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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Quality at Aldi and Lidl

392 replies

Marcelduchamp · 05/11/2020 13:40

I know Aldi and Lidl are really popular on mumsnet but I really am completely baffled as to how people can claim its good quality. I have relatives who shop there and I have eaten the food lots of times. Yes a few items are OK but on the whole its not good in my experience. I don't eat meat so can't comment on that. I do think veg is veg so is probably not vastly different. I also think the choice is poor with a very basic selection of stuff.

I know it's cheap and we all need that at times. I'm not knocking people who need to cut shopping costs. But are people really being honest when they say the can't tell the difference. What are you tasting? Examples are the strong cheddar cheese is just bland, the crisps don't have much flavour and the filled pasta is cloying inside.

I suppose my AIBU is AIBU to day these shops sell poor quality food.

OP posts:
RaspberryCoulis · 05/11/2020 19:17

I also vote to add "holibobs" and "Crimbo" to the banned phrases.

ChristmasReindeer · 05/11/2020 19:17

@RaspberryCoulis

I also vote to add "holibobs" and "Crimbo" to the banned phrases.
Seconded.
JingsMahBucket · 05/11/2020 19:21

@YouKidsIsCrazy
Having terrible taste in wine is what you are doing wrong. As you say, you like nasty sweet rose shit so you're hardly going to appreciate good award winning wines. It's not them thats shit though, it;s your taste

...

It's not shit stuff though, you just like shit stuff so you can't taste quality.

I know you're talking about wine here to another poster but this is basically what a lot of us including the OP are trying to say about the posters who love Aldi and Lidl. You're likely used to crap food so you can't taste the difference in quality from better sources.

If you're used to cheap, overly sweet, poorly spiced or overly salty food then you'd think a lot of it is good. Yes there are some things at Lidl and Aldi that are just fine but about 50% is not a good imitation or version. I'll give them props on their dried fruit, nuts and a host of other things though. But yeah, other stuff, not so much.

Lincslady53 · 05/11/2020 19:22

I have never had problems with fruit or veg going off early bought from Aldi or Lidl. I check the dates when I buy, take them out of the plastic bags when I get home and keep in cool conditions. I have had issues with 'ready to eat' peaches, nectarines and mangos being hard and not ripe, but a day or two in the warm solves that.

Mmn654123 · 05/11/2020 19:28

@Marcelduchamp

I know Aldi and Lidl are really popular on mumsnet but I really am completely baffled as to how people can claim its good quality. I have relatives who shop there and I have eaten the food lots of times. Yes a few items are OK but on the whole its not good in my experience. I don't eat meat so can't comment on that. I do think veg is veg so is probably not vastly different. I also think the choice is poor with a very basic selection of stuff.

I know it's cheap and we all need that at times. I'm not knocking people who need to cut shopping costs. But are people really being honest when they say the can't tell the difference. What are you tasting? Examples are the strong cheddar cheese is just bland, the crisps don't have much flavour and the filled pasta is cloying inside.

I suppose my AIBU is AIBU to day these shops sell poor quality food.

Lidl tortellini is delicious - what are you on about? And Aldi pasta sauce is scrummy!
fussychica · 05/11/2020 19:29

I have the time to shop in several supermarkets around our town. My main shop is generally divided between Waitrose and Morrison's. I find the fruit and veg from Morrison's excellent in quality, longevity and price. Waitrose has fantastic offers and they are my choice if I'm buying a ready meal. Lidl and Aldi both have go to products which I always buy there like washing tablets, moisturiser, floor wipes, manchego cheese(Aldi ) or cottage cheese, gerkins, (Lidl ).

When we've had similar threads before and the one thing that really stands out is that the fresh food in Aldi and Lidl varies greatly depending on your branch, perhaps more so than any other supermarket.
It's a good job we don't all like the same supermarket otherwise those queues we've seen recently would be a hell of a lot longer!

Mmn654123 · 05/11/2020 19:30

@Thewiseoneincognito

It’s hideous food. Utterly garbage. The stench of an Aldi store makes me heave, if that’s what their bakery smells like then no thank you. The fruit always looks like it’s spent 6 months frozen being rowed across the Atlantic. I don’t like how it’s all faux brands too, supposed to trick you or make you believe it’s the same.

We shop at M&S and Waitrose so it’s a bit like comparing Fords and Ferrari’s. Aldi baby wipes are good though that’s the most I can stomach.

Aldi has no bakery. Guessing you have no idea what you’re talking about but enjoy your Ferrari food hahaha!
RaspberryCoulis · 05/11/2020 19:34

I know you're talking about wine here to another poster but this is basically what a lot of us including the OP are trying to say about the posters who love Aldi and Lidl. You're likely used to crap food so you can't taste the difference in quality from better sources.

And here we go again with the rubbish. Some stuff in Aldi is undoubtedly rubbish. Then again, I'm sure Sainsbury's sell shitty turkey dinosaurs, or rubbery cheese slices, or sugar-laden cereals, no? Personally I wouldn't know if 50% of stuff in Lidl/Aldi is crap because I haven't tried it all.

Aldi/Lidl as others have said partly have lower prices because they have fewer staff, lower overheads, they're buying in huge quantities for stores across Europe, no internet shopping, no scan and go, no expensive in store bakeries or anything fancy, no Jamie Oliver adverts or expensive branding. Sling it all on the shelves and sell it. And they must be doing something right as they are rapidly gaining market share, and winning taste awards.

