Aldi/lidl food!

Really, the food is fine. With regards to steak, you need to cook it properly. If you're on the bones of your arse, you tend to very much appreciate their food.

I will buy veggies like potatoes and onions at Aldi because they never (well, take a while) to go "off". Or if I know we'll be eating it ASAP then might get some strawberries or something.

Lidl has the best in store bakery though, love it

I've got an Aldi and a Sainsbury right next to each other. I go to Aldi for staples like dried pasta, milk, spices, toilet paper, tinned veggies and beans etcetera. Then to Sainsbury for meat & fresh fruit and veg. Works well for us. Aldi quality for canned/frozen/pantry items is fine but I get my fresh stuff from Sainsburys as sometimes I find the Aldi fresh bits (especially fruit and veg) go off quite quickly. I'd go to Tesco rather than Sainsburys but then I'd have to drive to 2 different places and I don't want to 😉

I buy some non perishable things from Aldi and Lidl, as well as their ready cooked salmon but I think the quality of their meat, fruit, and vegetables is awful. I would much prefer to eat less meat and buy better quality, and order most of our meat from Eversfield.

Baffled by this. I only ever buy Lidl deluxe steak and it’s absolutely always lovely. Far nicer than some steaks from independent butchers I’ve had.
I make sure it’s at room temp before cooking, always so tender.

I've stopped buying fruit from Lidl now, just so much stuff I've had to throw away. I bought a pack of two mangoes from Lidl to decorate a cheesecake at easter and both were rotten inside and unuseable. Bought strawberries recently and they were sour and just inedible. Would rather buy from Coop reduced section as most stuff in there is fine and tasty.

I quite like Aldi food, but I find out local Aldi quite stressful - it's always busy, the car park is too small, the checkouts stress me out. It's a much nicer experience to go to Tesco, and the price difference doesn't make it worth it for me. I go sometimes if I'm able to go at about 8am as that's a quiet time, but more often than not, I can't shop at that time.

The Aldi meat is brilliant especially the steaks and sausages, much better than in Tesco.

I also like Aldi beans way more than other supermarket own brands ( I’m not a fan of Heinz)

the kids don’t love the fake crisps and Morrisons is our closest so that’s where I pop too but I do about 90% of my food shop at Aldi.

I use Aldi weekly for my shop. Also shopped at Tesco, the chicken breast were the same from both stores. Bacon I buy the thick cut, sausages (hubby eats without complaints)

Pre cooked meals, fresh fruit can be hit & miss. bread is ok. Beans/soups are good.

Biscuits definitely cheaper than Sainsbury's

I tend to use tesco delivery as it’s convenient but I’ve used Aldi and Lidl and like both

I use Aldi and find most of their food good or at least on par. I would never buy rump steak as its tough anyway. Only thing if never buy from them is Fruit. I go to M&S for my fruit, more expensive but so much better and no waste as it lasts.. i don't buy fruit from Tesco or Sainsbury's either although they are marginally better than lidl/aldi

I’ve found only some things are worth getting at Lidl. I don’t bother with meat any more and anything in a sauce is disappointing. But dairy products, bread products, pasta, biscuits, drinks etc are all fine.

When you say you did it on a 'really low setting' what do you mean? If you're frying steak it should be cooked on a very high heat so that the outside browns but the inside remains pink. Cooking on a low heat should is more likely to make it tough.

You need to cut down on meat op. We could rarely afford steak and toughness will depend on the cut you buy which will be the same everywhere. A chicken would be much cheaper for a roast and you could do egg fried rice the next day with the left overs which would stretch it further.

I do nearly all my shop in Aldi with what I can’t get in Sainsbury’s. I do jackets with cheese, coleslaw and salad once a week which cuts cost down and a nice tinned tomato pasta with bacon lardons in. With a roast chicken and leftovers that’s 4 main meals right there. Their veggie pies are good with mash and peas. Their pizzas are good for a Friday night and the skin on fries are lovely ditto, their wine, coffee, bread, tinned tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, broccoli, cheese etc.

I don’t buy Aldi potatoes or apples.

With the price of things you sometimes work out better getting meat from butchers

We get all our meat from the butcher now as they do really good package deals and we'll freeze anything not being immediately used. Works out either same price or cheaper than supermarket and tastes better too

DH and I tried Aldi as I go there for adult son's snacks. The bacon was so thin it was see through. I had some thick ham which was delicious but the next day there was a green stripe through it 🤢. It looked disgusting.
Although I do like their coffee, mixed nuts and crisps.

We were going to try doing a full shop but not now.

YANBU. I have an Aldi and a Sainsbury’s near me. The Aldi is the same price as Sainsbury’s for the cheaper items, and either lower quality or higher price for the rest. The only things I buy there are crackers, tortillas and instant rice. Everything else is either a higher price comparatively or much worse quality.

Deli, wine is in my opinion as good at Aldi, sometimes better, than elsewhere.
Dried goods, eggs, tins of pulses, toms, oils etc, you’ll get them cheaper and not tell much difference.
Meat - I try and use it quickly and it won’t be as good as a butcher
veg, definitely goes off faster than elsewhere but ok
crisps, cereals are fine but my kids would prefer branded in most cases
Laundry etc is ok. Branded better but not noticeably so.
pizzas are fine - don’t buy much pre made

Thats my verdict of over a decade shopping at Aldi. I’ve saved enough that it’s worth me mainly shopping there.

Also the Aldi skin on fries are lovely, their baked beans are fine

I do all my shopping at Aldi with no issues
The only thing I go to Sainsburys for is Wagamama salad dressing and their crinkle cut gherkins but everything else is Aldi

Try Aldi. It's much better quality than Lidl.

Make own chips.
Buy Lidl’s own brands ‘Batts’ for sauces. The ketchup, Mayo and salad cream tastes the same as Heinz, Helmans etc.
Newgate brand beans taste the same as Heinz.
Meal plan and prep for the week to avoid waste.
Avoid doing a full roast every week, as they are expensive.
Buy frozen veg, and incorporate it into your week night meals.