What's good at Aldi's and

[daughtersrus]

What I will not buy & why:
chicken nuggets--too salty & rubbery; worth it to buy Tyson for my little guy

The chicken products at Aldi are Tyson.

 

[Plantlady]

BTW, I know of several local bed & breakfasts that do alot of their shopping at aldi's.

Recently I was at Aldi, and I saw the owners of a small gormet cookie shop/sandwich and soup restaurant there, shopping. It was no secret, she had the company van with her. that resturant has the best cookies EVER.

 

[daughtersrus]

I buy a lot of my groceries there. I'm a self-proclaimed ketchup snob (only like Heinz) but I tried the ketchup at Aldi and I can't tell the difference.

I regularly buy...
yogurt
chips
brownie mix(everyone asks what brand it is because they love it)
frosting
steak sauce(my dh loved Lea&Perrins Sweet and Tangy but they stopped making it. We tried every brand and he says Aldi is the closest. It's only 99Cents compared to $4.99 that I used to pay for L&P)

Freeze Pops
Produce
Bagged salad
Salad Dressing
Bread (DH loved the whole wheat bread)
Buns
Bacon
Hot Dogs
French Fries
Frozen Stir Fry Packages
Canned Fruit
Apples Sauce
Freezer Bags
Foil
Cheese
Crackers
Soup
Hammock (we bought one last year and it is great. They had them again this year and we got one for my SIL. It was only $59.00 compared to about $200.00 at Linens and Things)

What I won't buy ...

Paper Plates (way too thin and floppy)
Paper Towels(too rough. I like Bounty)
Cheese in a can for crackers(tastes like wax)
Diapers & wipes (cheaper at Sams or with the deal at Target)

Like others have said. Try it and if you don't like it, they have a Double Money Back Guarantee

 

[cheerbop]

The chicken products at Aldi are Tyson.

That surprises me because I have both in the freezer right now and they do NOT look the same at all or taste the same.
Someone else also mentioned to me once that the frozen fish was Gorton's I believe. Again, I had both in my freezer at the time..look and taste not the same.
Wonder if the company makes it different for Aldi?

We buy alot of their dry products--noodles, rices, etc- and soups,
spices, some cheeses, and a few other things.

There is not one close by or I would probably go more often.

 

[karla63]

I really like the bagels, lunchables, cat litter, and tortilla's. Oh and the brownie mix is to die for. I use the lite syrup too. If they had a little more of a variety, I would probably only shop there, but I do go to Krogers to supplement our families needs.

 

[imageid]

My favorite thing to get is their Baby Back Ribs $6.99 a slab, already cooked, we just heat them on the grill!

 

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

I think it really is a personal preference thing. I haven't found very many items from Aldi's that were worth the trip across town for me, so I usually don't go. It is so easy to buy a bunch of junk food or other stuff you don't really need from there too. It's not a health food store. I buy off brand products at my regular store if I have found them to be just as good as name brand. BUT, I often get to buy name brand food b/c I watch for sales - sometimes they are cheaper than off brand.

I didn't like Aldi's cereal, pasta sauce, yogurt, "fancy" syrup, produce (rots too fast), or meat. Their canned goods are okay, but not a better deal than sales at my regular store. I do love their danishes and boxed snack cakes, but like I said, not healthy at all!

 

[staceyfe]

I bought one of their cheap(under a buck) pizzas one time and took one bite and tossed it. Most other items are as good as most brands. The only brands I'm loyal to are Heinz ketchup, Miracle Whip, and Diet Coke. Anything else, I'll try generic and generally continue to use.

I was a very loyal Heinz girl until I read a post on here that the Aldi's ketchup tastes the same, so I decided to give it a try. The poster was right! I now buy Aldi's ketchup 36 oz for $.99. It's true in the food industry that many of the same products are labeled differently. I have to wonder if the Aldi's ketchup is really Heinz in disguise...

I also like Aldi's chips, syrup, pancake mix, "go-gurt" tubes (my son likes these better than the name brand go-gurts), frozen juice, saltines, canned veggies, ravioli, taco and chili seasonings, packaged pepperoni, applesauce, instant flavored potatoes. There's more, but that's all I can think of right now.

