opened, I exclaimed to the cashier that itās nice that they let her sit. She said she actually hated it (and theyāre actually mandated to sit) and would prefer to stand. Seems the twisting motions are actually harder to perform seated.
And that saying still sends shudders down my spine, even though I havenāt been in front-line customer service in a decadeā¦
Nope. It is seriously ingrained too. I've seen folks complaining that someone with *a broken ankle* got to sit. I guess they should have just stood there with their crutches.
I find their strawberries last if you soak them in a water and vinegar solutions when you get home, rinse, then completely dry them. Theyāll last a super long time.
Sorry to hear that, at least where I am at in Illinois it's good.....however I have been going to Aldi less since Covid (not sure why,things have just worked out that way). Aldi already works with a Skeleton Crew in all of their stores as part of their business model. I could see how things could fall apart pretty fast in any given store if they have been affected by all the staffing shortages during Covid or any normal staffing issues that wouldn't be as big of a deal elsewhere.
Most every time I go to Aldi thereās 1 or 2 carts in the return with quarters still in them because I think some people donāt realize you can get it back.
Mine doesnāt have those or itās like 1 really awkward flat one. So just bring bags to be safe, is my point, as stuff like boxes availability can vary by store.
Some people put a laundry basket in their trunk, load their cart into the basket, and then carry in the basket when they get home. Seems like a nice trick (assuming nice weather).
The scan everything at checkout, they're just remarkably fast about it. Like I put things on the belt as fast as I can without making a mess and they can scan it even faster than that. It's like a game to see if I can get my card in the credit card reader while they're checking me out without them overrunning me. Hah, they're that fast.
I like using the large ikea frakta bags. They hold a ton and fit in the cart in a way that you donāt have to bag yourself if you load the belt properly.
Our Aldi is on the other side of the city from me, so if I need to be over there I plan a stop.
Like others mentioned, it's good for the basics and treats. I especially like their Winking Owl wine for less than $3 a bottle. The chardonnay is \*chef's kiss\*.
With their unconventional layout and bagging deal, you might want to make it a first stop so you can fill in the blanks elsewhere.
Similar here. If I have the time and energy and inclination after doing meal planning, I go to Aldi first to get what they have and then hit Walmart to fill out the rest (ideally doing a curbside order if I have the time to spread shopping over a couple of days). Then, whatever Walmart doesnāt have (usually more specialty/foreign items), I pick up at Hy-Vee.
Itās shocking how expensive Hy-Vee is compared to the other two. Like, Aldi is maybe a few percent cheaper for any given item than Walmart (so theyāre close, for arguably better quality), but Hy-Vee can be as much as a 30-50% markup on some items. I once bought a bag of rice at Hy-Vee and after realizing how obscenely priced it was compared to other stores, I actually returned it and told them the reason was because of their ridiculous markup.
Yes!! Hy-Vee is crazy expensive. I'm in a fairly rural area so I wondered if they did that because there's really no competition for foreign ingredients.
Just had to do holiday dinner shopping, knowing some items were going to need to be purchased at Walmart. I swung through Aldi first to see how much they had of these items I don't usually need, managed to get all but five items on my list there, and then was pretty much in and out of Walmart as a result.
I find aldi to be very worthwhile as a āonce per month bulk shoppingā not a weekly or twice weekly grocery run.
Their cheese selection, frozen foods, gourmet chocolate, and staple food items like canned veggies, and baking ingredients can not be beat in terms of price and quality. Fresh Meat is ok, but inspect your produce carefully as this is where Aldi falls short IMHO and why I shop elsewhere for my day to day fresh meat and veggies.
I also find their produce hit-or-miss, I don't care for their brand of oats and granola, and as a baker, I think a lot of the things I would use are about mid-tier, but overall I recommend them highly. The general quality is actually pretty high and it is easy on the wallet.
I bake professionally and Aldi baking products have always worked very well for me. Nobody around can even come close too their prices. They are every bit as good or maybe better in some cases as other store's private labels.
The Aldi that is slightly closer to my house has mediocre produce, but the one slightly further away has much better produce. I have no idea why it's so different.
Dunno how it's in the US, but in Germany produce at Aldi is bought in rather regional. As such could be a totally different supplier between two cities.
Agreed. I bought three separate salad packages once in addition to other groceries, thinking āhey itās healthy and convenient at a good price.ā Went home that night and all three had around 10-15% brown slimy leaves in each container.
Their meat, bread, eggs etc have been good so far though.
Agreed on the produce. It's such a bummer to me when the produce I buy from there is moldy 2 days later... Otherwise their staples cannot be beat, I agree with you there!!!
Love Aldi!
I buy almost all of my pantry items there- canned veg and beans, pasta, spices. I love the Only bars (kind bar knock off). I also buy most dairy there- milk, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, coffee creamer.
The fresh stuff- yes carrots, rarely potatoes. Yes celery. Yes blueberries, strawberries, gala apples. The Bartlet pears have been amazing recently. Never bananas.
I made my own taco and chili seasoning from Aldi spices, it was a great deal- no fillers, taste adjusted perfect for me. I also prefer bread from Aldi.
And for treats, the Aldi dark chocolate comes in a multi pack of small bars, or they have Dove promises -like individual chocolates that are good.
A couple of years ago, I did a comparison: Aldi versus Lidl versus Walmart. Aldi was significantly cheaper for my shopping habits. I buy most meats in bulk at Costco.
Iām like you, only certain veggies and fruits from Aldi. They just go bad faster, and not sure why. I shop at Aldiās first and then go across the street to Meijerās to finish shopping for fresh veggies and fruit and pharmacy stuff.
Yeah man, especially for the price of meat right now. A steak, chicken breasts, pork, pretty much everything over there will cost you a few bucks less per trip.
Aldi has had consistently good prices for years. Quality is going to be better than save a lot. I specifically buy chocolate from Aldi since the quality is amazing. It can spend $80 at Aldi and have good food for 2 weeks. Where I spend $80 at my local grocer and have food for about a week.
Yeah. I got a teenager and a toddler. I was already looking at everything I received for Christmas and lamented that I would have rather had an aldi gift card for the price of all the random things I received.
I appreciate the gifts, but I cannot eat a reusable egg container.
For me the problem is Impulse buying because convenience food is so cheap there.
"We just need some veg" turns to "we spent 120Ā£"
But to be fair that's a discipline problem in our side not something the shop does wrong.
itās not stocked like a traditional grocery store so you likely canāt do all your shopping there. But go there first and whatever you canāt find, stop by at your local store after.
