To convert to Lidl and ask for tips

[TwinsAndTrifle]

Is it me, or have the supermarkets lost their way?

Waitrose has the odd nice bit, good fish counter, but nothing much to write home about anymore. M&S, nice prepared stuff, the odd good ready meal. Neither a cut above the way they used to be.

Tesco's, utter tripe at average pricing. Sainsbury's the same, about 15% pricier.

We've been going to Lidl for a while now, and honestly, the quality is certainly higher than Tesco and Sainsbury's, and more in line with Marks and Waitrose. And a third of the price.

Do other people share this opinion?

We particularly like the continental meal platters, frozen goats cheese pizza (and we never buy frozen), the sticky toffee pudding, breakfast muffins, pate, mini fritattas, spicy chorizo, the fresh steaks, side of salmon, and have yet to be disappointed with any of the fruit and veg. Have a real taste for the fake Malibu too!

There's probably loads of hidden gems that we haven't tried yet. What's your best Lidl regular buy?

I've switched from sainsbury's to Lidl and nearly halved my shopping bill.

I love their bakery/fruit and veg/ sour dough pizzas/ orange juice/ own brand crisps/ wine/ coleslaw

I also love a rummage in the middle of lidl for any gems!

Just remembered also the sloe gin and the deluxe wholemeal seeded sliced bread are both good too.
DP has no issues wolfing down packs of the Wensleydale, cream crackers and rich tea biscuits. He also likes the Spanish tortillas and the sensitive toothpaste.

@Leah2005

Their low calorie tonic water is as good as fever tree with no artificial sweeteners. (I'm more fussy about Tonic water than gin). Their spiced gin is identical to opihr. Made and bottled in the same place.

Is that the ‘Eden bay’ one in the 8 pack of cans? They’re lovely aren’t they? I stocked up on those on super weekend when they were £1.39 a pack 🍸

The cheese twists from the bakery counter. They are so delicious that I have been known to drive 7 miles to the nearest Lidl just to buy them.

Their chocolate is good and the free range, corn-fed chickens taste nicer than most and are good value.

I go to Lidl rarely (we have a closer Aldi) but their continental meats are better than Aldi's IMO. I love their mortadella and their Bratwurst and Brockwurst. Plus their Polish smoked sausages.

But I think the wine is better at Aldi.

Oh! And occasionally they do a tinned Italian range soup. Spinach and black olives. I am a major major fan of that.

Bakery is excellent, drinks range too. Good cleaning products but I don't like their washing up liquid- it seems to leave a residue on anything even when used sparingly. Meat deals can be good but for good joints I use a butcher. Frozen choice is decent, but a lot of their frozen pizzas, chips, etc don't taste of anything. Their centre aisle and themed products are great though- especially around Christmas.

I shop mainly in Aldi and Lidl. Tesco for certain things and Home Bargains for cleaning, personal care etc. Odd trip to Iceland for frozen garlic, coriander, chilli and ginger packs.

Lidl items that I particularly like are the - fat free Skyr yoghurt both plain and fruit, the cheaper chocolate for cooking, frozen blueberries, raspberries and mango, sourdough pizzas, bakery doughnuts, pomegranate hand wash, deluxe vegetarian dishes (and they do quorn roast occasionally) oaties biscuits and jaffa cakes. I can do a full shop there and never had an issue with freshness.

Lidl’s theme weeks are fantastic. The most recent was Spain, and we stocked up on loads of yummy treats and had a tapas evening last weekend. The frozen prawns were superb value and delicious pan-fried in olive oil, chilli & garlic.

The best thing about Lidl is that it has retained its quirky German-ness. You can get authentic German sausages, hams, cheeses, chocolate and stock up on good quality cheap basics at the same time. Their own brand cleaning products are excellent, as are their jams.

The butter in a black foil. It’s now available as a spreadable. I love it so much

@BlueLobelia

Oh! And occasionally they do a tinned Italian range soup. Spinach and black olives. I am a major major fan of that.

It’s Italian week now with the soups in the dark blue cans.. I bought a Gorgonzola and mascarpone cheese blend last night It’s so good 🐷

We do 75% of our weekly shop at Lidl topping up at Aldi and Iceland. We love their butter, anything from the bakery, nuts and biscuits. Not had any issues with cleaning products. Meat and fresh fruit/veg is pretty much identical to Asda/Morrisons.

