Tell me your Aldi must haves/avoids

[Throwawayaccount1]

Normally have Tesco delivery because convenience...
Had a look around the newish Aldi today and I'm going to give it a go for next week's shopping.
Are there any 'this is excellent' or 'avoid this' things that you want to tell me about?
Shopping for 2x secondary kids (who have lunchboxes). 1x vegetarian. 1x wheat free if that info is useful.
Work on the assumption that I mostly cook stuff, e.g. make the chicken pie filling, but buy the pastry kind of idea (if that makes sense).

Thanks!!!

Their frozen cod in batter is much better than Birds Eye bigger and cheaper, sourdough bread, pesto humous, proper Greek yoghurt not Greek style on par with fage and cheaper, frozen chocolate strawberries are delish, fresh chicken, toilet rolls nice and thick, their lemonade and Viva colas just as nice as coke and love their doughnuts full of jam.

I bought some protein wraps from there the other day, then checked them on the Ivy app- they scored 0 out of 100, so no food value at all!

Aldi have recently brought out a dupe of Cerave moisturising cream and face washes. I honestly can't tell the difference and they're all £3.99

Dishwasher tablets and washing up liquid are good.

Wagyu burgers!

Our Aldi has a GF section.

Getting excited as we have a new Aldi opening here tomorrow 😂

The wagyu steaks especially the flat iron and Denver cuts are amazing

I shop at Aldi for 90% of our stuff then go to Waitrose for the last bits I can’t get in there.

it’s probably easier to say what we don’t like
some of the crisps copies like quavers aren’t great
the chopped mango isn’t nice
the chopped melon always tastes off

other than that pretty much everything

We have staff discount for one of the 'big' supermarkets and still go to Aldi for bits as they are cheaper than the discount.

Things I buy regularly, their version of Muller rice, fruit/veg if it looks nice lasts same as other supermarkets. Kids smoothies in cartons. Yoghurt. Tortilla wraps, the mini ones (which I use for lunch boxes) are cheaper than other supermarkets. Wholemeal pitta bread. Microwave rice. Laundry liquid, washing up liquid, food bin bags and tissues. I often buy more, toilet roll is great but doesn't work out with discount elsewhere. Suncream in the summer, mostly their face and roll on.

Wasn't keen on their beef mince, but pork and turkey mince great.

I haven't read every reply, but shop there for about 80% of my basics.

-I too find the fruit/veg can have a short life
-I sometimes buy 2-3 bunches of Chrysanthemum flowers. Check the date on the sticky label, but I've had them last weeks in a vase!
-I've recently started getting whole, free range chicken because it has SO much more flavour than a bog standard one. They are delicious.
-At Christmas they often have speciality cheeses. I think it was a 3yr matured cheddar was devine and I wished I'd bought more than 1 packet of it.
-After Christmas, I've often picked up bargains. I bought a capon that was 75% off and lots of the gingerbread, biscuits and Christmas food goes very cheap- 20p, 50p etc to clear it.

Tempura chicken on the chilled food section is great. They do some cereal bars that are wheat / gluten free. Most of their curry pastes etc are wheat free, as are the stock pots. Hot dogs are good and wheat free if the kids like those! Rice/ corn cakes are okay.

Our Aldi used to have a free from section when they were trialling it in some stores, but most have now removed it sadly.

The blackcurrant and the passion fruit curd are back in stock in my store

All those things are fine at the two Aldis I use. I think the fruit and veg is fine. ( I've had some not-so-good oranges, but they can be dodgy elsewhere too.)

Their version of Marmite is excellent. Cheaper than Marmite, easier to spread and just as tasty.

I wouldn’t say they’re must haves but I have lots less money than usual this year and it has been useful. I like the Italian coffee beans, the sugar free granola and the rolled oats. The baked beans and other basics (soups, tinned veg, tomato passata and paste) are all good.

I think my favourite finds have been the antipasti jarred peppers, haddock fish cakes with cheddar centre sauce and the Wagyu sirloin. I’d recommend them all. Chicken sausages are good too.

What is a food value and who is deciding it? That’s not a term used in dietetics

Are you a dietician? Perhaps you could explain to me; I thought it meant it had no nutritional content, or at least only a minimal amount (so it’s a term I used, not the app). I’ve been using the app quite a bit, and it seems to focus on things being highly processed, and very few whole ingredients.

They do very good glass food storage periodically too. All sizes they don't chip and the lids are good and don't warp.

Flowers are good, these are 7 days old and still have a few more days in them!

Their bog standard steak in a white packet is absolutely outstanding.

Greek yoghurt, soft cheese, toasting sourdough and the 1/4 pounders..

Agree, by far and away the best value flowers around!

Oooh. like the sound of toasting sourdough