Jill Cataldo


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30 things to buy at Aldi – AND, a $25 Aldi gift certificate giveaway!

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Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Aldi. I have received a $25 Aldi gift certificate, as well as information to help promote the store as part of this giveaway.

This week’s giveaway is a $25 gift certificate to Aldi! Click here to jump to the giveaway!
UPDATE: Giveaway has ended! The winner is Saving4later!

It’s been years since I shopped at Aldi. Before my couponing days, it was a place we shopped once or twice a month to pick things up that I knew were cheaper there than anywhere else. But once I became a couponer, I found myself shopping less often at Aldi — they don’t accept coupons as most of their brands are house brands, and I was thrilled with the prices I was taking name-brand items home for too. And my Aldi shopping kind of fell by the wayside. From perusing their ads each week, I know that they often have good prices on produce, milk, and other staples, but how do they compare to my “buy” price benchmarks for the things I like to purchase?

Recently, Aldi invited me to come and shop at Aldi again while blogging about my deals and finds for you! I have to admit, this trip was fun, and it made me wonder why I haven’t been back to Aldi sooner. Aldi provided me with a $25 gift certificate, but I found so many deals that I went over my budget..! But no worries. I was happy with all of my purchases, and I imagine that if you had $25 to spend there, you’d find a bunch of deals too.

But why imagine you have $25 to spend at Aldi? One of you will soon have a free $25 to spend there! For a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Aldi, simply post a reply in the comments under this article! Why not share what you plan to buy there? This Aldi giveaway begins today, July 11th, 2013, and runs for one week. The giveaway will end on July 17th, 2013 at 11:59pm CST, and on July 18th, one winner will be chosen via a random number generator!

Now, read on and check out some of the deals I found at Aldi last night…

I shopped at the Algonquin, Illinois Aldi on Randall Road yesterday, July 10th. And as soon as I stepped in the door, I spotted a tasty deal…


These 7oz. bags of Clancy’s Vegetable Chips and/or Straws are $1.79! We love vegetable straws, but the name brands can be pricey. Two bags went in my cart. (The $1.99 sweet potato chips next to them looked pretty good too.)

8-packs of Nature’s Nectar 100% apple juice boxes are $1.99. We needed some of these, so I picked up two packages.

13oz. bags of Clancy’s tortilla chips are $1.19 – also a good price, I thought. I didn’t need these today, but I will remember it the next time my husband wants to make guacamole…

My boys have been asking for yogurt raisins, and they’re another one of those products that doesn’t often seem to come around in a deal. These 8-ounce bags for $1.79 seemed pretty good to me, and two bags went in my cart.

I thought these Wheat Thin and Triscuit-type Savoritz crackers were priced well at $1.29 and $1.25 too.

Need ice cream cones? .99 for the 24-count is a great price.

My husband had one request when he learned I was doing an Aldi trip last night – vanilla wafers! I couldn’t say no. And at $1.49, they’re a good buy too. Into the cart went two boxes…

I saw these $1.39 penguin crackers and thought they were cute! It’s been a while since we had a deal on Goldfish crackers, which my boys were asking for recently. I picked up a bag for each of them.

In the “Things I didn’t know Aldi carried” department, they have beer bread mixes! I’ve had the Tastefully Simple Bountiful Beer Bread a few times, and it IS tasty, but I usually make my own beer bread from a recipe I made and tweaked over the years. I decided to pick up a box of this Baker’s Corner Southern Style Beer Bread and see how it compares.

2lb. bags of powdered sugar and brown sugar are $1.29 each. I picked up one of each.

I didn’t need flour today, but $1.36 for a 5-pound bag is a great price!

16.9oz. bottles of Carlini olive oil are $2.59.

We only use 100% maple syrup at home (we try to avoid HFCS) and I was happy to see these 8.5oz. bottles of Aunt Maple’s 100% maple syrup for $3.99. I bought two.

And, right about now, I realized I was about at my $25 budget for this trip. But I wasn’t even halfway through the store yet..! So, I kept on shopping, as I liked the prices on many of the following…

These canisters of iodized salt are just .39 each. A steal!

I know many people love going to Aldi for their consistently low milk prices – gallons of milk are $1.78.

Half-gallons of Fit & Active organic soymilk are $2.49 – that’s a good price.

