can we please have a guide to the best CONTINENTAL BRANDS to buy at........ LIDL.....

[noonar]

i am new to the lidl shopping experience. have come back from shopping there today with bags full of goodies.

i kind of felt like i was on holiday, with all those unfamiliar continental brands to choose from. this was fun, but inevitably a bit hit and miss, quality wise.

when shopping in the UK i take for granted that i know the difference between 'happy shopper' and 'taste the difference', for example.

i wouldnt say that i'm a total food snob, as i do love a bargain, and times are hard right now. however, i am someone who likes organic produce and wholefoods as well as yummy continental biscuits. any advice on what to buy/ avoid, to help me get the most out of LIDL? (i dont anticipate doing a whole weekly shop there,btw)

tia

bump

Vitakrone potato salad - Oh My God. Competely delicious. If you buy one thing at Lidl it should be this.

Vacuum packs of gravadlax (with mustard sauce which is quite spicy but the fish is good on its own)

Dulano prosciutto

They do good salami/chorizo, also

Antipasti/olives etc all good

Choc chip cookies - I think they are called 'Tennessee' - they are v good - kinda fudgy tasting, yum

Have been perfectly happy with their 'nice' wholemeal bread - can't remember what it's called though

Fruit and veg can be a bit hit-and-miss (although things like avocados/mangoes etc ridiculously cheap) - also cheese I have been a bit disappointed with...

ah, snaf, thankyou. will make a note..

I find Lidl perfect for all 'party' food. I first shopped there when I did a party at home and have been converted since.

Their cheeses are brilliant and different to what you can pick up in Tesco/Sainsbury etc. Their cured meats and chrizo etc are great. Fruit is hit and miss I agree but veg pretty good. Just be careful in what you pick up, give it a good thorough checking over and dont expect it to last for days on end.

Worth going once a month to stock up on tinned toms, cleaning products, juices, cheese, puddings and frozen items etc etc.

I notice a saving of around £15 a week if I do two shops, that being one at Lidl/Aldi and one at Tesco. Great saving as long as you have the time and energy to fit in two food shops !

flossy, i can see that your approach of doing 2 shops would work. thanks. i had a full trolley but very few complete meals, iykwim, so a second shop is in order.

Their parma ham is the only one I've found outside Italy/ridiculously overpriced delicatessens that doesn't have nitrates/nitrites in it as preservatives - just ham and salt. Yummy!

there's a beer they sell which begins with P - can't think what it is called cos we call it Pisswasser My husband likes it, and he's fussy enough to not like carling.

I love the rose lambrusco, 1.65 a bottle at 4%.

One opened near to us last week. I agree, I felt like I was on holiday too, and yes, I bought things we love and things we hate. Things that were a hit with us were:

OJ
The Cookies peviously mentioned
Orange flavour yoghurt drink things
Ham
Cheese

yes - their parma ham is fab. so cheap too.

great. thanks. still taking notes...

Hi one opened near me had a 1st visit the apples were really juicy
,cloudy apple juice good,
orange juice in a bottle with pulp good
,coco pop type cereal no complaints
childs mini type yogurts all been eaten
couldn't work out is the milk cheaper

some of the fruit and veg has been a bit disappointing