 

[MissBubbles]

I've been pretty happy with everything I've bought at Aldi's except their bread - it's very dry and the frozen OJ (bitter). The hamburger/hot dog buns are okay.

I especially like the refried beans (very creamy - but note they still use lard), low fat granola, canned veggies & fruit. I'm always surprised by how many name brand items they have each time I go.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I'm a regular Aldi's shopper, too. Most stuff I like, plus I like that it's a smaller store, easier to get through quickly. The biggest hassles for me are bringing cash (I'm a check person), and remembering to bring my bags from home. Those things make it less of an "impulse" stop if I need milk sort of thing.

You definitely have to look closely at the produce--sometimes it's fine, but you have to check. I also don't care for their sausage. In general, I stay away from their meats, except that DH LOVES their maple bacon (not thecheapo type, it's pricier, but cheaper than the regular grocery store). Their lunch meats seem very processed, i don't get them. And DS15mo literally spits out the fake Cheerios.

Aside from that, though, there's plenty left that is tasty and a good value. Love their coconut shrimp, blueberry syrup, most cereals, vegetables, pantry stockers, etc. Cheese, yogurt, salad dressing--all good.

I will say, even if I loved every product in there, I would still need to shop at a regular store once in a while. They don't have, say, dark brown sugar or more "exotic" styles of things. Like, there are maybe half a dozen of the most popular flavors of salad dressing. If you want ranch, you're good, but lite balsamic vinagrette, you're SOL.

 

[Leader of the Club]

Ya know, a lot of it depens on the cook

My sister and I could buy the same identical items and and mine will always turn out to be different than hers.

 

[shortbun]

I had a wonderful spiral cut,honey cured ham from there last winter. It was at my aunt's and I thought for sure it was "Honey Baked." My friend who is a chef says he gets all his steaks there. He buys the ones that have been sealed. I haven't tried them. You know that Aldi's owns Trader Joe's?! I've found that some of their products are similar. Now I know how Trader Joe's stays so cheap-same suppliers.

 

[MELSMICE]

I buy a large majority of my groceries at Aldi...........

Cereals
juices
bagels
canned veggies
chicken strips (made with rib meat)
OJ
milk
eggs
shredded cheese
cream cheese
baking products

I could go on & on.

I don't care for their bacon & I didn't care for their english muffins - I'm a Thomas' brand name girl!

The items are so inexpensive that I figure it's worth a try! I never thought I'd try Aldi, but I've definitely changed my tune & am a big time Aldi supporter & fan!

 

[MouseTrip07]

I started shopping at Aldi after reading about it here on the Dis. I have found my favorite products are:

the syrup (I'm a former Log-Cabin only girl)
Go-gurt
Cheeses (shredded, sliced, chunks)
Produce (like others said, hit or miss)
the dryer sheets (this was a surprise, I used to only use Bounce)
their brand of "oxyclean"--I can't remember what it is called
chocolate chips
"gourmet" frozen pizzas, especially the BBQ Chicken pizza
spaghetti sauce-great for cooking meatballs in, dipping mozzerella sticks,etc.
breakfast sausage
cereals
sour cream, cream cheese
canned peaches & fruit cocktail
reduced fat mayo


The products I DON'T like are:
potato chips & other snacks-seem overly salty to me
hot dogs, smoked sausage, lunch meat-also seemed too salty


Each time I go I try new things and most of the time I am really pleased. I didn't realize about the guarantee...I will use it next time I find something I don't like.

Jennifer

 

[formernyer]

Justs got back from Aldi about an hour ago. They had some great produce deals again. I've heard bad things about Aldi produce, but it's really good at mine and they have great unadvertised specials.

1 pound cherries - $.99 (marked down from $2.99). I bought three pounds, but now I regret it and wish I got more. My son and I ate almost an entire pound on the way home!

1 pound strawberries - $.99

2 pounds seedless purple grapes - $1.99

Cantalopes, honeydews, and kiwis (8) were still $.99 and watermelons are still $2.99. At my mom's Aldi, the kiwis were $.49 for the 8-packs!