And… here are some of those good produce prices Aldi is known for! 1-pound bags of baby carrots are .49, cucumbers are .25 each, and 3-packs of bell peppers are $1.99. I picked up four cucumbers and a bag of peppers.

While some of their 100% juices were higher than I like to pay, their 100% apple juice is a good price at $1.39 per bottle. I bought two of them.

We are pretty well stocked on bottled water right now, but $2.29 for a 24-pack is a pretty fair price.

These cans of Northern Catch chunk light tuna in water are .68. I bought two to try.

In the absence of another deal, $1.69’s not a bad price for these 17-22ct. slider storage bags.

Diaper deals! If you have a little one in diapers, jumbo packs of Lullabies diapers in sizes 3 (36ct.), 4 (31ct.) and 5 (27ct.) are $4.99 each. This works out to about .14-.18 per diaper.

And, 56ct. Lullabies baby wipes are .85.

These Del Monte pineapples are $1.99. I bought two! Yum.

Rounding out my trip – one-pound bags of onion rings are $1.29-$1.99, depending on whether you want chopped onions or whole onions. We love onion rings! I picked up two bags of the whole onion variety.

This was my biggest splurge! I had no idea Aldi had grass-fed organic beef! It’s $4.49/lb., which is a very fair price for grass-fed organic. The package notes that the beef is from Australia.

And, Aldi has 5oz. bacon-wrapped fillets for $1.89 each. Something to remember this grilling season…

Another one to remember… in the absence of another deal, 100% apple juice concentrates are .99 each.

And… lastly, what’s this? A kitchen gadgets aisle at Aldi? As if I didn’t have enough kitchen gear already..! But I am a sucker for this kind of stuff, and we never seem to have enough cutting boards in our house — especially when my husband and I cook together. This four-pack of flexible cutting boards was just $2.99!

So, here’s my trip:

 



While I did go over my $25 budget (significantly!) I’m really happy with the items I bought. And it’s good to have a new set of price references to think about when planning shopping trips too. Now, it’s your turn! Don’t forget to leave a comment below for your chance to win a $25 Aldi gift certificate!

Legal: This giveaway is sponsored by Aldi. Responding to this post with a comment qualifies readers to enter. Duplicate posts do not increase chances of winning. The contest began at midnight CST on July 11, 2013 and will end at 11:59pm CST on July 17, 2013. One winner will be chosen via random-number generator on July 18, 2013 and announced the same day. Winner will receive ONE $25 gift certificate to Aldi. Prize, information, and giveaway have been provided by Aldi. I have received a $25 Aldi gift certificate as part of this giveaway. Winners will be contacted via the Private Messaging feature of JillCataldo.com and via email. If a winner does not reply to the message within 48 hours of notification, that winner will forfeit the prize and a new winner will be chosen. Fulfillment will be handled by Aldi. Giveaway is only open to residents of the United States. Odds of winning are determined by number of eligible entries received. Good luck to everyone!

Comments

  1. They normally have pretty good prices on their canned fruit in addition to the cheaper produce prices.

  2. i have to say they have great prices on their dairy products and their pineapples are the sweetest and most affordable i have found anywhere!!! give aldi a second look, they dont disappoint!!!

  3. I love Aldi’s and shop there every week. Love their produce specials and their new organic line. Plus their canned goods.
    Would love a gift certificate.

  4. if i win i will spend the $25 on sncaks, fresh veggies and fruit, milk, eggs, butter and meat.

  5. I never stopped shopping there even when I started using your site for deals. Aldi prices are my benchmark (cereal has to be cheaper than Aldi before I’ll buy it,…).

  6. I love Aldi’s, it is always my first stop for my weekly shopping for items I don’t have coupons for. I love their special buys too. They have a Coconut Breaded Chicken that is really good. I’m looking forward to it coming back again!

  7. I have a couple of Aldi stores nearby. I’d like to try them out to see if you get good quality for the low price.

  8. Aldi’s prices are amazing. There are so many good deals. Fruits, Vegetables, Milk, Breads, Cheeses, and specials of the week. The list goes on and on. I would love to win the certificate.

  9. I always do most of my shopping there. I just got blueberries there the other day (.99 a pint) and they are delicious.

  10. Noncouponers always ask me where is the best place to shop in absence of coupons. Aldi – hands down! Produce is always awesome!