But hey, if you want to sneer at people who are a bit more open-minded about trying new things and not slavishly sticking to "Sainsbos" as people who are clearly philistines who wouldn't know a decent cheddar if it came up and bit them, crack on. Hmm

Oliversmumsarmy · 05/11/2020 19:35

If you're used to cheap, overly sweet, poorly spiced or overly salty food then you'd think a lot of it is good

Dp is certainly not used to cheap food. He is very fussy about what he eats. Either our local organic farm shop or M&S or would go to Waitrose after work.

I think to some extent there is a snob value.

Served a couple of friends who have real issues over where their food comes from. They look down their nose on Tesco.

Had a few, this is lovely and this tastes like you got this cheese from the farm shop.

Never did tell them that they had eaten purely Lidl

Maldivesdream · 05/11/2020 19:36

I suppose shopping in Sainsburys I can see how your not a fan of Aldi. I never go to Lidl as it’s not local to be but since lockdown I do shop at Aldi.

I don’t know how anyone can do a full shop in Sainsburys totally OVERPRICED get me to M&S any day!

I usually mix and match between Aldi, M&S and Asda.

The things in Aldi can be a bit Samey they do have some really good stuff too though.

Aldi’s ready meals are a bit naff! I don’t buy them from there.

Hopeisnotastrategy · 05/11/2020 19:56

[quote PattyPan]@Hopeisnotastrategy As someone who has lived on both sides of the Aldi equator, I would dispute your DH's assertion - Aldi Sued is very much superior!

@JaJaDingDong I'm not sure golden syrup will make oat husk any more enjoyable :( I might make bird food or something[/quote]
He's a northern lad! 🤣

Thewiseoneincognito · 05/11/2020 20:01

@Mmn654123 then what is that horrid smell in their stores? I gag every time I go in one. I remember being gifted some of their Moser chocolate once. Imagine my face. Straight in the bin that went!

SantaRosahome · 05/11/2020 20:08

It’s poorer quality which is why it’s cheaper. We don’t notice when we change from Morrisons to Aldi but if you go back to Morrisons or M&S you can immediately taste the quality. Their dry pasta is disgusting, as is anything tinned.

Mmn654123 · 05/11/2020 20:09

[quote Thewiseoneincognito]@Mmn654123 then what is that horrid smell in their stores? I gag every time I go in one. I remember being gifted some of their Moser chocolate once. Imagine my face. Straight in the bin that went![/quote]
There isn’t a horrid smell.

Although every branch of Starbucks smells disgusting to me. Sour milk smell. But I seem to be alone with that one!

justanotherneighinparadise · 05/11/2020 20:09

[quote Thewiseoneincognito]@Mmn654123 then what is that horrid smell in their stores? I gag every time I go in one. I remember being gifted some of their Moser chocolate once. Imagine my face. Straight in the bin that went![/quote]
It's the stench of poor people. It’s an awful smell I agree 🙄

RaspberryCoulis · 05/11/2020 20:12

AIBU in thinking people who throw chocolate in the bin can be taken out and shot, immediately after the people who say holibobs and Sainsbos?

Wearywithteens · 05/11/2020 20:21

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

SimplyRadishing · 05/11/2020 20:31

Not a stealth boast but we are pretty fussy about food and happily do l
All the shopping at waitrose but found we prefer Aldi for a lot of things so tend to alternate between that and waitrose each week.

Lidl I like some things but they aren't as near to us so don't go very often.

I loathe Tescos i just don't feel they sell "Real" food. the thought of it makes me shudder

Volcanicorange · 05/11/2020 20:38

@Mmn654123 then what is that horrid smell in their stores? I gag every time I go in one. I remember being gifted some of their Moser chocolate once. Imagine my face. Straight in the bin that went!

WTF @Thewiseoneincognito

Moser chocolate is amazing. No palm oil, made in Germany where they know how to make chocolate.

Anyone with an ounce of class would have given it to a food bank instead of binning it.

More like HyacinthBucketincognito Grin

PurplePIG1 · 05/11/2020 20:42

Yanbu, Aldi and Lidl are horrible imo, the queuing system and no customer service, no toilets for disabled etc

Sorryusernamealreadyexists · 05/11/2020 20:46

I’ve had awful stuff from waitrose, excellent stuff from Aldi/Lidl and vice versa. I’m a grown adult so I just don’t buy those items again Grin

Legoandloldolls · 05/11/2020 20:52

I think you need to find your favourite items in aldi. Some things are great other not so much. I definitely find it all goes off a lot faster so all the meat I buy goes straight in the freezer otherwise it turns on day 2-3. Same with the veg. Lidl is even worse for veg going off super fast. So what you save in cost you loose on shelf life.

But there is loads in there I do like. It would be better if it more local to me and i was pooping in a few times a week. But it isnt so i shop at Tesco and just go in once a month for the things I know are good

Nsky · 05/11/2020 20:53

Most stuff is great, filled pasta, small stuff not great , bigger filled lovely.
I do prefer Aldi crisps, cheese and toilet rolls/ kitchen rolls better than tesco.
I would say most Aldi is-better than tesco with few exceptions

SimonJT · 05/11/2020 20:55

@PurplePIG1

Yanbu, Aldi and Lidl are horrible imo, the queuing system and no customer service, no toilets for disabled etc
Customer service is good at ours, rarely have to queue. Our Lidl also has an accessible customer toilet, where as our waitrose and sainsburys don’t.
S111n20 · 05/11/2020 20:56

I find fruit and vegetables don’t last as long from Aldi and Lidl. I shop at morrisons.