Can someone give me a quick review of Aldis

[Egdisney]

So you think that only 19 yr old college kids are the only ones that should shop at Traders

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

We are an Aldi loving family and I have been shopping there for many years and have always been pleased with the quality of their foods and fair prices. We have never had any issues with them and like the quality of their frozen foods, breads, dairy, produce, snacks, and paper products more than our major chain grocery stores. For our family, we view it as shopping smarter not cheaper.

 

[MissVeronica]

The only thing we never cared for at Aldi's was their ground beef, but now that they have started selling organic, grass fed beef for $4.49 a pound we'll definitely check it out again.

I'm excited about the expansion of the organic products.

 

[eangel12]

I love Aldi! We shop there as often as possible and carry out 4-5 huge bags for $100 dollars. The only thing I've ever gotten that I don't love is the peanut butter.

My husband thinks their refrigerated biscuits Are better than Pillsbury and I think the Oreos are better than Oreo brand!!

I always get:
Nuts
Crackers
Chips
Cereal
Milk
Eggs
Cheese
Wraps
Taco seasoning (34 cents!!!)
Canned veggies, potatoes, beans
Bread
Fruits and veggies that look good
Cream of chicken soup
Chicken and beef broth
Rice
Sour cream
Biscuits/crescent rolls
Cookies

I will also get the name brand stuff when it is a good deal!

 

[DisneyCrazyX5]

I love Aldi! We shop there as often as possible and carry out 4-5 huge bags for $100 dollars. The only thing I've ever gotten that I don't love is the peanut butter.

My husband thinks their refrigerated biscuits Are better than Pillsbury and I think the Oreos are better than Oreo brand!!

I always get:
Nuts
Crackers
Chips
Cereal
Milk
Eggs
Cheese
Wraps
Taco seasoning (34 cents!!!)
Canned veggies, potatoes, beans
Bread
Fruits and veggies that look good
Cream of chicken soup
Chicken and beef broth
Rice
Sour cream
Biscuits/crescent rolls
Cookies

I will also get the name brand stuff when it is a good deal!

We like the natural peanut butter much better.

 

[OklahomaTourist]

Although we are not Aldi regulars, we've done enough shopping there at least on a cursory basis to know a few things - most notably that the majority of their housebrand goods are simply repacakged, private label versions of precisely the same things you'll pay full price for at the 'regular' grocery store. In fact, at one point, someone in my family had a list of which items were actually made by what major vendor - especially the dry goods, such as cereals, rice, things of that nature - that come right off the same line as the "regular" stuff, they just switch out the boxes/bags in the packaging/dispensing machines.

The post a few replies back about the mom who stuck the Aldi-branded Cheerios into the Cheerios box and her kids never knew the difference was pretty telling. And a bit of indictment how much we all (myself included) get hooked on the packaging and impute a difference in substance that just isn't - at least in many or most cases - really there.

 

[StuckInKS]

I would not buy the Cheetos-type snacks at there, if you buy that sort of thing. My grandma did and the ones near the bottom of the bag literally has oil dripping off of them

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I also wanted to add that every week Aldi offers a limited stock of household and toy items that you can find in stores like Target or Walmart but at a lower price. Early in the spring I bought two large, mostly wicker patio chairs for my back deck for $28, the oversized bean bag chairs in my gameroom are from Aldi, a couple years ago I bought my youngest DS's Little Tike's Cozy Coupe at Aldi for $20, when my oldest DD was 4 I found a Disney Princess vanity set at Aldi for $30 (it was $70 at Toys R Us!), the wardrobe racks my daughters use to hang up their costumes during their dance recitals were purchased at Aldi for $10, and last week I bought a Slip N' Slide at Aldi for $8 and my kids have been enjoying it more than going to the pool We love Aldi

 

[jessrose18]

just started really shopping there and so far so good. i now do an aldi/target run on the same day to fill in what i used to buy at target buy aldis has for much cheaper. I love their greek yogurt, sweet potato chips, tortilla chips, ice cream sundae cones etc. I did not care for the boxed mac and cheese, still new to the frozen items and a few others just starting to branch out.

 

[Ginny Favers]

I would shop occasionally at Aldi's, until I read an article in the newspaper about a group of people who were suing them because they allegedly found fingernails in their bread. Now, I just can't drive by the place without thinking "fingernails in the bread." It is amazing how that one phrase can completely turn a person off of food.

