Around the House,  Food and Eating,  Stuff I Use,  Suburbia

WWJD: My Aldi Experience

Today, we are continuing to explore things that make me say, “What would Jamie do?”  If you didn’t catch my last post, Jamie is my good friend and parenting mentor and if it’s good enough for Jamie, then it’s good enough for me.  We were at her house last week and she mentioned that she has been shopping at Aldi this summer to save some money since her boys are out of school for the summer and are, like my own, eating her out of house and home.

First, let me tell you that I was unprepared for Aldi.  COMPLETELY UNPREPARED.  But one thing I WAS prepared for was the buggy situation.  Thankfully, my Instagram friends told me before I got there to make sure that I had a quarter to get my buggy (let’s pause here to talk about regional terminology: do you call it a cart or buggy?).  You have to put a quarter in to release your buggy.  Don’t forget your quarter.

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Oddly, the weirdest thing caught me off guard – the minute you walk in the door, there are food aisles.  There is no wasted space in the building at all.  You walk in and BOOM you are in the aisle.  So be prepared.  I was not prepared and had to stand there inside the doorway, in the aisle, trying to get my list app open on my phone while people walked around me.  #aldifail

The aisles are perhaps the most different part of the experience.  The food isn’t really shelved, like in traditional grocery stores.  It’s more like they open the big shipping boxes with food in them and set the big boxes out on the shelves.  Which is in keeping with their whole philosophy, really.  They try to keep all the conveniences minimal in order to keep the prices minimal.  There were only three employees in the entire grocery store while I was there and they certainly didn’t have time to stock shelves.  So, it’s more like a flea market feel.  I know that has such a bad connotation to it, but that’s really what I can compare it to.  There are just boxes of food products on shelves and you kind of dig in a find what you want.

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As far as name brands go, I was surprised to find that there were brands there that I recognized.  I thought it was all generic food products because it was so cheap, but I found lots of popular brands.  For example, I found some V8 Splash Strawberry Lemonade, Gold Peak Iced Tea, and Dasani sparkling water (which I had never tried, but it was only $2 for an 8-pack so I grabbed some and now I am in love).  But there are way less varieties of items.  For the sodas, they had Coke, Diet Coke, and Sprite.  And that was it.  I’m a couponer and sale shopper anyway, though, so I’m kind of used to choosing whatever is available or on sale, so the limited choices didn’t bother me so much.

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For the canned and boxed food products, I have heard from numerous people that it’s hit and miss, really. And we are finding that.  First of all, every single snack item and dairy product I bought have been huge hits.  The trail mixes are normally $5 at Target and they are only $2 at Aldi – and they are either the exact same brand or taste the same.  And their cheese is really good.  I am doing low carb right now and so I bought some Babybel and a chunk of pepperjack and they are really good.  And I had a lot of luck with bread, too.  I bought these great pita breads that were already only $1.95 or something, but that were an extra $1 off!  And they are delicious!  A big #aldifail was canned green beans.  They were gritty and I have a hard enough time getting my kids to eat green stuff without adding grit to it!  So far, though, that’s been the only thing I’ve bought that we don’t care for.

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Let’s pause, though, to talk about their produce.  ALLLLLLL THE JAZZ HANDS FOR ALI PRODUCE.  I have heard rumors that Aldi is owned by the brother of the guy who owns Trader Joe’s, but I cannot confirm or deny this rumor because I’m a slack-ass blogger who doesn’t do research.  But I would totally believe that rumor because their produce was better than even the farmers market.  I bought, like, five thousand bell peppers in all different colors and they are the sweetest, juiciest, ripest peppers I’ve ever had.  Also, their grapes were only $1.99 a pound, which is ridiculous because at Target they are $3.99 a pound.  And don’t get me started on their cucumbers.  Holy moly.  So, a BIG thumbs up on their produce.  In fact, it might be worth going there JUST for produce, if you’re one of those people who doesn’t mind going to different places for different items.

