ALDI 101: What To Buy At Aldi
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This is the third and final post in our ALDI 101 series. But I have to be honest — I kind of don’t want this series to end!
I have been having so much fun reading your comments over email, tweets, Facebook, Instagram, and in the comment section below about Aldi! From those of you who have been longtime fans and have shared your great tips and favorite items, to those of you who may have never set foot in an Aldi but are considering giving it a try, it has been so cool to hear about each person’s unique experience with the store. I have to admit that a reader totally made my day when she shared that she ventured into an Aldi for the first time this week, and loved it. That is so cool!!!! :-)
Well after our first two posts — Why I Shop At Aldi and How To Shop At Aldi — today is the post that gets down to specifics on what to buy at Aldi. I feel like I should probably give a huge disclaimer that this post is based 100% on personal opinion. I have all of my own quirks and preferences, and as you will see below, there is a large section of the store (cereals, many non-organic meats, pet food, makeup, etc.) that I have not tried because those areas do not fall in my normal grocery shopping. And I’m sure there are plenty of items where our opinions may just simply differ! The pina colada popsicles that I adore just may not be your thing.
So please feel free to take this post with a a big grain of Aldi’s sea salt. ;) My hope is to offer a few starting points, and then hopefully you can try some new items and form your own opinions. To organize this post, I have included a few brief thoughts about each section of the store, and then a brief “to buy” and “not to buy” list of specifics. As always, I would love to have you share your thoughts on what you like to buy in the comments below.
This concludes our Aldi series! Thanks so much for joining in the conversation, and I look forward to resuming regular recipe posting with you tomorrow!
Pantry Items
The pantry items are where I recommend people start at Aldi. Almost everything I’ve ever tried in this section is high-quality and consistently way cheaper than anyplace else. Granted, again, there is only one of most items to choose from. So you do not get the option of white whole wheat flour, unbleached or barley flour — there is usually bleached all-purpose flour, and that’s it. But this is an awesome section to stock your pantry, and even try a few of their specialty pantry items in the process.
What To Buy:
- baking essentials (flour, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, basic spices, condensed milk, etc.)
- real vanilla extract
- chocolate chips (semi-sweet, butterscotch,
- nuts for baking (pecan halves, walnuts, almonds, etc.)
- garlic vinagrette (with the garlic floating on the bottom!)
- Fit & Active light balsamic vinaigrette
- natural peanut butter
- clover honey
- breadcrumbs
- whole wheat pasta
- potato gnocchi
- strawberry light & crispy cereal bars
- granola
- oatmeal (any kind — there are lots of options!)
- rice
- dried beans
What Not To Buy:
The only iffy pantry item I have tried at Aldi is their chili powder, but I’m a bit of a spice snob. I think that you get what you pay for anytime you buy $1 spices at a grocery store. I’m also not a big cereal connoisseur, but I do know that their version of Cheerio’s does not taste exactly like the original. Just like at any grocery store, many of the cereals or granola bars are made with extra sugar, so be sure to check out the labels if you’re going for healthy.
Snacks and Sweets
There is actually a really wide variety of snacks and sweets to choose from at Aldi! I don’t usually let myself buy potato chips at the grocery store, but when most all of their chips are under $2, I have to admit that I have now sampled quite a few. And they are pretty much awesome. :)
What To Buy:
- dry-roasted almonds
- waffle bowls
- tortilla chips (restaurant-style, blue and multigrain varieties)
- sweet potato chips
- kettle chips (sea salt & vinegar and jalapeno are my favs)
- moser roth chili chocolate bars
- anise pizzelle cookies
- Haribo cola candy
- chocolate-covered coffee beans
What Not To Buy:
I don’t have any no-buys in this section. I will just mention that occasionally the lower prices equal lower serving sizes in some products. Again, to use chips as an example, often their bags are only about half full. So plan accordingly. (Or just use it as an excuse for portion control!) ;)
Dairy & Refrigerated Items
This is one category where it is “to each his own”. The majority of Aldi’s dairy products are not organic, although more and more organic options (and alternatives like almond milk!) are starting to pop up. The refrigerated section also seems to have a lot of variety and turnover, so while there may be marscapone and brie some months, they might not be there year-round. Still, my cart is always filled with lots of items from this section each time I go! And I always stock up on butter each time I’m there. It tastes great, and it is always so cheap!
What To Buy:
- BUTTER!
- fresh mozzarella balls
- hummus (roasted red pepper, garlic and cayenne are my three favorites)
- fresh salsas (I love the medium)
- marscapone
- soft cheeses (gorgonzola, blue, goat and feta are usually available)
- cream cheese (regular and reduced-fat)
- greek yogurt (often they have the Fage brand, and I also like their black cherry)
- original organic soymilk
- natural almond milk
- skim milk, 2% milk, whole milk, half and half, heavy cream (none are organic, but they are pretty good!)
- eggs
- cinnamon rolls
What Not To Buy:
Obviously if you are looking for organic, anything that is not marked as such is a no. I also think that many of their block cheeses are ok, but probably about worth what you pay for.
Produce
Ok, people, this has become my favorite section of Aldi! Trust me — there is some amazing produce to be found here at some of the best prices I’ve found. But here’s the deal…
You must be smart about choosing your produce. Just like at the normal grocery store, not every piece of produce is going to be perfectly ripe or at its peak season each time you visit. Case in point — Aldi can have incredible deals on avocadoes. (They are $0.19 each this week!) But if the avocado is wilted, or hard as a rock, it’s probably not a good day to buy it. The same goes for if you see any produce that looks super over- or under-ripe. If it looks iffy, you should probably wait until your next trip. Or you may need to eat it immediately, or wait a week for it to ripen if need be. But most of the time, I am completely impressed with their selection of ripe, affordable, delicious produce.
Most of their produce is also not organic, so just a heads-up if that is an important factor to you. Also many of their produce items (onions, zucchini, oranges, apples, kiwi, etc.) come in bags or in bulk. So there is not always the option to buy a single of some items.
Still, I always load up my cart with Aldi produce, so here are some of my favs!