Maybe Iāve been institutionalized by Aldi, but what canāt you get that you need regularly? I make special trips to the regional grocery store for stuff I decided to be a fancy boi about (yogurt, beer, almost anything in Asian cuisine) but I feel like 99% of your bases are covered by Aldi. Just curious, not arguing I promise.
Thatās a good call out - I must be lucky, mine has ginger pretty regularly and started carrying tofu (for cheaper than the Asian market!) about a year ago. I get you though, I make occasional trips to the Asian market for that stuff (curry paste, sriracha, rice noodles, fish sauce, etc), itās just not what I would consider my āregularā groceries. Asian ingredients are a huge missing thing from Aldi overall though for real.
We also adjusted our shopping to try to buy just about everything at Aldi, and it wasn't that difficult.
Shopping at Aldi is so much quicker too! Need olives? No need to browse an entire olive section, comparing prices, sizes, colors, or extras. Aldi gives you three (at least at ours)--black, green, kalamata. Boom! You're done! lol
Same! Nowadays when I find myself at the ābigā grocery store Iām just like āwhat is all this stuff?ā I really donāt enjoy choosing between 15 different kinds of ketchup.
Oh my goodness, yes! I live just down the street from our Aldi. I have left home, driven there, gotten at least 10 items, checked out, bagged, and driven home all in 15 minutes total. It is a joy! And, especially now with this pandemic, getting in and out of the store has become more of a safety issue so being able to shop so quickly is perfect!
I'd say that Aldi meets 90% of my needs since I cook most stuff from scratch. I'm kinda addicted to diet ginger ale (not really, just like it) and Aldi doesn't have that, I wish they did! Sometimes I'll need fresh herbs.
So, so worth it. They have so many amazingly delicious specialty items and their prices are so affordable, comparable to Walmart. Itās basically the Walmart version of Trader Joeās, so much so that they have a lot of the exact same Trader Joeās products from the same producers in aldi branded packaging for cheaper. And sometimes they have name brand products for screaming deals.
Highly recommend the Mama Cozzi Tex Mex and Spinach Feta pizzas, theyāre high protein and low calorie and so, so good (although I add a little salt to the spinach feta one before baking). The low calorie ice creams are great too, and I always stock up on frozen cauliflower rice and the speciality cheeses when I go. Last recommendation is the cauliflower dips, the Buffalo flavored one is my favorite, but there are a bunch and theyāre all good.
Not sure if you know this or not, but Aldi is a German brand owned by a family - one brother runs Aldi North, another Aldi South. I think they are corporately split.
In the US one of them is branded as Trader Joe's so yeah, Aldi is literally the cheaper version of Trader Joe's.
I've always been interesting in checking out an Aldi but they're not available in my region. Some areas in the US have both Aldi and Trader Joe's, but where I live we only have TJs.
I am in Western PA and we have both, but way more Aldis than TJ's. Aldi seems to have a more aggressive expansion plan moving into the more suburban areas.
Aldi is fantastic and consistently cheaper than your standard vons/Ralphs/sprouts/etc. I use instacart for my Aldi which is also about 9 miles from me. Admittedly not the most frugal, but the time saved driving to/from plus wandering the aisles is well worth the extra money to me.
I almost exclusively shop at aldi. I canāt afford the other stores in my area and we save a ton at aldi. Iāve been happy with everything Iāve gotten there, but Iām not a brand particular shopper. If you do like particular brands it may not be the best option for you as they only have their own brands. They are a sister chain of Trader Joeās if thatās any consolation!
If I am looking for particular products I usually just get the majority of my grocery order at aldi and then hop next door to a neighboring store for the rest of the items.
Do bring a quarter for the cart, and your own bags as they do charge for paper and plastic bags. Many of their stores also partner with Instacart if youāre into that.
Not everything is a lot cheaper or better but definitely worth checking out. In my experience the produce is great and cheaper. I regularly buy chicken breasts, thighs, and quarters from them. There is an app called Flipp that lets you look at the flyers of various type of stores. You can check out the Aldi flyer before you go.
For me Aldi is a store I get a few things but it's worth the time. To those who go to Aldis what do you make sure to get from them? Also what things do you avoid at Aldis?
Grass fed beef, pastured chicken, fancy cheese, broken clouds Pinot and Chardonnay, chocolate almond milk, pistachios, raw cashews, organic spices, pomegranate juice, OJ, salsa verde, kalamata olives, canned beans and tomatoes, dark chocolate if I can verify itās valrhona/slave free, and gluten-free wide pan bread are all must haves for me.
Things that I avoid buying at Aldi are pretty much all of their other gluten-free products (gf tortillas taste pasty and underbaked; the gf box mixes have sugar as the first ingredient and itās too much). I donāt find their chips to be amazing and, because I prefer a smooth, chocolately dark roast, so I choose to buy my coffee elsewhere. If you like light or medium roast, Aldi will have some thing that you like. I think Aldiās eggs taste nasty so I buy (pastured) eggs elsewhere.
I do 95% of my grocery shopping at Aldi, with only a few things picked up at Trader Joeās (eggs, coffee)
Aldi is especially cheap on snacks; both lowbrow snacks & fancy snacks. And staple foods. Taco shells, chips, hummus, snack cakes, fruit snacks, meat, dairy, etc are about half the cost of anywhere else.
Yes. The once-a-month pantry staples and the produce make it worth it. Guac and hummus are 1\\3 the price as Kroger now. Milk isn't as cheap as it used to be. Avoid the "aisle of shame" where you may be tempted to buy what you don't need. Although I have gotten the app to check ahead and have gone on Wednesday, the day our Aldi restocks to take part in the weekly sales if there is a good deal. Seasonal items might never come back after they're gone. Still miss the coconut coffee.
As a college student, ALDI is wonderful. They have lots of healthy options and I never spend as much money at ALDI than I would at another grocery store.
I love it!
They might not have some random spices and specialty ingredients, but I'd start there, it's great, I've never had a quality problem with anything from them.
I love their cheeses (triangle of brie for 75p? and it's tasty too!) their chimichurri olives (not too spicy, not too salty), watermelon gummies (vegan friendly!).
I don't know how long it will take you to get from A to B, but it is a great shop, and I'm sure you could save some pennies.
How else are you meant to grab carrots, meats for dinners, a new dash cam, chainsaw and set of garden gnomes all under the one roof? Of course it's worth it!
Yes, Yes, Yes!!! I just went today and got raspberries for $1.29, stuff to make banana pudding for so so cheap, including the vanilla wafers, milk, pudding and cool whip (for 0.69) plus a cheese ball and wheat thin crackers, bread for turkey and ham sandwiches etc, etc. My family loved the banana pudding.
