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Post by *KAS* on Jun 4, 2016 14:09:59 GMT
I do the bulk of my shopping at Aldi now. The one close to me is literally across the street from places I spend a lot of time - the gym, Kohls and Super Target, and I have to pass Walmart to get to it, so it's very convenient for me. I wouldn't drive out of my way for any store since I have a ton of grocery options nearby.
Love the cheese selection (and prices!), and I get the majority of my staples there - spices, baking products, etc. Fruit/veggies if they look good b/c you can't beat the price. Their non-fat plain greek yogurt and reduced fat cottage cheese are my favorite brand. Toilet paper is good too.
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NoWomanNoCry
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Jun 25, 2014 21:53:42 GMT
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Post by NoWomanNoCry on Jun 4, 2016 14:14:46 GMT
Yup. Saves me a ton of money when I go. Things I like getting there.. Assortment of crackers/cheeses for get togethers. All their produce. Sour cream Butter Eggs DH loves their peanut butter cups Cereal Pickles Mustard Boneless ribs Stubs bbq sauce Waffles/ syrup Breads. ETA: Things we've tried and didn't like. Pizzas Mayo Salad dressings What's wrong with the mayo? I'm a mayo snob and only Hellmann's will do for me so I guess I'm just use to that brand.
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Post by slowrunner70 on Jun 4, 2016 22:49:31 GMT
i LOVE Aldi! Currently,they have seedless cucumbers for $0.59, and mushrooms for $0.69! Seedless red grapes for $0.99 a pound.... I love their produce prices! Their cheese selection is great,and the prices can't be beat. There are several german products that they carry year-round,but twice a year they have german week,and it is by far my favorite Aldi-shopping-week :-) Just in time for my birthday party in the spring,and our annual Oktoberfest party in the fall. We always stock up on all the goodies,and they are always a huge hit!
I remember when I still lived in Germany (20 years ago), people would joke about Aldi (two Aldi trucks were stolen last night.The total value of the contents was $2.50.... stuff like that). But people line up to get their hands on their electronics (especially computers,they rate higher than name brand ones!) and other stuff.
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Post by missfrenchjessica on Jun 4, 2016 23:00:53 GMT
I've been shopping Aldi for over 2 years now every weekend. At first I was skeptical that they'd have what my family and I like and for a good price, but I was wrong. I can get pretty much everything there. It saves me a lot of money and we eat well and healthfully. I mainly stick to the dairy, meats, fruits, veggies, and breads. I pick up some canned stuff like crushed/diced tomatoes, beans, and tortillas, some flour and sugar and spices as needed.
If I'm looking for something specific they don't have, I'll go to another grocery store, but I can get 90% of what I need there.
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Post by JoP on Jun 5, 2016 8:20:36 GMT
I shop at Aldi in the UK and had to visit a US store to check it out when I was there recently. I loved the chicken cranberry salad which was recommended on a previous thread - we don't get that in the UK
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Post by Really Red on Jun 5, 2016 11:50:35 GMT
I just shopped there yesterday for the first time. I made mousse au chocolat with their chocolate. VERY good. It was better than anything else I could find here. Their goat cheese was so delicious, it will be my lunch today.
I can't see myself doing all my shopping there, but it was very good for what I needed!
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Post by cropduster on Jun 5, 2016 12:50:56 GMT
They are owned by the same company that owns Trader Joe's. I don't believe that is quite true-- they technically each have a different parent company, split from the original Aldi. So they're more cousins than siblings. From Kiplinger: Aldi is well known in Europe – especially Germany, where it was founded in the 1940s by Karl and Theo Albrecht. The brothers, now deceased, decided to part ways in the 1960s and split the company in two: Aldi Sud and Aldi Nord. Both businesses have expanded globally with Aldi Sud operating Aldi stores in the U.S. Aldi Nord owns the Trader Joe’s chain, which has fewer stores than Aldi but is arguably better known. My good friend's sister lives in England. When she came here for a visit and noticed our local Aldi's, she commented how fortunate we were to have an Aldi so close. I go there on occasion. My DH has gotten pickier about his food with age, so I go there mostly for seasonal items. Our local Aldi's is always packed every time I drive by there.