What To Buy:
- pineapple
- lemons/limes
- baby carrots
- celery
- mushrooms
- green onions
- sweet mini peppers
- specialty lettuce
- berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries)
- zucchini and yellow squash
- kiwi
- pears
- mangoes
What Not To Buy:
Again, anything that looks iffy. I find that their roma tomatoes typically are not very ripe or flavorful. And I would also offer a special note on the bananas — they are awesome, but often they are over- or under-ripe, so you need to eat them in the proper timeframe.
Refrigerated Meats
As I said above, I prefer to buy most of my meat organic, so I haven’t tried tons of Aldi’s refrigerated meat options. But they have some killer deals on meats, especially in their weekly fresh meat special buys! Be sure to always check for those specials when they are published each Wednesday, as they tend to disappear quickly! A lot of the meat at Aldi is also seasonal, so be sure around the holidays to check out their hams and turkeys. They are amazing!
What To Buy:
- turkey bacon
- ground turkey
- thick peppered bacon
- spiral-cut ham
- turkeys
What Not To Buy:
Just a heads up that their cheapest bacon is really thin and not very lean. I would “splurge” and go for one of the thicker cuts, since that is practically the same price as the inexpensive bacon at the regular grocery store!
Canned/Jarred Goods
Thus far, I have had 100% positive experiences with the canned and jarred section at Aldi. They have a great selection of your basic canned fruits and veggies, and lots of canned sauces and such to choose from. And the prices are fantastic! Once again, I would caution to read the labels. Their canned peaches have a ton of sugar, as the generic canned peaches do at most stores. And some of their sauces and soups contain more processed ingredients than I prefer, as is common in many jarred sauces. But still, don’t be scared of any of the canned produce from Aldi — it’s awesome!
What To Buy:
- canned veggies
- canned fruits
- canned beans
- jarred marinara sauce
What Not To Buy:
Anything that you might be iffy about being overly-processed. (Look for some Gimme Some Oven recipes for easy alternatives to make soups homemade!) And again, keep an eye on the sugar content with canned fruits.
Frozen Foods
To be honest, this is a section that I don’t know a ton about. I usually stick with pretty straight “ingredients” in the frozen food section — frozen fruit, fish, veggies, etc. So if any of you have insights on more of the prepared frozen foods, would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
What To Buy:
- jumbo shrimp
- tilapia
- fruit popsicles (pina colada, lime and strawberry)
- moose tracks ice cream
- frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, mixed berries, etc.)
- edamame
- asparagus
What Not To Buy:
Any of their frozen shrimp that are not “jumbo” are tiny. I have also not been super impressed with their frozen salmon. Like most salmon in that price range in any grocery stores, it seems a little lacking in flavor. Also a heads-up that most of the frozen meats are not organic.
Beverages
Gah, I wish I had more experience here! I promise you guys I’m not a super health nut, but I also pretty much stick to water, tea, juices and coffee in life. So I have hardly any experience here when it comes to beverages. But my friends tell me that most of their options (like the Aldi brand of Crystal Light, teas and flavored sparkling waters) are pretty much identical to the originals. Here are a few that I have tried.
What To Buy:
- sparkling juice (I love all of them!)
- refrigerated 100% orange juice (go for the nicer of the two options for better flavor)
- Naked juice (when in stock)
- flavored sparkling water drinks
- iced tea
What Not To Buy:
I am definitely a big of a snob when it comes to my coffee. So I shy away from any of the bulk or super inexpensive coffee options, but I am sure they are comparable to their counterparts in the regular grocery store. I was also unimpressed by the cheap refrigerated orange juice — seemed to concentrate-y for me.
Alcoholic Drinks
First of all, it’s important to point out that wine and liquors are not available in all Aldi’s. I live in KC, and our Kansas stores are not allowed to carry alcoholic beverages, but most of the Missouri locations do. So this will depend on your state.
A reminder to all who are iffy about the cheap wine at Aldi — this store is owned by the same company that is the home of 2-buck-chuck, Trader Joe’s! So before you immediately write off the drink section, I would recommend you try a bottle or two. In my experience, you get what you pay for and a little bit more. The $3 wines taste maybe like a normal $5 wine. The Bailey’s knockoff isn’t precisely like Bailey’s, but it’s darn close and a great deal for a fraction of the price. But my favorite of all time is available seasonally, and I wish it was offered yearround — Aldi’s sangria! Oh man. I never knew that I would like sangria from a bottle, but this stuff is crazy good. And you get an enormous bottle for like $4. If you see it, you must try it.
What To Buy:
- SANGRIA! (seasonal)
- wines in the $5-10 range
- Bailey’s
What Not To Buy:
I think you get what you pay for with the super inexpensive budget wines — they are definitely hit and miss.
Household Items
For some reason, I held out on this section of Aldi for years, and now I have no idea why. They have some terrific household products at amazing discounts! Especially since I typically get annoyed at having to spend money on these things anyway, it’s awesome to have a more affordable option at Aldi. Two areas that I have not tried are their pet section and the makeup. Would love to have you chime in if you have experience with either of these!
What To Buy:
- disinfectant wipes
- plastic freezer and sandwich bags
- trash bags (they are thin, but they do the job)
- Crest toothpaste
- women’s razors
- pain relievers (ibuprofin, etc.)
- ultra soft & strong toilet paper
- paper towels and napkins
What Not To Buy:
You totally get what you pay for with the super cheap ($1 for 4 rolls) toilet paper. It is super thin and not very soft. But their thick TP is awesome!
My Top 10 Favorite Items At Aldi:
10. edamame
9. roasted red pepper hummus
8. fresh mozzarella balls
7. sangria
6. sea salt pita chips
5. pina colada popsicles
4. artichoke hearts
3. almond milk
2. butter
1. pineapple
Other ALDI 101 Articles:
Great article! I love shopping at Aldi, but one warning — never, EVER buy their individually wrapped cheese slices. I don’t have a clue what is in those suckers, but they DO. NOT. MELT. It’s the grossest thing I’ve ever tried.
My favorite products are their Light and Fit hamburger (excellent flavor), fresh country pork ribs, Light and Fit weightloss shakes (in a can) that I sometimes have for breakfast when I’m in a rush (flavor is SO much better than Slim Fast), multi-grain tortilla chips, chocolate hazelnut bars, and marinara sauce.
