To think that Aldi isn’t the answer to everything?

[ShirleyPhallus]

On pretty much every thread here to do with food and drink within about 2 posts someone pops up with “I get mine from Aldi and it’s amazing”. On literally every thread like this it’s praised like it’s the best thing ever. See also Lidl.

Anyway, I went to an Aldi this week on the back of all the MN love and it’s just a cheap supermarket. Not the answer to my prayers. Am I missing something? Am I being unreasonable? (Answer is no fyi)

@Exhausteddog

I can't do a full shop in Aldi but if I do go for a main shop (and then a small top up shop), I spend a lot less. I don't think anything is amazing, neither is it significantly worse than tesco for example.

This is the case for me too. The food etc is okay but not much choice. I really enjoy a rake in the special offers aisles though 😂

Lidl all the way here. Fantastic for almost everything.

I get a few bits in Asda once a month… Quaker Oats, almond milk, harissa paste, broth mix.

@Peaseblossum22

I'm not a fan either , whenever I go I come out with a bar of chocolate and some jam and thats about it except maybe something random from the middle aisle. I honestly don't know how people manage to do a whole shop there or do you just adjust your menus to what they have in stock?

What have you not been able to find at Aldi?

Yanbu. I dont get the idolisation of Aldi either. Its just a cheap supermarket and I still haven't forgiven them for overcharging me

I prefer to be anti social and scan my own in Tesco, I can stick to a budget that way too as I know my total before I get to the til.

I think the quality and range of stock on offer might differ depending on how much competition they have in the area and what the area is like. Our local Aldi and the one in the next neighbourhood are far nicer and sell a much broader and better range (especially meat, cheese, pre-prepared meals and wine) than the two in objectively less nice and affluent areas slightly further away. Our ones are competing with a giant Sainsbury’s and a Waitrose which I presume pushes them to up their game.

I’m a massive Aldi fan - until we moved near this one I’d pretty much never bought a product which wasn’t a named brand, now I buy a huge range of Aldi equivalents.

I live between a Waitrose and an Aldi, tend to do about 50/50.

I do that too. There's an Aldi opposite the Waitrose here so I go to Waitrose then cross the road to Aldi, stock up there then finish at Home Bargains which is next to Aldi.

I lead such an exciting life I know, but it is useful having them so close together.

it’s just a cheap supermarket

Bingo, it’s a cheap supermarket. If you’re happy to pay more then shop elsewhere, if you want to save money the go to Aldi/Lidl. It’s provably cheaper. If you think the quality’s bad then pay more elsewhere.

It takes a bit of practice to trust their own brands and which version is best for you, and get the hang of it.

It’s honestly changed my life and budget. I was struggling to afford even a basic stuff shop. Now I can buy better ethical stuff, better equality and save money.

Oh yes they do differ from store to store.
I drive quite a distance to a better one over the crap local one. It’s newer, the staff are friendlier and they have better stock levels

Won’t hear a word against Aldi- no difference in their produce huge difference in the cost- given the rises in food and fuel I don’t know when anyone wouldn’t shop at Aldi if they had one near enough.

Haven't RTFT, so this may have been said already, but why is it always ALDI that is berated and slated on here? NEVER do I see Lidl, Iceland, Asda, Waitrose, Co-op, or any other store bashed like this. It's ALWAYS ALDI.

I think there are some bitter and angry people on here, who HATE it that Aldi is immensely popular. These threads are most likely started by management from other (jealous) food supermarkets.

As IF some bitter, petty thread - bashing ALDI - is going to stop me - or anyone - from going there. Get a life @ShirleyPhallus

(And yeah you mentioned Lidl, but not in the title conveniently...)

I - like many others - shop there because most of the stock is 30 to 40% cheaper than that of many other supermarkets. AND the quality is just as good, and sometimes better. I do 80% of my food shop there. AND I buy stuff other than food from there too.

We alternate between Tesco and Lidl. If we go and mooch round Tesco can easily spend £100 on things we didn't know we needed. An online shop is easily £70 these days. On Lidl days it's more like £40 so a significant saving.