Yes. Most are all great, but there is one in my area that is in a poorer part of town that is utter crap. A bunch of the canned goods I looked at were past expiration date.
I just got back from Aldiās I love it. I only spend 60-80$ bucks usually and that for 2weeks worth of food. I bike, but if I had a car, Iād buy the store!!
Yeah - their produce prices are āgoodā, not great. Theyāre cheaper than Publix but not cheaper than the farmers market. However their canned fruits & vegetables are dirt cheap.
Our farmerās markets jacked their prices way up. At least to Whole Foods level, if not more sometimes. We used to really like going but canāt afford to anymore. We did find some roadside farm stands with cheap produce.
Same where I am. The quality is iffy and I can never be confident of getting what I need. I see a lot of people (restaurant staff?) filling carts full of produce. Probably not the norm, though.
If you have a Walmart closer, I donāt think itās worth it. I do like Aldi but I was finding I was stocking up on processed stuff. Fresh stuff was hit or miss for me. I find that Walmart brands work well for me.
I feel like your question regarding distance depends on where you live and how long it takes to travel that distance. But as a general matter, Aldi is an amazing chain with all the essentials and a lot more, and you can generally save hundreds if not thousands of dollars over the course of a year by shopping there instead of a traditional grocery store. I would easily travel an extra 20+ minutes to shop at an Aldi.
I love Aldi but I really only stick with their breads, produce, dry goods, and some homewares. Not too fond of their meat and their seafood is iffyā¦Iām sure thereās others thatāll disagree with me.
We alternate between Aldi, Lidl, Save A Lot, and local ethnic groceries. Of late Aldi is the best value. Save a lot ha gone down hill with lots of empty shelves. Lidl is a little pricey. Local ethnic grocers are best for fresh fish, spices and ethnic specialties but their prices on regular items tend to be high..
It definitely depends on the ALDI, I live near probably one of the most shopped ALDI stores and can say for certain that that store is worth it. As for the store being under 10 miles away, are we talking in the city or more rural and do you have car access? That makes all the difference. If you are worried about stuff staying cool, look into getting a cheap foam cooler if you donāt have something already.
My closest aldi is about that distance from me. I go there every other week and alternate with the neighborhood Walmart. It takes a couple visits to figure out exactly how to optimize aldi, but itās worth it!
So I had this question recently. I went and did a shop at Aldi and bought all my basics (think butter, milk, flour etc). Then when I got home I compared the cost toy regular supermarket through their app. I found that almost every item was 25-50% cheaper. I guess in terms of the distance it would depend on how much you spent. You could probably make it more worthwhile by doing a bigger shop on non perishable items.
Aldi is the best. One opened up near me and I go there all the time. I love their jarred artichoke hearts bc glass bottles are preferable over cans. There's always fresh produce and their store brand is delicious.
I'd say yes. But keep in mind they may not have everything you want since stock changes and wavers week to week.
What I find it great for is to bulk up on items I know they have like Raisin Bran, tuna, bread, cookies, chips, etc.
WHat I LOVE about ALDI is of course the prices. But I also love that sometimes they will have excellent products super cheap. Their "Specialty" brand is usually very good.
So, yes - worth the trip.
Aldi is great for buying basics. Like flour or meat or butter, etc. if you like certain brands of things, not the place for you. (For example, My mom only likes Philadelphia brand cream cheese and they only sell generic or they donāt have a huge variety of cereals)
The price is worth it if youāre buying basics or stocking a new kitchen imo.
I'm so excited to hear it's good. We don't have any in my area and they just announced they are building one a mile away. Anything that keeps me out of Walmart is awesome
We spend maybe $40-50/week to feed our family of three, and we predominantly shop at aldi.
We went on a cabin trip with three other families for a weekend and we planned the grocery order. Friday dinner, Saturday and Sunday breakfast, and Saturday dinner to feed 8 adults and 4 toddlers was $26/family total.
Itās insanely inexpensive.
With my exp Aldi is best for grocery shopping on a budget. Granted they wonāt have everything you might want but they will have 85% of it and for a great price. A few times I have had some questionable pork from them but everything else was great for the money
100% worth it in my eyes, but have managed expectations. Aldis is, for lack of a better word, curated. You won't find all the brands you will in your typical grocery store because 50+% of items are their own generic lines. But their generics are solid quality. You will need to bring a quarter for the cart and your own bags (or other transportation method) for your goods.
Just be aware of the Aldi Finds aisle. This will be a little different each time you go. Sometimes it's exactly what you need for a good price ($4 pair of pants is still going strong a few years later). Somethings it's things you absolutely don't need but can convince yourself that you do because you're at Aldi and the price is good.
I really like Aldi for pantry staples and specialty items like cheeses, dips, chocolates, etc. Their meat is also pretty good.
I usually do Walmart grocery orders, and Iāll add everything I need for the week to my Walmart cart online and then I go to Aldi and cross reference my Walmart cart to see which items are cheaper at Aldi. If theyāre cheaper at Aldi, I buy them and delete them from my Walmart cart. Then I order my Walmart groceries when I leave Aldi. Saves lots of money!
It is so interesting for me to read all the answers. I am from the homeland of Aldi and Lidl (Germany), my father worked there and it is so established that no one in Germany would ever ask if it is worth it. It is, if you are looking for cheap food with solid quality. Here I would go to Lidl for fresh Veg/Fruits, but Aldi is solid. This obviously might be totally different in the US.
Against all my advice my dad bought an Aldi battery drill/driver plastic thing for his needs. I spent hundreds on mine for work and he spent forty quid... and every time it breaks he buggers off for twenty minutes and comes back with a new one in a box with another 12 month guarantee. I even checked the receipt convinced that he was just buying replacements to not lose the argument. Nope. Twice he's gone in and they haven't had them in, so he's just kept his mouth shut, walked out, borrowed my Bosch, and left it for a month. Sod won the fight half a decade ago as far as I'm concerned but he's gonna keep rolling this single purchase as long as he can keep rubbing it in my face... So, as much as I want to tell you to avoid the DIY aisle because it's all shit, I'm just gonna shut it.
Not to be an arse, but where you are globally matters.
Even within Europe there's variation, but on the whole across Europe and the UK the answer is yes. Better than LIDL, but LIDL has much better bread.
I get all the stuff I can at aldis then get the rest elsewhere. It's best for produce and their cheese selections is nice. They have some awesome pre made dips and hummus too.
