Can you do a weeks family shop in Aldi?

[Mummysharkdoodoodoo]

Right I’m finally giving in and doing a family shop at Aldi in Saturday. I have no idea what to buy! We normally plan and do an online shop with sainsburys but I can not keep spending £90-100 there!

What meals do you buy? Do they have Mexican things etc?

We are a family of 2 adults, 2 preteens and a toddler.

We occasionally go to an Asian supermarket to get spices and some
bulk pulses etc, but that's probably once a month. Otherwise, we can get everything we need at Aldi.

I always do the weekly shop as I find the difference between Aldi and Tesco in price is unbelievable.

You have to adjust a bit, the variety isn't the same, but it's getting loads better. Weirdly the one thing that really annoys me that they don't have is sliced Beetroot. They just have whole Beetroot.

But then you can buy that in a service station so it's not too bad.

One thing that's brilliant about Aldi is actually the fat % is really clearly marked on the packaging. Handy!

Our Aldi has great quality fruit and veg???

Lidl bakery and fruit and veg better, other stuff pretty much the same. Some stuff doesn’t taste quite the same as ‘branded’ stuff and yes cats are picky fuckers and turn their noses up at non-label.

And you get the aisles of doom which are always and eye opener (but may seduce you into splurging the savings you’re making on that burger mould!!!

Anyone tried the lidles choc chip cookies? They’re to die for. Sorry I do digress...

The fresh bakery ones *

I find their laundry detergent excellent, and a quarter of the price of branded. Their higher spec toilet paper is fine, too.

I love the Aisles of Doom. They have heated clothes horses sometimes! And camping stuff! The baby events are good -
The baby Muslins were far and away our favourites.

(They have kids Lego watches in tomorrow BTW)

Oooh and I can't forget the blue cheese burger toppers. They freeze really well and are DIVINE.

I can't seem to get breadsticks or instant plain porridge (my kid doesn't like the flavoured ones they sell).

I think most people
Could. I don't like the butter and they don't sell the bread and detergent I like. But it's great for near enough everything else for us

I have done for the last few years but in the last year and certainly in the last six months I have found we're going back to the Big 4, with items that have either gone or just changed so much that the quality isn't there.

I get everything from Aldi and now know the aisles like the back of my hand. I actually have a system of how I go around the aisles . The only thing I don't like is the washing powder but I do use the gel tabs.

Aldi is fucking awesome, and I say that as a food and wine snob who used to shop mostly at Waitrose (I still do from time to time but am staggered at the prices!).

I recommend all their ‘specially selected’ range, eg:

Their ready meals (just like Charlie Binghams but much cheaper)
Their gourmet pizzas (in the fridge section)
Their ham, bacon and pate
Their little glass pudding pots
Their little glass yoghurt pots
Their Waitrose-style boxes of cookies
Their salted caramel truffles

Also I bought an excellent bottle of Reserve Chianti this week for £7.99.
Their gin selection is fabulous.
Their organic Prosecco and house Champagne are excellent.
Their fake Jo Malone candles and hand washes are great too (not quite as good as the real thing but bloody good for the price)

The red meat (fillet steaks and Aberdeen Angus stewing beef) is very good.

The Mexican kits are one of the highlights IMO. Really cheap and just as good as the leading brand!

I really can’t go anywhere else now! They have really upped their game in the last few years and I think in blind testing their food and wine would easily stand up to waitrose and M&S these days.

I bought a week’s worth of shopping this week for £115, but it included two bottles of the above-mentioned Chianti, two hand washes, truffles etc so it was a pricier shop than usual. But then I used to spend more than that and get a lot less!

Also their Norpak butter is just like Lurpak!

I tend to alternate a week at Aldi with a week at Asda. Aldi brilliant for basics but it's nice to have a bit more choice sometimes. Beware the super speedy checkout staff! DH & I just swipe everything back into the trolley & pack back at the car, you have practically no chance at the checkout! Also, love the way Aldi make all there own packaging look almost exactly like the brand names!

Just also be aware that it is very difficult to get anything that is gluten free or dairy free etc at Aldi and the provision of those things really varies from one store to the next. Also, you don't save money compared to Sainsbury's etc if you spend the difference in the Aisle of Shite she says having spent 15 quid this weekend on completely unnecessary wooden toys

No. I need to go to Sainsbury's yo get some bits.

We love Aldi. I spend around £40 for a weeks shop for two adults and one child including breakfast lunch and dinner but we don’t eat meat during the week so that keeps costs down.

We do.

@Cocobana glad it’s not just me that’s finding Tesco equally as cheap these days.

I used to love to Aldi specially selected pizzas but they are now all dough, no toppings so I’ve hardly been there of late.

I do like their organic prosecco and their wines generally but not enough to go back to shopping there full time.

@DragonMamma exactly, I think aldi and lidle were both spot on a few years ago but they’ve been slowly declining. I’ve noticed prices rising and feeling like I’m not getting as much for my money. I like Aldi’s cheese, their stir in sauces and fresh cakes/custard slices, icecream. I also love lidles bakery products and afew other items and do pop in for acouple of things when passing. However I find I can go to Tesco and more of a full shop with nicer quality products on the whole and it’s no more expensive.

Yes we do it every week. I’ll take a few weeks to get used to the few things they don’t have (cous cous, specific curry pastes, spices etc) but they have most things just a more limited selection of choices.

I've gone right off Lidl/Aldi pizzas, was home alone last night so bought a posher one from Tesco not envy
I can do around 90% in either Lidl or Aldi but still need to get a few bit from Sainsbury or similar.