It’s no secret that I love Aldi’s. (Note: Yup, I call it “Aldi’s” even though it’s just “Aldi.” I’m country, what can I say?)
I talk about the discount grocery chain at every opportunity and the low prices actually make me giddy when it’s time to go grocery shopping. (Before I continue, let me tell you this is NOT a sponsored post. This is just me sharing my love of Aldi’s. Although, if they saw this and decided to give me some cash, I wouldn’t be mad at ’em. LOL)
There’s an Aldi’s right next to my usual grocery store and my husband would bug me and tell me to stop wasting money and just shop at Aldi’s. The discount grocery store in my neighborhood growing up was just horrible. Produce was never fresh, it was entirely too small and there was a weird smell that hung in the air every time I went in.
So I figured Aldi’s was more of the same. It took a good two years for me to switch over and I’m kicking myself something fierce now. Because I could have practically cut my grocery budget in half by doing what I do now.
6 Reasons Why I Love Shopping At Aldi’s
1. It’s budget shopping down to the shopping cart. Before I leave to go to Aldi’s I have to make sure I have a quarter. That’s because (for all the non-Aldi’s shoppers) they keep their shopping carts in a corral, all connected. To release a cart, you need to insert your quarter into the slot on the top of the cart. When you return the cart, you get your quarter back. I don’t what it is, but my kids LOVE putting the quarter in the cart. And I have to admit I do too. It’s like a little game. No leaving your cart wherever you please.
2. Makes you more green. I always bring my own bags to Aldi’s because I’m not about that 5¢-per-bag life. As a result, it cuts down on how many plastic bags I have floating around my house. (Bonus tip: I sometimes bring a clothes basket with me to the store and pack all my groceries in there. One trip, baby!)
3. Allows me to try new food for cheap. I had never tried prosciutto (Italian-style ham) before because at my regular grocery store, it was always too expensive. And what if I hated it? I saw some at Aldi’s last week and was happy to try it at a price that wouldn’t break my pockets.
4. Save money on your favorite name brand products. Most of Aldi’s products are part of its own line of products but you’ll find some name brands there (some cereal, some drinks, deli meat, etc.). This helps when you live with some brand-name snobs (okay, I’m talking about myself, but still).
5. Save money on organic and gluten-free products. I’ve been a full-time Aldi’s shopper for about a year now. I used to think Aldi’s was full of junk food and their products didn’t fit with my “new” healthy lifestyle. But I was wrong. Does Aldi’s have junk food? Yup. No one needs frosted chocolate Pop-Tarts (no offense to the folks who love frosted chocolate Pop-Tarts). But they also have a ton of organic products: milk, chicken stock, marinara sauce, tomatoes, spinach, smoothies, butter, etc. They’ve also expanded their gluten-free selection, with pasta, chicken nuggets, baking items and more.
6. Saves me a lot of time. Most Aldi’s are small and I can get in and out in 20 minutes. Nice to save time AND money.
So….tips. What do you need to know?
You can probably buy 80% of your grocery list at Aldi’s. There’s wine (ha!), fresh produce, a decent fresh meat department, cheese, frozen foods, dairy and boxed food. I usually go to another store to get seafood, but chances are, if you need it, Aldi’s has it.
Stop being picky. I enjoy looking at all the different types of BBQ sauces and salad dressings when I’m at the higher-priced grocery store, but at Aldi’s it’s simple: You want BBQ sauce? Get the one that’s on the shelf. Boom. Decision’s made for you.
They only accept debit cards, cash and EBT cards. The lines might back up from time to time, but I’ve never waited more than 5 minutes. They’re pretty efficient.
Don’t get too hooked on your favorite products. Aldi’s rotates its selection, so what is on the shelf this week might not be there next week. But! This is a good thing, I promise you. They offer seasonal products and keep up with demand. So you’ll see a lot of baking items in the fall and not so many in the spring. You’ll see lots of BBQ items in the summer. There’s a method to the madness.
I too love Aldi and was super bummed that they didn’t have them where we lived in TX. A few months ago they opened several in our area and I was there opening day. I love your laundry basket tip! I love checking out the seasonal items they put on clearance. I got bags of marshmallows for $.10!
I went to Aldi for the first time a few months ago for mini pumpkins for a Trunk or Treat event. I am a name brand snob. I can’t help it. I do know several people who rave about their fresh produce. Maybe I’ll start giving it some real consideration, now.
I love Aldi’s! I was really surprised when I first went there to find that they really do have good quality stuff. They don’t have the variety of bigger stores, and I can’t get absolutely everything there, but it is a good way to save money and still eat well.
Andddd they’re owned by Trader Joe’s BOOM!
I’ve never shopped at Aldis but I do have them where I live. I’m inspired to now.
I have twin 11 year-old boys. Aldi is a necessity to keep them fed! I love the I don’t have to make 4,000 decisions on everything I shop for. Regular grocery stores now give me sticker shock! Milk at the ‘big store’ across the street from me is now over $4.00 a gallon. Still $3.15 at Aldi. When you are buying 4 gallons a week that adds up.. fast. I’m happy with the quality of everything we buy and it’s THE place to get, as my friend calls it, ‘kid chrun’ such as granola bars, popsicles, chips, graham crackers and the like. All Aldi all the way!