 

[nugov2]

Yes. I usually don't eat cold cereal...especially sugary ones...but I had a craving! Picked up a box of the chocolate and peanut butter puffs. DH scanned the barcode with an app on his phone...matched the product to Reece's Peanut Butter Puffs. So the same exact product at a fraction of the price.

Also, Aldi is a sister store to Trader Joes and Aldi carries many interesting foods depending on the season imported from Germany.

Yep!!!Ours has lots of organic products now too. I buy mostly dry goods...cereals, chips etc. I buy meat and produce at other stores so I can get organic. And yes, many of their brands are the same that are at Trader Joes or other big brands. It amazes me how many people are still unaware that they favorite big brand is making the generics. My favorite is the huge container of the honey wheat pretzels. They are a fraction of the price as the brand name and just as good.

 

[Daisy'sMama]

We love Aldi's I have to tell you, most grocery stores in Germany (where Aldi comes from) are like that. It seemed like we could never get everything at one store, they all carried most of what we needed but not all The Deutsche Kuche brand german food is amazing and I stock up every year during german month. The pastas and sauces are great during italian month. The produce I buy @ Aldi's has a very short lifespan, so I plan to use it within 3 or 4 days or pitch it. The cheeses are fabulous.

 

[Patience]

Aldi's cranberry almond chicken salad is really good. We also like their hummus (it's the same as Trader Joe's). We usually get their veggie chips, balls of fresh mozarella cheese for caprese salad (they are much cheaper there than at other grocery stores), fresh mangos, avocados and their take and bake 4 cheese pizza is pretty good too. I sometimes get their yogurt tubes. They occasionally have a Greek yogurt spinach and artichoke dip that is fabulous. I also buy salsa and tortilla chips there.

ETA that, as a previous poster said, they often carry name brand toys at really good prices. I stocked up on Disney princess dolls (the Barbie sized ones) to use for my 6 year old daughter to give at birthday parties. The dolls were in their princess pajamas and came with bedtime accessories. She gets invited to a lot of parties during the school year and the dolls were the same ones that Target and Walmart carry but were only $6. I also bought some hot wheels tracks that include a car for her to give to boys. They were $8, I think.

 

[Legendteri]

We buy almost everything from Aldi and Costco. At first I was leery of Aldi's produce and their meat, but once we tried it, it has been fine for the most part. I mean I might not get their potatoes if I am making mashed because they tend to be smaller and that is more peeling work for me, but overall it is fine.

There are actually a few things we don't like. The refried beans and their diapers. Most everything else is great. In fact, their cheese crackers are the closest generic I can find to Cheezits.

 

[DZNEE4US]

Their salsa is awesome! It is flat out my favorite from anywhere. We've had company over, and they couldn't believe it. I am picky about my chips, and we've loved all of theirs. Their cool ranch Doritos are very, very close to the name brand.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Are you 19 and in college? If so buy everything from there. If you aren't 19 and in college, go to a real grocery store. Your intestines will thank you.

Why would you say that? Have you been to one ?

 

[CuteAndFluffy]

Why would you say that? Have you been to one ?

Agreed. I feel the disparaging poster is pretty uninformed.

It might be difficult to get all your groceries there, but you can buy LOTS of healthy things at aldi. Just this week I picked up grass fed, organic ground beef, a ton of veggies, some fruit, some European cheeses (which I am certain are also sold at Trader Joes under a different label) and French Roast coffee (also a relabeled TJ product). Next week I will need olive oil (also the same as TJs, I am pretty sure) and I nuts--almonds, cashews and pistachios (again...TJs)

They also have awesome Cheetoes like things if you do feel like rotting your insides a bit.

 

[eangel12]

Their salsa is awesome! It is flat out my favorite from anywhere. We've had company over, and they couldn't believe it. I am picky about my chips, and we've loved all of theirs. Their cool ranch Doritos are very, very close to the name brand.

Love their salsa with the blue chips!! Yum!!

 

[chocovrdmicears]

We have an Aldi's that recently opened here. We have been trying things here and there. Inspired by this thread I took a trip yesterday.
Things we have tried and liked:
Tortilla chips
Kettle Chips
Cheesy Penguins ( their version of goldfish)
Granola
Frozen cheese blintzes (top them with their apple pie filling)
baking soda
milk
eggs (.88 for a dozen!)
bread (not the best but decent for toast)
take and bake pizza (we add our own toppings)
grape tomatoes
bananas
refridgerated biscuits
cinnamon sugar pretzels in the fridge section that you bake (to DIE for)