Also, it’s just plain fun to go see what they have during different seasons/holidays. During Octoberfest they were carrying these frozen Weinerschnitzel patties that were just awesome in flavor and jars of purple cabbage.
I am a HUGE fan of Aldi and do tons of my shopping there. I craved green bean casseroles every day and I mean EVERY day. their knock of french fried onions taste exactly the same and are half the price. ive searched all over for knock offs and these are the only ones that are good. their cream of mushroom soup is about 60% cheaper than anywhere else and is good. there are 2 things I would NOT buy 1-frozen green beans (sometimes thick and hard stringy not always but somtimes) and 2-their knock of Flaming hot cheetos=horrible. everything else i love there
oh and their light and fit chocolate weight shakes are AMAZING and cheaper tahn anywhere else in price AND has way more nutrience than anywhere else. I had these all the time was i was pregnant and always neasia or couldnt eat. must try also great to supplement your diet because of all the nutrience
I’ve lived in Indianapolis my entire life (well, and a 4 year stint in Terre Haute, IN for school) and my family has been shopping at Aldi’s my whole life. My father hardly goes elsewhere for his groceries. He relies heavily on their pre-made or quick make items as he is a senior living alone.
You were absolutely correct that most aldi’s are set up the same. My biggest complain sometimes is that if you forget something at the beginning of the store, it can be hard to get back to it without going against the “traffic” of other shoppers.
When I was living with my father, I had experience with nearly everything the store had to offer…the chips, candies, baking items, cereals, dairy, canned goods, soups, produce, fresh meat, frozen foods, paper products, shampoos, toothpastes, and dog and cat food.
I saw someone comment that the sliced american cheese wasn’t good…they probably got the cheapest version…if you get the “middle of the road” american they offer, it’s awesome.
Last year, the aldi’s near me (I have 3 to choose from within 10 miles of my place) had an amazing deal on milk for about 6 months. I could get a gallon of milk for $1.69. And my husband and I go through a TON of milk (I’m talking 6 gallons for two people A WEEK) it was a GREAT deal that we’ve sorely missed.
Cottage cheese is great…yogurt, sour cream, half and half, eggs. I don’t care for their version of “I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter” I prefer Blue Bonnet.
Most spices are just fine, ketchup, mustard, steak sauce is the same. I don’t care for the mayo, I’m brand loyal to Hellman’s Mayo.
Last year, they had a good price on Arnold Palmer’s half tea half lemonade cans that were great in lunches. We bought those every week. Their lunch meat (ham, turkey, chicken) are comparable to any other pre-bagged lunch meat.
My dad swears by their instant coffee. Drinks it all day, every day. He also swears by their instant iced tea mix, too.
I LOVE their condensed chicken noodle soup. I always have it in the cabinet for sick days. I also really like their mac n cheese, shells n cheese and potatoes au gratin. Their pasta sauces are good and their salsa is great.
We have bought dog and cat food there because we couldn’t get to walmart or sams club, but it isn’t the greatest quality. I only buy my dog rawhide chews made in America, as other countries process the beef hide with formaldehyde! So I steer clear of the dog treats.
Paper plates are inexpensive as are paper towels. Spring for the thicker toilet paper…it’s exactly the same as the wal-mart brand TP.
Produce is usually really great at my stores. Great fruits and veggies and potatoes and onions are a great buy (if you can use them all before they go bad) that’s sometimes hard to do in a household of two.
Love the great prices on bread and buns!
Fresh meat can be hit or miss on prices compared to other store sales. But their pork chops are great.
I LOVE their spiral sliced hams!!!!!!!!!!!!
After the big holidays they usually go on sale and you can get a 10lb ham for $7…after thanksgiving last year, my husband and I bought 7 hams (some spiral, some not) and spent $40…we had over 60lb of ham! We froze them and pull them as wanted. Thaw over night and bake off…perfectly delicious! :)
Their frozen prepared meals are pretty far from HEALTHY….lots of calories and processed “junk” that a lot of people don’t like. Their 4 ounce chicken cordon bleu’s have nearly 500 calories!!! The frozen burritos aren’t much better…tasty, but not exactly healthy. The frozen pizzas compare to the cheap frozen pizzas other places. The ice cream is just as good, too.
As far as cleaning products, can’t beat the price on sponges or the cleaning wipes. Sandwich bags, foil and plastic wrap are just as good and work just as well as any other brand, in my opinion.
Aldi’s is a great place to save some money and I feel the brand has made great strides in the past 10 years, especially, to change its “poor man’s grocery store” image it had. The newly opened stores are bigger, airier, well lit and I feel the staff makes themselves available if needed.
there’s always going to be items that you prefer the taste of or performance of over the aldi brands, but for the price, it’s worth trying to see if you like it…
I love Aldis soooo much! I am living in Switzerland and there is even one here! I havent been yet but I want to check it out. Back in the states I loved their Frozen Turkey Corn Dogs. Soooo yummy! Also the lactose free milk was very good. :)
Some awesome things I’ve bought that are pretty much the same or better:
Frozen veggies – can’t tell the difference. At our house, we prefer frozen to canned,and I find these comparable to the regular store brand that we buy.
French bread pizza – My husband SWEARS by these on the nights he’s on his own. He says these beat Stouffer’s hands down. More toppings, better sauce.
Popsicles, fudgesicles, sugar-free of the same: My dad is a diabetic, and he loves the SF versions. It’s nice to have the same treat for him and my kids (they don’t eat artificial sugar).
Frozen breakfast sandwiches – again, my husband loves these. I’m not a fan of breakfast, so I’ll take his word for it.
I find the block cheeses are the same quality as the “regular” grocery store.
String cheese – my kids love it.
Produce – the only problem I usually have is the onions. I buy a bag there and they inevitably sprout in the next day or two. But the blueberries and avocados are AWESOME. And I get four cucumbers for the price of one regular store one.
You didn’t mention the fabulous bread! They have amazing multi-grain bread as well.
And as far as drinks – man I wish our store was allowed to sell wine! The root beer is fantastic – it’s called “Sudz.” The cola we found to have a strange aftertaste of…potpourri. Seriously. Orange and lemon-lime were also merely ok.