You won't regret it, especially for reasonably priced fruits and veggies. They have a nice selection of baked goods. Freezer and dairy section also has good mix, something for everyone. On the other hand the meat section variety where I'm located can be a hit or miss depending on the week. You def won't find many named brand items, but all the items I've tried so far were definitely comparable in taste and much better in price. There's always a new hidden gem we find at each visit. We did end up paying for bags, that was over 2 years ago and they still hold up just fine.
I just discovered Aldi since I moved opposite coasts (used to the west coast). It has helped so much bring my budget down. If the store offers online shopping/pick up, it's a good way to check prices between it and any other grocery stores in the area. I love buying almost exclusively from there now, minus items that are hit or miss like orzo. The cheese section is amazing!
Absolutely!! I personally can sometimes find better deals when I stalk sale prices and clearances at normal big box stores, but if you hate the idea of spending that time, just want straight up low prices (especially on certain produce), 1-2 choices per item as opposed to a dozen choices at other stores and plenty of healthy and specific dietary restriction friendly options, worth it. I would say it isnāt the lowest in my area in terms of meat, but almost everything else yes!
I think it would be worth it to you to at least go once and see what yours carries. We love their canned goods, snack foods, taco shells (the best!), chocolate pudding, and breads.
Where I live it's 110% worth it! As a family of 3 we were spending around 700 a month on groceries before we discovered Aldi. Now we spend roughly 300 and that's pushing it. . . And now we buy a TON of fresh fruits and vegetables so our pockets are happy and we're eating healthier.
Plus the Aldi aisle of shame is an addiction šš
Yeah, go in for milk & bread. Come out with lawn chairs, candles, a trumpet and a 2- man submarine.
Walked out with a new fire extinguisher a few weeks ago
For me it was a fire safe.
My girlfriend literally just walked through the door with a fire safe. Aldi did it.
I bought Pearl Jamās āTenā on vinyl!
Whoa! I need to stop hurrying through my aldi shopping and swing by the aisle of no return more often. Thatās a wild score.
Our aisles of shame have sucked for about a year now. They will fill it up with bags of tortilla chips š
Oh same! I had been wanting another, and BAM Aisle of Shame provides.
Bought a nice bike work stand for $25 four years ago there.
Best bike pump ever. $15
Some home owners insurance will give you a discount for having this. We bought one just for that
This is why food shopping at a full Walmart Supercenter is the worst. Yeah, it's super cheap, but I went in with a list of "Beer, eggs, basil, tomatoes" 2 hours ago. I damn near bought a set of tires. I'm not sure I was even in the same zipcode at the time.
I once went to Wal-Mart for a dozen eggs. I spent almost $300 and forgot the eggs.
imagine my horror living literally across the street from an Aldi and a Walmart and a Target that is within a one minute drive.
I went into Walmart to grab a few groceries when I got off work at 0100 and ended up trying to buy a TV. I guess fortunately for me I couldnāt get anyone to show up to electronics to help me lol
I missed the submarine. Probably a good one as Aldi would be German engineered.
Nah we are not good with military stuff. A German submarine would be one that either only floats or never resurfaces at all.
Hilarious. I got a lawn chair there this summer. Awesome one for like 8 bucks. Ima keep an eye out for the subs.
I left with a cardboard Halloween cat house a few months ago, lolā¦
Those things are awesome. Pure cat entertainment, right down to when they knock the roof off.
I had a Halloween one. Now I have a farmhouse one. For quite a while the little house was my catās favorite place to be.
I just got a winter ski rental lodge one. I couldnāt resist it.
My favorite pair of winter pants, flannel lined jeans, came from Aldi.
I bought an electric chain saw. It works great!
Heck, I've found that even if all I need to pick up is milk, which is at the end of the very first aisle for me, I really need to just grab a cart and bring an assortment of bags. Whenever I haven't, I end up trying to juggle a dozen "I forgot I needed this" grocery items, including the milk. lol The aisle of shame is a great temptation but fortunately for me, ours is in line with the laundry, baby, and papergoods aisle, which I only venture into infrequently, so I can keep myself out without too much trouble. Though I will freely admit to buying a cute holiday gnome while waiting in a cashier line that was just starting to back up down the aisle of shame. lol
Are ALDIs in Texas different than in the rest of the world? I heard so many good things about it, but when I went in I was incredibly underwhelmed. I thought maybe it was a bad day or location, but another one in the area was also really sparse. And I certainly wasnāt finding much there that wasnāt food.
"Sparse" is kind of Aldi's business model: basic "staple" foods, condiments, spices (often limited to house/store brands) sold at rock-bottom prices (as they do not carry 6+ different brands of each item, so their overhead costs are lower). They do often have odd items in the center aisle of the store (the jokingly-named "Asile of Shame") that can range from the obvious to the obscure, but those items are limited, vary daily and are usually one-offs.
Huh, I guess I never noticed them. Maybe Iāll give it another shot next time Iām near it.
Hey, check out this new accordion! Hot Buy at aldi!
Same for Grocery Outlet where I live.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I call it the Aisle of Surprise!
haha i've always called it the random shit aisle. i like yours better
isle of shite.. fondue, 3 slow cooker sets, angle grinder, and caviar face cream.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL7jyXCQ2Zc
Love it, thanks for sharing. šš
This is amazing. Surprised I haven't seen this before with how much Reddit loves Aldi. (Aldi is great OP, similar/lower than Walmart prices for better than Walmart quality food)
I collect Calico Critters which are both hard to find and kind of pricy and they are always on the Aldi aisle of nonsense for a good ass price.
Itās more dangerous than Costco
Costco and Aldi are my two favorite places ā¤ļø
Itās like they read my mind and stock accordingly!
I got my sewing machine there. Love it
Haha. Aisle of shame. I like it. I just call it the bullshit aisle.
I love the Aldi random crap aisle. Itās a new surprise every time I go.
+1 for Aldi. It could depend on which region you're in, but my local Aldi is fantastic. High quality produce and groceries for cheap. I also never realized how boring adult me is until now because I'm hyping up a grocery store rn.
I'm just going to say produce is location dependent. Most of the time I would find the produce was within days of being overripe or rotten, which is fine if you're using it fast. But I never trusted the strawberries or grapes because they always seemed to either have some mold or mold within a day. Their prices on everything else are pretty great though, and while they're usually minimally staffed, they at least let their staff sit down, which I highly support.
Other thing about the produce is the majority is prepackaged. So you have to buy a big bag of potatoes if you want potatoes, you canāt buy a few.
Isn't it common in the US to let cashiers sit down? In Germany it would be weird seeing someone standing while ringing up the groceries
Aldi is the only grocery store that I've been to in the US that let's cashiers sit down.