We avoid costs crisps, frozen pizza and instant coffee. On a side note, the curry ready meals(without rice) from Aldi are the the best out there.

thanks @SappysCurry :) Tomorrow we were going to have a delicatessan platter for dinner (their creme fraiche based potato salad is good too) and so i was heading for Lidl for Mortadella. I shall stock up on the soups and try the Gorgonzola and Marscapone cheese one also!! Thanks for the tip!!

@SappysCurry I think that's them. I rarely go in lidl now but that might be enough to encourage me to go back

Love Lidl. If you can get it their free range chicken breasts are really good.

I also like the Senga strawberry yoghurt, it's very creamy and rich.

We also really like the bratwurst, and chilli bratwurst, reminds us of happy times visiting family in Germany.

I bought some frozen patatas bravas with a jar of sauce from the recent Spanish week, fabulous!

The fresh pretzels from the bakery.
The salad dressings, around £1 for bottles that would cost £3 or so elsewhere.
The posh butter with the sea salt crystals, it's 31.69 I think so only slightly more expensive than Asda standard butter.
The mushroom filled gnocchi when they have Italian week, it is amazing.
potato sticks in the crisp aisle, a nice retro snack for 59p when Asda have a similar pack for £1.
Diced beef, £3 instead of £4 in Asda.

the pain au chocolat from the bakery, from there also the brownies, the pastel de nata, the chocolate croissants, the sourdough loaves. from the chiller, the charcuterie, the Manchego, the gorgonzola, the west country salted butter, the gravad lax. from the freezer, the brisket burgers, beef dropping chips, frozen berries, and the sweet apple or cherry tarts.

Bakery is very good. Multigrain cob is the best supermarket bread available IMO. Pain au Chocolat are great. Greek yoghurt. Deluxe Gouda is delicious. The unsalted cashew nuts are brilliant. Dishwasher tabs. Orange juice. Chocolate biscuits. Jams are brilliant. Rib eye steaks. Antipasti cold meats. Granola. These are the things that are better than Waitrose for less money.

People here will insist it's good quality, same with Aldi. I've never found it to be great. So for me Yabu. But then I don't have to shop there and I'm happy for people who like it to do so!

@BlueLobelia

thanks *@SappysCurry* :) Tomorrow we were going to have a delicatessan platter for dinner (their creme fraiche based potato salad is good too) and so i was heading for Lidl for Mortadella. I shall stock up on the soups and try the Gorgonzola and Marscapone cheese one also!! Thanks for the tip!!

I know the potato salad, could eat half a tub with a fork easily....🐷 The cheese is just cheese.....not a cheese soup But they have a whole array of Italian cheeses and hams and antipasti so your deli platter should be good....enjoy !

i like everything in there.
i don't eat meat or drink alcohol, but i find most people say they are very good too.
i like the fact that the shops are not enormous and the limited range helps me choose things and not waste time.
i also find the weekly non-food items useful, esp clothing and household items. good quality and cheap too.
i think we have become brain-washed by having vast warehouse shops, full of baffling choices that are not necessary, eg endless different smells of fabric conditioner. it's consumerism at its worst.
we have lost our way in all this souless consumption.
less is more.

Love Lidl. Used to love Aldi but Lidl now for me. Used to go to Morrison’s but personally I think Lidl’s food is better and about 25% cheaper overall for my regular shop. Favourites .. steaks, the frozen ‘extra special’ type range, wines, fresh bread and their cleaning products and toiletries. I usually spend £60 per week so get £10 a month voucher too via the app.

For some reason, I can't seem to be able to do a whole shop at Lidl. There always seem to be things that they don't have or have run out of.

I find that their fresh fruit and veg doesn't last long either.

I discovered Lidl this time last year when furloughed and on a tighter budget. Will admit I was a Lidl snob before then (although only shopping at Tesco as there’s minimal choice where I live).

I love their sourdough bread, which lasts for days, the Portuguese tarts, the Greek yoghurts with the strawberry layer, fruit juices, and buy all my sauces, oils, condiments etc. Sometimes it’s a bit hit and miss if you want something specific like lasagne sheets or taco shells, but I also do a shop at Tesco for things like washing powder and dishwasher tablets, and that more specific type stuff.

This week I am proud to say I had to pop in to buy a few quick items and came out with a pack of bananas, milk, cold meat, tin of tomatoes - and a stand up Paddleboard!

I've been shopping there for years.

But in the last 3 weeks, the fruit and veg has been dire. The shelves are almost empty, and what is there is terrible quality.

But the potato salad with creme fresh is amazing