Aldi's just opened nearby nearby - what do YOU buy there??

[bop28]

I also buy produce but if you pass up the chocolate salted caramels, you're really missing out!

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

Just about everything...Aldi label food has no food dyes, and one of my kids can't have dyes. It makes shopping a breeze, and it's a very economical store too. I love Aldi!

 

[Legendteri]

The only thing we won't buy at aldi is their version of doritos simply because my husband and I don't like the taste. Everything else has been fine for us.

 

[verleniahall]

We LOVE Aldi's - I grew up shopping there

We get everything excpet meat - they have great fruit snacks!!

 

[LilyWDW]

Whatever I can on my list! I once posted a thread just like this one and so many people chimed in on how great Aldi was. I finally went and now it is the first stop I make when grocery shopping. I get just about everything there. Eggs, cheese, lunch meat, snacks, toilet paper, produce (the watermelon I got last trip was PERFECT), chicken... the list goes on and on.

There were a couple things I did NOT like: granola bars, chocolate sauce, and red meat (steaks and hamburger). I also can not eat the majority of their breads because they use soy flour so I can't comment on those.

 

[pittsburghmom]

Another Aldi fan here! I started shopping here on a regular basis about a year and a half ago when we discovered ds #2 cannot have gluten. This is a typical list for us:

Veggie Straws
Clancy Potato Chips
Live G-Free Pretzels
Cashews
Raisins
Honey
Applesauce
Live G-Free Pizza Crust Mix
"Kool-Aid" packets
canned soda (for dh's lunch)
Produce: baby carrots, broccoli, asparagus, cantaloupe, apples
Cheese slices
Guacamole
Lunch meat
Organic Whole Milk yogurt (big tub)
"Go-gurts"
OJ
Butter
Eggs
Live G-Free bread & wraps
Regular wheat bread
Hamburger & hotdog buns
"Ziploc" bags
Black trash bags

 

[5kidsmommy]

Aldi's is my main grocery store. I buy everything from wine to meat. I buy most of my produce there, occasionally I'll get something bad but their return policy is awesome. We buy the generic soda when the kids want soda, bottled water, tortilla chip, coffee creamer, lunch meats, pasta, ice cream, bread and pretty much 80% of my food shopping. Their chocolate is really good. Plus they have awesome import items, and I love their specialty cheeses. I've been shopping at Aldi for 18 years now and they really have improved through the years. I love being able to feed my family on a tight budget. About the only thing I do not buy there is milk just because my kids prefer 1% and they usually don't have it. I don't do a whole of prepared foods and they have lots of basics for cooking from scratch. I have never not been happy with my purchases from there.

 

[5kidsmommy]

I also buy produce but if you pass up the chocolate salted caramels, you're really missing out!

$1.99 and they pair great with a $4.99 bottle of moscato.

That may or may not be what I am currently enjoying as I type this.

 

[wishinitwas]

I buy fruit, veggies, cheese, yogurt, pizzas (fresh and frozen), soft taco shells, etc.

 

[QueenIsabella]

That's great news about Aldi's accepting credit cards! We moved about a year ago, now the nearest one is 2 hours away, so I haven't been in a while. But I'm really excited that one might be here (they're saying next spring-summer).

Produce tends to look picked-over by the end of the cycle (i.e., longer since delivery to the store). But, if you live close and can time your visit to delivery day or the day after, it's less of an issue.

Their chocolate is amazing (and inexpensive). Now you guys have me curious about their skin products--I never even hit that aisle, but I love the (small but decent) selection at Trader Joe's, so I'll have to look when Aldi's does open here.

I get more frozen protein than fresh at Aldi's--their meat selection is limited, and all pre-packaged. And I will say, having shopped at Aldi's through the years in a couple different states--they keep improving. They've added much more organic stuff, upped the fresh fruit and meats, expanded their cheese selection, etc. So, if you went 5 years ago, and wasn't impressed, it's worth trying again.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Produce picks (if they look good), milk, eggs, cheeses, butter, pretzel rods, dried cranberries, stuffed shells/manicotti (the kind we like is seasonal, so we only get it in season), flour, sugar, olive oil, salt, baking powder/baking soda/cornstarch, popsicles, tortillas and taco seasoning, beer bread mix, some seasonal items (apple butter, canned pumpkin, etc).

I avoid - junk food (other than pretzel rods and choco covered pretzels, which I'll buy as a treat) - just don't like the generic's taste and the name brands can be cheaper elsewhere, meat and lunch meat - better deals and tastes from grocery, cereal - not enough options, beverages - better and cheaper at local grocery and they don't carry what we like, frozen foods (other than the Italian ones) - again, not a huge fan of them and can find better at local grocery, all toiletries/cleaning products/paper products (except wet wipes) - I stick to paper, not foam, and I am picky on cleaning products, so I don't buy these, either, baking mixes (except beer bread) - family just didn't like them more than my own recipes.

