Whats good in Aldi/Lidl?

[jumpyjan]

Finding it impossible to keep our shopping budget under control - currently spending £80 a week for me, DH and DD (16 months) - we have budgetted £50 per week.

Thought it might be a good idea to stock up on store cupboard items (or anything else thats cheap) from Aldi or Lidl but have never really shopped there so wondered if anyone could recommend whats good (or not so good!)

Well, the management is crap!

Most is fine. I'd go somewhere else for fresh stuff mainly cos they don't have much choice.

What are you buying? I have 3 kids and rabbit and have just done a weekly shop for the same amount as you, in Asda.

If you are stocking up on store cupboard stuff, the tinned goods are very reasonable (eg tomatoes). We've been happy pasta sauce also.

They do quite a good range of tuna meals (ie tuna with beans etc, that you can have a for a snack lunch).

Jucies are very good value, and they have a huge range. Their ground coffee is cheap, although a bit rough.

For perishable stuff, they usually have a great selection of continental meats and cheeses.

everything other than the fruit and veg is great - Lidl & Aldi foods regularly get the best rating in German consumer comparisons. Most of the groceries are produced by the big German quality manufacturers and then rebranded.
Not so keen on the greens, but it seems to depend on the store.

I think mostly its not being organised. We do a Monday morning tesco shop which lasts us till Thursday and spend about £35 - but then its extra bits and nicer meals at the weekend that push us over the budget.

We dont have a freezer at the moment so thought if we get one and a proper larder going we can have nights when we eat from them.

Thanks Science girl - that was what I was thinking of tinned veg, pasta etc. Is it really that much cheaper than say Tesco?

Tesco is quite cheap believe it or not. I don't think you're going to get things cheaper in aldi's than in tesco's as you'd have to go back to tesco's for other stuff which would just even it out again.

If I were you, I'd shop online so you dont get caught picking up stuff cos you're hungry. Also make a list of what you're going to have each night.

Eg: Monday - breakfast - cereal
lunch - sandwich (bread, marge, ham, salad)
dinner - bolognaise (mince, bolognaise sauce, pasta)

HTH

I think that Tesco value range or Sainsbury's basics may be cheaper, but I think Aldi/Lidl is probably better quality than these.

I only ever go if I am getting one of their non-food specials that they advertise every week. When I am there, I will stock up on everything else, but I wouldn't go for the food alone. The last time I went was last August, iirc.

long grain rice is good value in Lidl as is passata and juice. I don't rate the bread although crumpets, scotch pancakes and part baked bread is good. Some good deli type products too.

Pasta is cheapest at ASDA (value range)so I tend to stock up when I go there.

Lidl has some nice snack/treat type things.

Their multi pack of 26 packs of crisps is v good value under £2 and they are nicer than walkers.

Some lovely biscuits too

Nappies are good as is washing powder

wine

but agree that asda/tasco basics ranges are cheaper but you would get better quality stuff from Aldi as cheap as other own brand (but not value range) stuff.

A german friend of mine said Aldi have the most stringent quality control of all the food stores.

Ooh you have to buy some Crocante nut brittle stuff with belgian chocolate YUM!

dishwasher tablets very good value at £2.99. Better than sainsbury's own which always leave gritty puddles in upturned cup bottoms, and just as good as finish imo.

the fruit and veg is cheap, but has a very short shelf life so needs to be used quickly.

the scampi is very good, and my inlaws, who shop mostly in M&S go to aldi especially for the scampi.

meats and cheeses very good; great quality and cheap.

and of course, don't forget the face cream!!

Their cut flowers are also good value and long lasting.

and the thursday and sunday special offers can throw up some surprising bargains.....they were selling quite biggish roof boxes for £90 last week.

I go every now and again, but the choice is very limited and I get bored with it very quickly.

never been to lidl as there isn't one nearby.

Message withdrawn

i now do my weekly shop in aldi, although tend to buy my fruit and veg from the market as i too was spending way over my budget on food shopping. I have found the choice to be limited but it means i keep to the essentials and stops me overspending!!! sometimes i can come out with more in my trolley having only spent 40 quid. I lived in germany as a child and aldi is the equivelent of an asda or tesco over there!

Look for the German label stuff,
tends to be very good quality.

£80 a week for three (does that include non-food items, nappies etc?) is pretty good.

Lidl is fantastic - I do most of my shopping there now and for our family of 4 I reckon I save at least £20-£30 a week. The only thing I don't get there is fresh meat and some fruit - mostly because I think you get what you pay for with meat, and the range of fruit isn't always great. However everything else especially store cupboard type stuff is great (although the baked beans are evil!). The added fun factor is to see what random non food items they have in each week - one week it might be Motorbike Accessories, the next bathroom items - sometimes you can pick up some great bargains and we were very proud of our Lidl beach towels on holiday recently!

To avoid having to shop again mid week I always plan the menu for the whole week - so only milk and usually bananas (we get through a lot of those!) need to be picked up mid week.

HTH

Re Aldi

Pasta sauces are good store cupboard - check out www.saveamillionwithaldi.co.uk fror savings and you can register for their newsletter on the main site www.aldi.co.uk - that's how i get my real bargains.