Aldi and Lidl

[Anita818]

Hi, I’ve recently started shopping at Aldi and Lidl and wondered if there are any products that I should avoid? Are really good?
I appreciate that everyone’s likes are dislikes are different but a starting point would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance

Avoid Aldi's ever fruit, barely lasts the day. Marinated meat especially pork chops are delicious from Aldi's, pizzas are lovely, Aldi's do delicious peri salt and caramel slices. Ever if we don't do a weekly food shop we'll always pick up them things x

*everyday saver fruit

Aldi To Avoid
~ fresh bagged spinach - goes off well before use by date - even when unopened.
~ generally the fruit & veg doesn't last that well
~ Earl Grey teabags - not very perfumed
~ smoked mackerel - lots of bones
~ reduced fat creme fraiche

Aldi to Try
~ sliced sour dough - half loaf (ideal as we rarely finish a full one
~ cleaning products
~ tinned pulses/beans/passatta
~ fresh pasta
~ Skyr yogurts
~ sourdough pizza (fresh)
~ specialty cheeses - the crunchy cheddar is fab!
~ melton mobray pies
~ free range eggs

Only just started trying Lidl so the jury is still out, but so far the stock seems a lot less consistent.

I only use Aldi. I don't buy their f&v as it doesn't last - but I do buy aubergines when I'll use them quickly as they are much cheaper.

I get all household cleaning & laundry products - much cheaper than other shops. Also foil & clingfilm. They have Jo Malone copies of room scents @ very good prices.

I've tried some of their beauty products, but I'm not impressed.

I find their fresh meat & fish is good quality & price, but a very limited range. They do specials - I love their ostrich steaks.

Thank you

I don't like Aldi's fruit and veg either. It goes off really quickly

th fruit that i find ok is the melons,grapes,bananas.
frozen puff pastry parcels are great.
pasta is 20p for the cheapest stuff and is fab.
rice is fine.and other dried pasta/grains.
salad cream is a must have.its 59p instead of 2.00 from the other places.
mustard and jars good.
flour sugar etc great.
branflakes and most cereals good.
if you get basics in any other other shops they are fine in aldi
crumpets scotch panckes really nice.
their cook and stir fry kits meals are awesome.chicken tika,stiry fry etc really easy,and tasty.
sqaush fine

could you say what type of things you buy then we could say more

There was a programme about one of them the other night. I was only half watching but they did lots of blind taste tests. Might be worth tracking it down on catchup.

I honestly can't fault them. I love all of their fruit, veg and everything else. Their meats are fantastic quality in my experience. I never go anywhere except for Aldi (only go Lidl every now and then). And One thing I will say as well is that I've never had any problems with Aldi or Lidl fruit and veg. They last me for a long time and never go rotten or off.

I echo PP on Aldi fruit and veg - I find it is great and lasts for ages!

Their jars of peppers, artichokes and sundried tomatoes are fab. So are the part baked soda bread

Another one why doesn't have any bother with the Aldi fruit and veg. I try to keep it in the fridge though.
Aldi frozen flatbread pizza is lovely - especially the chicken and Mango. The Wagyu burgers are nice when they've got them in. I also like the creamy yoghurts (the cheap ones) and the plain full fat Greek yoghurt is DD's favourite. Much of the wine is nice - the Argentinian Malbec from the exquisite selection is nice, and they have a nice Marlborough Sauv blanc.

Ooh, and the caramel shortbread is lovely, as are the fruit and oat cookies.

(My eating habits aren't as unhealthy as they look - honest! )

Lidl is good for large bags of nuts. We eat a lot of nuts. I also find the vegetables OK although I do keep them in the fridge. They do tend to be plastic wrapped though which I try to avoid now.

They have good lamb- frozen lamb shanks, minted lamb shoulder steaks, diced lamb chunks. All have been much better than the similar product from Asda/Tesco.