  12. We were visiting Europe in 1986, driving around in a rented camper van with our four children, 16-2 1/2, and had very little money. Seeing the familiar Aldi sign in one German city, we quickly found parking, and soon found ourselves in comfortable territory even though the language was different. We had forgotten to pack a towel or two, and one of their “special purchases” was a bunch of huge bath towels. We bought one, along with most of our food during the trip, and later our son even took that towel to college! Aldi has a store right near us now, and we love going there. Sometimes, Jill, they have specials when they reduce seasonal stuff. We enjoy talking to the friendly staff too. As the deals have become harder to find, Aldi has been easier to shop.

  13. Kids wanted flippers for the pool this summer. Scored two sets including mask and snorkel from Aldi’s last month for $14.99 each. Good quality and have held up very well. Similar set from a large chain sports store ran at $89.99!
    Pretty awesome for something they will only use for one or two seasons beofe they grow out of them.
    On a side note, it took 3 differnet shopping trips to different stores before we found the two sets we needed from the geneva store on 38.

  14. Is $.47 a good price for 100% natural maple syrup? I think costco in the larger bottle is around $.40 an ounce.

  15. I stop at Aldi sometimes. I would like to know what you think of the Beer Bread.

  16. Love their seasonal items. Scored 3 inflatable camping mats there for $60 earlier this year. The same price as one at the sporting goods stores. Going this week for some organizers. Can’t seem to have enough of those around.

  17. Love Aldi for sale produce, peanut butter bars (like Little Debbie) for my teenager, and ice cream bar, drumsticks etc. Would love $25 for Aldi.

  18. I usually purchase noncoupon items such as salt and eggs, milk. But some things we do like from Aldi are the crackers and some of the special cheese.

  19. Years ago when our family started eliminating HFCS and MSG, we stopped shopping there altogether. In the past 2 years, I have been visiting and purchasing natural items. First off, their chocolate is awesome! I bought the box of chocolate bars with the wafer in the middle as teacher gifts. They carry Life Way Kefir at very reasonable price. Produce is absolutely amazing! I just looked at their recent ad and they have a whole new line of organic products. So excited!

  20. Thanks for posting about Aldi Jill! I drove an elderly neighbor to the Aldi in February and couldn’t believe the prices! I don’t think I ever stepped into the store before so I was completely shocked by the great prices and quality. It is great place to fill the gaps in my shopping adventures.

  22. Even with couponing, I’ll still stop by Aldi occasionally to grab milk, eggs, and produce. They sometimes have great clearance buys too! I recently grabbed 5 boxes of Wheat Ritz-type crackers for only $.89/box!

  23. Now I feel like I HAVE to go and check out Aldi! I was feeling too lazy to add another store to the rotation, but my four kids devour produce. Thanks for all the deal info.

  24. I would love this too, but a few times I went there, the produce would be mostly gone and the rest just looking bad and rotting. Or they wouldn’t have any, like those cheap pumpkins for Halloween.

  26. When I suddenly found myself as the guardian of 3 young children (who are now teens), I would drive pretty far to an Aldi to save money. I moved to new area a few years later and was pleasantly surprised to find an Aldi only 2 blocks away. I must admit that I have not been comfortable buying their produce…wasn’t sure if it was fresh. But after reading this and the comments of others, I’m adding their produce to today’s shopping list. Thank you!

  27. I just have a couple things that keep me from going on a regular basis. Like Jill, many of the things we find regular deals on at the other stores. I don’t buy milk there because they don’t carry 1% and sometimes (peak times, usually) they only have 1 register available and I find that somewhat frustrating. I also try to stay away when the 1st or 15th roles around and I know SS checks or LINK cards are ‘refilled’-it just seems SO much busier then.

  28. my husband and I (B.C.) shopped their about 15 years ago on a weekly basis. Didn’t really have any issues with quality except couldn’t do the canned chicken and their Mama Cozzi’s brands sauces were too acidic for me. Then came children and couponing and I stopped going there.

    About six-months ago I decided to check it out again because my food bill has increased significantly since deals were not what they use to be (boy did we get spoiled with the buy $30/get $15, expired coupons, etc.).

    I have seen significant improvements in the selection and quality of the products in all areas of the store.

    So now I go there for the main staples and some frozen products the kids like and venture into Dominicks and Jewel for sale items only.

    Also have found some great clearance deals. Last time found some girly pancake mixes (pink with chocolate chips and red velvet) for $.10!!

