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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To say you're all wrong about Aldi?

558 replies

Rabbitheadlights · 04/07/2021 17:33

Just that really, I've nipped into Aldi in the past for the odd loaf and picked up a few bits. DP and I discussed and decided to do the 'big' shop there last week.

It's been a disaster, to start with I couldn't find fruit or veg with more than a couple of days shelf life on them and everything I've substituted so far has been either underwhelming or disgusting (1/4 pounders filled with gristle) 🤮 with a couple of exceptions (salmon Wellington, sliced ham) the bread was mouldy the next day and still had 2 days on the use by. The nappies are just awful.

I spent £219 on Friday last week and I've since been out and spent another 150 and will likely need more before the next "big shop" on Friday.

OP posts:
FlaminEckVera · 04/07/2021 20:14

@Rabbitheadlights

Just that really, I've nipped into Aldi in the past for the odd loaf and picked up a few bits. DP and I discussed and decided to do the 'big' shop there last week.

It's been a disaster, to start with I couldn't find fruit or veg with more than a couple of days shelf life on them and everything I've substituted so far has been either underwhelming or disgusting (1/4 pounders filled with gristle) 🤮 with a couple of exceptions (salmon Wellington, sliced ham) the bread was mouldy the next day and still had 2 days on the use by. The nappies are just awful.

I spent £219 on Friday last week and I've since been out and spent another 150 and will likely need more before the next "big shop" on Friday.

Nearly £400 on food shopping in Aldi? WTF? Confused

I find Aldi fine for quite a bit of stuff. Some frozen, some refrigerated meals, cereals, sweets and toffees, bottled water, basic tinned stuff like beans and spaghetti, milk, orange juice, trifle, salads, and some wines, but no way could I do a full shop there.

We do roughly half of our shopping in Morrisons, a quarter in Sainsburys and a quarter in Aldi. They are all within a mile of one another. We get the odd 3 or 4 items from Lidl and Iceland that are on the edge of town too.

We have not done a full 'big shop' in any one store for a good 15 years. Always go to multiple shops. They are all within a mile and a half, and we don't go out of our way to go to them; they're all on the route through town, and the way out of town (when we're going back home IYSWIM.)

The one shop I think is a shit-tip with the worst and rudest staff and the most overpriced tat is Tesco. Utter hovel. Asda isn't brilliant either. Both a bit mehhh.

FlaminEckVera · 04/07/2021 20:14

@gamerchick

People buy supermarket burgers?
Confused

Yeah, and they buy supermarket bread, supermarket milk, supermarket tinned food, supermarket fruit, supermarket veg, supermarket salad, and lots of other supermarket stuff. You tend to do that in, ya know, a SUPERMARKET. Hmm

Like a pp said, wtf is the faux shock about? Confused

FlaminEckVera · 04/07/2021 20:14

@StormBaby

How the fuck did you manage to spend £219 in Aldi? There are nine people in our house and we don’t spend that?
Clearly a 'I am considerably richer than YOW!' stealth brag. Wink
Rabbitheadlights · 04/07/2021 20:15

@stormBaby for 2 weeks shopping for 9 of you, you "couldn't" spend £219? ...... Aye alright then flower ...Hmm

OP posts:
BrownEyedGirl80 · 04/07/2021 20:16

I do Ocado for the stuff I'm picky about but the rest I get from lidl.I love their fresh baguettes,premium ham and plain crisps particularly

PixieKitten · 04/07/2021 20:16

You spent £219 in aldi? I must have read that wrong

If you did it would be about nine trolleys full of food

ToffeePennie · 04/07/2021 20:16

@gamerchick

People buy supermarket burgers?
I have no idea you could MAKE them. And no idea how to. Supermarket “best” ranges are always perfectly fine though.
FlaminEckVera · 04/07/2021 20:18

@gamerchick

know this is goady post.. *But I never got that too🙈 It takes couple of min to make them and with less preservatives and that and that. Same price, probably actually less in the end. But each to their own. Not judging*

Nope, it was the only thing worth mentioning. It definitely doesn't take long to make your own. Plus you can add some tasty shit to them to boot.

I expect supermarket burgers to be padded out with stuff you wouldn't put in yourself.

Posting 'people buy supermarket burgers???' Shock faux horror is basically saying 'are people so thick and useless that they can't make their own? I DO, because I am clever and a better person than those who buy filthy supermarket burgers.'

Some people can't, some people can but can't be arsed.

Your post is hugely judgy and you are a food snob. Looking down your nose at people who don't cook from scratch.