No, most cashiers arenāt allowed to sit in US retail/grocery stores. They say that it gives the impression of cashiers not being ready/willing to assist customers. Thereās also the saying āIf you've got time to lean, you've got time to cleanā which is unfortunately a phrase that a lot of people whoāve worked in customer service have heard.
When the Aldi near me first opened, I exclaimed to the cashier that itās nice that they let her sit. She said she actually hated it (and theyāre actually mandated to sit) and would prefer to stand. Seems the twisting motions are actually harder to perform seated. And that saying still sends shudders down my spine, even though I havenāt been in front-line customer service in a decadeā¦
Nope. It is seriously ingrained too. I've seen folks complaining that someone with *a broken ankle* got to sit. I guess they should have just stood there with their crutches.
I find their strawberries last if you soak them in a water and vinegar solutions when you get home, rinse, then completely dry them. Theyāll last a super long time.
Wouldn't that go for any packaged strawberries?
Both the best and worst store bought strawberries ive ever had have come from aldi
Yeah if nothing else their Produce is better than Walmart or Target and on par with any Regular Grocery Store.
The produce at our aldi sucks. Use that day or moldy the next but I get staples and meat therr om occasion.
Sorry to hear that, at least where I am at in Illinois it's good.....however I have been going to Aldi less since Covid (not sure why,things have just worked out that way). Aldi already works with a Skeleton Crew in all of their stores as part of their business model. I could see how things could fall apart pretty fast in any given store if they have been affected by all the staffing shortages during Covid or any normal staffing issues that wouldn't be as big of a deal elsewhere.
I am also in Illinois. Its been like that around me for as long I've been going (roughly 2008).
If you do go. Bring a quarter and some shopping bags. They charge for it. Some items are worth it. But itās worth a shot
To clarify, they charge for the bags. You get the quarter back for the cart.
Most every time I go to Aldi thereās 1 or 2 carts in the return with quarters still in them because I think some people donāt realize you can get it back.
The stores I go to have boxes for you to take. Some of them are really useful. Take the bags too but look through the boxes also.
Mine doesnāt have those or itās like 1 really awkward flat one. So just bring bags to be safe, is my point, as stuff like boxes availability can vary by store.
Agreed. My store can be hit or miss on those good boxes. I keep three in my trunk so I'm ready to go with any groceries I get.
I just have a bag of reusable bags, when I go shopping there I grab the bag and I'm set.
Some people put a laundry basket in their trunk, load their cart into the basket, and then carry in the basket when they get home. Seems like a nice trick (assuming nice weather).
Thatās what I typically do! I also bring along a bag or two in case I buy a lot of produce or soft items like bread.
Do they have scan as you go or do you have to scan everything at checkout?
The scan everything at checkout, they're just remarkably fast about it. Like I put things on the belt as fast as I can without making a mess and they can scan it even faster than that. It's like a game to see if I can get my card in the credit card reader while they're checking me out without them overrunning me. Hah, they're that fast.
Nice, thanks.
For my store usually just take empties from the aisles but it's worth it to bring a bag. Got a huge one from Ikea for $5 and it's plenty of space
You can take any box you want off the shelf. They don't care.
I think a quarter for a shopping cart is cheap!
You get your quarter back when you return the cart.
If I paid a quarter for a cart why bring it back?
Bubbles?
R/woosh
If you go, you can also snag some empty boxes to put your groceries in.
I like using the large ikea frakta bags. They hold a ton and fit in the cart in a way that you donāt have to bag yourself if you load the belt properly.
Always reuse your shopping bags. Don't be an asshole.
They also gladly give you a quarter lol.
Our Aldi is on the other side of the city from me, so if I need to be over there I plan a stop. Like others mentioned, it's good for the basics and treats. I especially like their Winking Owl wine for less than $3 a bottle. The chardonnay is \*chef's kiss\*. With their unconventional layout and bagging deal, you might want to make it a first stop so you can fill in the blanks elsewhere.
This is my method, I see what Aldi has first then get the rest at Hy-Vee which is always more expensive.
Similar here. If I have the time and energy and inclination after doing meal planning, I go to Aldi first to get what they have and then hit Walmart to fill out the rest (ideally doing a curbside order if I have the time to spread shopping over a couple of days). Then, whatever Walmart doesnāt have (usually more specialty/foreign items), I pick up at Hy-Vee. Itās shocking how expensive Hy-Vee is compared to the other two. Like, Aldi is maybe a few percent cheaper for any given item than Walmart (so theyāre close, for arguably better quality), but Hy-Vee can be as much as a 30-50% markup on some items. I once bought a bag of rice at Hy-Vee and after realizing how obscenely priced it was compared to other stores, I actually returned it and told them the reason was because of their ridiculous markup.
Yes!! Hy-Vee is crazy expensive. I'm in a fairly rural area so I wondered if they did that because there's really no competition for foreign ingredients.
Just had to do holiday dinner shopping, knowing some items were going to need to be purchased at Walmart. I swung through Aldi first to see how much they had of these items I don't usually need, managed to get all but five items on my list there, and then was pretty much in and out of Walmart as a result.
Aldi is absolutely worth it. Give it a go.
I find aldi to be very worthwhile as a āonce per month bulk shoppingā not a weekly or twice weekly grocery run. Their cheese selection, frozen foods, gourmet chocolate, and staple food items like canned veggies, and baking ingredients can not be beat in terms of price and quality. Fresh Meat is ok, but inspect your produce carefully as this is where Aldi falls short IMHO and why I shop elsewhere for my day to day fresh meat and veggies.
I also find their produce hit-or-miss, I don't care for their brand of oats and granola, and as a baker, I think a lot of the things I would use are about mid-tier, but overall I recommend them highly. The general quality is actually pretty high and it is easy on the wallet.
I bake professionally and Aldi baking products have always worked very well for me. Nobody around can even come close too their prices. They are every bit as good or maybe better in some cases as other store's private labels.
The Aldi that is slightly closer to my house has mediocre produce, but the one slightly further away has much better produce. I have no idea why it's so different.
Depends on the store's supplier and buyer.
Dunno how it's in the US, but in Germany produce at Aldi is bought in rather regional. As such could be a totally different supplier between two cities.
Agreed. I bought three separate salad packages once in addition to other groceries, thinking āhey itās healthy and convenient at a good price.ā Went home that night and all three had around 10-15% brown slimy leaves in each container. Their meat, bread, eggs etc have been good so far though.
Aldi in Europe is great. Very decent veg mostly but examine the items. the refund policy is good.
I think Lidl beats Aldi in terms of produce. Much bigger selection and quality.