    They also have some general merchandise items in the back of the store (pots, pans, fans, bath accessories, seasonal…you name it)
    and found some items such as toys for birthday and xmas gifts.

  29. I’m just getting into going to Aldi. My kids love their French Toast Sticks. Would love a gift card to try a few more of their items!

  30. One of the first place we stop for produce. Can’t beat the prices on produce. Baking supplies are cheap as well.

  31. The grassfed organic beef is a new item, the low carbers and paeleo people I know on FB are overjoyed. :o)

    I am such a regular at Aldi, that the cashiers know who I am. My two kids aren’t hard to miss either. ;o) I get their milk and eggs, and their funion knock off for my husband. Sadly, this is a seasonal item. Next time around, I’m going to have to buy a few cases… They also carry cheap Vanilla essence, which I add to my kids oatmeal in the morning. They also have crasins at a reasonable price. I just wish they would carry unsweetened applesauce.

    Overall, I really like Aldi :o)

  32. I shop at Aldi’s regularly. There are many things I prefer to buy just at Aldi’s.

  33. That you get pretty much anywhere. It’s just packaged differently. It’s still made by the major brands!

    The only thing they miss with me is organic milk. Produce is amazing. I try to watch the HCFS so i haven’t bought their bread in a while but I need to run there today actually!

  34. I buy milk, cheese, and produce from aldi regularly. My 16 yr old son actually prefers their “pop tarts” over the Kellogs brand!

  35. I had no idea that Aldi offered grass-fed beef! I am super excited about this because that is all I try to buy!

  36. I love shopping there but I feel so uneducated when I go so I am not always sure if I am getting a great deal or not. Thank you for posting this list of items you bought. Please continue to post more Aldi trips. I love the bacon wrapped steaks. I buy them everytime and they are sooooo good (and the price! wow!) It’s also great for their “Fit & Active” line. So much cheaper than slimfast. I try to do most of my shopping at Aldi but I don’t always get to.

  37. How can you not like Aldi. They have the BEST milk prices around us 1.89… Not only do they offer some nice food prices i like to see what else they carry in the seasonal items and such..

  38. Especially produce deals. Pineapples pretty regularly go for .99 cents and strawberries for.99. their oranges will go for 2.99 for 3 lbs. Frozen pizzas good prices and more ounces.

  39. I would love to buy their pure maple syrup because my kids love it. Also, when I was there a few days ago, I bought Kefir and freezes.

  40. I haven’t shopped there yet. Aldi just recently opened a new store here in Augusta, GA. I have been leery about going since they don’t accept coupons. After seeing this article, I just might have to go have a look! Thanks

  41. I usually drive right by Aldi, but after seeing these low prices I’m going stop by there today and check it out! Thanks for the post! Going to get those penguin crackers for my girls…they will love how cute they are!

  42. Out of all of your pictures, I think there was only 1 or 2 items that we haven’t tried. We love veggie chips and penguin crackers and the bacon wrapped filets! Good to know their milk price went back down, I had to pay $2.28 at Sams this week!

  43. I LOVE going to Aldi first. I’m lucky enough to have it right across the street from Jewel. I buy most of my groceries at Aldi, and then head over to Jewel for the weirder produce (cilantro and such) and any of the Jewel deals. Aldi has gotten really good at coming up with competitive products like almond milk and natural peanut butter.

  44. My boyfriend and I just bought a new house so I plan on doing a good deal of couponing. I also plan on shopping at aldi. How would you say their meats are? The family I grew up with were kind of mean “snobs” so aldi meat would have been unacceptable but hey if its good I don’t have any problems with that. Save me some money!

  45. I love Aldi! There is one a block from my house and it’s extremely convenient. I would definitely buy their black package bacon. It is by far the best bacon available! :)

  46. I love Aldi, I know I can coupon to find better deals some weeks, and I do, but I always come back to Aldi. They are owned by the same German company that bought and operates Trader Joe’s, another great store!

  47. We love Aldi! Everything you bought has a regular place on my shopping list! You MUST try the multi grain frozen waffles. 1.29 a box of 10….we love them. Their yogurt, at .39 a cup is pretty good as well. I have been disappointed in their cereal prices lately….way too high, which is why I was on the lookout for the 12 week cycle update. But otherwise…a thumbs up for us. And…you MUST try the eclairs (in the frozen food section)

  48. My family loves fruits and vegetables. Each week I plan our meals around their weekly ad. I am able to provide fruits and vegetables and within my budget. I love Aldi for helping to keep my family healthy.

