Aldi/lidl food!

I think as many PPs pointed out it very much depends on what you are eating/ cooking.
I shop at Aldi/Lidl for quite a while as they are both on the way home but nowadays I go to Tesco more and more ( it’s nearly on the way too - we are in good location for shops)
I found Aldi good for rice, eggs (much cheaper than elsewhere), nuts, dried fruits, chocolate, sugar, spices. They have small range of spices but cover all main ones. Their jam is awful. Tesco is much better. Honey is ok. Bread is ok and they have nice croissants. We buy butter, cream, milk, soft cheese, mozzarella and some other cheeses but I think they are the same price at Tesco except for soft cheese - it’s cheaper at Aldi.
Be careful as some of Aldi products are cheaper in big packs but then can stay opened less than say Tesco, so if you are a small family it might be an issue. E.g some cheddars should be used in 3 days after opening but some in 7. Someone’s mentioned Parmesan going a long way, I can’t see how it’s possible as it says “once opened, use in 2 days”.
Fruits and vegs are hit and miss. I mostly buy what’s on offer. I like their stir fry and salads, they are much cheaper. In our Aldi carrot is never good. Chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, mixed beans are cheaper and absolutely fine. Specially selected pizza is nice. They have good range of sliced ham and other meats and they are cheaper.
We don’t buy steak, mostly chicken and sometimes fish, they are ok. Tbh I always check Tesco prices online and only then decide. Tesco often has very good offers for meat so I cook and freeze leftovers. I like Tesco’s own fish fingers and their range of frozen vegetables. Again they do offers sometimes like 4 for 3 or similar so I stock up.
Lidl is a bit the same as Aldi for me (only Aldi is easier to stop at) but it has interesting products from time to time e.g they used to have a big tin of peach slices ( much cheaper) they have sometimes family packs of meat or fish. Their jam is awful too but their chocolate is good.

Have a look at Cardiff Mum on Instagram, she does weekly meal plans from Aldi. She has a book as well that's good as it doesn't have ridiculous ingredients you can't find anywhere and is stuff that most people will eat.

I find Aldi and Lidl very hit and miss and had to use them a lot when we lived in Denmark.

'Some' things totally fine , others plain nasty.

I think it depends really -I personally dont rate either that highly if it comes to meat , fish or fruit and veg or ready meals- but am fine on it for household products, cheese, cooked meat etc.

Buy meat from an independent butcher, far better quality. I like to get my fruit and veg from the market but that doesn't happen very often, it's much much cheaper.

Go to Iceland for your freezer good. Their Luxury brand chicken strips and pizzas are great as are there burgers. So much cheaper and bettter than Tescos/ Morrisons.

Aldi is great for pizzas too. I like Aldi for their picky foods, olives, cheeses, spreads, breads. Their rib eye streak is fab.

My income is quite high and wouldn't dream of shopping at Tesco/ Morrisons.

This.

It's about shopping around. We know we can save on staples at home bargains/Aldi etc but there are certain things which we won't comprise on and so buy from more expensive places. If my OH wants a steak he goes to the butchers as it's a very rare treat.

You can tell an onion or a banana or tomato purée or oregano or lettuce is from Aldi or Lidl?

I mean if you're comparing ready meals sure but actual ingredients...

Aldi prices are low because of other reasons such as size of stores, smaller ranges and fewer suppliers so buy in huge amounts. But yeah go ahead and buy in to marketing.

That's really wonderful for you. And such a helpful post for lots of people who don't have your money.

Who has beans with steak ?!

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/reason-aldis-groceries-are-so-cheap/

Here are some of the reasons prices are low and it’s not due to content.

We like Waitrose, Marks and Aldi.

Aldi meat is superb we find. Ribeye and fillet steaks are fab there. Rump is tough as old boots, and you slow cooked it?

Personally I can't fathom people who shop in the middle supermarkets. Tesco stuff is crap. Sainsbury's not much better. Aldi we find far superior to both and so much cheaper. For excellent meat it's Waitrose. But a £15 steak there is a 9/10 and Aldi Wagyu (wagu?) is £7 and 8.5/10. Seems a no brainer.

Veg is great from Aldi. Superb from Marks. A punnet of piccolo tomatoes is just under £5 at Marks. They are marginally nicer than the Aldi £2 ones. Tesco ones are £3.50 ish and shite.