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The check out process, though, is where things get weird.  First of all, you need to bring your own bags.  I did not know this ahead of time and had to buy them at check out.  They aren’t expensive (7 cents for paper bags and 10 cents for plastic), but you could just tell I didn’t BELONG because I didn’t have my bags.  Next, you put your stuff up on the conveyor belt thing and then they are going to load your groceries, unbagged, into another buggy for you.  Kind of like at Costco or BJ’s, only you don’t have boxes.  So, I just kind of stood there like, “Hey, dude, bag my stuff…” but that is not the Aldi way.  They are just going to load your groceries into a different buggy.  Then you pay and you take your buggy over to these long tables they have near the exit.  THIS is where you bag your items up.  You take your buggy over to the tables and bag your own groceries there. 

You’ll notice that I have no really helpful pictures of inside Aldi in this post and that’s because Aldi is not the kind of place where you leisurely stroll around, taking cute pictures for your blog or social media, my friends.  Be warned.  Aldi is a COMMITMENT.  You really have to hunt and be prepared to make substitutions.  If you’re a Type A, like me, who has your grocery list in order according to the aisles in the grocery store, you might find yourself hunched in a corner, rocking back and forth.  BUT!  Let me tell you, I found EVERYTHING I needed there, in some version, and I only spent $70.

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LET THAT SINK IN.  I spent $70 on my weekly groceries for a family of four.  

Normally, I spend about $150-175 at Target.  Now, that does usually include toiletries or random house stuff, like toothpaste and hand soap, things like that.  So, if you take those things away, I probably spend about $130-140 at least on food alone.  So, I have cut my grocery bill in half for the week.  The only thing I didn’t get was chicken because I’m kind of funny about where I buy my meat, so I stopped at Trader Joe’s and got meat for $30 for the week.  Which brings my weekly grocery spending to $100.

THAT’S AT LEAST A $50 SAVINGS, which means I’m saving at least $200 a month if I shop at Aldi.  

It does make you stop and pause, doesn’t it?  I wasn’t crazy about the shopping experience, to be honest.  I like Target.  No, I freaking LOVE Target.  I love strolling around with my Starbucks in hand, taking pictures of my kids and selfies in the aisles.  That is a freakishly sad but true confession.

BUT $200 A MONTH, GUYS!

So, I’m on the fence.  I am committed to trying Aldi for the next month.  I think I just need to get the hang of it and get used to it.  What about you? Are you an Aldi shopper?  If so, share your tips and tricks in the comments and help the rest of us join Team Aldi!

(This is not a sponsored post.  I’m just sharing because it’s what Jamie does and we should all be like Jamie.  The End.)

34 Comments

  • Jenn

    We got an Aldi’s about a year ago. The big thing was that you had to bring bags or pay for them. The other grocery stores in the area had their unions come to Aldi’s and pass out fliers about how terrible it was that you had to PAY for BAGS!! Then California passed the law that everyone had to use reusable bags, so Aldi isn’t much different.

    My favorite Aldi’s finds are the Vanilla Wafers and their Aldi brand cheese its. They taste almost exactly the same as the name brand. I love their mint cookies and the chocolate peanut butter cookies. They taste pretty close to girl scout cookies. Aldi is love.

  • Claire

    I am an Aldi convert. My first shopping experience was similar to yours and I felt very “meh” about it but I gave it another chance, and as I’ve learned what products I like there vs other stores and knowing what they have and where it is has turned me into an Aldi-lover. Granted I do go to Costco and Giant (VA chain) too for the things they don’t have. But, I save TONS of money! Example: my teenage son eats a boatload of pretzels and I picked up the generic brand for $1.99 for a 16 oz bag at Giant, but then found they were $0.60 for the same size bag at Aldi and they taste the same if not better! Hahha it is like a religion, you can tell I feel strongly about it.

  • Shannon

    OMG Yes on the peanut butter cookies! YUM! I use emeals and they actually have a weekly menu plan for Aldis. Our Aldis must be a little newer? Only one isle is for seasonal things found in their flier, and two end caps for items that are “one and done”.

  • Lissa

    I’m a huge fan of the chicken and I’m fussy about meat too. I buy the packs of chicken tenders and they are wonderful. Nuts are a great deal too.

    We call them carts here in Ohio 🙂

    Our Aldi’s has everything on shelves just like a regular grocery stores. Are all the ones in your area without shelves?

    I’ve stayed out of Target for nearly a year. And have saved a HUGE amount of money. They are just a money pit. Comparison shopped with even a regular Kroger and Target is much more expensive. And that doesn’t even count the stuff I ended up buying because it was pretty.

