ALDI

[MintJulie]

About 20 years ago the first ALDI store opened near us.  I went in and was not impressed.  It was dingy and boxes of product stacked everywhere.

About 5 years ago I went back and was really impressed. Everything was clean and shiny and the prices were lower than my Kroger store.

Now I go weekly.  Whatever I can't get there, I stop at Kroger or Meijer on the way home.   M tagged along and she was amazed at the prices.  They have limited selections on some products, but they're usually good enough quality.  Dan loves Club Crackers, Aldi has Club House Crackers that you can not tell the difference.  $1.25 savings there.
Their 'Thin Wheats" are not as good as Wheat Thins, so those we get at the other stores.   Fruit is sketchy, but if you can find it in the condition you want, you're saving 25% there.
Just a few items I suggest, but a year ago, Dan and I did a comparison and on a $85 bill at ALDI's, it would have cost over $110 at our Kroger.

When we travel in the RV, we're always stopping at Aldi, then to the Walmart if we need something else, sometimes Target if they have the grocery section, which most do now.. 
Also, both at home and while traveling,  the Dollar store is where I stock up on my Good N Plenty candy.  And Milk Duds.

And if you do go, visit their "Limited Time" aisle.  Always good deals, but an occasional Great find.

Not sure why I felt the need to share my shopping habits, but if you haven't tried ALDI's give them a try.  Take your own bags.  And a quarter, which I always keep spare quarters in the doorhandles of both of our cars now.

[msslave]

My daughter and her husband shop at Aldi's a lot... even tho' it's quite a ways from them.

Yep, you need a quarter to get a grocery cart. When you return the cart you get the quarter back.

Daughter has a key chain that holds a quarter so it's always with her.

[staci]

They carry no name brands. Aldi tuna is not the same as bumble bee. Aldi peanut butter vs Jif. Some things I just want and trust quality brands

[Pornhubby]

I just hate cheap, generic, shit. I can’t stand to shop at Walmart, Target, Costco, Sam’s, and… Aldi’s. Safeway and Albertson’s are even worse, if that is possible. I would rather eat dog kibble.

I am spoiled. Whole Foods, Central Market, and H-E-B are all headquartered within 100 miles of where I live. Fresh, quality food, presented in carefully maintained aisles. Free curbside service. And not very expensive.

My son’s first job in high school was at H-E-B. They paid him $15/hour to stock produce, health benefits, and provided a $1200 scholarship when he graduated. Quality company.

[Shiela_M]

I love the ALDIs near me for some of the more basic things. I don't get produce or meat from there.

Mostly backing good or frozen fruits. I bgg etc. Their eggs, oats, flour, and I buy massive amounts of pureed pumpkin in october, usually for when me and a friend make dog treats.

My dad loves their veggie crackers, and some of the cheeses they have are rather nice. Make a cheapo charcuterie board.

One thing I always get there is their Connelly's cream liqueur. I feel it is just as good as Baileys, at 1/3 the price. Can't even tell when I add it to coffee on my days off. They used to constantly have flavors during whatever holiday was coming up. Strawberry in Feb, mint chocolate in March and December. One year in December they had this multi pack with small bottle of all different flavors. I bought two, and my family loved then during christmas party. They havent had them since, and I've been clamoring for them to bring them back.

I used to think like PH. Would never go to ALDIs, and hated when a family dollar popped up near me. Cheap garbage. Well I've changed my ways on ALDI but I stay away from the dollar store like it holds plague victims.

[msslave]

All the Dollar Store stuff is old. Cookies aren't bad tho'. Love the chocolate covered graham crackers.

Never go to Aldi. Guess I just don't like doing business with a German company. Born too close to WWII, sorry.

[Shiela_M]

Guess I just don't like doing business with a German company. Born too close to WWII, sorry.

Ironically when I found out it was a German company, that's when I decided to give it a try... being of german heritage and all.

[Writers Bloque]

Aldi's is a hit or miss with me, I like their prices, but it doesn't carry enough of what we need in my family for it to be a main go to for groceries. We shop there for the little stuff we don't use often, but its more like an afterthought after hitting the cost plus ten percent places, and rare visits to wally land.

[Shiela_M]

I'm the opposite. When I hitting the stores, I go through ALDI first now and get any canned goods and stuff like that, and then it's off to Hy-Vee where prices are quite reasonable as well. Hell.of a lot cheaper than Festival Foods. Almsot seems like things cost twice as much there as anywhere else.

