Aldi tips

[Char22thom]

I'm excited because there is a brand new Aldi opening less than a mile from me and it looks HUGE, am going on Saturday and I'm wanting to swap my monthly shop from Asda/tesco to Aldi but DH is worried about quality, can you lovely mumsnetters give me your good Aldi swaps? TIA x

my DD is dairy and soya free and to be honest we get her bits at Waitrose (son works there so we have 15% off!) - Oatly milk drink, flora dairy free etc, but dairy free chocolate from Sainsburys, Co-op or Holland and Barrett......

I love Aldi. The only thing I bought that I didn't like were some artisan crackers. They were the grain free kind. I'm in the states. I've purchased some of their bakeware and glass containers for leftovers with the flip top lids and they are good quality.

For the poster who said you don't like their runny yogurt, runny yogurt is good for making overnight oats with. It helps to cook the pats rather than thick yogurt.

Has anyone tried the fake 'anchor' spread. Valley I think it's called? If so, what's it like?

The cotton face pads are really good - and the cottage cheese is nice too

I am a regular Aldi shopper (with top ups at Sainsbury's/Tesco for brands) and agree with PP that you should just do your full shop there as most things are fine. They don't have so much that is "delicious" but a whole lot of stuff that is completely fine and cheap. You'll work out quickly enough what you miss having a branded version of.

I tend to avoid their budget ranges personally and stick with standard or premium ranges.

I switched to aldi and lidl years ago. I reckon I save £30 a week on shopping. I love their curry sauces, especially the rogan Josh and the balti, I like the separate spices that come with it in a little plastic container on the top.

The Lighter than Light mayo is wonderful. Just like the cheap stuff you got on post club chips in the 90's! We get on with most things apart from coffee.

Aldi hits with us..

Cleaning wipes (59p!)
Dishwasher tablets
Washing powder
Groovy biscuits
Crisps
Mouthwash
Shower gel
Hand soap (fake Molten brown rhurbarb and rose is really lovely!)
Shaving gel
Nappies
Wipes
Ready to eat chilli salmon fillets
Spread
Ready grated cheese
Dried mango pieces
Baked beans
Tinned tomatoes
Sanitary towels & pant liners

Don't like..

Smoked salmon
Sliced white bread
Hummus
Fruit & veg (unless you eat it on the day you buy it, even then it's a bit hit or miss)
Chocolate (tastes cheap, but often not actually cheaper than buying the brands elsewhere when on offer)
Toilet roll
Chicken dippers
Fish fingers
Smoked salmon (tasteless and horrible texture)
Diet cola

Someone mentioned the oven chips weren't so nice - I've had a coup!e of bags of their homestyle chips (in a green bag I think) and they are lovely.

Do they take credit card or do you have to go armed with cash? Remember going to Lidl a few years back and got stuck as didn't have much cash. We've got a new Aldi opening nearby soon and I've been put off trying it in case I have the same problem there.

The my ALDI definitely takes cards. I'd be surprised to find one that didn't nowadays.

The new aldi near me has taken a few weeks to completely stock everything so the gluten free stuff might come along soon.

I love it and rarely have to shop anywhere else.

OMG, I LOVE Aldi. Ours opened around 18 months ago and it has seriously changed my life. I fill 6 huge, heavy bags each week and it is always under £100. Most of the stuff is interchangeable for the branded stuff. The fruit and veg is good quality. We love their chickens, everyone always comments how tasty and soft it is once roasted.
I buy their muller light copy yogurts - delicious
Also good is their range of frozen berries for my morning smoothies.
And they do fabulous frozen uncooked pain au chocolat for next to nothing. They are stuffed with chocolate.
I use their washing up liquid, which I think is weaker than fairy, but it does the job.

The loo rolls are good value.
I like their porridge oats, I don't have the same problem with them as a PP has said.
In fact, so much of it is good that I could go on for as long as my shopping list.
Like others I do a full shop there every week and go to other supermarkets for things I cannot get in Aldi (like Worcs sauce, annoyingly).

Everything!
My fave Aldi items are the faux Pom bears crisps and the soft fruit. Everywhere else raspberries are 2 quid a pint they are about 1.60 in Aldi.

We shop in Aldi every week. 2 adults and 2 teenage boys. Tend to spend about £60-70 a week and then spend another £10 in Morrisons.

All the cereal is fine, jams are too. Beans, soup, chopped tomatoes all fine. Yougurts, butter and cheese. Pizza at 89p are great. Rarely have a problem with the fruit and veg.

Only things we don't buy are red and brown sauces, prefer Heinz. Coffee, prefer Nescafé.

Saying that though my OH and were saying that we think prices have gone up though. Work colleagues have said the same. Still cheapest supermarket though

I really like Aldi, most stuff is great but I still have to do a small shop elsewhere depending on where we are with running out of branded stuff (e.g. Heinz ketchup).

Re the fruit and veg not lasting as long as other supermarkets - I believe it's because it's not full of preservatives. Quality not always great (looking at you, strawberries) but on the whole acceptable.

The only thing I'd say is definitely keep away from the middle aisles if you're on a budget. You will find loads of stuff you didn't know you needed. I went in for a bottle of wine yesterday and came out having spent £26 - basket included a car organiser, weed control fabric and Austins summer punch. I had to drag myself away from the telescopic tree lopper

I think the best way to save loads with aldi is to work around what they've got, so go in and see what meals you can make depending on what they've got in at that time, rather than running back to waitrose because you couldn't find one or two things you want.