Oh, I forgot to mention – their take-and-bake pizzas! My cousin has a blended family, and on occasion comes over with her 2 children and his 5! With my two kids, and the neighbor’s kid that is always here (he’s a good kid, we love him like another one of our own) that can get pricey if we order delivery. I run down to Aldis and bought 5 HUGE pizzas and only paid $25. Everyone had more than enough to eat (I bought stuff to make salads there too) and the total bill ended up being about $35. Not bad considering we fed 4 adults and 8 children (two of them teens).
Ali,
I have been shopping at Aldi for ten years. I have found many of the same products you have mentioned and love the great prices. I must add the cut flowers by the check-out. I buy them and give them to someone feeling down or just for ME. Very cheap and brighten up your day. Ps. they don’t last long but who cares on a snowy day..
I love their canned chunky soups and their frozen ravioli. Really, I haven’t tried much there that I haven’t enjoyed, quality-wise. From sandwich meat to bread to pastas and snacks, I love their selection! I would warn that the frozen chicken nuggets are definitely lower-quality than other grocery stores, but their frozen breaded chicken patties are great.
I love shopping at Aldi. Never knew they were in the states until last year. Unfortunately, the nearest one to me is 5 hour drive away ! Started shopping at Aldi in Denmark, my in-laws live there. It is a great place to find unexpected items and always reasonable prices, even in Europe.
I’m from Germany,and love Aldi,welcome to Lawton Ok!
Their make- up is actually really good! I won’t use concealer from anywhere else! Their own brand Lacura do great concealer, eyeshadow and caffeine roll on under- eye treatment, though I find the cleansing wipes are dry and sting my skin. They also tend to come out top on blind testing products that are done here in Britain. Just shows that you don’t always get what you pay for!
Love this post. I have to admit I am an avid Aldi shopper and have been for many years. Admittedly I am not all that particular about what brands or whether or not something is organic so I buy most of my food from Aldi. I have never been disappointed in the freshness or taste of their products and I like the fact that they are now carrying a larger variety of ethnic and organic foods. Besides all that, the prices are WAY better than any other store in my area, even the other so called cheaper stores like Alps or Sav-a-lot. The only thing I do hate about Aldi is putting the little quarter in the cart…only because I seem to never have a quarter handy when I need one. LOL
I have never been to Aldi’s because I also thought it was a dirty “poor people’s” store and how dare they charge me for a cart?! I cannot tell you how excited I am to go now. I don’t know how anyone who has read your last 3 post’s on Aldi’s will be able to stay away. I wanted to run out the door and go shopping after I read the first one!
Have you gone yet? It’s annoying they charge for the cart, but you get the quarter back! (If you remember to take it, anyway.) Bring your own bags! :)
Glad that you realize that there is Nothing wrong with Aldis. Most of the food products are runovers or actual products made at the majors food company but repackaged and distributed via aldis. Letting you know that they could lower the prices in major grocery stores. But I do have one question, what is a dirty poor peoples store? I am just asking>>
Can wait to give Aldi a try. There has been one in a town about 20 minutes from me for about 1 1/2 years now. I had no idea all the treasures and bargins that it held inside. I have had the opportunity to shop at Trader Joes when I was in the Atlanta area and so I am eager to make Aldi’s my 1st stop on my next shopping day. Thanks so much for your very helpful post and to all your other readers who offered their input.
I really enjoyed the series, even if I’m late to the game. Pinning it, and thank you!
The Gyro kit!!! If you see it, grab it, and some cheap but delicious feta cheese. Winking owl wines are great.
I love Aldi’s but the quality of their products can be a disappointment. Their macaroni&cheese sucks. Their oranges spoiled in 2 weeks(mold) which isn’t typical for oranges. Apple sauce tasted spoiled.
I love the butter and sour cream from Aldi. We save a lot of money, and a lot of the foods that cycle through are interesting to try.
I have shopped at Aldi since they opened here….at least 20 years ago in Indiana! Their quality has greatly improved over the years, and their gourmet offerings have increased.
I spent $100-$200 a week at Aldi, usually 3-4 times/week (we live only 2 minutes away, and shop with a menu every 3-4 days with three teenagers and hosting friends twice a week). I LOVE THIS STORE!
I’ll share something interesting I learned about Aldi and then what I DO NOT buy (Short list) an DO BUY & why :-) . Really, I’m a rabid Aldi fan!
First: interesting bit. The chicken and pork are Tyson. They come in Tyson boxes, the manager told me. The sodas are Pepsi..they come in Pepsi crates. Just relabeled. The ketchup used to be Brooks, which was produced locally.I think it’s Heinz now. Every single product they sell–except special buys or Europe-based labels—are simply major brand names re-packaged and distributed by Aldi. Check your label..it will list Aldi as the distributor.
Okay, What I DO NOT buy:
*Most produce. I grow in our garden or buy only organic tomatoes, cucumbers, melons,spinach, apples, lettuce, salads, potatoes, peppers, grapes, broccoli from Kroger. Their produce that IS good is: bananas, lemons, limes, grapefruit oranges. Onions and potatoes have been mostly rotten and moldy. All the mushrooms I have tried recently have had mold or weblike fungus growing it the bottom of them. Won’t try these items every again, tried them enough and they are consistently bad.
*Most meat. We do buy the chub packages of ground turkey (85/15) for $1.69. I know it’s probably gross turkey stuff, but since we eat nose-to-tail, that doesn’t bother me one bit ;-) The fresh chicken breast family pack is Tyson, which I will boycott most of the year (see Food Inc) except in rare cases I know, not much of a boycotter huh). The meat is mostly packaged from Mexico and labeled “beef”. Check your labels there, and be leary. Chicken products and pork both have “up to a 15 % percent solution”…I stay away from anything “in a solution” which usually includes sodium phosphates and nitrates.
*H & B, cleaning. I make our soap, shampoo, laundry detergent and dishwashing soap, plus all our cleaning supplies, but I DO use the Aldi vinegar and baking soda in my recipes! :-) I make washing soda from the baking soda..it’s very cheap there!