 

[KPmom]

I get our basics there:
Milk
cheese (love the shredded)
butter
eggs
love the fit n active yogurt
any of their syrup
strawberry jam
peanut butter
frozen popcorn shrimp (yum!)
peanut butter & cheese crackers
juice
frozen juice (love the white grape peach)
aldi brand Klondike bars
" " drum stick cones
imitation bacon bits
cooking oil
sugar
steak sauce
mustard
ketchup
rice
chicken flavored pasta (bagged)
rice-1-roni (aldi brand)
powdered gravy mixes
aldi brand breath mints in an altoid type can
tooth paste
paper towels
glass cleaner
orange cleaner
air freshner
trash bags
freezer bags
zipper bags
lunch bags
sandwich bags
plastic wrap
foil


I don't like the frozen pizza, chicken tenders, mayo, or fish sticks. They are owned by Trader Joe's (this is within the last 2 years) and offer the same 100% money back deal. Aldi is huge in Germany, I have family that was there in the military and when they moved back stateside were soooo happy to find Aldi here too. I shop there, and use my debit card, I just always forget to bring bags. I usually pick up a few small boxes as I shop. I then box up my stuff and bring it home. My daughter and 2 Boston Terriers play in the boxes until trash day and then we recycle them. ~Mandy

 

[TNKBELL]

Another vote on the "best" brownie mix ever!! We love the pancake syrup and mix, the breakfast sausage, frozen juice, go-gurt, the Dks will only eat "Aldi" brand mac n cheese, best price on apples, never buy the bananas(they never seem to ripen), whole wheat bread is good but cheaper at the hostess outlet, another vote on the sundae cones(cones are always crunchy), we like the cheese curls better than cheetos, cheese crackers are great, club crackers are yummy, we also have always been happy with the diapers they don't leak like the Kroger brand and Parent's Choice brand, the world's cheapest drink mix packets(Dh takes this for work), best price on pop-ice pops, ice cream bars and fudgsicles are good. We love Aldi!!! The Dks always fight over who gets to plug in the cart and retrieve the quarter!!!

 

[formernyer]

The Dks always fight over who gets to plug in the cart and retrieve the quarter!!!

LMAO, my son LOVES to get/return the cart and he's 10!!! I'm shocked that he's still so fascinated with it! He also gets sooooooo excited when people give him their carts to return for them and tell him to keep the quarter. Strangely, it happens a lot.

 

[hsmamato2]

I won't buy most of their brand cereals, they taste fine,but are made with hydrogenated oils...very unhealthy!
I don't buy any meat except ham once in a while which is fine-
i like the breads,crackers,cheeses,eggs,etc. And the chocolate candy is great!
We also buy the cake and muffin mixes,I love the blueberry one- and the chips,etc- There are actually very few things I don't use from there,much of it is good quality-

 

[ribbot]

I have shopped at Aldi's for years. I've found there are some good things and some not so good, it's all a matter of preference.

But I did have an "incident" a few years ago with a can of green beans. Opened it up and there was a HUGE worm in it. Not that it couldn't happen with Libby, Green Giant or any other name brand---but it just grossed me out. I don't do worms--of any sort. I took the can back and was given a spiral ham for my inconvenience. Not bad considering it was a $.29 can of beans vs a $13 ham. The ham was very good too!

I also had bought some green grapes. They were the most sour thing I've ever eaten in my life. I tasted them, and took them back. Got my money back.

I continually buy:

Noodles
Pasta
Milk
Cheese
Produce--although sometimes the potatoes rot fast
Those wafer cookies in the can
Canned items
Soups---for recipes. Otherwise they taste kind of "canny"
Frosted Shredded Wheat---like it better than name brands
Powdered/Brown Sugar/White Sugar
Flour
Canola Oil
Yogurt
Butter
Eggs
Breads
Taco Items
Hot Dogs
Half n Half
Ice Cream
Frozen Oriental Bagged Items
Jellies

I probably wouldn't buy again:

Crackers-stale tasting
Vanilla Wafers-too soft
Ketchup--just because we're a Heinz family
Dish Soap
Paper Products unless emergency

The produce in our area is extreme, so Aldi's is a great money saver. Too bad they can't come up with some cheap gas!!!