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brandy327
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Jun 26, 2014 16:09:34 GMT
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Post by brandy327 on Jun 5, 2016 14:23:37 GMT
For me, I love it for certain things and don't care for it for others. The one I used to shop at had horrible produce. Now, they announced that they were going to really improve their produce but I haven't been back since they made that announcement. I switched the town where I do my grocery shopping and currently they're in the process of building one. I'll definitely try it out once it opens this summer. We're pretty easy going on food so there was a lot of stuff I'd buy there. One thing I didn't like was the brown sugar. It had TONS of little hardened balls in it that you couldn't break up. I tried buying it twice and it was the same thing both times. So I won't buy that there. But flour, regular sugar, butter, milk, eggs, crackers, granola bars, bread, cheese, etc. All of those things were great!
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Post by brookeq on Jun 5, 2016 14:34:15 GMT
I buy all of our staples there: milk, cheese, eggs, etc. Baking items (chocolate chips, flour, etc) are great and priced cheap. Kids like their yogurts and hummus.
Yes most of the items are generic but they taste just as good as the name brands (and I am super pickY)
I think their mayo tastes just like Hellmanns (which was the only mayo I would eat before trying aldis)
Ours has a nice selection of fresh fruits that are way cheaper than even walmart in our town.
Recently we have been enjoying their cookies that are like girl scout cookies. The kids like aldis version of tagalongs. I pack two in their lunch for a treat. They also have ones like thin mints. Best part is I think they are $1.50 for a pack.
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Post by brookeq on Jun 5, 2016 14:37:10 GMT
I also wanted to add that the first time I went to aldis i hated it. I hated the set up and the no name brands. I tried again after visiting a friend a few times and she shopped mostly there and I got to try things before buying. Then after a few times shopping and eating what we bought I was hooked.
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Post by Minty118 on Jun 5, 2016 15:11:33 GMT
I'm not fond of Aldi. There are quite a few around us, and they are all at least a third of the size of my regular grocery store. Plus, a third of that is non grocery items like lawn furniture and toys. The fresh food selection is too small for a family of six. I will go occasionally for fruit and vegetables because they are cheaper, but the quality is usually hit or miss.
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Post by cmhs on Jun 5, 2016 15:21:32 GMT
I went yesterday with DD17. I don't go as often as I'd like because the nearest two are still 25 minutes away. I like that I can get a fully loaded, 16" ready to bake pizza for $5.99! I didn't need eggs but they were $.79/dz which is at least half what they are in any other store near us. Berries were cheap, too and they looked great.
The best part of it though was DD's reaction. She gets a little anxious in crowded settings when there is a lot going on. Aldi's was calm and quiet and easy to navigate. Basically, it didn't stress her out like a normal grocery store on a Saturday afternoon would.
P.S. The peanut butter cups are delicious.
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Post by KikiPea on Jun 5, 2016 15:23:15 GMT
I did once, looking for something specific that they didn't have, Not really a fan.
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johnnysmom
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Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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Post by johnnysmom on Jun 5, 2016 15:33:00 GMT
When I was a kid, you knew you were poor if you were shopping at Aldi. It was dented cans and gross-looking stuff. This is why I don't shop there. Not me, I'm over it, but dh apparently still has issues from the stigma from when he was a kid. I'm also not "allowed" to buy the kids clothes from Kmart (our Kmarts are gross so I don't shop there anyhow). I could fight him on it but really if he's ok paying the higher prices I'm ok not going to 2 different grocery stores every week. I've tried it once or twice but damn if I can't sneak anything past that guy I do get jealous of all your good deals when I read these threads though.
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Post by hennybutton on Jun 5, 2016 15:39:39 GMT
I did once, looking for something specific that they didn't have, Not really a fan. I was so happy to have Aldi open near me. But, I don't like that I can't take my grocery list in there and pick up everything I need. (I usually split my grocery shopping between Ralphs and Trader Joe's.) On my first trip, I had red wine vinegar on my list and all they had was white vinegar--nothing for homemade salad dressing. I think their store brand products are very good. My husband and son like their Chips Ahoy knock-offs better than the name brand. I will go in for cookies, crackers, and such, but that's about it.
