Aldi and Save-a-Lot?

[lilmrsellis]

Is it really worth it to shop at stores like Aldi and Save-a-Lot? Cheap isn't everything to me. A serious disparity in food quality is a no go.

 

[Nayan]

No. I went to my local Aldi hoping to pick up a few cans of beans but when I read the label and saw what was in them I turned around and walked out, haven't been back since.

 

[Pigeon]

I've loved most things I've gotten from Aldis and they have a double your money back policy if you don't like something.

Things I routinely buy include canned tomatoes, cereal, snacks, crackers, milk, eggs, pasta, rice, dried beans, tortillas, salsa, olive oil, baking supplies, basic spices, jello, black olives, pickles, ice cream, sour cream, yogurt, many paper products, cat litter, some baked goods. Their chocolate is to die for.

Occasionally, I get some produce. I haven't bought meat there because I haven't found it to be any cheaper than the sales at the grocery store.

It's not all natural or organic. I haven't found that their stuff has more additives or is nutritionally any different than conventional supermarket items.

 

[Eliza32]

I shop ALDI and LIDL a lot and their basics like canned goods are very good value. I stock up on canned tomatoes, red beans, passata, pasta and rice. Nearly half the price of ASDA (Wal-Mart) and no quality issues as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Schmoodle]

I've shopped Aldi for a few years now and I like it very much. I feel like I do save quite a bit, but that's not the only reason I shop there. I am very ADD/easily overwhelmed in super stores, and I love that I can be in and out of an Aldi's with my groceries in 20 minutes. I am very picky, and I have not had any problem with quality. There are a few things I've tried and not liked, but then I don't buy them again. As a matter of fact, I find some of their items to be of superior quality than similar name brands. I had to buy Nutrigrain cereal bars on a trip once, and the kids wouldn't eat them, not as good as Aldi's. Their chocolate is German and to-die-for. They now have their own brand of Nutella! I don't know what beans the PP was referring to, but I get cans of black beans there - no ingredients but beans, water, and salt. That's actually hard to find in a "regular" grocery store. I used to get their Anti-aging face cream and it was better than any super-expensive brand I'd used before. I got several complements on my skin! They stopped carrying it, and that's the problem with Aldi, you can really get hooked on things,and then they disappear. It's funny, people do seem to have an attitude about Aldi, like it's only for the desperately poor. Because it's so much classsier to shop at Walmart, you know! The parent company of Aldi also owns Trader Joe's, by the way. As they are an European company, you can find some really interesting products there sometimes.

I prefer to buy local, so I get my produce, meat, and dairy and eggs from local farms, and can't really vouch for that stuff but I am happy to get pretty much everything else at Aldi.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I used to shop at both, fairly regularly. They don't eliminate the need for a "regular" grocery store, but you can get a lot of basics and staples there.

I was more of an Aldi's shopper, but our Sav-A-Lot had better produce, and a slghtly different selection. Aldi's is their own brand of stuff. The only thing I remember not liking was their canned soups. It's worth a trip to go and try a few things, and see what you think. If nothing else, a monthly trip for things lilke flour and sugar would save you money. Just remember that you need to bring your own bags, and a quarter for your cart (which you getg back).

There's a new Aldi's being built near my DD's music school, that I'll go right by every week. I'm so excited--Aldi's is one of the things I really miss about where we used to live!

 

[willowsnn3]

We buy a lot at Aldi. Stopped by the other night & got tiny grape tomatoes for 69 cents for the little basket. Oh, my, they were so good. And lettuce was only 49 cents a head. Good quality. I always go there to buy mayonnaise & bbq sauce. And I am a real mayo snob.....

 

[jenny105]

I love Aldi. We buy the majority of our groceries from there, even produce and meat. I'm still standing!

 

[baldy6060]

I used to shop at ALDI but I always had to stop at another grocery store to pick up other things they don't carry so it was hardly worth making 2 stops especially when ALDI kept raising prices. I don't mind their canned foods, bread, some boxed and frozen foods but my rule was to never buy dairy products, meat or produce there. Strangely the best canned asparagus I ever had was from ALDI. I hate canned asparagus but it was delicious. Go figure.