  • Brittany

    The first time I went I also had a bag fail. And I was too much of a brand snob so I didn’t go back for two years! Baby two came along and I wanted to save money so I decided to tackle my scouting during maternity leave (as opposed to wrangling a toddler in there on the weekends). It’s now our first stop each week and I have converted to most Aldi brands. Meats are always Target or Fresh Market.

  • Deepa V Chungi

    So we have an Aldi in Boston, but it’s called Market Basket. Not as intense as Aldi seems, but the price difference is the real deal. Also – amazing produce because I think there is a ton of turnover, so everything is always fresh. If you get through your month, keep that $200 for list-free Target trips, which are the best kind. 🙂

  • Rachel

    I love Aldi prices! But I could never find absolutely everything I needed and hate doing two stores. Also had a fail with off brand cereal. I wonder if every Aldi is pretty different because the produce at ours is not good!

  • Tamara Lang

    That popcorn is one of my favorite things. I grew up with Aldi’s, and have missed it since we didn’t have them here. But they’re here now and expanding and I love them for produce and sometimes meats.

    Do you have e a lidl yet? Similar to Aldi’s but they have a bakery.

  • Megan

    I’m a huge Aldi fan, but it’s a bit out of the way for us, and I always have to make a second stop somewhere else to round out my grocery list, so it’s not my weekly shopping stop. Their avocados are hands-down the best in town! I’ve rarely had a gross one from there. They are almost always perfectly green on the inside, even if I forget about them in the fridge for a week or so. Other family favorites: their animal crackers, corn chips, organic milk, and French toast sticks. The only thing that’s gotten a big thumbs down from my people is the boxed mac and cheese.

  • Nicole C

    Here’s what you should do! Commit to Aldi’s for your grocery shopping and use the extra $200.00 on something fun at Target and a night out with the hubs! ( or a girls night!)

  • Stephanie

    Aldi is very overwhelming in the beginning. The buggy, the aisles, the bags. After a few trips and the savings, you’ll hate to go anywhere else. My husband and I have been Aldi shoppers for nearly a decade now and we love it. I hate to hear that your canned green beans were gritty, we’ve never experienced that with their canned goods. We did try their rice krispy treats once and never bought them again, lol, no good! We buy their meats and have never had issues either. We love Aldi!!

  • Kim B

    Totally agree that most (myself included) people’s first Aldi experience is kinda meh. But, continue to go and you will become an Aldi pro. I love, love, love their produce! I often go for just produce. My other go-to’s are their chips, nuts, spices (such a great deal), block cheese, their seasonal speciality items are A-mazing! Chocolate macadamia nut toffee cookies for the holidays 🤤 Seriously! Freaking amazing!
    Also, if you forget bags, look for empty boxes on the shelves and take them for packing your groceries.

  • Katie

    You have been missing out!!! Their frozen seafood is great. Their paper products are worth it. You can get Tylenol and deodorant for fab prices. I actually have found their meat to be very very good. Agreed with the person above on seasonal specialties (in partial to the cheese straws). I get chia seeds, hemp seeds, coconut oil, and so much else for so cheap. Don’t quit on Aldi!!!!

  • Dyanna

    Love Aldi. You’re allowed to take any empty boxes that you find throughout the store if you want to box your groceries up. I just keep 2 reusable and 1 insulated bag in my car at all times. Their chocolate bars are imported from Switzerland and are amazing. I’m keto so can’t eat them now but love them. I also love their nuts, block cheese, heavy cream, eggs, butter, frozen fine green beans, frozen baby brussells sprouts, and their frozen pre cooked breakfast sausage is amazing. Oh and their center cut bacon is great too. I get 95% of my list there.

  • Amy

    Love Aldi. My kids love their fruit snacks (no dyes) and their frozen French toast sticks. And applesauce pouches (different flavors) I like their jar marinara sauce and their cinnamon coffee cakes. Also love their Brioche buns. They also have these frozen parmasan breaded chicken fingers that are really good. Usually buy those and make chicken parm with them. Lots of good things there. Some of it is hit or miss of course, but most worth trying.

  • Jennifer

    I love Aldi. We have had it in the UK for about 10-15 years and it’s so popular. We have to take bags to all our shops now including clothes stores otherwise we pay for them.