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Post by Zee on Jun 5, 2016 15:41:31 GMT
When I was a kid, you knew you were poor if you were shopping at Aldi. It was dented cans and gross-looking stuff. This is why I don't shop there. Not me, I'm over it, but dh apparently still has issues from the stigma from when he was a kid. I'm also not "allowed" to buy the kids clothes from Kmart (our Kmarts are gross so I don't shop there anyhow). I could fight him on it but really if he's ok paying the higher prices I'm ok not going to 2 different grocery stores every week. I've tried it once or twice but damn if I can't sneak anything past that guy I do get jealous of all your good deals when I read these threads though. Haha my husband was the same way at first, refused to eat Aldi cereal lol. But I kept showing him how much money we were saving and gradually replaced almost everything we eat with Aldi stuff. He had to admit that not everything is necessarily better, but it's all good enough. The hardest sell was my DD, I had to put the ketchup in a Heinz bottle to get her to try it.
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Post by melanell on Jun 5, 2016 15:43:37 GMT
We didn't even have an Aldi here when I was a kid. I think I was in at least my 20s before one showed up. So no childhood issues for me. We hit Aldi once a week, and strangely enough, we also hit a regional store, Wegmans, that many consider to be more expensive than most, once a week, too. (Although while Wegmans does have some items that are expensive, I really disagree that overall they are more expensive.) We have certain items that we buy each place each week. And sometimes those things change. Aldi does carry some brand names, and when they do, it's easy to see if you are saving money. Last year my son wanted a drinkable yogurt in his lunch every darn day for preschool, LOL! Aldi had name brand yogurts for a dollar less than even Target was selling them for for quite some time, so we bought them there. After several months, Aldi's price went up a few times, and then it was cheaper for me to get them at Target with my 5% off. (We tend to hit Target once or twice a month, except for during the holidays, when I seem to be there every week.) I cannot get everything I want at any one store, so I stick to a few stores that are all within just a few blocks of one another, so I can hit them all in a row and be done with it. We shop once or twice a week and it works really well for us.
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Post by melanell on Jun 5, 2016 15:48:34 GMT
I shop at Aldi in the UK and had to visit a US store to check it out when I was there recently. I loved the chicken cranberry salad which was recommended on a previous thread - we don't get that in the UK I don't know if this recipe will taste the same, but I noticed it on Pinterest recently because it does have the same main ingredients as the cranberry chicken salad from Aldi. (chicken, celery, almonds, & dried cranberries) Cranberry Chicken Salad Recipe
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Post by melanell on Jun 5, 2016 15:56:22 GMT
We love the produce, and our family eats so much of it, that we blow through the foods so quickly that even if they don't last as long as produce from another store, we're not typically likely to keep the food around long enough to notice. Last week DH brought home baby spinach, spring mix, celery, 3 kinds of tomatoes, bell peppers, baby bella mushrooms, cucumbers, zucchini, garlic bulbs, 2 kinds of onions, potatoes, green beans, red grapes, 2 kinds of apples, bananas, 3 kinds of berries, cantaloupe, kiwi, pineapple, and watermelon. And they cost far less than if we bought them all elsewhere. I think the only produce he had to buy at Wegmans were sprouts, organic rainbow carrots, and a specific pepper that he wanted. We also like to try any new organic items they get in.
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 23:30:25 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2016 16:03:16 GMT
Yea I tried a little of everything and liked it overall. The milk was a tad watery but overall good. ^^I've never noticed this (i.e. about the milk being watery). We shop there weekly and at Sam's club monthly. We have a family of six and save a ton of money going to Aldi. Plus, I love that I can get in and out of the store a lot faster than a traditional grocery store/supercenter.
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Post by katiejane on Jun 5, 2016 16:12:46 GMT
Until we moved I shopped there weekly. I am hoping they open one near to me in the UK, as I miss it. I used to buy loads from there and then top up at another store. I loved their german meat products, cheeses and chocolate. My grocery shop was so much lower. The discount chains in thr UK as growing rapidly due to the recession and it is seen as being clever rather than 'poor' to shop at them now.
