Aldi Virgin

[ScandiCinnamon]

I am about to try Aldi for the first time. I really need to save on our monthly food bills and a lot of people seem to talk highly of Aldi. Normally I shop at Asda/Tesco/Farm Foods.

Anything I should think of when going there? Is there a money off voucher anywhere???

The mirror used to do a voucher book, which originally had a £5 off a £40 spend on the last Thursday of the month, but I'm not sure if they still do.

Shopping at aldi/lidl does take some getting used to, but when you do, you see the benefits.

For a newbie, I'd recommend trying the basics like the super 6 fruit and veg, meat, rice, pasta, milk, tinned tomatoes as these types of items are ones where the brand isn't always that important.

I always go with an open mind and if we buy something we don't like, we don't buy it again. Simples. Generally speaking, we've enjoyed most things and prefer some stuff to the named brands. The quality is good, so you don't feel like you are buying a basic range. They keep costs low through offering 1 type of baked beans rather than 5, not spending on fancy looking shops etc.

I recommend the fruit and veg and the meat is excellent. I also use their toiletries, love the face cream and hairspray. We shop there every week now and its always cheap.

And ehrm the wine??? Any good red or whites? OH likes his wine and I find this is something that pushes the weekly shop too high.

The Toro Loco red is awesome, it's won awards and is easily as good as some wines that are 10 times the price. The Toro Loco rose is pretty decent too. They are £3.79 a bottle

Lots of the wine is excellent and cheap so easy to test! I like the cheese, the olives and stuffed peppers type things in the chiller, and the cured meat.

I LOVE their espresso coffee beans. The olive oil is good. The washing powder and washing up liquid is fine.

The very best bit is that I can be in and out so quickly! Yes if I want something special I have to do a top up, but I CAN manage without if I am pushed for time.

Chocolate. Marbled. Brioche. That is all. You're welcome!

Thanks all!

I am actually quite excited about going there on Friday morning.

Have fun at the race against the checkout person.

Thank you!

I have my packing strategy planned

Aldi good buys for me are,
Bin bags,
Cheese, pate,
Dishcloths
Troncon ham
5% mince
Tinned tomatoes purée & pasatta
2 cod fillets in batter - oh likes giant sort.
Ds likes pizza bread things -69p OK for a snacking teen.
The toastie bread is made by hovis and only 50ish p.
Pinot grigio is nice as are bacon fries.
I don't buy the chops etc as got nice butcher local.

everything's good apart from the Bourbon biscuits, they are Hills not aldi and taste of nothing

If you buy some ikea blue bags and scoop everything into them you don't need to pack and it doesn't hold up the queue.

The shopping bits fine, it's the tills that can overwhelm a person

I do a mix of farm foods and aldi. You won't get cheaper than far foods if you have freezer space.

Thanks all.

I went yesterday (amongst every other soul doing there Friday shopping!) and was really impressed. OH tried one of the wines I bought and there were no complaints there either.

Gamerchick, I do have a bit of freezer space but it's not vast. I did buy some of the frozen fish, which actually was cheaper than Farm Foods I think.