Aldi - I just don't get it and no one agrees with me

[user7654321]

All of my friends, family etc don't have a bad work to say about Aldi and say they do the majority of there shopping there for both cost saving and better quality produce.

My DH and I feel we are missing something, as based on the all recommendations, we have tried Aldi 5 or 6 times in the past 6 months or so, and have found the products not to taste as good as the well-known brands. The fruit/veg doesn't stay fresh for long etc, and we have wasted so much food that we have tried but preferred the branded version (e.g. cereal, jars of sauces). We have tried hundreds of Aldi products, but I'd say only a handful are as good as the branded version or even a mainstream supermarket's own brand. Even their nappies, which are reviewed as amazing gave my poor DS terrible nappy rash.

So, AIBU to say i actually don't think Aldi products are the same or better quality than other brands? I understand they are cheaper but the impression I get from others is that its not cost that's the driving factor for them shopping at Aldi - its there amazing quality. Why don't I feel the same? My DH and I are so confused about this that we've even done 'blind tests' on some products and the Aldi one has always been identified as the 'fake'

I've tried the chicken. All the wine recommendations although I don't like cava.

I bought some frozen salmon too. That went in the bin. I posted earlier about the ham and the cheese.

The two things I bought that I liked were the smoked salmon and Lidl did a Peri piri spatchcock chicken.

I tried the frozen hog roast in aldi too. Was awful none of us ate it and pre kids I spent years living off cup a soup and toast and strange food tips from customers.

Was actually gutted about the salmon as would have been perfect for making fish cakes.but I had to throw it out.

Last time I purchased anything it was butter. In lidl. And it was off.

I have tried a few things from Aldi and Lidl. The fruit and veg from both stores goes off really quickly compared to Tesco etc. Meat appears to be very poor quality in my local stores, coffee dreadful but some very nice wines.

maxthemartian That's fair enough but doubt that's the case for the majority. Unfortunately a lot of people do have more money than sense and this is the case for my work colleague. She has credit as long as her arm and debt up to her elbows yet insists on paying triple the price for her groceries to keep up with the attitudes of her snobbish friends; who would judge her if she went elsewhere.

Even tried the nappies. First time round pretty good. Second time they stank and burnt her bum.

And im.mot a brand snob I refused to pay for pampers. We used Sainsbury

Gileswithachainsaw Maybe try the fresh salmon they do instead.

Most people will shop there because it’s cheap - it’s cheap for a reason though. With fresh produce especially you get what you pay for. I would rather pay more for quality tasty food unlike pp who would rather save the money.

Interesting how over the years the marketing and hype has moved the brand from cheap and embarrassing to be seen there to cheap and trendy - I wonder why..

I'm no longer risking it.

I just buy whole salmon when Tesco or Morrisons do the half price ones.They give you the bones for stock in Morrison's too. I have a salmon chopped up in my freezer as we speak.

I work in a large village/small town where aldi is the biggest and cheapest shop. Only other local choices are happy shopper in the corner shop, Tesco express petrol station and a small co op that's super expensive. When they were building it all the locals that I spoke to where all saying we don't want an aldi, it will be the death of the village, rubbish produce etc. Yet they all shovel aldi stuff into the kids packed lunches at my school.
Personally I don't mind aldi for a basket shop as I can pack that at the speed they fling it through but I'd rather go to Morrisons for my weekly shop and have a more relaxed packing experience even if it does cost more.
I'll be going on maternity leave in March so will shop at aldi then as it's only a 10 minute walk from my house but doing little bits through the week - especially when I have a shopping basket under the buggy

I just buy what I find to be best quality and not because of brand or where it is from. I get pampers in bulk from Costco (no more expensive than nonbranded( and they are the only ones I've doubt to both fit my baby perfectly and not leak. However there are products I prefer from lidle or Aldi or Morrisons. I don't feel there's a one rule fits all really.

tried

YANBU, I've tried it a few times after seeing people rave about it but feel I get better quality elsewhere. The fruit and veg seems to go off very quickly and I didn't like the look of the meat so didn't risk it.

I also don't like the checkout, I don't want my food thrown at me at five hundred miles an hour.

With you OP, I don’t get it either. I don’t detest the place, and will go for a look very rarely if the mood takes. But I won’t entertain fruit an veg from there either.

Fave supermarket is Sainsburys, followed by Morrison’s then Tesco.

Not that keen on ASDA either.

Never liked Waitrose.

I used their nappies 5-6 years ago and never had an issue. I found sainsburys dreadful.

i find the mince fatty.

I cant find a good plum anywhere at the moment!

Everything else i am happy with.

The washing powder is absolutely fine for both ds and dh who have very sensitive skin. My mother, doing our washing due to broken machine once, used persil bio and my dh looked like an extra in the walking dead. He has no issues with aldi washing powder.

Toothpaste i get Colgate extra from boots along with hair dye, and shampoo and conditioner from the hairdressers.

See, i find morrisons comes up expensive and is crap.

alot of Sainsbury's bakery products are frozen previously (inside information from a relative who's worked there.) I find their products average. Their fruit and potatatoes are nice but you do pay too much for them

If you don’t like it don’t shop there, it’s quite simple really we are all allowed our choices and opinions

I shop in Tesco because I’m lazy, there are things in Aldi & Lidl i would buy but there are certain branded products I always buy and I can’t be bothered going to 2 separate shops to do my weekly shop. So I just go to Tesco spend a fortune and wish I’d gone to both. Need to try harder. I like the meet in Lidl much cheaper than Tesco and with a big family that helps a lot.

Sainsbury's meat is dreadful and so is Morrisons. I used to like Morrisons meat a few years ago but then they started selling gray packets of mince and meat that went off before expiry date (I returned the last off pack and never bought meat again from them.) Aldi fresh mince, chicken and fish never had a problem with.

“alot of Sainsbury's bakery products are frozen previously”

So long as the packaging says that it’s not suitable for home freezing I can’t see why that’s a problem?

Sainsbury is expensive for what it is.

Asda and Morrisons is a fairly happy medium for us.

Tesco I tend to only use for household stuff like duvets and clothes. And only if I'm passing.

Come to think of it maybe my parents aren't really that convinced these days after all... my mum.has sinus issues and cabt really taste or smell food.

And my dad could be taken out to Hestons and declare the steak poor. Bit rave about Lidl. But if something is so great you don't keep going on an on about how Germans don't buy rubbish and all the restaurant owners shop here and it's delicious look at it etc and making a huge deal.

Meanwhile even the kids have declared it (in private) as alot of fuss over nothing and have no idea why he's doing it.

Good food speaks for itself

I like Aldi but our local one is in the worst car park and I just can’t face the stress of getting parked.

I’ve also noticed the prices creeping up and there isn’t much difference in the cost if I get my shop from Asda. So I’m being lazy and getting click and collect Asda so I don’t have to do a food shop with baby in tow.

BertrandRussell Sainsbury's advertise their bakery products as freshly baked instore in they're not. For instance when buying the doughnuts in the bakery section you may think the dough comes in and then they cook them instore. They don't. They come in frozen and the staff heat them up. You any aswell buy a bag of frozen doughnuts from Iceland.

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I like the little jars of tomato and marscapone sauce. The mamia nappy bags make great cat poo bags. Sandwich bags are good quality. Love the massive bottles of washing up liquid.
Anything fresh is like the veg is ok if you can go frequently. Carrots seem to be off within a few days even in the fridge yet my Morrisons carrots can last week's.
Saw a programme where instead if putting use by dates on the veg they put the day and week number so if it's to be used by saturday in the 10th week of year it will be 06/10. To encourage you just to fling it in the trolley and hurry round. Staff get confused too about when to remove out of date produce from the shelves

I use Also now and again - our nearest is across town and at the times I can go (evenings/weekends), traffic is horrendous and it can take half an hour just to get there. However, when I do go, I rarely have issues with the quality of food on the shelves. I've not seen all this mouldy fruit and veg, certainly no more than I've ever found in my local Tesco. The meat, both fresh and frozen, have all been very good. I've bought a goose there for Christmas in the past - nicer than those I'd bought in Tesco and about half the cost. I've never bought fresh salmon fillets in Aldi and had to chuck them - I've stopped buying them in Tesco because despite being 'in date' they've been off when opened. Fruit doesn't taste any worse than Tesco, often nicer. We love their range of cold meats and cheese. Their specially selected granola is better than Tesco finest. Their party food at Christmas and New Year was really good and way cheaper than Tesco.
I can see that if you live in an area with a lot of traditional shops - bakers, butchers, greengrocers etc, Aldi may not always be your best choice, but in this area, the big supermarkets killed off those shops Yeats ago. The town when I work is full of coffee ships, nail bars and tanning shops. Apart from a big supermarket, there's only a continental bakery (expensive) a Gregg's and an old fashioned sweet shop. Next nearest, and bigger town, only has a 'pre-pack' butchers - the last proper one closed last year, no greengrocers or food other than supermarket. Even the market has reduced in size and the stalls now sell fruit and veg in pre selected bowls so you can't see what you are getting. Faced with that, Aldi isn't a bad choice, at least, not here. There's a huge Lidl being built nearby and I will definitely give it a go when it opens.
Also, I love the Aisle of Random Shit!