 

[Soben]

They stopped carrying it, and that's the problem with Aldi, you can really get hooked on things,and then they disappear.

I miss the Waffernusse! It was a candy with wafers and hazelnut cream in between and covered in chocolate. So sad when they stopped making it.

 

[amberlynnhawkins]

Not everything is great, but I go there frequently for staples - my baking products, milk, eggs, cheese, bacon, snack foods, bread, frozen foods, bottled water, and many produce items. Milk alone is almost $1 cheaper. So are many baking items and eggs. Produce is usually about 1/2 price. The only things I've bought that I didn't like are the dishwasher detergent, toilet paper, and paper towels.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Aldi seems alright, I just don't usually go there because it is not convenient for me. Save-A-Lot just gives me the creeps.

 

[njmom47]

I shop 90% at my regular grocery store but love to stop in Aldi's. I have found a few things we like: spaghetti sauce in a jar, peanut snack bars, frozen oriental dinners, frozen fish, individual stuffed chicken breasts, toaster pastries, ice cream cones, OJ, produce (lettuce for 69 cents!), bread, butter, and frozen pizza in the brown box among other items. Some things I buy not just because they're cheaper but because they are actually delicious. I won't buy the ground beef or the frozen chicken breasts from there...I did once and that was enough.
ETA The pre-cooked bacon and spreadable cheese wedges are good too.

 

[4GoofyCrew]

Funny you should ask - I just shopped at Aldis for the very first time today!

Once I got past figuring out how to 'rent' a cart things went pretty smoothly. I was more on an exploratory mission than anything but I did spend $15 and feel like I got ALOT for my money. It will be interesting to see how the quality compares to the (store brand) products I usually buy. They were definitely cheaper at Aldi (grated parmesan cheese, veggie chips, applesauce, fruit juice, etc.).

Oh, and for the skeptics...Aldis seemed high-end (CLEAN!!!) compared to our local Walmart!

 

[lilpig]

I shop at Aldi's weekly. There are some things I don't buy, the things I do buy I LOVE!!! They have a salsa in the refrigerated section that is super yummy!! Oh and so is there hummus.

 

[tinkgirl1984]

I've never been to save a lot, but I shop at Aldi all the time! I was just there this afternoon actually. I get most of my staples there. And I make cakes on the side, so all of my baking supplies come from there. I like almost everything though. The only two things I've ever tried that I wouldn't buy again are their light & fit yogurt (weird artificial sweetener after taste) and their "Cheerios" because Cheerios have to be the real thing. Kind of like Oreos.

 

[emma'smom]

I usually make my shopping list for the week and then go to Aldi's first to get what I can. I probably by 60% of our weekly groceries at Aldi's---but then I head over to our "regular" grocery store for gourmet and name-brand items that I can't get at Aldi's.

Our Aldi's has hormone-free milk and they have just started selling organic products. They also have been selling FAGE greek yogurt recently.

 

[disneymarie]

Is it really worth it to shop at stores like Aldi and Save-a-Lot? Cheap isn't everything to me. A serious disparity in food quality is a no go.

Aldi is a German owned company. There are so many uality items there and great buys. You can't beat the lg cheese pizza, cookies, cream cheese, Arizona tea is 25%cheaper. There are some things I won't buy, like the one pk of hot dogs I tried, but tools, bread, bagels, pittas, sandwich grain rounds, have been inexpensive and great.

My son works as security there and this is one of he greatest money maker stores in the franchise. Things I swear by, like pizza, and some things I don't. Flyer has a great section in the center isle for bargin buys!

I have found storage shelves, generators, even my folding cane for$9.99

 

[Ennazus8810]

I guess it all depends on your tastes. I have shopped at both, and overall there is very little that I was happy with. Baking staples, spices, milk, ect are fine. I found their juices, canned goods, and many of their frozen goods very bland. Vegetables (canned) had stems in them, and the pasta sauce was very watery.

My local grocery store doubles coupons, and along with sales I get most of my stuff a lot cheaper than either Aldi's or Save a Lot.

 

[mrsklamc]

Aldi is the cheapest place to get real maple syrup, I've heard.