Aldi is my "every 3 weeks" store, when I run out of staples and the 3 tubs of pretzel rods I buy and the produce picks are my favorites...I usually spend $100 there stocking up, but still have to spend $50-$75 at the local grocery to finish the week.

 

[Dakota731]

What problems have people had with the meat? I've tried a few things recently (all made in US) like the ribs, chicken and ground beef and thought all were as good as my grocery store.
I love their wheat thins and triscuits which are half the price of name brands and their pineapple peach salsa

 

[hsmamato2]

almost everything. (with the exception of fresh meats,I only buy their OG grass fed ground beef)Greek yogurt, Og eggs,Og milks,almond milk, corn chips,hummus, fresh veggies, frozen veggies (and fruits) pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, beans, dogfood,ziploc bags.... just about anything you want,they have it and it's cheaper. Oh,and the chocolate... the delectable european chocolates.... keep me away from that aisle when I'm hungry! (the choc. covered GF pretzels are BEYOND incredible,what a treat!) regular gf pretzels plus Aldi hummus = one happy me! and now they take cc's....well I love them even more.

 

[hsmamato2]

What problems have people had with the meat? I've tried a few things recently (all made in US) like the ribs, chicken and ground beef and thought all were as good as my grocery store.
I love their wheat thins and triscuits which are half the price of name brands and their pineapple peach salsa

meat is probably no different than any other grocery store average meats.... but I try to buy only OG or close to it types of meats, so that limits my buying (at any store)

 

[FINFAN]

the round steaks wrapped in bacon~a staple here for grilling
Chocolate bundt cake
bagged salad/spinach
produce
roasted almonds
shredded cheese(s)
kraft singles
low sodium, black beans
mango salsa (I MAY be addicted to this)
bread/buns
choc covered pretzels
coffee, sometimes
(as in the above lists) but DH doing the whole low carb at dinner thing and our small local grocer usually has meat/chicken at a better price.

things I don't ever buy at Aldi are cereal or non-grocery as you can't return say, a lawn chair if you didn't like it.

 

[QueenIsabella]

My issues with Aldi's meats is mainly that there's less selection. They might have pork chops and pork tenderloins, and that's it. Or whole chickens and boneless breasts, and that's it. And their prices generally don't beat loss-leader prices on meats that you might find in your regular grocery store. There's nothing wrong with the quality of meat or anything. Their frozen meats are cheaper and more varied (bags of chicken breasts or whatever).

 

[TwoMisfits]

What problems have people had with the meat? I've tried a few things recently (all made in US) like the ribs, chicken and ground beef and thought all were as good as my grocery store.
I love their wheat thins and triscuits which are half the price of name brands and their pineapple peach salsa

Mine is usually "old" (you can see the juices pouring in the bottom), it's no cheaper (and actually more expensive) than the deals of the week at my local grocery, they don't stock very lean ground beef (I like 93% and my min is 90%), etc...

 

[LilyWDW]

What problems have people had with the meat? I've tried a few things recently (all made in US) like the ribs, chicken and ground beef and thought all were as good as my grocery store.
I love their wheat thins and triscuits which are half the price of name brands and their pineapple peach salsa

I'm just picky about my red meat, especially steaks since I don't purchase it very often. The ground beef isn't that bad, but usually I can find a better sale at other stores so I just have it when those hit. I do get chicken at Aldi and think it is fine. I have not tried pork or anything like that though.

 

[Conkozan]

The only meat I buy there normally is their Ham (butt portion or spiral sliced). I will go out of my way to go there for one when I need one. They have a great ham.

 

[kidshop]

over the 3 years I have lived near an Aldi store I have shifted to nearly doing all my shopping there. It seems the food quality and selection has just gotten better and better. I cannot beat the fresh fruit/veggie prices and rarely quality is iffy, and then I just don"t buy it. overwhelmingly everything is fresh and the same brand as the regular grocery store. I buy milk, almond milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, etc. I do buy the ground turkey and I have found the whole chickens and chicken breasts are quite good. I don't like the pork cuts, it seems too 'injected' to me, though the ribs were very good.

You can return non grocery items there if you are not satisfied, many items have a year or two warranty. One of my favorite buys is an enameled cast iron braiser (like le creuset) that is so awesome and high quality. It has a two year warranty. It is way way better than the tramontina one I bought at SAMs. I have even bought socks there for the kids. Really very thick and nice quality! I'm pretty sure they would take anything back if you didn't like it.

A big plus worth mentioning is the quick in and out. I can't get out of any other store as fast.