Don't come over all innocent like 'oooh but it's SO much easier to make your own....' You were being judgy and snobby: fact.

omgthepain · 04/07/2021 20:18

I totally agree the fresh stuff isn't great but ok for tins, frozen and cupboard items but I never buy bread, fruit or veg or meat I find it impossible I do a weeks shop there to be honest

CocoStar555 · 04/07/2021 20:19

A little thought experiment:

Imagine if there was no such supermarket as Aldi or Lidl. How much would a cucumber cost in 2021 in one of the big five supermarkets?

80p? £1.20? £1.50?

Yet they're all now price matching Aldi! So even if you don't shop at Aldi or Lidl, these supermarkets are still saving you money.

EveningOverRooftops · 04/07/2021 20:19

Lidl’s waste not boxes are fab. Especially if you have pets that require daily greens.

I pick one of those up 1-2times a week and the guinea pigs get the stuff they like and we eat the rest.

Guinea pig has feasted in mixed lettuce, celery and apples this week and we’ve enjoyed mangoes, new potatoes and aubergine & courgettes all for £1.50 a box.

Obviously you need to eat it pretty quickly but it’s saved me a small fortune in feeding hungry teen and guinea pigs.

My standard lidl shop (I use most supermarkets it just depends where I am and what I need) is pretty basic but comes to around £40 just for food for the week. Some fruit and veg is going off faster now than it used to be and I believe this to be a covid & brexit issue more than a poor quality supermarket as I’ve had the same with the other big supermarkets with items just not lasting.

Rabbitheadlights · 04/07/2021 20:19

@FlaminEckVera Nearly £400 on food shopping in Aldi? WTF? confused

No ... 219 on food shopping in Aldi, 150 to replace the crap stuff elsewhere.

OP posts:
gamerchick · 04/07/2021 20:20

Man, people are touchy about their supermarket burgers. Nom away if that's what floats your boats

Your post is hugely judgy and you are a food snob. Looking down your nose at people who don't cook from scratch

I shop at aldi though. Grin

comebacksunshines · 04/07/2021 20:20

I see more threads about Aldi along these lines than I do posters singing it's praises. LIDL and other supermarkets don't seem to generate these kind of threads. Wonder why that is.
Also, odd to decide to do a big shop (£219) there after your bad experiences with popping in for bread , which is always mouldy. I wouldn't make a big purchase from a business, if I had received poor quality before.

MouldyPotato · 04/07/2021 20:20

@gamerchick

People buy supermarket burgers?
Of course they do otherwise supermarkets wouldn't sell them. They are usually with the mince.
Mammyloveswine · 04/07/2021 20:21

What the hell did you buy for £219?!!! I spend around £90 a week in Aldi for a family for 4 including nappies and wipes!

AbsolutelyPatsy · 04/07/2021 20:21

£219?
and then a plan to spend £150

you are barmy and/or rich/more money than sense.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 04/07/2021 20:22

@FlaminEckVera touched the nerve or something? Food snob. K

Rabbitheadlights · 04/07/2021 20:23

@comebacksunshines I had nipped in previously for bread etc, and all had been well. It was when I went for the "big" shop it went mouldy.

OP posts:
OhRene · 04/07/2021 20:23

It's the same for us. Fruit and veg didn't last past a day or two, we couldn't find certain things we needed and some of the substitutes for items in my Tesco shop were, quite frankly, disgusting. I almost broke a tooth on a bit of gristle/bone in my mince. Only a few items were an improvement on my usual shop but it cost almost the same as my normal shop and I still had to go elsewhere for items Aldi didn't sell.

I'll stick to my Tesco bargain shopping. If you're careful you can buy on offer items in bulk and save quite a lot.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 04/07/2021 20:23

I think Kaufland is better and I am still disappointed they are not here 😁

Rabbitheadlights · 04/07/2021 20:24

@AbsolutelyPatsy ... Are you sloshed dear? Or just not read the full thread?

OP posts:
TheVolturi · 04/07/2021 20:25

Did you have 2 trolleys?! The most I've managed to fit on one trolley is about £120 🤣
I do like Aldi, but I agree, the dates on stuff are terrible. I rummage through to get the longest date, but sometimes there are none with longer dates.
Popped in for a sandwich the other week and they were all dated the same day!

Anordinarymum · 04/07/2021 20:26

I sometimes pop in there because we need food for tea and (GIN) and I will have been to 'Pets at Home' within the same shopping complex.

I don't think I would purposely go there unless there was something I especially wanted (GIN).
I have bought things which look great and they have been dire and then again I have bought things and been pleasantly surprised (GIN)

Some things good and some things not so.

Their staff are extremely well paid. I wish they would keep the place clean where the fruit and veg are on display. I have seen rotting fruit underneath fresh fruit. It's lazy and bad shopkeeping

...but the GIn is awfully good.. for the price

Happymum12345 · 04/07/2021 20:27

The pastries and meat are very good in Lidl on the whole, although I’d buy the best I could afford in there from the Duluxe range.