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Post by lisae on Jun 5, 2016 17:24:36 GMT
I love Aldi and do the bulk of my shopping there because of the grass fed beef, organic cheese and produce, killer frozen pizza like pear and blue cheese, and all the seasonal stuff. We prefer most Aldi over other brands. Their milk has been hormone and antibiotic free for years and years. They pay their employees very well. It's impressive. $12/hr to start here Wow! I wish I had one close by; I'd love to have something part time. I like that their cashiers get to sit while they are working. I couldn't stand on my feet for 8 hours or even 4 no matter how many cushy mats I had.
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Post by lisae on Jun 5, 2016 17:27:43 GMT
We love the chocolate. I use their 70% chocolate bars for most of my baking when I need bittersweet chocolate and it is fine just to eat as is. They also make awesome chocolate covered cookies. DH gets cereal there. I made my mother a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake for her birthday and I got every single thing right down to the graham crackers there and it was great and a lot cheaper. Everyone around here always tells me how great their produce is but that has not been my experience at all. Seldom do I see produce I will buy. Meat and dairy have been fine. I don't shop their often as there isn't one in my town so it is a 20-30 minute drive.
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Post by hop2 on Jun 5, 2016 17:28:15 GMT
Wow! I wish I had one close by; I'd love to have something part time. I like that their cashiers get to sit while they are working. I couldn't stand on my feet for 8 hours or even 4 no matter how many cushy mats I had. ours does not hire part time DD applied and they went thru an entire interview before they told her that.
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Post by JoP on Jun 5, 2016 17:30:52 GMT
I shop at Aldi in the UK and had to visit a US store to check it out when I was there recently. I loved the chicken cranberry salad which was recommended on a previous thread - we don't get that in the UK I don't know if this recipe will taste the same, but I noticed it on Pinterest recently because it does have the same main ingredients as the cranberry chicken salad from Aldi. (chicken, celery, almonds, & dried cranberries) Cranberry Chicken Salad Recipe melanell Thank-you so much for posting this - I'll definitely give it a try
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Rainbow
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Jun 26, 2014 5:57:41 GMT
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Post by Rainbow on Jun 5, 2016 20:47:13 GMT
The Significantly Spicy Hummus is...HOT! I feel like my breath could light a match!
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Post by Zee on Jun 5, 2016 22:28:19 GMT
The Significantly Spicy Hummus is...HOT! I feel like my breath could light a match! To me, it's just spicy, not even "significantly" so but I like it. Just spicy enough to be a excellent mayo substitute on a wrap, or I love it with naan or pita chips. I buy one every time I go to aldi!
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PLurker
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Post by PLurker on Jun 5, 2016 22:55:15 GMT
We shop there some and starting to more and more. The one thing that comes to mind that I love (well DS LOVES and saves me $) is their boxed mac n cheese. Teen DS has always liked the good ole Kraft mac n cheese in the box with the powdered cheese. (it's possible it is the base of his food pyramid along with pizza, hotdogs...).
Anyway, as he grew to eat more and more and a box all by himself, I would occasionally try an off or generic brand. He could always tell the difference and didn't like and wouldn't care to eat. Until Aldi brand. He says it tastes the same and loves it.
At 39 cents a box he can eat all he wants! He's 6'2" with a 28" waist so he's lucky enough he really can!
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cougarjo
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Post by cougarjo on Jun 5, 2016 23:06:58 GMT
I shop at Aldi's main competitor Lidl. Looking at their Wikipedia page they are planning on getting into the US market by 2018 so keep an eye open for them. I'm in the UK. They are another German discount supermarket. They sell brand names as well as their own cheaper versions. I save a ton of money on my weekly shop by going there. In fact my local Lidl is having to expand because of demand. The car park is always full.
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Post by lisae on Jun 5, 2016 23:14:27 GMT
Wow! I wish I had one close by; I'd love to have something part time. I like that their cashiers get to sit while they are working. I couldn't stand on my feet for 8 hours or even 4 no matter how many cushy mats I had. ours does not hire part time DD applied and they went thru an entire interview before they told her that. That would be annoying to waste her time like that. We don't have one close enough to me and I can't do full-time.
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