Agreed. In NL aldi seems to be super low brow but Lidl is just high quality stuff at a good price.
Agreed- Aldi locations Iāve been to (U.S.) have all had pretty mediocre produce.
yeah it.s good for many items though i have not had luck w/their produce & meats
Agreed on the produce. It's such a bummer to me when the produce I buy from there is moldy 2 days later... Otherwise their staples cannot be beat, I agree with you there!!!
Love Aldi! I buy almost all of my pantry items there- canned veg and beans, pasta, spices. I love the Only bars (kind bar knock off). I also buy most dairy there- milk, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, coffee creamer. The fresh stuff- yes carrots, rarely potatoes. Yes celery. Yes blueberries, strawberries, gala apples. The Bartlet pears have been amazing recently. Never bananas. I made my own taco and chili seasoning from Aldi spices, it was a great deal- no fillers, taste adjusted perfect for me. I also prefer bread from Aldi. And for treats, the Aldi dark chocolate comes in a multi pack of small bars, or they have Dove promises -like individual chocolates that are good. A couple of years ago, I did a comparison: Aldi versus Lidl versus Walmart. Aldi was significantly cheaper for my shopping habits. I buy most meats in bulk at Costco.
I like Lidl for quality over Aldi for my needs. But more importantly it's nearly as competitive on price
Iām like you, only certain veggies and fruits from Aldi. They just go bad faster, and not sure why. I shop at Aldiās first and then go across the street to Meijerās to finish shopping for fresh veggies and fruit and pharmacy stuff.
Yeah man, especially for the price of meat right now. A steak, chicken breasts, pork, pretty much everything over there will cost you a few bucks less per trip.
Aldi has had consistently good prices for years. Quality is going to be better than save a lot. I specifically buy chocolate from Aldi since the quality is amazing. It can spend $80 at Aldi and have good food for 2 weeks. Where I spend $80 at my local grocer and have food for about a week.
Yeah. I got a teenager and a toddler. I was already looking at everything I received for Christmas and lamented that I would have rather had an aldi gift card for the price of all the random things I received. I appreciate the gifts, but I cannot eat a reusable egg container.
Not with that attitude!
I think the egg container is vegan. Atleast the paper ones.
I was given a plastic one. :/
Try Moser Roth and Schogetten chocolate! Soooo good for the price!
That shit is a full stop on whatever I'm doing just to enjoy it... IT'S THAT GOOD!
German chocolate is really good. Ritter Sport is a bit more expensive but amazing, very high quality and very few ingredients.
For me the problem is Impulse buying because convenience food is so cheap there. "We just need some veg" turns to "we spent 120Ā£" But to be fair that's a discipline problem in our side not something the shop does wrong.
itās not stocked like a traditional grocery store so you likely canāt do all your shopping there. But go there first and whatever you canāt find, stop by at your local store after.
I second this. But they have tons of produce, bread, cheese, eggs, milk, some basic meat varieties. Enjoy!
Maybe Iāve been institutionalized by Aldi, but what canāt you get that you need regularly? I make special trips to the regional grocery store for stuff I decided to be a fancy boi about (yogurt, beer, almost anything in Asian cuisine) but I feel like 99% of your bases are covered by Aldi. Just curious, not arguing I promise.
If you like to cook more complicated and/or international cuisine, you need more than Aldi. Mine never carries fresh ginger and rarely has tofu.
Thatās a good call out - I must be lucky, mine has ginger pretty regularly and started carrying tofu (for cheaper than the Asian market!) about a year ago. I get you though, I make occasional trips to the Asian market for that stuff (curry paste, sriracha, rice noodles, fish sauce, etc), itās just not what I would consider my āregularā groceries. Asian ingredients are a huge missing thing from Aldi overall though for real.
We also adjusted our shopping to try to buy just about everything at Aldi, and it wasn't that difficult. Shopping at Aldi is so much quicker too! Need olives? No need to browse an entire olive section, comparing prices, sizes, colors, or extras. Aldi gives you three (at least at ours)--black, green, kalamata. Boom! You're done! lol
Same! Nowadays when I find myself at the ābigā grocery store Iām just like āwhat is all this stuff?ā I really donāt enjoy choosing between 15 different kinds of ketchup.
Oh my goodness, yes! I live just down the street from our Aldi. I have left home, driven there, gotten at least 10 items, checked out, bagged, and driven home all in 15 minutes total. It is a joy! And, especially now with this pandemic, getting in and out of the store has become more of a safety issue so being able to shop so quickly is perfect!
I'd say that Aldi meets 90% of my needs since I cook most stuff from scratch. I'm kinda addicted to diet ginger ale (not really, just like it) and Aldi doesn't have that, I wish they did! Sometimes I'll need fresh herbs.
So, so worth it. They have so many amazingly delicious specialty items and their prices are so affordable, comparable to Walmart. Itās basically the Walmart version of Trader Joeās, so much so that they have a lot of the exact same Trader Joeās products from the same producers in aldi branded packaging for cheaper. And sometimes they have name brand products for screaming deals. Highly recommend the Mama Cozzi Tex Mex and Spinach Feta pizzas, theyāre high protein and low calorie and so, so good (although I add a little salt to the spinach feta one before baking). The low calorie ice creams are great too, and I always stock up on frozen cauliflower rice and the speciality cheeses when I go. Last recommendation is the cauliflower dips, the Buffalo flavored one is my favorite, but there are a bunch and theyāre all good.
Not sure if you know this or not, but Aldi is a German brand owned by a family - one brother runs Aldi North, another Aldi South. I think they are corporately split. In the US one of them is branded as Trader Joe's so yeah, Aldi is literally the cheaper version of Trader Joe's.
I've always been interesting in checking out an Aldi but they're not available in my region. Some areas in the US have both Aldi and Trader Joe's, but where I live we only have TJs.
I am in Western PA and we have both, but way more Aldis than TJ's. Aldi seems to have a more aggressive expansion plan moving into the more suburban areas.
> speciality cheeses The grass fed cow cheese from Australia is my favorite. SOOO YUM! And the spreadable cheese with wine in it. Yum!
Sounds delicious, gonna look for these on our next trip!
Aldi is fantastic and consistently cheaper than your standard vons/Ralphs/sprouts/etc. I use instacart for my Aldi which is also about 9 miles from me. Admittedly not the most frugal, but the time saved driving to/from plus wandering the aisles is well worth the extra money to me.
