Aldi anything to avoid?

[SweetPeaPods]

DH and I are having to make serious cut backs. One area we (or I) spend too much is on food shopping. So I’m going to start meal planning, taking a list, and start using Aldi and Lidl more. I’ve popped in to the local ones before but more for 1 or 2 things rather than a weekly shop. So hit me with your items to avoid please or anything I should really try. Anything that is the same as supermarkets or branded but repackaged would be much appreciated too! TIA

Their chiller soups are horrible taste like they've got a tonne of garlic powder in them

Eg, the post a couple below me lists frozen chips, frozen veg and toiletries as things they avoid. We've always found them absolutely fine. It's a matter of finding what suits your family's tastes.

Everything we buy from aldi is very good. I actually really like the ketchup! The only cheaper own brand items we buy are baked beans and red kidney beans. Its really all down to personal preference really, the bread i find is good (not the cheapest loaves), i personally find that Warburtons bread is very doughy so i stick to the mid range stuff. I love lidl too, great continental meat range there!

In Lidl the 49p Polish cherry or strawberry flavoured 'jaffa cakes' are amazing.

Their spaghetti hoops. They have some sort of pesto-y taste which was awful on toast. Some might like it but me and dp still slag it off weeks later.

The lid on the black pepper lets tons of it fall out - so not necessarily avoid but be careful if you use!

Mini brownies were tasteless

Definitely try:
White bloomer bread
Fruit yogurts
Frozen microwave jacket potatoes - much fluffier and tastier than other brands
All of the pasta

Spaghetti hoops are a bit weird, their version of curiously cinnamon are not as good as the real thing and the bin bags are crap. I really rate their version of naked noodles, hula hoops, Cheerios and Nutella. The chocolate chip brioche loaf is lush. The fancy bacon is nice too and the smoked salmon flakes. The fruit and veg and meat is comparable to Tesco and Asda in quality but sometimes lacking variety (always sold out of courgettes!).

Yes, SoupDragon you're right. That's just us. Everyone's different. My children are spectacularly fussy so I'm massively relieved when they like food from Aldi!

Tea for me, especially green and herbal teas. I found them too strong and not natural. I also didn’t like their jam.
I’m ok with their cheddar but if you are not buying the cheapest one you can find something better elsewhere.
Aldi’s tomatoes don’t keep well.

The plain Greek yogurt in Aldi is really nice.

I'm not buying any more fruit or veg from Lidl. It's cheap but no good if it goes mouldy the next day. Is it something to do with how they store it?

Love most things and find the almat washing powder excellent and the dishwasher tablets (the one with good housekeeping award)

Really good selection of salads and falafel breads. Cereals. The meat is outstanding (but I'm in ireland)

The only thing I find in aldi is the temptation in the middle aisle

We shopped at Aldi for years and raved about it, but then we noticed that some of the meat wasn’t lasting until the date, other meat has been fine. I’ll only buy meat from there I’ll be using straight away - steaks and wagyu burgers are the best.

Their peanut butter I found too sweet. I don’t really like their cakes anymore either as they are sweeter, dry or had a funny after taste. Not a great loss as I was becoming slightly addicted to their battenberg...

Their alcohol is great. Can highly recommend their pink gin!

When you plan take cash for just what you need, that way you stick to a budget.

I would just do a full shop and keep the receipt to return things you don’t like.

I rarely have a problem with the fruit like people say but I buy berries that go in the fridge. Occasionally the satsumas/tangerines go mouldy quickly but not recently. Everyone will have personal opinions you need to try for yourself.

Our aldi closed for refurb and the amount I spent in Asda for the same shop was silly.

We like everything, no issues with the ketchup/gravy/salad cream etc. I can buy a broccoli on Sunday and it's fine the following Saturday. In shopping there for about 3 years we've only had 1 bad onion and 2 bad peppers.

I can't use their hand wash, shower gel or washing up liquid as it makes my skin peel.
The ketchup isn't great.

My advice would generally be to just try it all. Buy the cheapest (within your personal ethics if need be), and if you don't like it, either move up a level if there is one, or source another cheap option elsewhere, and you've not spent too much money trying it. If you do like it, you've saved £££ straight away.

I've done Lidl/Aldi in various parts of the country for years, and the only thing I specifically avoid is Lidl's cheapest tinned tomatoes, and either's baked beans (no real issues with the beans, as such, just I prefer the lower sugar/lower salt/no sweeteners ones I get in Morrisons.)

Aldi's (89p for 200g, if I remember right) chocolate is my favourite chocolate right now. Lidl's 30p bars are decent. The aged basmati in Lidl is as good as the brands. Would also recommend the cupboard filled pasta/gnocchi in Aldi.

Came to say ketchup. Yuk. Asda own ketchup and beans are good

I regularly shop in Aldi and apply the same rules as I would in any supermarket

There are some things that are exactly the same whether you go for the basic version or the 'specially selected' version and some things where it is worth paying a few pence more for the nicer one

Coleslaw for example - every supermarket has a cheap version which is really sloppy and vinegarry and a deluxe version which is creamier and tastes a lot better!

Just about everything!

Interesting that people like the washing powder. I've found it doesn't dissolve properly & gets left in a sludgy lump in the drawer, so I went back to branded

We like
Frozen and chilled pizzas and garlic bread.
Breads and pastries
Quiche
Yogurts
Cheeses
Pringles- style tube crisps
Pasta sauces
Chocolate
We avoid
All the tins ie beans, soups
Soft fruits- had many mouldy strawbs and furry blueberries
Washing powder

Their own mayo is awful.
I buy all my fruit and veg from there, it's fine and keeps fresh the same length of time as Tesco. I also buy all my meat from there. No problem.

You can put it straight into the drum @Mustbetimeforachange, branded stuffs still tested on animals whereas Aldi is buav approved.

I really rate the Aldi wine and their single origin ground coffee particularly Columbia's and Ethiopian. I've not had any problems with fruit or vegetables or meat. Love their cleaning products too, and their clothes washing liquid detergent is very good. Peanut and cashew butter also excellent. We love their wheat crackers too. Pasta, gnocchi and tortellini also good, and pesto is really nice. Nappies and wipes are also superb and very cheap. Enjoy!!