  • Gillian Blackmore

    I converted to Aldi in the UK about 3 years ago. I CANNOT believe how much money you save there for the same quality, and usually better than other stores which charge so much more. In the UK their meat is also great – so make sure you try it. You will regret if it you don’t – I promise you.

    I went into a higher end supermarket last week as I wanted to buy only one sliced loaf of bread and it was £1.20 ($1.58) when I pay 45p (59 cents) in Aldi. Even on that one item you would save £78 ($100) a year if you buy 2 loaves a week. And that’s just on ONE item.

    You know it makes sense.

  • Alison

    We LOVE Aldi! Learned about its glory while studying abroad in Europe and was so excited when one opened near us in NC! Our favorites are the White Cheddar Puffs (similar to Pirates Booty, but better in my opinion and way cheaper), CHOCOLATE, fruit squeeze pouches, nice cheeses like brie and the amazing deals on produce. Avocados are always under $1 ea (sometimes .39 cents!) and we can’t get them at our normal grocery store for under $1.29. My favorite!

  • Erin

    LOVE Aldi!! Their milk & eggs are so much cheaper than our regular grocery store. My husband loves the chocolate milk too. I also like their trail mixes. Way to go!

  • Stacey

    We love Aldi. We first started using Aldi while my husband was in seminary. Then we lived in a place that didn’t have one, but now we’re back to using Aldi as our weekly shopping stop. Occasionally we need to pick up some items elsewhere, but every time we check out I’m still amazed at how much you can buy for such a lower price than one expects.

    We also like the fact you can try new things and it’s a low investment. One of the downsides is if you fall in love with something that doesn’t stick around. Overall, it’s been a blessing to our family. It’s now an excuse to stock up on a few cute reusable bags and sometimes you can grab a cardboard box. Then we just keep these things in our trunk, so we’re always ready for an Aldi stop.

  • Mary

    I LOVE Aldi. I definitely think you just need to give it a few tries. They have a system, it’s just different than other grocery stores, but there are definitely sections. You’ll learn pretty quick which are the standards and which these are the “specials”, aka items they only have for a limited time. Sometimes those things are one and done, and sometimes they come around seasonally. Right now I’m loving the marinated fresh mozzarella braids and the pints of sorbet. I use a great list app too (Plan to Eat), and you figure out where in the store each category falls. Beware though, store layout and organization changes in different Aldi locations. If you have more than one nearby, you may want to scout them out to see which is better for you. I keep an “Aldi Quarter” in each of our cars and everyone knows YOU DON’T SPEND THE ALDI QUARTER. DON’T TOUCH IT! Things that save me tons of money: cereal, full fat yogurt tubs, butter, milk, eggs (they vary, but they were $0.39/doz last week!!!), frozen steamer veggies, Italian sausages, ice cream, cheese, chips, ziplocs. Have fun!

  • Heather

    I’m not super close to an Aldi, but I’m thinking it might be worth the drive to give it another try. I went once before ages ago and wasn’t prepared so it wasn’t the greatest of experiences. Also, the time I went did not have a good produce selection, which I’m told can definitely be hit or miss. Dang, though… those savings!!

  • Robyn

    Try their Take and Bake Pizzas. Cheapest around and my kids prefer them. Also we love their Cereals, most times the kids have no idea that I got them there, they think they are named brand. The only thing I don’t buy there is meats because I am a meat snob and we buy in bulk from a local meat market.

  • Lee Ann

    Can’t believe no one has mentioned W.I.N.E deals at Aldi’s!!!! Yes, I confess: I have totally made trips (that’s plural, people!) TRIPS to Aldi’s just for the cheap wine … no food. (Okay, maybe I bought some chocolate to go with the wine.) When I find a bottle we like, I return lickety-split to fill my buggy (BUGGY) with that particular wine so I can stock up before they change brands. Now my mother, she goes for the produce AND the wine. She prefers a balanced diet. LOL! She and I are always calling each other to see if the other’s local store has something once our store runs out. We talk each other into buying said item, and we promise to “pay you back” when I see you next week. Meh. It all evens out. But Aldi’s is great. (Let us know when you get a Lidl! That’s another experience.)

  • Rachel

    Carts in ND and MN. 🙂

    I’ve only been to Aldi twice, and that’s because the nearest one to my house is 90 miles (maybe more) away. I found it a tish odd, but could get used to it. You could tell who the regulars were, lol.