We choose Aldi as our preference unless a special meal which warrants that little bit nicer,but comes with disproportionately double the cost from Waitrose.

Lidl does great sausages, kabanossi, fresh custard. Meat we've had some terrible bits. Veg is ok. Their bakery is brilliant.

Can’t eat food from them either OP, you can just tell. I appreciate some people don’t have a choice but whilst I do have a choice I will continue shopping at M&S and Sainsbury’s. You really have to question the content of the food or the manufacturing processes when prices are so low.

And others can't afford anything else. Enjoy your haute cuisine FFS.

😂I take quality seriously too and eat very well. Your display of ignorance continues.

No its not because EVERYTHING I have eaten at LIDL has been disgusting. Must i eat everything in the store? Maybe you should research more about their food too.

and stop being so pissy because you like cheap food and others think its disgusting. Nobody’s stopping you. But you might want to self reflect on why you are so bothered by my disgust. Are you angry you feel that’s what you must eat??

I take food quality and sources seriously. My reasons are my own.

Some things are good and some bad at all the supermarkets you just have to try them and know your prices. I shop at them all, except tesco which I really don't like for some reason🤷‍♀️ and don't like aldi meat, had too many tough failures, rather pay more at M & S and just have less, they do a thin sliced steak for about £5 which is always good and enough for two people alongside their French fries or home style oven chips, depending on which type you prefer, taste better than any other makes to my sensitive taste buds.
One of my sons likes cold coffee, prefers Aldi's at 1.69, M & S version is only 1.50. Aldi used to be cheap, not so much these days but some things are better than others, their full fat cream cheese is the best of all supermarkets,well researched here as often bought for toasted bagels, nearly half the price of M & S version.
Other things I always get at aldis which are cheaper and nicer are crackers, personal favourite is cheddar & black pepper thins😋 nespresso compatible coffee pods 1.89 less than half price of actual nespresso and good. Thick sliced bloomer bread, cheddar and mozzerella, freshly squeezed fruit juices, tinned tuna and anchovies, olive oil, passata, baking products, toilet rolls, bleach, dishwasher tablets, painkillers, tissues, vegetarian frozen products are a hit with veggie son such as spicy beanburgers, teabags. Cereal is a bit hit and miss as sons still prefer kelloggs alongside heinz ketchup and beans so I just stock up with those when on offer somewhere.

“It’s disgusting” “You get what you pay for”

What every item in the shop is disgusting, even the identical branded things you can get on no other shops but just pay more? Paying more does not equal better by default. “Disgusting” is a ridiculous summary of every item in a shop or any really. It isn’t the case anyway and your lack of knowledge indicates ignorance.

Is that enough of an explanation for you?

😆 how is that ignorant? Explain.

You’re saying that my tastebuds are lying. The indo ive gathered is false? Believe what you want. My opinion is that from my experience its awful.

If you like it. Good for you.

I've bought fillet steak in Aldi Ireland and it's been lovely.
I've bought Irish lamb to roast from Tesco and that has been delicious. Far nicer than lamb from my local butcher.

It really does last!!! I buy it every flippin week!!! 🙄

Fruit and veg , in Aldi/Lidl tend to be be pre packed. Hence a load of carrots, peppers, parsnips etc... all in a bag.

My husband and I can't get through a bag of veg in a week and Aldi/Lidl's fresh produce really doesn't last.

It's a false economy for us.

Aldi used to do quinoa, they stopped about 18 months ago. 🤷‍♀️

I think things like quinoa will come though. I remember when they didn’t do skimmed milk or brown rice.

Avoid doing a full roast every week, as they are expensive. depends on what you’re roasting.

I buy a large chicken and roast it on the Sunday. Make the leftovers into chicken pies and some kind of throw-it-together pasta dish over the next couple of days.

This isn’t a mumsnet mythical chicken, but as it’s just the OP and her DS a large chicken will go far.

Pies made from leftovers, in shop bought pastry and using the leftover gravy as part of the filling with the chicken. There’s only two of us as well, so I make four small pies so two end up in the freezer.

Last week Sainsbury’s had large whole chickens on nectar offer for £2.80 instead of the usual £5.50, so those are always worth looking out for.