  49. We love Aldi’s frozen fruit…great for smoothies. Did you know that they are owned by the same family that owns Trader Joes…often you will find similar products in just different packaging.

  50. I’m excited to see Aldi back on your radar, Jill! I’ve been going there for almost a year…but had kept it a secret from my husband. I was secretly substituting the Aldi brands with our normal brands & generics and I wanted to see if he’d notice a difference if he didn’t know it was from Aldi. He never said a word! Which is a shocker, since he cooks more than I do. I recently admitted to him that I’ve been shopping at Aldi when their grocery ad caught his eye. So the cat’s out of the bag now!!!

    I like to go to Aldi first on my shopping trips to stock up on basics like milk, eggs & butter. This has been especially helpful since I’ve been out of work for almost 4 months — every penny counts! I could make a $25 Aldi card last 3-4 weeks!!!

  51. I buy the Vanilla Almond Milk. My son doesnt like the taste of Silk Almond as much as he likes the Happy Farms Brand Aldi carries, so I am usually in there buying it at least once a month, along with some fruits and veggies. I havent seen the grass fed beef in my Aldi in Valpo, next time I go in I will check. They have had gluten free waffles, and I have bought their veggies chips and they are ok. I really like their cheese section. I have bought some of their hardline goods and have been happy with them.
    The only down side about Aldi, is some things are a one time only, and I have to watch what I am purchasing and read labels for those non-healthy ingredients, even in their Fit & Active brand.

  52. Thank you for this article, as a single guy with a teenager at home, every $1 really does count. I’ve started couponing but even some of those deals can’t match some of the prices you posted at ALDI, I am definitely going to check this out on my shopping trip next week!

  53. I have always shopped at ALDI. I always run in to get milk and come out with minimum $25 worth of goods. Prices are good on stuff I use for everyday use. I am just so thankful that Aldi is so close to my home.

  54. Thanks so much for sharing your great Aldi finds. I have found they usually have great prices on frozen fruit, which my family goes through a ton of. Gotta love their milk and produce prices too!

  55. i feel like everytime i go to aldi, all i find is junk food and snacks so maybe i will try again since you found some healthy options now! thanks!

  56. OMG! Don’t get me wrong, I love a good coupon deal, but for my staples and 80% of my gorceries, I shop at Aldi. The items are really the same as the name brand things and even with coupons, Aldi is usually the better deal. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

  57. I’ve been shopping at Aldi a lot since my divorce and don’t miss the big stores at all! It was a bit of trail and error on some items (my family really didn’t like the taste of the “goldfish” sharks ), but most of items are the same if not better!

  59. Aldi ALWAYS has cheap produce! I go there first for their produce before I do the rest of my shopping as theirs is always cheaper! I also get my string cheese and sliced cheese there as it is comparable to sales in the other stores but I don’t have to wait for sales. Buns are 89 cents which is less than what I usually find on sale at other stores. Also, my Aldi carries wine…moscato is under $5 per bottle. Some others types are even less! I Love Aldi!

  60. I love Aldi for their produce and have started buying a bunch of other stuff there too! I would love the gift certificate!

  62. Aldi’s is definitely my go-to place when I need something right away and don’t have time to look up sales elsewhere. Might not always be name-brand items or quality (I think the tortilla chips are a bit too salty) but close enough for most purposes.

  63. I always save so much money at Aldi’s. I stock up on baking supplies, chips, strawberries ($.99,and avocados (3/$1.00). I just wish there was one closer to where I live.

  64. Great give-away thanks. I like Aldi for certain things or for things that I am unable to coupon for (like church or school functions) they have a stable price. I have found some great office supplies there too. (hanging file containers and baskets to fit in my cubes).

  65. I haven’t shopped at Aldi in quite some time as well but looking at the selection you posted is making me curious to go shop there myself. I asked a couple friends after seeing your post about what good foods they have and they really brag about their cereal. With seven children- we go through a lot of cereal so if I won the gift card I’d probably stack up on cereal.

  66. Especially if you’re having a large get together! You can save tons of money feeding a crowd. I purchase their skin care line Lacura. I use the day and night creams and the cleanser. Under $15 for ALL 3! And it works JUST as good as the expensive name brands.

