To say you're all wrong about Aldi?

[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.

I switched to Aldi recently when Ocado jumped to M&S. Maybe I have got a good local shop but fruit and veg lasts a week and I tend to buy 95% of stuff there and have not noticed much difference. I buy a lot of the specially selected stuff and have still reduced my food bill by 40% ish.

I've currently got green beans in my fridge, from M&S, they're covered in brown spots and limp after three days.

@coulditbecominghome

What supermarket rivals Lidl's pain au chocolat? I think they are better than Gails.

the whole bakery is amazing - the croissants, danish pastries, those little custard tarts the pesto pizzas with goats cheese - all amazing. Saturday treat for us is a pain au chocolat and chilled coffee.

@FlaminEckVera.
Yep. You always get posters letting us know how much they prefer LIDL, which makes me wonder if these threads are coming from some LIDL stooges.
Other budget end super markets don't regularly get their own threads.

@schrodingersimmigrant

😂 is this what they are making the grads do?

It would appear so

[quote comebacksunshines]@FlaminEckVera.
Yep. You always get posters letting us know how much they prefer LIDL, which makes me wonder if these threads are coming from some LIDL stooges.
Other budget end super markets don't regularly get their own threads.[/quote]
Meh.
Kaufland rules. Y'all don't know what you are missing😂

@Babyroobs yes, it's dangerous. I'm lucky or unlucky that I don't have one too close.

Oh yes - Lidl’s Portuguese custard tarts are absolutely amazing

My mum likes lidl sports clothing. They don't have aldi so can't compare

A good bakery doesn't make a good supermarket. Lidl and Aldi are mostly utter crap.

That's debatable!

Anyone tried that new russian one?

New Russian what?

Honestly, do people really get this passionate in their support of a flipping supermarket?!

I forgot, their frozen fish and chicken things are pretty good too.

@Rabbitheadlights

New Russian what?

Mere (just googled it and I could swear there was german chain mere, but ok). Apparently new russian brand here. Or maybe they haven't opened yet🤔

I totally agree. The odd thing is okay, but the quality of food just does not match Sainsbury’s or even Tesco/Asda. I’d much rather pay the extra and have the quality.

I now drive past one on the way home so shop there more. Wine, moser Roth chocolate, milk, cereal is all good. Meat seems pretty similar to Tesco but goes off faster. I avoid soft fruit berries etc as always seems smooshie and on the turn. Bread always seems about to go off too. Generally good though and cheaper than Tesco any saving are cancelled out by impulse buys from the aisle of crap though.

Meat, vegetables and chocolate are very good at Aldi. Haven't tried other things

@Dancingonmoonlight

Do people not realise that Aldi's "copied" products are made by the same manufacturer as the branded product? That's how the industry works. Yet they perceive lower quality?

I don't think this is how it works actually. The branded product often has a higher percentage of fruit or veg and less filler than the 'own' brand product.

I take your point, but the slight difference in ingredients or composition usually has a negligible impact on the product (for Aldi products anyway). With other supermarkets the focus is certainly on cost cutting, and thus having more filler, however this is not something I've noticed with Aldi own brand products (but then they're not directly competing with their branded equivalents inside their own stores).

I alternate 1 week do Aldi get what I can and that looks ok then across rd to Sainsbury’s for rest of my shop
Next week do Lidl then Tesco
Sometimes I also buy a few bits at Waitrose, Booths or M n S if I’m nearby
I’ve worked out what is acceptable from each of the Aldi/Lidl chain - then look at quality n freshness of fruit veg salad etc ev we go through a lot of mushrooms - some weeks the budget mushrooms look ok n like they’ll last up to a week - other occasions I turn them down and buy elsewhere

but the slight difference in ingredients or composition

It is by no means a slight difference.

One exception, however, is Lidl yoghurt which has a higher percentage of fruit than one of the best selling branded yoghurts.
Disclaimer - This used to be the case with the yoghurt. Lidl may have reduced the quantity of fruit now.

I've never found one shop that suits for everything for a big shop, so tend to do two medium shops (usually one online and one in-person).

I try to keep an idea of what's good where. Our local Aldi tends to be okay for a medium shop - mainly breakfast stuff, chilled things, they have some bits we can't get elsewhere - but yeah, it's difficult to do a full shop there.

I love aldi! I used to shop in Sainsbury's but the meat in Aldi is so much better. I bulk buy and split the meat into portions and freeze them. The cereals are great and so are the yoghurts, butter, staples for the fridge and cupboard like pasta, potatoes, soup, tinned tomatoes, tinned mixed beans to go in chilli etc.

The only thing I am a bit of a stickler for is branded cleaning products, Heinz beans, lenor fabric conditioner, Ariel washing pods, fairy platinum dishwasher tabs and deodorants/shower gels/shampoo and conditioner but it's saved me loads of money.

I love Aldi because of the price and the middle aisle full of random things I didn’t know I needed but totally do. In my town there’s an Aldi or two of the pricier supermarkets so it’s a massive saving to shop there. I don’t eat meat, which helps and buy fairly basic things there then top up elsewhere. I.e. I won’t tolerate their crackers, but there’s no difference in their crisps, cheese, baby wipes etc.
I agree about the nappies as I found they leaked a lot, so I buy those elsewhere but still a cheap supermarket brand.

I honestly don’t know how you spent £219 though, as I have filled a trolley to bursting and never spent more than £117 and that included a lot of Easter eggs and other extra treats that weren’t food.

Meh.
Kaufland rules. Y'all don't know what you are missing😂
I shop in Aldi and other supermarkets, just weird how the other main supermarkets don't seem to generate so much debate. Only time I see people singing Aldi's praises on MN is when they are defending it on threads like these.

Only time I see people singing Aldi's praises on MN is when they are defending it on threads like these

And conversely, some people on MN seem to have a visceral hatred of Aldi and Lidl.