Their yogurts and desserts are excellent. I'm particularly keen on the (horrendously unhealthy) individual belgian chocolate mousse.

Baby stuff - nappies, wipes, rice cakes, baby food etc. Easily as good as leading brands and SO much cheaper.

God, yes, both Lidl and Aldi nappies are brilliant. Better, imo, than the 'premium brand'. Wipes are great too.

Thank you so much everyone for your help

In Aldi I buy battered chunky cod fillets (nicest fish I've tried out of all supermarkets), seed batch bread, brioche, scotch pancakes, washing liquid, teabags, alcohol. Definitely avoid fruit and veg unless you are using it quickly.

I also agree with PPs that Aldi's fruit don't go off for me. I buy a shed load to last a whole week - three big bunches of bananas, some very green which I put in fridge and take out when needed. Their twin pack mangoes are the best I've ever eaten.

I think I'm the only one that rarely has a problem with Aldi's fruit and veg! I buy for a full week and rarely have anything turn before them, in terms of fruit I always buy the pink lady apples, bananas, pears and usually strawberries (although I'll stop buying strawberries soon) and never have an issue. The only issue I ever have is the odd pepper that's mouldy inside but I tend to buy their saver peppers anyway.

I avoid Aldi's instant coffee, I think they all taste like gravy and I'm fussy about mayo so don't really like theirs, I only buy heinz.

I prefer their sauces to anywhere else other than mayo though, so I prefer their ketchup, brown sauce, bbq sauce, always aldi for me, I rarely shop anywhere else.

Aldi - recommend:

whole frozen sea bass or sea bream

Frozen fish is way fresher than fresh fish! These are gutted and perfect for stuffing with herbs etc. Usually around £3.

Honey soaked bloomer

Lacuna sun spray (just like Nivea) and shower wash (just like Lynx)

Jive (small Twix bars)

Kids don't like Nutoka though (Nutella rip off).

Herbs are patchy - seemingly cheap coriander for example is more stem and less leaf

Highly recommend the following Aldi wines:

Toro Loco - Sauv Blanc
Lyme Block
Sparking Organic Grillo
Rias Baixas Albariño

All recommended by the Times and quaffed by me all summer

I think Aldi's cheeses and deli meats are 1000x better than Lidl and I only buy basic cheddar at Lidl now. But agree with other posters that Lidls fresh fruit and veg are better. I also find their meat better. And they do free range chicken which I like. Aldi has a better selection of reasonably priced, very drinkable wine, but you can get good ones at Lidl too.

Both do good organic peanut butter without added sugar.

I don't shop at Aldi as much because of the fruit and veg issue so these are the other things that we like at lidl:

Lidl's cereals are excellent and a fraction of the price of supermarkets. I think at least 1/4 of my savings each week are from the cereal aisle! .

Pre-cooked ribs
Smoked salmon
Frozen berries
Yoghurts
cleaning products and compostable bags
Basics like pasta, beans etc
Vegetable crisps
Olive oil

Their herbs and spices aren't as good as the stuff from the bigger supermarkets. Don't know why. They always just seem a little off.

Aldi - I think quality of fruit and veg varies by store. I've had no issues with it lasting from my local store, but o went to another store when passing through a nearby town and the F&V didn't even look like they'd last a day.
I think most things have been mentioned we buy regularly, sorry if I've not seen mentioned Chorizo, marscapone, Prosecco

Aldi Etna pizza-in the frozen aisle, got nduja sausage on it and it’s delish.

The Albariño is lovely as is the organic Prosecco/wine
The stir fry kits are good and I love the steaks.
They also do an amazing chipotle mayo but it comes and goes, not always available.

Their power force cleaning stuff is incredible better than a lot of branded cleaning products

The jarred roast pepper sauce is nice if you ever need anything quick like that
Sundried tomato’s and nuts are cheap as chips there too.
Their own brand veggie burgers are nice
They do a couple of canned beers that are fairly obvious beavertown rip offs but are nice