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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To find Aldi / Lild fruit a bit shit?

33 replies

bigbish · 15/10/2023 13:50

Anyone else have this problem?
I have 4 Aldi / lidl around me within good distance and I alternate between them as they're varying in store sizes but I find their fruit (and sometimes veg) shite!

Strawberries i bought home last week, decanted them to wash and put in fruit pots for the week and they were mouldy (2 large punnets) and had to Chuck them all away. Same with their raspberries and their grapes were soft and avocados brown / crunchy to press down on the skin.

Their veg is okay. Carrots a touch sweaty but onions / cabbage / muchrooms are all fine. I find their fresh herbs a bit shit too.

Today I went to a large Asian supermarket nearby for the first time and my goodness their fruit is incredible! Same prices as probably Tesco but the quality is amazing. Massive dark fruit dragon fruits, grapes were lots per weight / value, bought so many fruits that we can't get in our supermarkets. Pakistani mangoes, aloe Vera, so much more.

Will be getting all fruit and veg from there now.

Does anyone else think aldi / Lidl fruit totally shite or AIBU?

OP posts:
Normalsizedsalad · 15/10/2023 13:57

Apparently it's local issues but yeah. I found them false economy with how much went bad VERY quickly.
Hence why we shopped in international supermarkets! (well also because being immigrants we missed some, even what ee consider basics, in standard shops)

Tbf buying berries in October is always risky....

Greenpolkadot · 15/10/2023 13:57

I never get fruit from Aldi. Veg is usually ok tho

Magnalux · 15/10/2023 13:58

I gave up buying fresh produce from them years ago, I still buy loads including oils, dairy, cereals, dishwasher tabs etc..but no fresh fruit veg or meat. Too many bad experiences!

Sausagenbacon · 15/10/2023 13:59

Absolutely agree

megletthesecond · 15/10/2023 14:00

Yanbu. After learning many lessons I will only buy cupboard or household items from them. And the frozen waffles.

Iknowthis1 · 15/10/2023 14:02

Aldi in Ireland are fantastic for fruit and veg. Their fruit, in particular, lasts longer than from any of the other supermarkets.

Dulra · 15/10/2023 14:03

Maybe depends where you are I'm in Ireland and buy apples, oranges and blueberries each week from my local Aldi and never had a problem

Original poster
bigbish · 15/10/2023 14:03

I'm glad I'm not the only one.
I worked out that I throw away over £14 worth of fruit!

It was completely inedible. I couldn't even shove it in a smoothie and hope for the best. I've taken pictures and have the receipt so unsure if I will get a refund but the car went in for a service and I didn't have it for 2 days so didn't want mouldy fruit attracting flies in my kitchen or mould in my fridge Sad

I do highly recommend trying an Asian supermarket near you if you have one. I've been twice now and their fruit is so lovely (and ginormous too) so many fruits to try.

I was tempted to pick up a durian but I chickened out. Has anyone tried one??

OP posts:
DyslexicPoster · 15/10/2023 14:03

Their fresh stuff doesn't last. Loads will disagree with this but I'd not risk eating their fresh meat after 3 days. Cucumbers are always half the size. That's why it's cheaper.

Needmorelego · 15/10/2023 14:05

I don't have any problems with them. Surely you would have been able to see the strawberries were mouldy before you bought them. If it was just a couple that you couldn't see you didn't need to chuck the whole lot.

Toddlerteaplease · 15/10/2023 14:05

Alll fruit is awful at the minute.Doesn't seem to matter where it is from.

Original poster
bigbish · 15/10/2023 14:05

Interesting to see it's good in Ireland!

OP posts:
Original poster
bigbish · 15/10/2023 14:06

Needmorelego · 15/10/2023 14:05

I don't have any problems with them. Surely you would have been able to see the strawberries were mouldy before you bought them. If it was just a couple that you couldn't see you didn't need to chuck the whole lot.

I normally rush around the shops as I have a toddler in tow. I opened them and maybe 3 or 4 strawberries were okay(ish)

The they weren't all mouldy but they were mushy.

OP posts:
kitsuneghost · 15/10/2023 14:08

If find it goes in cycles with all supermarkets s bit
You have a period where aldi is best, a period where tesco is best, a period where sainsburys is best etc...

Needmorelego · 15/10/2023 14:09

@bigbish perhaps the answer is not to rush and check what you are buying first.
Seriously... I shop in about 10 different branches of Aldi/Lidl and it's always fine to me.

Normalsizedsalad · 15/10/2023 14:19

Secret of no rushing is needed no more. Once you get used to international shops, you are stuck😂
Smell what you want , pick which bits you want and so on. Bliss.
They also have best watermelons in summer so I am surprised you've never been OP! 😁

dontbenastyhaveapasty · 15/10/2023 14:21

We have a Lidl and M&S food across the road from each other.

I buy all our fresh fruit and veg from M&S - quality is reliably top notch. It’s super tasty as well as not being on the point of going off - shelf life is not the only thing they matters, food is supposed to taste good! I find Lidl fresh fruit and veg tasteless and very low quality.

Also, as long as you buy seasonally, M&S fresh veg is cheaper than the discounters.

MissMarplesNiece · 15/10/2023 14:25

I buy lots of fruit from Aldi and never have a problem with it.

YouJustDoYou · 15/10/2023 14:26

I think it depends on the Aldi, where I used to live it was SHITE - mouldy fruit and veg, crap quality. At my new one it's always been fab.

catin8oots · 15/10/2023 14:27

Veg is okay. Fruit is shit. I go to Sainsbos for fruit

SummerSazz · 15/10/2023 14:29

My local Lidl is fine. Raspberries from there last a week whereas Sainsbury's is often only 3 days. Veg all good too. I do select carefully though

femfemlicious · 15/10/2023 14:32

Got some apples from lidl yesterday and they were really yummy. 99p fir 6. I'm going back to buy 3 packs tomorrow. My daughter eats about 3 apples a day😅

Warum · 15/10/2023 14:33

The fresh fruit and veg in our Lidl is comparable to Tesco/Coop, which are our only other supermarket alternatives - tbh any supermarket fruit can be dodgy, and so much fruit nowadays is 'forced' or travels for miles, that quality is often questionable.

TheFairyCaravan · 15/10/2023 14:34

I buy fruit and veg from Aldi most weeks. I don’t have a problem with it. The same goes for their meat. It’s no different to any other supermarket imo

rwalker · 15/10/2023 14:39

I work all over the north from workington to Manchester
in a Monday normally by fruit to last the week for snacks and lunch apples ,bananas ,grapes
alfis last a couple of days