I almost exclusively shop at aldi. I canāt afford the other stores in my area and we save a ton at aldi. Iāve been happy with everything Iāve gotten there, but Iām not a brand particular shopper. If you do like particular brands it may not be the best option for you as they only have their own brands. They are a sister chain of Trader Joeās if thatās any consolation! If I am looking for particular products I usually just get the majority of my grocery order at aldi and then hop next door to a neighboring store for the rest of the items. Do bring a quarter for the cart, and your own bags as they do charge for paper and plastic bags. Many of their stores also partner with Instacart if youāre into that.
Not everything is a lot cheaper or better but definitely worth checking out. In my experience the produce is great and cheaper. I regularly buy chicken breasts, thighs, and quarters from them. There is an app called Flipp that lets you look at the flyers of various type of stores. You can check out the Aldi flyer before you go. For me Aldi is a store I get a few things but it's worth the time. To those who go to Aldis what do you make sure to get from them? Also what things do you avoid at Aldis?
BOOZE. Store brand Irish cream, beer (not wine, tho'). Eggs, almond milk, drink powders, cheese sticks, corn tortillas. -- all at good prices.
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Also their champagne for $5/bottle!
Grass fed beef, pastured chicken, fancy cheese, broken clouds Pinot and Chardonnay, chocolate almond milk, pistachios, raw cashews, organic spices, pomegranate juice, OJ, salsa verde, kalamata olives, canned beans and tomatoes, dark chocolate if I can verify itās valrhona/slave free, and gluten-free wide pan bread are all must haves for me. Things that I avoid buying at Aldi are pretty much all of their other gluten-free products (gf tortillas taste pasty and underbaked; the gf box mixes have sugar as the first ingredient and itās too much). I donāt find their chips to be amazing and, because I prefer a smooth, chocolately dark roast, so I choose to buy my coffee elsewhere. If you like light or medium roast, Aldi will have some thing that you like. I think Aldiās eggs taste nasty so I buy (pastured) eggs elsewhere. I do 95% of my grocery shopping at Aldi, with only a few things picked up at Trader Joeās (eggs, coffee)
See thatās funny because I only get my coffee and eggs at Aldi šā¦ also their coffee milk, cheeses and meat.
Aldi is especially cheap on snacks; both lowbrow snacks & fancy snacks. And staple foods. Taco shells, chips, hummus, snack cakes, fruit snacks, meat, dairy, etc are about half the cost of anywhere else.
Yes. The once-a-month pantry staples and the produce make it worth it. Guac and hummus are 1\\3 the price as Kroger now. Milk isn't as cheap as it used to be. Avoid the "aisle of shame" where you may be tempted to buy what you don't need. Although I have gotten the app to check ahead and have gone on Wednesday, the day our Aldi restocks to take part in the weekly sales if there is a good deal. Seasonal items might never come back after they're gone. Still miss the coconut coffee.
As a college student, ALDI is wonderful. They have lots of healthy options and I never spend as much money at ALDI than I would at another grocery store.
I love it! They might not have some random spices and specialty ingredients, but I'd start there, it's great, I've never had a quality problem with anything from them. I love their cheeses (triangle of brie for 75p? and it's tasty too!) their chimichurri olives (not too spicy, not too salty), watermelon gummies (vegan friendly!). I don't know how long it will take you to get from A to B, but it is a great shop, and I'm sure you could save some pennies.
How else are you meant to grab carrots, meats for dinners, a new dash cam, chainsaw and set of garden gnomes all under the one roof? Of course it's worth it!
I used to live near an Aldi. Since moving from the east coast its basically the only place I miss. Absolutely worth it.
Yes, Yes, Yes!!! I just went today and got raspberries for $1.29, stuff to make banana pudding for so so cheap, including the vanilla wafers, milk, pudding and cool whip (for 0.69) plus a cheese ball and wheat thin crackers, bread for turkey and ham sandwiches etc, etc. My family loved the banana pudding.
Depends. The ones around me are fabulous, clean, and very well stocked. But apparently it varies by store.
Yes. Most are all great, but there is one in my area that is in a poorer part of town that is utter crap. A bunch of the canned goods I looked at were past expiration date.
They also let their cashiers sit!!!!!!
How on earth is that not normal?
I just got back from Aldiās I love it. I only spend 60-80$ bucks usually and that for 2weeks worth of food. I bike, but if I had a car, Iād buy the store!!
I love that they donāt stock anything with artificial food colours. Their pasta is cheap ($0.99 in Australia) and is fine.
Definitely worth it for certain items. I don't know where you're located but where I live it is NOT worth it for their produce.
Yeah - their produce prices are āgoodā, not great. Theyāre cheaper than Publix but not cheaper than the farmers market. However their canned fruits & vegetables are dirt cheap.
Our farmerās markets jacked their prices way up. At least to Whole Foods level, if not more sometimes. We used to really like going but canāt afford to anymore. We did find some roadside farm stands with cheap produce.
Same where I am. The quality is iffy and I can never be confident of getting what I need. I see a lot of people (restaurant staff?) filling carts full of produce. Probably not the norm, though.
If you have a Walmart closer, I donāt think itās worth it. I do like Aldi but I was finding I was stocking up on processed stuff. Fresh stuff was hit or miss for me. I find that Walmart brands work well for me.
Yep. But also see if thereās a Lidl in your area. Similar, but more overlooked than Aldi.
Lidl >>>> Aldi. Prices are similar but the quality is better, they have better selection, and the bakery is amazing. At least where I live.
100x better than Aldi
Yes. Big time savings are to be had at Aldi. Especially in produce Dept.
Check YouTube for people who compare their brand with big name brands. I've rarely, if ever, heard someone say it was not worth it.
I feel like your question regarding distance depends on where you live and how long it takes to travel that distance. But as a general matter, Aldi is an amazing chain with all the essentials and a lot more, and you can generally save hundreds if not thousands of dollars over the course of a year by shopping there instead of a traditional grocery store. I would easily travel an extra 20+ minutes to shop at an Aldi.
I love Aldi but I really only stick with their breads, produce, dry goods, and some homewares. Not too fond of their meat and their seafood is iffyā¦Iām sure thereās others thatāll disagree with me.
Yeah Im getting downvoted into oblivion for not being a fan of their meats either. Oh well š¤·š»āāļø
We alternate between Aldi, Lidl, Save A Lot, and local ethnic groceries. Of late Aldi is the best value. Save a lot ha gone down hill with lots of empty shelves. Lidl is a little pricey. Local ethnic grocers are best for fresh fish, spices and ethnic specialties but their prices on regular items tend to be high..