[Potnoodles]

Aldi is popular here in France . Cheaper than most of the big name supermarkets and different stock too. Main competitor is Lidl ,which I think is also a German company. Just recently though Aldi's prices have crept [like rapidly] up. The excuse here for any increases is "the war in Ukraine" . Not sure that is always correct but they get away with it.
Lidl has a range of tools "Parkside" .Hubby says they are good . Boys and their toys !

Nicky x

[MintJulie]

Dan is kind of a snob when he gets his seafood.  He has a place in Detroit, he only buys from there.  But someone suggested try the Salmon at ALDI.  We had it about a week ago.  Dan said it ranks up there with the place he gets it from in Detroit.

[watcher1]

Dan is kind of a snob when he gets his seafood.  He has a place in Detroit, he only buys from there.  But someone suggested try the Salmon at ALDI.  We had it about a week ago.  Dan said it ranks up there with the place he gets it from in Detroit.

We have bought salmon from Aldi and liked it. Mostly we buy bags of frozen salmon at Sams Club, though we have purchased larger pieces of fresh salmon there and cut them to our preferred size.

[Shiela_M]

My brother does not buy meat or seafood from any stores. If he cant catch it himself, or get it from a butcher, he doesn't cook it. He eats what other people make, like my meatballs, but very little.

[MintJulie]

We have bought salmon from Aldi and liked it. Mostly we buy bags of frozen salmon at Sams Club, though we have purchased larger pieces of fresh salmon there and cut them to our preferred size.

I love Salmon, and prior to the arrival of Dan in my life, Sams Club salmon was a must have.  A nice filet once a week.  The way I used to prepare it along with rice, my daddy said I should start a restaurant.  He'd actually call and say, "Want to come over for dinner."  I'd say sure.  Then he's say, "On second thought, we'll come over there.  Can we have salmon."

Just hated how bad it smelled up the house.  In the summer Dan's banished to the grill outside.  Winter also.

My brother does not buy meat or seafood from any stores. If he cant catch it himself, or get it from a butcher, he doesn't cook it. He eats what other people make, like my meatballs, but very little.

I really want to go fishing.  Lake St. Clair walleye, yum. 

[watcher1]

We have bought salmon from Aldi and liked it. Mostly we buy bags of frozen salmon at Sams Club, though we have purchased larger pieces of fresh salmon there and cut them to our preferred size.

I love Salmon, and prior to the arrival of Dan in my life, Sams Club salmon was a must have.  A nice filet once a week.  The way I used to prepare it along with rice, my daddy said I should start a restaurant.  He'd actually call and say, "Want to come over for dinner."  I'd say sure.  Then he's say, "On second thought, we'll come over there.  Can we have salmon."

Just hated how bad it smelled up the house.  In the summer Dan's banished to the grill outside.  Winter also.

My brother does not buy meat or seafood from any stores. If he cant catch it himself, or get it from a butcher, he doesn't cook it. He eats what other people make, like my meatballs, but very little.

I really want to go fishing.  Lake St. Clair walleye, yum.

We have found out that fresh fish does not stink up the house like frozen fish , no matter what type of fish it is, as we eat a variety of fish. Can't tell you why that is, though.  I sauté the filets in olive oil after seasoning them with Italian seasoning. Served usually with some type of rice.

I remember the days when fresh walleye were brought home after a day of fishing by the older guys. Heat up a cast iron pan, drop a huge clump of Crisco in, let it melt and turn really hot and then drop the filets in. Within minutes, you would have a very tasty piece of walleye. 

[msslave]

Wife #2 and I plus the kids would stock up on walleyes in the spring when they were biting good. The freezer was filling up but fish not being fried.

I finally worked up the nerve to ask her why.
She replied that she didn't like the smell of fish in the house.

"Well says I, why don't we fry them in the park. Next nice day off we went.to the park. Kids played and swam. I started a nice wood fire and wife fried the fish in a large cast iron skillet.

Everyone was rounded up and we feasted with no smell in the house. Became a favorite summer.outing.

[watcher1]

My brother does not buy meat or seafood from any stores. If he cant catch it himself, or get it from a butcher, he doesn't cook it. He eats what other people make, like my meatballs, but very little.

My grandparents never bought meat or fish. Grandfather was old school - he hunted for his meat, while grandmother did the fishing. I pretty much grew up eating venison, rabbit, pheasant, bass, walleye, crappie.  Grandmother usually missed a few pellets when she cleaned the animals. Nothing like biting down on a shotgun pellet.    Almost all of the game was from Wisconsin.