*PEANUT BUTTER–yuck! I quit buying their peanut butter when they quit carrying their TRULY natural peanut butter. Ingredients were peanuts, salt and I think it was Smucker’s. They carry the red lid processed peanut butter (not real pb of course) and a chunky version. i was so excited when they began carrying a new “natural” formula, but the pb isn’t natural at all: it contains palm oil and sugar ,and it really tastes horrible. Back to buying natural ph for $2.50 or less at Kroger. We eat lots of pb here as we are mostly gluten-free (well, me mostly). Skip their pb!
*Cereal. Okay, to be fair, most of their cererals are excellent. I do regularly buy their gluten-free rice chex (but I boycott most corn products now). I remember these from pre-gluten-free days. Their Cheerios do not taste like Cheerios, however. Everything else seems on-par with their major-brand cereals. I am quite sure by taste that SOME of the cereals ARE simply relabeled major brands. Blueberry Frosted Wheats is an example. My kids love it. However, I don’t buy much cereal anymore for the kids b/c they like sweet cereals ultimately.
*Their coffee, whole-bean, USED to have a great regional offering. They did away with that, too. I actually roast my own coffee about 6 months out of the year (I buy raw organic green beans from Sweet Marias online and roast at home), but the rest of the time, I now buy my organic whole bean from Kroger’s. The whole bean they carry here is a Breakfast Blend and a Donut Store blend. Both are dirt cheap whole bean. The Donut Store blend is weak and flavorless….no better than Folger’s and probably worse. The Morning Roast we quit drinking as it completely lacks any flavor profile or body. Go for Kroger’s organic whole bean. I can’t drink pre-ground coffee, so I’ve never tried their ground coffee, except for one when I tried a “German roast” there, and it was bitter and awful! So, I would suggest avoiding Aldi coffee if you truly want a good coffee experience. And I don’t mean go to Starbucks, either! Their beans are burned completely. If you are starting to appreciate coffee, give the Morning Roast whole bean a try–I would say this is the best Aldi now has to offer, now that they’ve given up carrying the good beans they used to. Then, move on to a store brand organic whole bean, then move up to roasting your own from Sweet Marias (I pay around $3/pound for my organic coffee once I roast it). Anyway, sorry about the long coffee entry. Very disappointed Aldi quit carrying quality coffee beans like they used to.
WHAT I DO BUY!
1)Wine! Best malbec for $4.99. Had a lovely white for $2.49. Prosecco–many bottles, and it’s $8.99. Hubby likes their cerveza (Monterray?) better than Corona!
2)All their baking staples….brown sugar. Not their white sugar though, which I realized is beet sugar (yuck, just like all the major stores now. Cane sugar will be labeled as such). Realized it was beet sugar when I opened a package over a year ago and the air was filled with a “stinky feet” smell. Seriously. Beet sugar smells awful when first opened!
3)Chocolate chips
4)Pistachios in shell–I am addicted to these
5)Raw almonds–I make my own almond flour
6)Plain almond milk
7)All their milk….hormone-free and use to drink (kids) and make my homemade yogurt
8)Their powdered (dry) milk–for fortifying my homemade yogurt
9)Dried fruits, raisins, prunes
10)Special purchase items
11)Dressings
12)Mayo is great. I think it’s Hellmann’s. I’m a big Hellmann’s fan, and I can’t tell the difference, really!
13)Condiments
14)Oh, their old fashioned oats are great!
15)All their cheese are wonderful. We buy them whole and shred our own to save money as we eat lots of cheese!
16)I forgot to mention that we love their corn tortilla chips.
17) Hubby loves their groovy potato chips.
18I always, always buy their ultra bleach and 1000-sheet 4-roll TP. Lasts long and kids don’t use too much, it doesn’t smell perfumy. It used to be labeled as recycled and enviro-friendly, but that labeling has changed.
19) Always buy their hummus and guac if I don’t make it myself. Best next to homemade!
20) Their avocados are same as other store, but much cheaper and delish. We eat 4-6 /week!
21) Love their refrigerated salsa, in the medium (read: hotter) variety
22)How could I forget their pineapples? I buy them almost weekly. Great!
23)I actually like their green-er bananas
24)Their wild-caught salmon is fantastic! I love it when they get the whole filets, too. Most of their fish I have found is farmed, and we don’t buy it unless it’s wild. I occasionally buy their raw, you-cook shrimp. It’s quite good. Other shrimp has been just okay, and we’ve had it lots over the years as it’s way cheaper than the other major store brands.
25)Their plain cream cheesecake for $10 is better than Cheesecake Factory. Come to think of it, their $2.99 tiny whole cheesecakes they sometimes sell aren’t bad, either
26)All ice cream products are quite good
27)Always buy frozen green beans here, sometimes their asparagus.
28)They have GREAT seedless watermelons right now
29)We gave up propane grilling for charcoal grilling, and they are selling great bags of charcoal right now for only $3 for a 16 pound bag or hardwoods-based charcoal. Probably just as good as Kingsford!
30)Their breads are great, but since I’m gluten-free I don’t eat them anymore. My family loves all their bread, including their butter croissants. My daughter said their “everything” bagels aren’t as good as the “everything” bagels sold in, say, Kroger. But all else has been wonderful, and I loved their english muffins and whole grain bread when I could eat it.
Love their gourmet offerings in the cold case. Love how friendly the cashiers are–they know us by name. Where else will a grocery store greet you by name and open another checkout line just for you?
My kids love shopping their , too! We make it a three-time weekly event!
Give it a try–some things like I said you just won’t want to buy but everyone has differing opinions. So try it all and see what you like, don’t like & LOVE!
Missy
What I wouldn’t give for some of your ENERGY!!! Supermom and Wonderwoman all in one. You are a BLESSED lady!
I LOVE Aldi, and here are things that I swear by in amazement:
1) Lume hair tonic-identical to Matrix Biolage at a 10 X cheaper price. Its 2.50, or something funny like that. Smells identical to the salon Matrix stuff, and leaves your hair incredible. A hidden treasure.
2) Goat cheeses at a low price. I am a HUGE goat cheese fan, but it is so expensive everywhere. EXCEPT Aldi’s, and I love it! Try the Cranberry cinnamon log…I have seriously starved myself all day so I could eat the whole thing in the evening, lol.
3) Frozen goat cheese (!!!) pizza for $3.50 (!!!!). Not only does it have goat cheese (read above), but generous chunks of it all over, plus fresh cherry tomatoes. It also looks deliciously fresh when taken out of the oven-not only my favorite frozen pizza, but a fave among ALL pizzas in general.
