I’m pretty frugal. I use coupons. I’ve even been known to hoard groceries when I come across a really good deal.
So naturally, I love Aldi.
I love their no-frills approach. They don’t need fancy lighting and free samples. They’re not going to give your kid a balloon at checkout. They’re not even going to bag your groceries for you. The food’s on the shelf in boxes, warehouse style. Buy it or don’t. Whatever. They’re not there to woo you.
Which also means they can charge a whole lot less.
I don’t buy everything at Aldi. My local Aldi doesn’t carry some of my kitchen staples like whole wheat flour. I don’t buy my meat or eggs there. And I pass on their frozen foods.
But I have some favorites that keep me coming back, week after week. Here are my top five Aldi picks:
1. Fruit
Aldi usually has a few particularly stellar deals on fruit–like this watermelon I got for $1.50 (which was one of the best watermelons I’d bought all summer). I’ve also snagged whole pineapples for $1.99 and one-pound packages of strawberries for 50 cents.
2. Artisan Lettuce
This package is usually $1.99 at Aldi (occasionally 99 cents). The same package of fancy artisan lettuce at my neighborhood grocery store is $4.99. I like to chop up these little lettuces for richly-colored mixed greens salads.
3. Oats
I go through a lot of oats making morning cereal, plus cookies, granola, and homemade snack bars. I buy large tubs like this one, and Aldi oats are at least $1 cheaper than even the store-brand at my grocery store.
4. Real maple syrup
This jar of all natural Aldi maple syrup is just $3.99–much less than what I was paying at my supermarket.
5. Nuts
We eat a lot of nuts around here, and Aldi stocks lots of different kinds at great prices. Ditto for dried fruit.
If you go to Aldi:
- Have a quarter on hand to rent a cart. You’ll get it back when you return it.
- BYOB: Bring your own bags. If you forget, you can buy theirs or grab an empty box from the shelf and fill it.
