Replies

I went to Aldi’s for the first time about 3 weeks ago. Wow! What a difference in price compared to the regional grocery store where I normally shop and to some extent, from Walmart. It was thrilling (OK, I’m easy to please) to go through there and check out their selection.

That said - I’m picky about brands. I’m happy to buy a store brand, but I need to know what it tastes like. Example, I only like Philadelphia cream cheese. They had another brand, which my son was OK with, but I wasn’t going to take the chance. I’d be OK with basics such as canned corn, though.

Also, I don’t think I could do all of my shopping there - I think it’s one of those stores that you don’t know what they have until you go in. I don’t think I could get everything on my list there. Finally, as a vegetarian, there weren’t a lot of veg prepared foods. I’d have to shop elsewhere for them.

Still, it was fun to see what it was about. I do a major shop in the fall before the bad weather sets in and can absolutely see stopping at Aldi’s for a lot of what I need.

I have lists in my planner/journal if what I buy in different grocery stores. At Aldi--interesting cheap wines and very good European cookies and chocolate--then I check their aisle of non-food items because I've nabbed some nifty stuff there. Too suspicious of a lot of their food ... but I'm very brand loyal. Kerrygold butter, I make trips to sams every couple of months for cheap luxury goods-- smoked salmon, frozen shrimp and their rotisserie hens. I have a big freezer. Publix had walnut milk, good for heart, the smoked trout brand I like and their Bakery. Ingles in my small town has gotten a nice variety in my small town.

Marketing day for me involves a lot of driving.

Their cream cheese is pretty good. I have bought it a few times. Here is a list of what I think are some of their best buys.
Sliced and bar cheese. $1.79
Half and half cream $1.79
Meat sauce (very tasty). .99
Winking Owl merlot $2.87 per bottle
Canned white meat chicken. $1.69
Canned chili with beans. $1.19
Canned mushrooms. .49
Mayonnaise. (Large jar) $1.89
Fresh chicken tortellini $1.99
Canned chicken soup comparable to progresso $1.19
1lb butter $2.99