4) Fat free Raspberry and Mango sorbets…taste incredible, esp for being only $3 or something like that.
5) Belgian creme puffs…yeah, I can eat the whole box easily, while in total deliciousness trance, which is followed by “omg, what have I done???” realization.
6) Cuties mandarines. Those lil suckers are like 7-8 bux elsewhere, I get them for $3 at Aldis! Recently they got generic non-Cuties, which taste the same.
7) Fage yogurt-awesome!!!!
I definitely do NOT recommend the Aldi version of Velveeta. I’m also not a fan of their salsa. Oh, and their hair spray smells bad in my opinion. Having said that, we LOVE shopping at Aldi. In addition to many of the things you mentioned, I highly recommend their shredded cheeses, canned biscuits, lactose-free milk (way cheaper than Lactaid and even tastes better in my opinion! This was a wonderful alternative to regular milk when I was nursing my lactose intolerant son), frozen cans of juice concentrate, cool whip, ice cream, gravy mixes, Texas toast garlic bread and even baby diapers.
Just a FYI, Aldi’s milk actually says it does not have that rHbt hormone chemical but that they don’t claim it organic. (Not sure on the hormone spelling). Keep in mind that it costs companies a lot of money to have the organic stamp, so most just ask farmers to “pledge” not to use antibiotics and such. Thanks for the tips.
Our Aldi’s milk has been $1.99/gallon all summer! With 2 teen boys at home, I love this!
Same here (Florida). I bought two gallons for the two of us, one to use one to freeze. When I commented on what a great buy it was, the cashier said that the price should stay at $1.99 through the remainder of the year!!
Cant even breathe I love ALDI so much. The cashiers just brighten my day – the place is always hopping and so friendly. The produce price and selection has completely changed our family’s diet. I credit ALDI with lowering lowering financial stress and improving our quality of life a HUGE amount. We have two teenage boys who have lots of teenage friends who love to eat. There is always enough food at our house, and the kids know it. Thank you, ALDI, for being green, going more organic and being so affordable. We Love you!
Our family loves Aldi also. A few of the items that I would highly recommend are the blue box of Mac & Cheese (we had a taste test and the kids chose Aldi over Kraft brand), the frozen crispy chicken strips, frozen french fries, ice cream sandwiches & toffee bars, and the dry onion soup mix (box with 2 packages). Oh, and milk chocolate chips and strawberries for my youngest son’s favorite chocolate covered strawberries. I could go on and on with our faves – these are just the “biggies”.
Their cheap mac and cheese is great! It is often priced down to 3/$1. Once I made a box of Kraft and a box of Aldi brand together. When I dumped in the cheese packets, I could not get over how disgustingly bright orange the Kraft cheese powder was compared to the light orange of the Aldi packet. I know neither is “real food” but I felt like I was giving my family a lot less artificial color with the Aldi brand.
Aldi’s, Trader Joes and Costco are my favorite stores. There are quite a few identical items at Aldi’s & TJoes. I bought TJs cranberries at aldi’s this year , funny. My first experience there was many years ago using donated money to buy food for thanksgiving bags we were giving away. Heard a dollar went farther there so I loaded 2 carts full with my 2, then toddlers in tow. What a shock when i found out they only took cash at that time. but they left my carts full while i ran to the bank so all was well. Been a fan ever since. Definately check labels as they use alot of HFCS and MSG. Also, alot of the seafood is from China. But more of their items are getting “healthier” and there’s always surprises! Like imported cheeses from Ireland in December! Awesome deals and really good quality. Decent wines, LOVE their version of Bailey’s especially the Chocolate Mint. GREAT butter and non-hydrogentaed spread! Breads are much better than before and often they have “name brand” special products. WISH THEY WOULD BRING BACK THE MANGO AND PINEAPPLE PEACH SALSA!! LOVE the baked chips and all the snack foods.
I feel the need to go there now! i need frozen fruit bars and baked bbq chips. well..not really NEED but want them badly! hehe
We LOVE Aldi’s. we do majority of our grocery shopping there. We really like their Fit and Active Strawberry cereal, Raisin Bran Crunch, frozen Mama Cizi’s pizza, Fit and Active Yogurt, cottage cheese, their hit pockets are good but generally only have 3 kinds to choose from, also their frozen fit and active meals are not bad either. I could go on an on about good food from Aldi’s. I shop there so often I have typed up an Aldi’s shopping list that I use. If any of you would like me to email it to you, I gladly will. My email address is christiegilges@yahoo.com.
We LOVE Aldi’s. we do majority of our grocery shopping there. We really like their Fit and Active Strawberry cereal, Raisin Bran Crunch, frozen Mama Cizi’s pizza, Fit and Active Yogurt, cottage cheese, their hit pockets are good but generally only have 3 kinds to choose from, also their frozen fit and active meals are not bad either. We also love their version of cheddarwursts. They are more like polska kielbasa with hedsar in it. Delicious. We buy our kitty litter there. You cant tell we have a cat using it and it is super easy to clean inexpensive. I could go on an on about good food from Aldi’s. I shop there so often I have typed up an Aldi’s shopping list that I use. If any of you would like me to email it to you, I gladly will. My email address is christiegilges@yahoo.com.
Great article(s)!
I can’t get by without Aldi. My husband thinks I’m crazy until he sees all of the delicious snacks and main staples I come home with at a fraction of the cost of Publix. I shop at Aldi, SAMs club, fresh market and the local farmers market or fruit stand. That is it!
Clancy’s crackers, sweet potato chips, kettle chips and pita chips are unreal. So reasonable and so fresh. Their specialty cheeses, Brie, blue cheese and feta cheese are steals as well, and they are small portions, so they stay fresher longer than sams clubs’s huge portions These items save me hundreds each month. The nuts, marshmallows, trail mix and chocolate covered pretzels are wonderful snacks and main staples in our house too. Around the holidays look for their pumpkin bread mix. Throw a handful of yellow raisins into the batter and guests will be singing your praises! They are delicious!