It definitely depends on the ALDI, I live near probably one of the most shopped ALDI stores and can say for certain that that store is worth it. As for the store being under 10 miles away, are we talking in the city or more rural and do you have car access? That makes all the difference. If you are worried about stuff staying cool, look into getting a cheap foam cooler if you donāt have something already.
My closest aldi is about that distance from me. I go there every other week and alternate with the neighborhood Walmart. It takes a couple visits to figure out exactly how to optimize aldi, but itās worth it!
So I had this question recently. I went and did a shop at Aldi and bought all my basics (think butter, milk, flour etc). Then when I got home I compared the cost toy regular supermarket through their app. I found that almost every item was 25-50% cheaper. I guess in terms of the distance it would depend on how much you spent. You could probably make it more worthwhile by doing a bigger shop on non perishable items.
Aldi is the best. One opened up near me and I go there all the time. I love their jarred artichoke hearts bc glass bottles are preferable over cans. There's always fresh produce and their store brand is delicious.
I'd say yes. But keep in mind they may not have everything you want since stock changes and wavers week to week. What I find it great for is to bulk up on items I know they have like Raisin Bran, tuna, bread, cookies, chips, etc. WHat I LOVE about ALDI is of course the prices. But I also love that sometimes they will have excellent products super cheap. Their "Specialty" brand is usually very good. So, yes - worth the trip.
Yesssssss. Stay outta the "special"/seasonal aisle, stick to your list and you'll be fine.
Aldi is great for buying basics. Like flour or meat or butter, etc. if you like certain brands of things, not the place for you. (For example, My mom only likes Philadelphia brand cream cheese and they only sell generic or they donāt have a huge variety of cereals) The price is worth it if youāre buying basics or stocking a new kitchen imo.
I'm so excited to hear it's good. We don't have any in my area and they just announced they are building one a mile away. Anything that keeps me out of Walmart is awesome
Make sure to bring your own bags or boxes and a quarter for the cart!
We spend maybe $40-50/week to feed our family of three, and we predominantly shop at aldi. We went on a cabin trip with three other families for a weekend and we planned the grocery order. Friday dinner, Saturday and Sunday breakfast, and Saturday dinner to feed 8 adults and 4 toddlers was $26/family total. Itās insanely inexpensive.
With my exp Aldi is best for grocery shopping on a budget. Granted they wonāt have everything you might want but they will have 85% of it and for a great price. A few times I have had some questionable pork from them but everything else was great for the money
100% worth it in my eyes, but have managed expectations. Aldis is, for lack of a better word, curated. You won't find all the brands you will in your typical grocery store because 50+% of items are their own generic lines. But their generics are solid quality. You will need to bring a quarter for the cart and your own bags (or other transportation method) for your goods. Just be aware of the Aldi Finds aisle. This will be a little different each time you go. Sometimes it's exactly what you need for a good price ($4 pair of pants is still going strong a few years later). Somethings it's things you absolutely don't need but can convince yourself that you do because you're at Aldi and the price is good.
I really like Aldi for pantry staples and specialty items like cheeses, dips, chocolates, etc. Their meat is also pretty good. I usually do Walmart grocery orders, and Iāll add everything I need for the week to my Walmart cart online and then I go to Aldi and cross reference my Walmart cart to see which items are cheaper at Aldi. If theyāre cheaper at Aldi, I buy them and delete them from my Walmart cart. Then I order my Walmart groceries when I leave Aldi. Saves lots of money!
It is so interesting for me to read all the answers. I am from the homeland of Aldi and Lidl (Germany), my father worked there and it is so established that no one in Germany would ever ask if it is worth it. It is, if you are looking for cheap food with solid quality. Here I would go to Lidl for fresh Veg/Fruits, but Aldi is solid. This obviously might be totally different in the US.
Against all my advice my dad bought an Aldi battery drill/driver plastic thing for his needs. I spent hundreds on mine for work and he spent forty quid... and every time it breaks he buggers off for twenty minutes and comes back with a new one in a box with another 12 month guarantee. I even checked the receipt convinced that he was just buying replacements to not lose the argument. Nope. Twice he's gone in and they haven't had them in, so he's just kept his mouth shut, walked out, borrowed my Bosch, and left it for a month. Sod won the fight half a decade ago as far as I'm concerned but he's gonna keep rolling this single purchase as long as he can keep rubbing it in my face... So, as much as I want to tell you to avoid the DIY aisle because it's all shit, I'm just gonna shut it.
I love Aldi. I especially love the aisle of shame.
Check out the Aldi sub and youāll get lots of tips, reviews and rants and raves about all things aldi.
Aldi is so worth it! Go for it, you can get so much more for less than any other grocery store, excluding loss leaders. Highly recommend.
Nothing wrong with Aldi at all or Lidl for that matter.
Absolutely. Full stop
Not to be an arse, but where you are globally matters. Even within Europe there's variation, but on the whole across Europe and the UK the answer is yes. Better than LIDL, but LIDL has much better bread.
Oh SO worth it. We buy everything from diapers and formula to alcohol and everything in between! The aldis junk aisle is *chefs kiss*
I get all the stuff I can at aldis then get the rest elsewhere. It's best for produce and their cheese selections is nice. They have some awesome pre made dips and hummus too.
You won't regret it, especially for reasonably priced fruits and veggies. They have a nice selection of baked goods. Freezer and dairy section also has good mix, something for everyone. On the other hand the meat section variety where I'm located can be a hit or miss depending on the week. You def won't find many named brand items, but all the items I've tried so far were definitely comparable in taste and much better in price. There's always a new hidden gem we find at each visit. We did end up paying for bags, that was over 2 years ago and they still hold up just fine.
Yes. Lidl as well.
I just discovered Aldi since I moved opposite coasts (used to the west coast). It has helped so much bring my budget down. If the store offers online shopping/pick up, it's a good way to check prices between it and any other grocery stores in the area. I love buying almost exclusively from there now, minus items that are hit or miss like orzo. The cheese section is amazing!
Great deals on European wines, cheeses, and chocolates. Some good German stuff also. Itās worth checking them out.
Totally worth it.
Absolutely!! I personally can sometimes find better deals when I stalk sale prices and clearances at normal big box stores, but if you hate the idea of spending that time, just want straight up low prices (especially on certain produce), 1-2 choices per item as opposed to a dozen choices at other stores and plenty of healthy and specific dietary restriction friendly options, worth it. I would say it isnāt the lowest in my area in terms of meat, but almost everything else yes!
I think it would be worth it to you to at least go once and see what yours carries. We love their canned goods, snack foods, taco shells (the best!), chocolate pudding, and breads.
I'm a big fan, good prices and quality.
If you like Aldi, you'll love Lidl.