  67. I shop at Aldi each week. With 4 children, we go through 6 gallons of milk each week! Cheese sticks, eggs, fruit, veggies, yogurt, 100% maple syrup, & frozen foods are all great purchases.

  68. When I first moved here 5 years ago, I shopped once at Aldi and was confused by the lack of my familiar brand name products. I left with very little purchased and did not return for a couple of years. A little education goes a long way: I learned about the company from neighbors, they shared the products they loved the most and recommended I try them. Little by little (or lots by lots) Aldi brand products have replaced the higher-priced brand names in my pantry. My family has not noticed that their cereal doesn’t have a tiger on it, or their cookies and chips are not in the bags they are used to. Here’s another surprise – the fresh meat is always good! The usual staples of milk, bread, eggs , flour, oil are an easy decision to buy! You save so much!! Now Aldi has become my first-stop grocery store, and Jewel or Dominicks are secondary stops only for the items on sale and with coupons! By the way … try the chocolate – it’s European quality: creamy smooth and sumptuous! and for way better prices than inferior Name Brand treats!

  69. I think I’ll take a run to Aldi, I didn’t know they carried Beer Bread Mix! I want to try that. Thanks Jill!

  70. I shop at Aldi 1-2 times a month to just stock up. My daughter really loves the fruit snacks! Maybe I need to shop at your Aldi store, those are not the same low prices as the store near me in Elgin, unless they just lowered prices from when I was in last week.

  71. I go to Aldi for the basics, and they never let me down. Milk and produce alone are worth a trip. Add in the meat-especially the “treats” like the organic beef, and it can’t be beat.

  72. I was an Aldi’s snob forever. I have gone there a few times for just a couple of things, but like others have noted, there is usually only one lane open, so it takes me just as long as hitting the bigger stores.

    Having said that, I always find wonderful grapes there!

    I had no idea they had vanilla soy milk! A staple in our house. And the grass fed beef? Who knew? Thanks for sharing!

  74. I buy a lot of produce at Aldi cause it is generally really good and really cheap. My family is also a big fan of their take and bake pizza which for the 16″ cheese is $4.99. Crazy deal. Most recently I purchased a Step 2 double wagon for $45 – LOVE IT. I always like to see what they have in there in their gadget aisle! Happy shopping from now on!

  75. I bought my two hanging impatiens there this year for $5.99. They looked pretty bad
    (dry) when I bought them. Now they look like the $20 ones I usually buy!! I’m going tomorrow to buy pounds and pounds of mushrooms for a party this weekend. I also like to go there if I need something for party and haven’t stocked up on it. Rather than pay big bucks at the regular grocery stores.

  76. I have been shopping there for years! I started out shopping there when my husband and I first got married and we were squeezing buy on a limited budget. You learn the things you like and don’t like. They are adding more name brand items now too.

  77. I go to Aldi often, Their veggie straws and tortilla chips are good tasting and a GREAT price, produce deals and milk are a steal too. I love that I can get in out quickly also.

  78. I usually don’t shop at Aldi’s but I have a friend who works at our local Aldi’s and she will call me when they mark down the ribs. We love the ribs from there. I also scored big after Christmas when they marked down all the toys. A doll I payed $12 for on black Friday for my daughter, I was able to pick up for my niece for $4.

  79. I have shopped Aldi since I was a child and went with my mom! They have greatly improved since then. I love their produce, fresher than surrounding stores including Walmart. I am there weekly, the prices and quality and selection keep me coming back. You just can’t do better than Aldi.

  81. I go there to shop all of the time. I can always get out of there under $60. But I absolutely love getting food for our parties or bbqs because to feed a lot if people takes a lot of food. I can count of cheap pricing for fruit, buns, chips…etc all the basics. Love it! And I’ve been noticing they’re bringing in some name brands too within the past couple weeks!

  82. I’ve shopped at Aldi’s for years. Get most of the basics there, plus they have a lot of special deals on name brand products from time to time. Giant savings for the same products than the name brands from the large supermarkets that have way higher prices for various reasons, like advertising, etc.

  83. This is one of my favorite stores. Gotta love a place you can get real maple syrup, real vanilla extract, and imported chocolate cheaper than anywhere else without waiting for a sale. There’s one around the corner from my office, and I’m in there at least once a week for staples or produce.