I’m glad I am not the only ‘crazy’ person out there! ;)
I have been shopping at Aldi for a few years and I love it!! I started shopping there after times got tough financially. Without Aldi, there were times my family probably would have gone without meals. I continue to shop there now, even though things are better financially, just because the savings is so great. I buy nearly everything I can there…for the stuff I need that they don’t carry, I go to Wal-Mart or Target. I rarely step foot into a regular grocery store (Jewel, Dominick’s) anymore. I do buy my expensive meat (steaks, port chops, etc) from the regular grocery store. When I see people with shopping carts full of stuff at the grocery store, I wonder how much they could save by buying the same stuff at Aldi!
Over the years, I have found only a handful of things that my family doesn’t like from Aldi. My kids don’t like their version of Cheez-Its, for example.
I buy all of their snacks there…cookies, chips, granola bars, mini muffins, mini brownies, etc. All of their breakfast items are great (cereal, english muffins, bagels, oatmeal, etc.)
All the condiments are the same…mayo, ketchup, mustard, syrup, etc. Their juice boxes are good, their version of Gatorade tastes just like the name brand stuff. The list goes on and on…..we love their waffles, french toast sticks, ice cream cones, ice cream sandwiches, pizza rolls (my daughter will only eat pizza rolls from Aldi, she says they are better than the name brand ones), chicken nuggets, etc.
As you can see, our list of “likes” is way longer than our list of “dislikes”. I definitely recommend giving Aldi a try!!
I started shopping at Aldi a few years ago after I had kids. I am now a huge fan. Every time I go I am amazed by how much money you can save there. Some of my favorites are the cereal bars (these make a great breakfast for toddlers), the tortilla chips, and the paper plates. The bread is amazing! I prefer it to any of the bread you can get in the regular grocery stores. If you are a fan of Italian beef try the Turano brand rolls for buns. I have also had pretty good luck with their produce. The only thing we have tried and not liked is the granola bars.
At Aldi’s prices you can try something easily to determine if it fits your tastes. I would love to say our Aldi’s is as friendly as what some have described and I’m sure that is management driven at each location. Overall a great price for products. Our store’s produce isn’t consistent and we often have to shop at an additional store to complete shopping but it offers most of everything else. CARTS: bless someone in the parking lot walking in…that will make their day and cost you a quarter. ;)
I LOVE Aldi shopping! I used to clip coupons & was very good at it. I save way more $$at Aldi without all the time & research to keep an updated coupon binder. A lot of their foods come from other countries, which means they aren’t GMO…..much healthier. Their coffee that is from Germany & freezer packed is delicious! Try that one. Also, I buy their cases of water bottles. I am a “health nut” so I like their Greek yogurt and Almond Milk. A lot of their foods do not have HFCS….JUICE in particular. Great post you have
I just wanted to say that this is a great article! I am an avid Aldi shopper! :) Also, in regards to the “charging for a cart” comment, that is most likely due to the fact that if people invest a small amount of money to use the cart, they will return it to retrieve that quarter that was spent. A lot of grocery stores lose carts because people take them from the property & don’t return them. I think the quarter idea is genius.
Hi! I loved this series. I too live in KC, and was wondering which Aldi you shop at. Because the two that I go to don’t seem to have some of the things that you are talking about…
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Aldi’s! I always buy my produce and essentials there. They also have the best German chocolate there especially at the holidays like Christmas and Easter.
I am also a lover of Aldi. Like you, my parents never really took me there as a kid and I always thought it was weird when my friends had generic brands at their house. Now that I am older and living on my own, I would gladly pay less for something that tastes just as good! Like you say, you aren’t going to find everything you need here. Some of the most simple things I need to make a recipe they often do not have (ex: dry ranch or italian seasoning). But what you WILL find will surprise you. Aldi produce is usually AMAZING. I find the fruit can be iff-y (ex: really dry, tasteless oranges) but I’ve never had a problem with veggies.
The only thing I disagree on that you have said is that their cashiers are lightning fast. At the few stores I have shopped in my area in Wisconsin, there has never been more than 2 cashiers working at a time. 90% of the time when I go to Aldi, there is only one cashier actually ‘checking out’ customers. This makes for really long lines. And maybe after waiting in line for so long, I don’t even realize that the cashiers, in fact, really are quick.
I always make the mistake of spontaneously going to Aldi without any bags on me, and without a quarter! It seems everytime I go to Aldi I somehow cannot dig up a quarter from my purse or car. Then I end up grabbing a box when I walk in and hauling it uncomfortably around the store as I always end up getting way more than I went in for. :P So now I try to always have a quarter in my car for spur of the moment Aldi trips.
I would say the things I will ALWAYS buy from Aldi are:
Milk
eggs
bread
cheese
sour cream
yogurt – plain vanilla yogurt for smoothies, always cheaper at Aldi
veggies
granola and some other cereals
pasta noodles
butter
tortilla chips- usually less than $2 a bag! regular price!
I have found dry ranch and Italian dressing packets at Aldi by the other salad dressings. They may be seasonal for the summer months, though.
I love aldis for quite a few things:
they have laughing cow inspired soft cheese spread that is over half the price and just as good as laughing cow.
apple juice is cheaper there
if you eat clean, they have steel cut oats, and 100 pure maple syrup there.
tortillas, tuna, beans, refried beans, ranch packets to use in cooking or making ranch dip
milk is always 1.99 at our store
cereal bars (my kids’ favorite snack) are like 50 cents cheaper than even the dillons store brand.
waffles/french toast for my kids is cheaper there, as well as bread (you get what you pay for) but if you need hamburger/hotdog buns for a grill out etc its a good place to stock up!
I don’t buy all my groceries there, i don’t do cheese, meat, frozen foods, or any of that but i do think it is worth the trip to shop there!
Diapers! I made my first trip to Aldi for diapers, after my cousin told me she’d been given some and loved them. We’ve used Pampers, Huggies and Luv’s – we like these better than any and they keep my tummy sleeping 1 year old boy dry overnight. They come in small packs (30 for $5) you can try them first before committing to a huge quantity.