    Rachel in ND

  • Ashley

    I’m canadian so we don’t have aldi, but we use buggy and cart interchangeably. The whole quarter thing makes me laugh whenever I hear people complain about it, because it’s been standard practice since I was a kid! Some places are even $1 (loonie coin)… so it’s just something we always have in the car, a quarter and a loonie.

  • HeatherM

    I haven’t shopped at Aldi (we don’t have one nearby), but we did stop shopping at Target. A couple years ago I saved so much money at Target. But over time they hiked up all their grocery prices, and now almost every item is 25-50 cents more than my local Jewel (Albertsons).

  • Kelly

    We have an Aldi’s…but it is right across the street from Wegmans. I love Wegmans. I also have very limited time to shop (usually late on a Sunday evening after rolling into town from a tourney) and I know exactly where everything is at Weggies. Their produce is fabulous. I save money there by using a lot of the store brands, which are usually very good. Also buying their meat in bulk is so cheap! Maybe some day I will wander across the street and try Aldi’s out.

  • Beth A White

    Carts in Ohio. Aldi takes a trip or two to figure out but once you get the hang of it they are worth the trip. Things to try are the Onion Rings (way better than Funyuns), Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Squares, Cheese Square (chees-its), Nuts, Trail mixes, Tuna, Fresh Salsa, Rice Cakes…try one new thing each trip.

    And if I forget my bags I just toss it all in the car, but you can grab a box from the store too.

    P.S. try the tuna (mixed with a little Mayo) on the rice cake with the fresh salsa on it – SO GOOD!

  • Maggie

    Aldi is a way of life. It borders on religion 😂 Stick with it for a month and I’ll be surprised if you don’t convert! I can’t stomach paying for groceries – cheese especially – anywhere else! And I find the most random but fabulous things in the “random shit aisle”. Just last week I got my kiddos each a pair of Aldi-brand Keen-style sandals. Third summer in a row doing so and I swear by these sandals for them! They’re $9!

    I’m addicted to their naan dipped in their hummus! That’s my must-try suggestion for sure!

  • Katie Gentile

    I haven’t shopped at an Aldi’s for about 15 years back when we lived in Pennsylvania. Haven’t been to one here since they popped up in FL a few years ago.

    The ‘bring your own bags’ thing isn’t a big deal for me since I do that at Publix anyway. Having a quarter for the cart has always been an annoyance. I get why they do it but in these mostly cash-less days it’s not always easy to even find a quarter in my house…

    Back in the day everything at Aldi’s was off-brand so it’s good to know that’s changed a bit. Maybe I’ll give them another try…

  • Kathleen

    Oh man, I LIVE at Aldi. I usually make a second stop at a more traditionally grocery store for some specific items, but the bulk of our basics always come from Aldi. A helpful tip for you: if you ever forget your bags again, grab some empty boxes from the shelves!
    By the way, I call it a cart, but my husband calls it a bascart (baskart? baskcart?) REALLY?

  • Catherine B.

    We just recently got an Aldi’s and have tried it a few times. I’m kind of on the fence about it. I don’t mind the craziness/randomness of the layout, my type A OCD has chilled quite a bit since my second child. And Austin is a bag free city, so i’m used to the bring your own bags and bag it yourself. I will also admit that there are a number of things that you can get cheaper than our grocery store, HEB (milk $1.58, bread $.99, preztels $.69…).

    However, I’ve found that quite a bit of it is the same price as our grocery store. There are a couple of produce items on sale and therefore cheaper, but much of the produce was the same price if not more. Another thing we found was that many of the items we’ve tried that were cheaper tasted a little different, a little funny; and i’m not sure if i’m a fan. Their take and bake pizzas are huge and absolutely cheaper than anywhere else i’ve seen them, but I couldn’t get into the different taste of the meat on the pizza. Other items we tried that were a little different: frozen bagged pasta chicken dinners, baked beans, fresh salsa… My children either don’t taste the difference or just aren’t complaining; but my husband and I taste it and aren’t really fans. We are still trying things from our last shopping trip, so maybe we will find that there are only a few things we don’t like. 🤷🏻‍♀️ At the moment though, i’m thinking it’s okay for a few items; but I love my HEB more.

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