Any Lidl shoppers around? What do you buy from there and what do you avoid?!

[Misspiggy]

A new Lidl store recently opened in the village so I had a nose around today. I've never shopped in there before and couldn't believe some of the prices,especially as we are on a major economy drive for the New Year (how un-original!)Any tips? TIA

Custard filled brioches....just how scrummy do they sound?! Think you're right though Missd, I've checked and checked again and I can't find them on the GI diet - bummer! I'll have to give them a wide berth when I'm in there tonight with my MN inspired shopping list.

missd? oh righgt, thought u were talking to me lol.

well i have been, got a fair bit for under 30pounds, but had to go to morrisons for yeast and milk.

few things are pennies cheaper in asda but i thnbk once i factor in the extra miles to asda it'll probably evens out.

Hi Misdee...I did think that was you but maybe with a new variation after your Xmas name change! I was reading your economising thread as well as we're also trying to cut down on what we spend on groceries each week (£100 + )How are you managing?

pretty good. last went shopping almost 2 weeks ago, and then went to lidls today. have got mroe than enough in to last a week.

That's great! I'm really going to have to stick to a strict budget if we want to have any chance of going on holiday this year so when Lidl opened nearby it was obviously meant to be I'm going to try and get the majority of stuff from there and just "top up" in Tesco and see what difference that makes moneywise.

I do my weekly shop there, with a "top up" fortnightly at Sainsbury's.

On my list are:
mini apple juice cartons (89p for 8)
mini multi-vit fruit juice cartons
fruit juice cartons
basmati rice
spaghetti/pasta
canned chopped tomatoes
canned tomatoes
baked beans
tomatoes on the vine
bananas
onions
avocadoes
shallots
garlic
pastrami/sranno ham/parma ham
dry cure premium back bacon
ready made curries
bran flakes
peanut butter
"Choclate jam" (as ds calls it - a Nutella substitute)
mini chocolate brioches (for ds)
batteries
fabric conditioner
general sweeties treats for ds
big multi pack of cheap crips (for treats for ds and dh )
bars of 74% chocolate (for cooking and me )
milk
cream
"Gold" spread
chicken thighs
Frozen chicken nuggets
Frozen chips
Frozen peas
frozen lamb chops
mozarella
parmesan
Any other cheese that looks interesting
sugar
Cava (norally £3.79 - currently £2.72, a real bargain)
Other wines occasionally

Plus I'll have a look at what they've got on specail offer.

I don't get all of that every week!

It has slashed my groceries bill since I started going there. I still go to Sainbury's/M&S for the luxuries (freshly squeezed OJ, croissant, large free range eggs, exotic herbs and spices, my washing and dishwashing powder)

Oh - and we got a big new TV (with two Scart sockets so that we can plug in both the DVD player and the freeview box) just before Christmas for, wait for it, £70! (I tell a lie - it was £69.99!)

Our old TV was giving up the ghost and although we want to get a flat screen one, couldn't justify the cost at the moment.

It's perfectly adequate and porbably now means it'll be years before we get a flat screen.

Dh did make sure to be there when they opened on the Thursday though!

PB - "mini apple juice cartons (89p for 8)"?? That's practically what you pay for 3 cartons in Tesco!

It might be for 6 - they are the wee ones that are great for snacks. They are great value and mean that we can always be comfortable when ds asks for a drink to tell him that he can go an get an apple juice carton.

The bacon is the best!

I've been to Aldi today and got more than I'd usually get from Tesco for half the price! Ok, I think with Lidl and Aldi you can pick up some rubbish that makes you barf but one the whole I think most of their stuff is great.

The Lidl Korma sauce is fab by the way!

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They say 100% chicken breast. They're not "pretty" nuggets - some are big, some are small and they are not regular shapes. But the meat inside does look "real" and they taste OK.

OK enough for dh and me on a Friday night when we have our "slobbing night" of chicken nuggets and garlic or onion and chive dip (which I admit I get from M&S or Sainsbury's).

What do you mean, you thought they were for ds? They're ours

PS But we weren't so keen on thier Chicken Kievs.

Oh and I nearly forgot - imho, their "jaffa cakes" are better than the real ones.

Their rich tea biscuts, crackers and plain chocolate digestives are all OK too.

So are the cheese triangles, which ds calls "cow cheese" on account of the picture of a cow on the box. And he inhales their little frmoage frais (which he calls yoghurts).

We've tried the nuggets too. They're not like nuggets we all know and are dubious about.

As Prettybird says, they are odd shapes and sizes (some are quite large actually) but they seem to be whole pieces of chicken breast inside which makes them look quite homemade I think.

Probably going to get shot down for that cos I know nuggets are frowned upon on mn - but they really don't seem too bad.

We like...
the frozen spring rolls,
the lasagne,
fruit juices,
gherkins, olives,
tinned chilli (wasn't convinced by this when it was picked up but we had it in taco's and it was really nice)
wine,
fruit and veg,
cold meat,
ice creams etc
The weekly specials are usually pretty good but I always seem to go for them a week early!

Well, I am a Lidl convert! I went today and got a trolley full of stuff including fruit juices, sauces and some lovely fruit and veg and couldn't believe it came to only £40! I've done an online shop for a fortnight's worth of meat and a few other bits I couldn't get in there but I have definitely saved at least £30 on a week's shopping so thankyou everyone for all your advice and tips.

hmmm, I think Rosie Millard has been lurking on this thread. Her column in The Independent mentioned Horse wellies and blankets and shopping at Lidl.

well, rosie has a lot of debt, supposedly (where's my eye-rolling icon, dammit!), she has to cut corners somewhere.

she probably sends one of her nannies to pick up the shopping, tho.

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Wouldn't do a 24 mile round trip for it.

just looked at website, will be buying a thermostatic shower on Thursday for £14.99 dh says they are £99.99 in plumbits - bargain as moving into our new house in 2 weeks

I do

Mind you I also do Matalan and Homebase while I'm there, and nip up the motorway a couple of miles for Tesco petrol.

I have a Lidl, but I also have a big Willys