I really like their grated Parmesan cheese–way cheaper than anywhere else and really good.
i love aldi. i do all my grocery shopping between aldi and a farmers market near my apt. i do not like their razors, though, i have very sensitive skin. paper products, canned goods, dairy, pantry stock, and cereal are what i usually go for. the getbalance and fit and active cereals are my favorites, and their hot cereal selection cant be beat. the only pet product ive ever used was their cat litter, its very very dusty and drove my allergies insane, so i would not recommend it.
We love the canned pretzels. They are a close to auntie Ann’s pretzels. They come in regular and a cinnamon sugar. I also like getting whole chickens there. 89 cents a pound can’t be beat and they are very good. I like the donut shop coffee, very similar to a certain donut shops coffee. I like the diet cola too. We feed a family of 5 on $125 a week average. I do 90% of my shopping there. We buy most of our meat at a local grocery store with the exception of chicken.
On awesome thing I have noticed at Aldi is that they have plenty of gluten free products! Being GF has taken it’s toll when it comes to finding some good food, but Aldi’s has so many options!
Hummus
Rice Krispy Treats
Cereal usually two options
Canned Chicken and Tuna
Broths
Potato chips
Corn chips
Chocolate
There are many more options and it changes from week to week but well worth it!
Fun post! My mom turned me on to their canned crushed tomatoes. I seriously make a trip there just for that sometimes! They taste fresh and are nice for a pasta sauce base, mexican food, or even spicy garbanzo beans or stew. Anything really.
I absolutely love aldis. 98% of my shopping is done at aldis. From groceries to household items to garden/outdoors and toy items. I don’t know what some of your aldis carry. Mines carry majority of 100% natural items and some organic. Yes there fruit and vegetables are mostly locally grown by farmers. That usually means natural/organic,no pesticides or chemicals. Their chicken,seafood and beef that I buy is all natural. Like I said majority of what I buy is natural and delicious. That’s why I have made aldis my #1 grocery store within the last 2 yrs. Their cereal taste better than name brand cereal. My whole family agrees. Believe me we know because I use to only buy name brand. Their household and other items are way cheaper. Daughter bought her son step 2 wagon for $49, regular price $99. Also bought a little tyke play and slide for $69, reg price $110. I can’t even count the items I have purchase. I sing aldis praises to everyone. Like I always say, doesn’t matter how much you spend on name brand food over cheaper food. If you can’t cook, it want make a difference anyway,lol.
I LOVE shopping at ALDI and totally agree with your post! I have a bit more experience with the frozen foods section. Stay away from the TV dinners, hot pockets, breakfast burritos and cheap frozen pizza – I was definitely NOT impressed. Our favorites from the freezer are the chicken taquitos, french toast sticks, chicken nuggets, and frozen apple juice concentrate. The frozen veggies and tater tots are similar to other generic brands. When I buy bacon there, I always get the center cut bacon.
I moving to Utah in a few weeks and am really bummed that they don’t have an Aldi there :(
I did buy try the big can of coffee from Aldi. I will buy it again.
I LOVE Aldi’s!! But, I hate their bananas!! They sell them in a bag and they are always green and wet and smelly
!! I find they spoil a LOT faster than from other stores. Also, I wish they would NOT sell China made pet products!! I will NOT buy and feed my pets those!! Overall I have been VERY pleased with their products!! Love the spaghetti sauce, too! Shop there every week. If you haven’t tried Aldi’s you are really missing out as their prices are terrific and I always buy their produce. But, just like
everywhere else you have to watch to see that they are not overly ripe or under ripe. I love that they carry “other” items!! I have bought toys, water toys, garden items, flowers, electrical drop cords, skillet and the list goes on!! It’s fun each week to see what the “other” items they have. Good shopping to All!!!
I agree that Aldi’s bananas can spoil quickly, but I have found that I can either peel, slice, and freeze them right away for AMAZING bananas to use in banana bread or banana pancakes, or once home I take them right out of the bag, break the bunch apart and put them on the table for an hour or so to dry, then put them into a brown paper bag to speed up the ripening process and then slice them up and put them into my dehydrator to make the most wonderful banana chips you will ever eat! A little bit of work can salvage those nanners’!
The baby wipes are great too! I never used them on bottoms for my kids, but wipes for messy faces and hands. The veggie straws are great too in the chip section. Also, the knock-off Nutella (hazelnut spread) is great and has 1gram less of sugar than the Nutella brand! I agree with the hummus. One of the only items I would never buy there again is the mayo (thought I’d get a comparable Hellmann’s- no dice!). Oh, and last one I love is the Papa Charlies Italian beef in the plastic tubs (frozen section)!
I have been shopping Aldi’s for years. I am always surprised by those who’ve never been, but I am always willing to help an Aldi newbie.
I have to say Aldi has really bumped up the quality on a lot of their products and I purchase more now than I ever did before. I introduced my husband to them. He would just buy everything from one store!
I do wish Aldi would start carrying a few things … like bread flour! I buy all my baking supplies there and watch when they clear out special holiday buys and stock up. But I do read labels when shopping so they have things I just won’t buy and then things I buy even though I’m not happy with the label.
Olive oil, real Maple syrup, pure vanilla extract, reasonable prices on honey, goat cheese, brie, and butter. Love the cheddar brats, beer brats and special German ones they get seasonally.
We don’t eat a lot of buns for hamburgers or hot dogs, but if I don’t buy Aldi’s I end up with ones from the bakery. Their holiday selection of chocolates and sweets is amazing. And, their Chinese New Year with Asian products is something I wish they carried more of all year long.
I do not purchase their soy sauce as it is not a true brewed product, nor do I purchase their coffee (just don’t like it’s flavor). I also don’t purchase syrups as they usually have HFC as does their ketchup. And, I still remember when their pasta tasted like soggy cardboard, it’s a refreshing change with their newer Italian line of products (loving the artichokes).
I find the produce at my Aldi’s actually in better condition and price than either Wal-mart or Hyvee for the most part, but I still have to purchase Kale and Parsley somewhere else. It would be great to see a little more produce like Kale. But prices for their fruits “in season” are just unbeatable when you’ve got hungry teenagers (I don’t buy most of the sweets, I’ve just handed my kids cookbooks when they ask for cookies), but their chips are priced right and taste as good if not better than name brands or store brands. My husband was surprised with some chips. He always buys name brand, but I purchased some Aldi chips and put them on the shelf. He seemed surprised that they were good!!