  84. Aldi was my store before couponing and still is my store to shop for groceries. I still get $40 or more worth of items because I know they are cheaper. Trash bags and zipper storage bags are the cheapest at Aldi…when you consider the qty and price with coupons at the major stores. Most of the time, if I need something like milk and I know I do not have a coupon, I will stop at Aldi to pick up the item because I know Aldi’s will be cheaper. I drive right by Aldi on my home from work. Now there are a few things that I just will not buy at Aldi.
    Thank you for the opportunity.

  85. I always buy milk, string cheese, and many fit & active products. Also canned beans are the cheapest around. I also like the frozen talapia and ice cream is a great buy too.

  86. I have recently tried to switch to Aldi’s. There are a few things my I found that my family doesn’t like as well. The best way to switch to Aldi’s is to by a few new items there each week (or 2) It is easier to remember what your family liked or didn’t and what you have already tried. Start with a few things on one side of the first aisle, add the other side next time and then add the next aisle the time after that.

  87. I have to admit, I have been slacking on the Aldis shopping too. But, last week I got back on track and did most of my shopping there for the week. I am thrilled with the savings.

  88. Started shopping at Aldi about a year ago. I like their prices on produce and granola cereal. My family also likes their frozen pasta.

  89. I love going there for the fresh produce and the milk prices. But the other deals are nothing to sneeze about either! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

  90. I’ve recently began shopping at Aldi’s to discover alternates to produce as I was not satisfied with our local Walmart produce selections. I was pleasantly surprised at all the options beyond produce at Aldi’s. As a Mom to young children, milk is consumed a lot in our home so the price of milk at our local Aldi’s was a great deal. I found healthy snacks as well as cereals for my little ones. So glad I gave Aldi’s a chance:)

  91. I love Aldi’s line of Fit N Active products and their frozen fruits. I also love it when they have the bacon wrapped chicken roasts on sale. I will purchase at least 6-8 of them. They are delicious and a really good price!! My mother lives in Virginia and she usually stocks up on them when she is in Chicago.

  92. I just got home from Aldi! My basket was filled with fresh veggies and fruit, whole wheat bagels, eggs, milk, ziploc bags, napkins, baked chips. Love to save money and at Aldi I can do that!

  93. I shop at Aldis offten. There frozen pizza is to die for. Yes we do put extras on there but it is the best Frozen pizza out there..

  94. The bacon wrapped filets are delicious! Also love the Fit and Active yogurts.

  96. We buy nearly everything that has been mentioned, visiting Aldi at various Chicago locations about twice a week. The rest we buy at Costco, and occasionally we’ll go to Dominick’s or Jewel. We love Aldi’s prices and products. Although they have their roots in the same German family as Trader Joe’s, I don’t think they are still “related.” A worker justice person I know has high praise for Trader Joe’s salary and benefits, etc., but not so much for Aldi (you’ve seen how fast those checkout people go, and it’s for a reason). Still, we’re a family with 3 kids and their prices match our pocketbook.

  97. I would buy dairy products, produce, Juice boxes, penguin snacks and animal crackers. The produce looks fantastic

  99. I love to shop for produce at Aldi. They used to be hit or miss with produce, nut lately, every time I go there are good deals and great fresh produce. Right before my daughters birthday party (We BBQ hot dogs, hamburgers, and brats)I go to Aldi and buy buns, lots of fruit, and vegetables for toppings. Every year I have someone ask me Where did you get these _________ (tomatoes, grapes, pineaple, onions, strawberries) They are all shocked when I tell them Aldi.

  100. I LOVE Aldi. A friend of mine encouraged me to start shopping there about a year ago and I typically do 100% of my grocery shopping there. I love their quality and the deals. I would LOVE to have a $25 gift card!

  101. I have always loved Aldi. I try to shop there as often as I can, but the closest store is about 20 minutes away so I don’t get there as often. When I do go, I really stock up. I have learned what items my family LOVES, what are good, and which we do not care for. I have LOTS that we really like. I saw in their most recent ad that they added an ORGANIC line! I have really liked the Fit n Active line and can’t wait to try this new Simply Nature line. If organic and healthy is this affordable, I’m sure to be a loyal customer :) Thanks to Aldi for always coming out with new items that are healthy, tasty, and AFFORDABLE :)

  102. I shop at Aldi about twice a month. I shop there the most during the holiday season because all their baking items are so much less than most other stores. Especially the variety of baking chips and sugars!

