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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not understand why people rave about Aldi.....

179 replies

TwilightMad · 18/07/2015 15:59

When, IMO it sells cheap, nasty, horrible food! I'm usually a Tesco shopper but I thought last month i'd try Aldi out, and to say I was disappointed was an understatement!

The fruit, yes was cheaper but it is also smaller in quantities and the raspberrys, strawberrys and blueberries looked mouldy and soft. The meat, especially the chicken was extremely fatty and the mince actually looked off and was a nasty grey colour! The tinned stuff was tasteless, the curry sauces were overloaded with too much spice and cheap ingredients and the chocolate was disgusting, so Aibu to not get why everyone goes mad for the place?.....

OP posts:
SocietyClowns · 18/07/2015 16:01

I agree. Try Lidl, it's much much better.

Chottie · 18/07/2015 16:02

I hear you Twilight I'm not good at shopping in Aldi either.

bigbuttons · 18/07/2015 16:03

I love it, love lidl too. I have not experienced what you have. I also love how much money I save. The carlos pizzas are the only ones my kids will eat and they're bloody cheap. Their raspberry jam is the best I've ever tasted. I could go on and on, but I doubt you will be converted!Keep shopping at overpriced tesco Wink

ilovesooty · 18/07/2015 16:04

There seem to be some sweeping generalisations in that OP.

MrsGentlyBenevolent · 18/07/2015 16:04

Also agree, Lidl is far better. They have those lush cheese and chive crisps for one Wink. I can never find any decent veg in Aldi either, and I found what looked like bone in their smart priced bacon the other day. Good for cheap freezer fillers though!

SlaggyIsland · 18/07/2015 16:04

I've never managed to like Aldi. I try it every year or so thinking I must be missing something, but no.

IamTheWhoreofBabylon · 18/07/2015 16:05

I agree OP
I don't think it is cheaper either. Half the stuff you want you can't get and the rest is smaller amounts so your shopping appears to cost less
Nectarines were cheaper in Booths which is not known for cheapness
I have never had such tasteless eggs as Aldi eggs
I went this week and had maggots inside my nectarines and dusty almonds which had a stone in the packet. They looked like they had been scraped up off the floor
Back to Tesco for me

Welshmaenad · 18/07/2015 16:05

Maybe the fresh food varies by store. I always find it excellent quality - in fact I ate a punnet of massive, perfect, juicy Aldi raspberries for lunch.

aprilanne · 18/07/2015 16:05

twilight you are right there fresh meat is horrid .they are cheap for a reason .fruit and veg is never dated just coded so only they understand it .better at teasco or morrisons .

guiltynetter · 18/07/2015 16:06

the checkout puts me off going there. i don't mind taking my stuff and packing it elsewhere but them throwing it throw as fast as they can makes me panicked. a girl threw my stuff through so fast once 2 items fell on the floor! she never apologised. and I don't get how people can do a full shop there.

Original poster
TwilightMad · 18/07/2015 16:06

How are there sweeping generalisations? Considering that on my shopping trip, this is exactly what I seen, ie grey meat, off fruit, I'd say it's more fact than generilsation.

OP posts:
PumpkinPie2013 · 18/07/2015 16:07

I like Aldi for some things - I usually get things like fruit/veg which I find is good and lasts well in the fridge, we like the chocolate, milk, nappies, wipes, my toddler likes their rice cakes, wainwright ale for DH as it's cheaper than elsewhere. There's other stuff too but can't think.

I don't generally buy much tinned stuff anyway but find aldi tinned tomatoes good. Equally their dried pasta.

The meat in our local one is good - I've had chicken breasts, specially selected mince and pork steaks and all have been good.

Maybe there is variation between stores? I use a mix of aldi and asda but using aldi has saved me loads off my shopping each week.

Original poster
TwilightMad · 18/07/2015 16:09

Yes, that's another thing I hate, why do they throw your food at you and why can't you pack at the til?.....

OP posts:
Spartans · 18/07/2015 16:09

Completely disagree, the quality of meat at our Aldi is much better than the local asda or Tesco. Maybe it depends on how good your local stores are.

We don't eat much tinned food, but I Would say there was no taste difference between the tomatoes from Aldi and asda

We never eat ready made sauces, so cant comment on that.

I would also say the fresh stuff is always better than the big chains as well

aprilanne · 18/07/2015 16:09

and our checkout people are not allowed to engage in conversartion incase it slows them up .all they say is cash or card end off .i go in to get flowers for my mums grave because it is next to our cemetry .nice flowers but they are supposed to be a supermarket not a florist .

AuntyMag10 · 18/07/2015 16:11

Yanbu but then again I think the same of tesco as well.

Spartans · 18/07/2015 16:11

I also love the fast tils. Prefer to be in and out. The faster, the better.

ShuShuFontana · 18/07/2015 16:11

imo the people who buy curry sauces are generally the sort of people who know nothing about food.

question asked, question answered.

so YABU for your sweeping generalisations :P

You do know all supermarkets sell shitey crap? And I shall be pleased to have one less person in my lidl gormlessly reading curry sauce labels.

ilovesooty · 18/07/2015 16:13

The tinned stuff was tasteless... the chocolate was disgusting

You tried all of it?
That's what I meant by generalisation.

And you can't pack at the till because the model is designed to keep prices down.

Taytocrisps · 18/07/2015 16:13

It's good for some things e.g. toilet rolls, kitchen towel, pasta, muesli, fresh fruit and veg, meat etc.

Some (not all) of their fruit goes off quicker than the fruit you'd buy in Tescos etc.

Their bread (sliced pans) is very poor quality - always seems to be stale even on the day you buy it. I buy my bread elsewhere.

We do our shopping in a nearby town that has both Aldi and a regular (more expensive) supermarket. We do our Aldi shop first and then we get the other bits in the other supermarket.

Floralnomad · 18/07/2015 16:14

There are certain things I can buy in Aldi and Lidl ( prefer Lidl) but I've tried a couple of times and find it an unpleasant shopping experience ( and I like food shopping !) .

BolshierAyraStark · 18/07/2015 16:16

I've ditched Aldi for fruit & veg as it's just shit & doesn't last, I was throwing stuff away & having to buy from local shop so ended up spending more.

wowfudge · 18/07/2015 16:17

This crops up every couple of months on here. You don't have to like it. I love Aldi and can get round in 15 mins. Remember Kwik Save? You had to put everything in your trolley there and pack at the packing tables behind. Makes the checkout quicker and means the staff don't have to on the till all the time.

Sallystyle · 18/07/2015 16:19

I am very fussy about meat, but apart from the sausages it has all been great. Had a lovely bit of steak from them last week.

The chicken's are lovely, the ones coated in butter and garlic.

I love the chocolate; one of the best I have ever tried.

I also love their peach and raspberry cocktail type drink.

I haven't tried much I don't like.

Original poster
TwilightMad · 18/07/2015 16:22

Erm excuse me, I know a lot about food actually, and 90% of our food is fresh and cooked from scratch, but it just so happened the week I bought the conveince stuff I had a busy week lined up ie three hospital appointments, two dentist appointments, school shows, church show etc etc. Oh and my dh was working away so I was on my own looking after three kids, one of whom has additional needs. But judge away, I'm not bothered.

OP posts: