To ask you what’s good from Lidl?

[WhatisaNarwhal]

Always done the weekly shop at Sainsbury’s- but to be honest the quality hasn’t been very good for a while, and I’m in a financial pickle for the next few months (Emergency taxed for no apparent reason last month and will be again this month, and couple of big unexpected costs have come in)

So heigh ho off to Lidl I go. Need to
reduce costs anyway- have always been shit with money, and had a short sharp shock since I became a LP on a quite low pro rata salary (after years of a v good salary).

So what’s good? It’s just me and the toddler to shop for. I’m gluten free and low carb, toddler loves fruit and cheese particularly.

Of course I love wine. Haven’t bought any recently due to the aforementioned poverty, but could definitely do with a sub £10 treat (with my birthday money before I get a lecture!!!)

Also what’s good for cleaning products? Which seem astronomically expensive everywhere at the mo.

TIA

Tbh i like all of it. I was going to highlight the creme fraiche potato salad but if you're low carb it may not excite. It's really good though!

They have a whole gluten free range now op which a friend of mine says are very good.

I don't think Lidl is much cheaper than anywhere else anymore

Better food than Sainsbury's imo

www.lidl.co.uk

This is a bit disappointing if it’s not cheaper. I was imagining a promised land of amazing cheap charcuterie and superior own brand baked beans.

So where do the thrifty sensible people shop these days?!

The range is good for cleaning stuff, most of them are a £1. Wilkos are also worth a look.

Pull ups. Dishwasher tablets. All cleaning products. Multivitamin juice boxes. Sourdough boule loaf.

Lidl and Aldi are a lot cheaper than Sainos. Trust me. Two bags of shopping for me at Sainos is £45 ish and Lidl/aldi in the mid 20s. Easily.

Ok so I personally prefer Aldi (if you ever end up going you HAVE to try the caramel shortcakes and tiffin) Lidl goodies I usually get - obviously will be diff for you - focaccia in the fridge section, pasties and quiche in same section, lasagna is lovely, own brand cheeses are very nice, stuffing mix is 34p, all sauces are under £1 by far. Pesto and pasta sauces v good, cereal is just as good as any brand, they have new healthy bars and crackers and snacks that are tasty, then check out the middle aisles for any deals or weekly offers. Frozen veg and veggie options also very much worth trying. :)

Just visited Lidl for the first time this week so I've found a few bargains in comparison with my usual supermarket (Sainsbury's):

At Lidl:
Fillet steak is £5 per kilo cheaper.
Spinach is £2 per kilo cheaper.
Cotton wool pads (per 140) are 48p at Lidl compared with £1.40 at SB!
Peppers 39p compared to 55p and bigger!
Nice tomatoes (cherry, vine) almost £2 per kilo cheaper.
Fresh blueberries £6.28 per kilo compared to £13.33!
9 rolls of loo roll £2.69 compared to £3.30.
Six pack of Heinz beans £3 compared to £3.85.
Nice Italian ice cream £1.99 per litre (£3.50 for comparable quality at SB).

It's definitely worth going.

I like them for... fresh bakery stuff, pasta sauces for when I just CBA to make them, their fake magnums, their gin (aldi’s Gin is good too), dishwasher tablets (though I think they’ve got rid of their mega cheap ones atm), sensitive plasters, their washing liquid and fabric conditioner, their jay-cloths, their giant tubs of yoghurt. Also good for chorizo and Parmesan and massive jars of olives.

I rate Aldi as marginally better for cheese. Charcuterie broadly similar across both and definitely cheaper than the supermarkets. Same for smoked salmon.

I get my posh foods from Aldi and Lidl coz I can afford them that way

Lidl has an app, so you can see what offers they have each week. Some weeks it’s Spanish week, Italian week etc. Super weekend is great, as you can pick up some bargains.

Stay away from the fresh bakery bit. Was in there the other day and there was the most biggest fly sitting on top of one of the doughnuts.

The big boxes of prepared salad, the pasta salads, the one with lentils and chickpeas, the fruit selection, and coffee pods.
And the bakery is second to none.

It’s definitely worth going! I do my main shop there and then pop to Morrison’s which is right next door for the few bits I can’t get in Lidl (mostly stuff for the DCs).

The other day I did a massive shop, a whole big trolley full, and I was thinking ‘shit, this is going to cost’. It came to £49!!

Fruit and veg is always nice and fresh. Haven’t bought anything there that I haven’t liked, except I’m not wild about their pasta sauces. The cleaning stuff is all good, especially their own brand laundry detergent. I save loads of money on health and beauty stuff too - a huge bottle of fake radox is 59p, and I’m using the fake Aussie shampoo and conditioner which is great and 99p a bottle. DD1 really likes the raspberry shampoo and conditioner which is even cheaper, I think it’s about 60p!

My local Lidl has a lovely bottle of merlot for £4.09.

Their Chilean red wine is good - Merlot & Cab Sauv - c £4 each. Cab Sauv slightly more for some reason.
Huge packs of Charmin (24) for £9
Their own laundry powder & fabric conditioner (the sensitive one has a lovely-but-faint smell)
Their own-brand crisps are better than Walkers IMO
Meat & fish are excellent
Frozen veg & fish too
Butter good & cheap (esp the West Country with salt crystals)
Have a good look round all their “Deluxe” branded stuff (= Taste the Difference) - black & white packaging
Organic eggs

Will think on

I only use Method for cleaning now, which doesn’t help you much! But it’s often on special somewhere.

Lidls is ace for low carbing. Giant tubs of greek yoghurt, nice cuts of meat and fish, very reasonably priced organic free range eggs. Cleaning stuff is very good. Fruit and veg better than Sainsburys IMO, we get our main food shop delivered from Sainsburys for convenience, but will try and get to Lidls for a quick fruit and veg shop as it lasts longer.

Salad bags, cherry/vine tomatoes are much cheaper, other fruit and veg is a bit cheaper.
Yogurts good and cheap- own version on activia, Greek yogurt
I’d swerve the frozen chips/potato products

Their hummus is lovely and only about 60p!

Plum tomato and basil soup in a tin is also amazing

Ageee about the plum tomato and basil soup! Delicious.

Oh, they do a pack of 12 mini-magnums which are fab!

The meat, especially cold meats, and veg and fruit are really good.

The owm brand cereals are awful though.

I have found Aldi prices creeping up, so often if you are getting deals it can be better to shop in the big supermarkets. Aldi wine is excellent (I haven’t been to Lidl for a while, but I remember it was good for bakery). Also have you thought about growing your own veg for the summer? I had a terrible year financially last year and I was able to get through by getting a load of plant pots free off gumtree and a few cheapo bags of compost and seeds (coincidentally from lidl! They were the cheapest I found!) and had enough tomato’s, cucumbers, courgettes, peas and salad to feed the whole family! Look up Vertical Veg. I only had a tiny yard so it’s doable. Plus very satisfying and organic!

I love their frozen paella - bloody gorgeous.

Also not the healthiest suggestion but their Nasi or Bami Goreng is lush...we mix a bag of spinach in with it and it's lovely.