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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aldi Christmas food was well rubbish.

128 replies

AlphaBravoHenryFoxtons · 28/12/2014 20:34

The roasted parsnips with honey and mustard dressing (Aldi) were roasted for a good 20 minutes more than the time stated and they were STILL rock hard and revolting (I checked my oven temp using a separate thermometer and the temperature was correct). The Aldi goose fat roast potatoes were not nearly as good as Aunt Bessie's goose fat roasts (I know because I roasted a packed of Aunt B's and a tray of true Aldi g/f roasties and served them in a dish together, the Aldi ones were a horrible grey colour and the aunt bessie's ones were lovely and golden, no surprises for guessing which remained leftover).

I bought a few things at Aldi and many were very disappointing.

Anyone else?

OP posts:
SirChenjin · 28/12/2014 20:53

If you want taste don't use prepared veg - it will never taste as good as homemade. Anyone who knows anything about food knows that.

As for your rather silly 'quality' - you do know that Aldi generally scores very highly on quality and taste in tests, don't you?

smokedgarlic · 28/12/2014 20:54

Disappointed here too! The cheese selection was not brilliant the blueberry white Stilton was really horrible. Worst of all the highly anticipated Moser Roth cocktail liquor chocolate selection was utterly utterly vile. I was the recipient of the kir royale flavoured one which was covered in a horrible sour tasting fruit powder with an unpleasant synthetic filling :(

Original poster
AlphaBravoHenryFoxtons · 28/12/2014 20:55

smokedgarlic - sounds divine. Grin

OP posts:
TheRealMaryMillington · 28/12/2014 20:56

LOL at "shopping experience"
the lidl shopping experience is tragic, but the food is generally fab quality and cheap
And that would be xmas pud
(lidl sherry/autocorrect combo)
no judgements from me on easing up the prep and wanting to prioritise hosting. just never going to be as nice

Mrsgrumble · 28/12/2014 20:57

We were very happy with aldi turkey

Also the frozen individual cheesecakes were lovely (I served with baileys cream and fresh fruit)

All veg excellent

Eating some of the Lemon chocs right now

Christmas biscuits and stuffing also good.

However, I think you cannot beat Marks and Sparks for ready made

Rainicorn · 28/12/2014 20:58

I bought the roast potatoes for the Sunday before Christimas and was very disappointed with them as well. They didn't cook very well.

I bought cook from frozen gammon with honey and brown sugar glaze.mthat was very yummy.

Re pre prepared parsnips, M&S do the best ones. They very rarely make it to the plates Blush

Rainicorn · 28/12/2014 20:59

Ready prepare, not pre prepared Confused

DancingDinosaur · 28/12/2014 21:00

Our christmas shop was from Aldi. It was really good. Although we didn't get pre prepared veg. Prefer to do it ourselves.

DandyHighwayman · 28/12/2014 21:00

Wait, what? Christmas Tree Brioche?

TheNewWitchOfSWL · 28/12/2014 21:01

Ready Frozen Parsnips from Sainsbury's are good.

TheRealAmandaClarke · 28/12/2014 21:01

don't give a fig for taste or quality
That is exactly my view about "ready meal roasties".
I am deprived here, no local Aldi. Sad
But lidl's Christmas pudding was delicious.

AlpacaStockingOnChristmasEve · 28/12/2014 21:02

I bought the 29p Maris pipers from Aldi and made the best roast potatoes I've made all year. Crispy on the outside, well cooked through in the middle. I did them in Aldi goose fat too!

SirChenjin · 28/12/2014 21:04

I bought the 29p Maris Pipers too and they were brilliant - but then my home made roast potatoes always are

Scatlett4456 · 28/12/2014 21:05

I Returned my beef joint!

I have never taken anything back ever, I love Aldi That meat was tough. I cooked it as I always do, super pink, looked amazing, however you couldn't even cut it!!!

Full refund, no problems, take it back people. ( even if you need to leave it in the porch for two days as they were closed)

canyou · 28/12/2014 21:05

Christmas tree brioche was 1/2 price todau I bought them all Grin Frozen veg is never good but their frozen mash us a life saver for pie toppings
Buy their special 6 when cheap and prep and freeze so much nicer and cheaper
Aldi new Ginger and lemon Cider is my best Aldi buy this Christmas Grin Grin

youareallbonkers · 28/12/2014 21:06

Frozen veg? What's wrong with fresh?

Frizzcat · 28/12/2014 21:08

Aldi's mince pies were good IMO as was their Stollen. However their cheese board was awful, we threw whole thing away, no one could eat it.
I'm a recent convert to Aldi I think it's good value, but agree there are some things such as spuds, that need to be bought elsewhere.

HeartShapedBox · 28/12/2014 21:09

mswibble me too! Grin

ivykaty44 · 28/12/2014 21:10

I have had some great food from aldi and lidl. I would be annoyed if having purchased the same product from two shops that one was clearly not as good as the other shop.

Op why don't you let aldi know there was a problem that was only salvaged by luckily having another product from another supermatket?

Armi · 28/12/2014 21:18

I would go to the store and complain. I would also completely ignore people who throw their hands up in horror and have palpitations about others using pre-prepared veg.

SirChenjin · 28/12/2014 21:20

Does Aldi vary from region to region? Our cheese selection was great - really wide choice, some local cheeses from across Scotland as well as the usual choices, and the potatoes are always lovely. I switch between Sainsbury and Aldi, and don't see any difference other than price (and choice, obv)

Nothavingfunrightnow · 28/12/2014 21:47

We had the frozen turkey crown and I cooked it (quite surprisingly) to perfection and it was GAWJUS! (Vicki Pollard spelling intended).

Pixel · 28/12/2014 21:53

We had a gorgeous piece of beef from Aldi, it really couldn't have been better.
Everyone loved the Christmas pud and I was asked where I bought the cracker selection for the cheese because they were so nice. Their ginger wine is just as good as Stone's so we always stock up.

The only thing from Aldi that was a disappointment was the salted caramel sponge puddings that be bought for a little Christmas Eve treat. They weren't salty at all, very sweet in fact.

CaroleLJ · 28/12/2014 22:00

I got the turkey crown and cooked it using the Mary Berry recipe with thyme butter and orange slices. It was delish!

Didn't buy any pre prepared stuff. Nocomplaints about other purchases. Wine is particularly good value.

Lovecat · 28/12/2014 22:05

Our turkey was from Aldi, I brined it as per Nigella and it was absolutely delicious.

Gammon joint came from Lidl, I did it in the Ham in Coke recipe and it was a very fatty piece of meat - the meat itself was lovely, but given it was a 'deluxe' range gammon I was disappointed with the amount of fat riddled through it when sliced (still, £12 vs. £30 for the M&S pre-prepped joint that was half the size...)

I bought the Aldi parsnips instead of my usual Aunt Bessies - I have to say, they were hard as rock after the suggested cooking time and most of them were left by our dinner guests. Won't be trying them again.

I don't do ready made roasties as I hate the semolina coating they put on them - bought a bag of the 29p Maris pipers and cooked them in the Aldi goose fat as normal and they were lush!