Never had a problem with their meat or veg. It's great for a basics shop, can stock up on cans, pasta, loo roll, cleaning products. They do a reasonable range of dairy free products now. Can get everything we need, just doesn't have the frills of a Tesco. Though the middle aisles are good for a browse.

Genuinely do T think it’s cheaper or better than the basics range at any supermarket. You save money due to a limited range of products. Less temptation to go for the more expensive version or add all those extra things in.

I think it all depends on what you like to cook. The Aldi near me is walking distance and is great for fresh fruit and vegetables, had a good range of organic meat, and their sliced bread (the seeded loaf) is good for sandwiches. Their blue eggs are also very tasty and good value. If I want more convenience food then I use Waitrose or Marks and Spencer. I tend to get an online delivery for more exotic cupboard staples from Waitrose, then top up with fresh fruit, vegetables, etc. from Aldi. Their wine is very good value too, I particularly like the Albariño. I think it definitely depends on the location, ours is well stocked and I know where everything is so I can be in and out in 10mins. I hope they bring back their wagyu burgers for bbq weather, they were brilliant!

I tried a few times to shop in Aldi and hated it.
Their bread, fruit & veg went mouldy super quick and I couldn’t get everything I wanted.

I prefer Morrisons.

@Fritilleries I don't know about Aldi but here's the list on my phone of things I've gone to Lidl for and found they don't sell:
Lightbulbs
No added sugar ketchup
Wholemeal wraps
Potato cakes
Raisin wheats
Loose onions
Dried pulses other than red lentils
Tofu
Big bottles of Ribena

Their range of herbs & spices is quite limited as well.

I’m going to get a roasting from most people here as I prefer Sainsbury’s, Waitrose or M and S. Now my children are grown up and return only for visits it is just myself and DH in the house most of the time. I generally take my elderly mother to Waitrose on a Friday and.we both like the quality and freshness of their products. I am wheat free and have goat’s milk and butter and the cheapest supermarkets do not cater for these needs. The ready sliced gluten free Tiger loaf that Waitrose does is delicious. I also like Morrison’s as there is one near me and I can do that main shop there or, more usually, supplement my other shopping,

They don't stock a lot of the ingredients I use like good quality oyster sauce , coconut cream , wide range of herbs and spices. Their fruit and veg goes off very quickly so a food shop from there doesn't last me the week I meal plan Monday - Friday which is a pain in the bum when I have to go shopping again. False economy for me.

I like Aldi, I like their food but I also shop in Sainsburys and to be honest I don't actually save much money. I find it pretty similar. When they first came out I did but I think the prices have gone up. Maybe I'm just good at hunting down the bargains though. Dunno.

I’ve never bought any food in Aldi, but it does have some very good wines.

The use by dates aren't great in my local one either which annoys me a bit.

I hate Aldi, everything is rubbish I have never had an issue with Lidl and the fresh veg and fruit is the best out of all of them

I don't like Aldi. I can never do a full shop in the one in my town. I also don't like the smell of Aldi! I've stopped using Aldi at all now, after getting fed up with fruit and veg not lasting even a few days.

I prefer Lidl, but also struggle to get some ingredients there. I love the Lidl bakery.

[quote PattyPan]@Fritilleries I don't know about Aldi but here's the list on my phone of things I've gone to Lidl for and found they don't sell:
Lightbulbs
No added sugar ketchup
Wholemeal wraps
Potato cakes
Raisin wheats
Loose onions
Dried pulses other than red lentils
Tofu
Big bottles of Ribena

Their range of herbs & spices is quite limited as well.[/quote]
You can get five items on the list at Aldi. Ive never done a shop at just one place for everything. Eg i buy meat from local Booths as I dread to imagine the quality of Tesco for example. I buy veg and everything else at Aldi with the occasional cordial or snacks from sainsbury's.

Aldi is OK for some stuff. Fruit and veg at our local one is as good as Tescos. Stuff like olives/cheese/ham comparable to M and S. Biscuits half the price as brands, some good bread products, and pizzas etc. But freezer stuff not amazing, some of the meat is OK such as the organic chicken or half legs of lamb. But I can't get half of what I do need from there. So end up traipsing around. I find morrisons the best of the big supermarkets or M and S if its just a food shop I want.