  103. I haven’t been there in a long time, but I will certainly check them out again!

  104. I have never shopped at Aldi. There wasn’t one where I used to live, but now I drive by one everyday coming home. I’m really curious about the grass fed beef since I’ve been making an effort to get higher quality meat. Really like the Sanderson Farms chicken at Jewel, but their beef prices were very high. I will have to give them a try especially since the nearest Mariano’s is 20 minutes away.

  106. My Round Lake store used to be kinda dirty, I thought — but that was about a decade ago. Now, it’s super clean, there’s super deals on produce, and I’ve fallen in love with the $1.69 huge size salsa. No coupons are really needed, it’s a fun store to shop. And, they take debit cards.

  107. Aldi is my favorite and first stop for basic groceries. Oh, and Jill, if you watch, that Pineapple that you bought will eventually be $.99!!! ;) I LOVE Aldi for their fabulous, consistent prices, but I also love their product. In fact, we like their microwave popcorn BETTER than Orville’s! We like their Greek yogurt just as well as Chobani! My kids will ONLY eat Aldi Mac-n-Cheese, not Kraft! Their consistent produces prices are hard to beat, not to mention, their produce DEALS will be fantastic: blueberries, green peppers, strawberries… As for those weekly basics like milk, eggs, bread: yeah, sure, once in a while you will find a killer deal at Walgreens or CVS, but I can do CONSISTENTLY well at Aldi.
    The final reason I love Aldi: FOUR aisles! I don’t have to hike through a football-stadium-sized store to get a gallon of milk and a dozen eggs!
    Of course, I don’t buy everything there. I still coupon and get great deals elsewhere. But when it comes to staples and weekly shopping, this is where I start.

  109. Never shopped at Aldi until I found out my food snob of a cousin does. Ever since I buy most of our fruits and vegetables there, as well as baby wipes.

  111. I go to Aldi about once a week to pick up their produce deals, milk and bread. My family loves their chips, waffles and ice cream sandwiches. I have never tried their meat though.

  112. We love to buy those veggie chips at Aldi. Also the Savoritz round butter crackers taste even better than Ritz. I get my oatmeal and milk there all the time. The fresh fruit and veggies are good – especially when they are on sale. I love to check the seasonal aisle and have bought things such as outdoor cushions, plants and flowers there. The checkout is always fast even if everyone has a lot of stuff!

  113. The bacon wrapped filets are really good and the price is great. I buy them all the time. My family also likes the take and bake pizzas which are ususally $4.99 or $5.99. We like the meat lovers kind. We make chicken caesar salads a lot and they have 3 packs of romaine hearts for $1.99. They usually have a good selection of non grocery items including kitchen gadgets, exercise equipment, and other household and outdoor items on CLEARANCE for really good prices. Not my main grocery store as they don’t take coupons but always one of my regular stops on shopping day.

  117. Aldi is a great store and I shop there often…even better now that they sell organic!

  118. I love that they have so many tasty gluten free snacks. That’s what I would stock up on.

  119. Aldi has been my favorite grocery store for several years. Their consistently low milk prices, great meats and veggies as well as other staples can’t be beat. Love that they carry reasonably priced almond and soy milks. The ‘special buys’ are great too!

  120. I love shopping their. My kids love alot of their snack items and they have very good veggies.

  121. You hands down cannot beat Aldi produce prices. I run there once a week minium for the freshest and lowest price produce. For those of us that eat clean, it’s a must!

  122. We just started shopping at Aldi and the prices keep us going back! We like their salsa, it is tastier than the salsa from many other stores and goes great with their $1.19 tortilla chips! The fresh mozzarella is good too. I just wish there were more sugar free options (applesauce, pudding) although they do have sugar free coffee creamer.

  123. If I won this I’d pick up –
    *Eggs
    *Frozen Chicken breasts
    *Chimichunga burritos
    *Hummus
    *Cheese Sticks
    *and some of the “limited time items”; I enjoy the new stuff they always have :)

  124. Jill,

    I’ll tell you what I enjoy about the Sycamore/DeKalb Aldi’s…there is a real sense of a neighborhood store, friendly cashiers, trading carts for coins, and the size of the store is not overwhelming. My favorite products there are Frozen beef burgers (20) for about $7.00 and great weekly deals on produce.

    Susan

  125. At Aldi, I always buy my produce, I can not beat the prices there. Last week I got .75/ pint of blueberries. Great price to eat and freeze. I love to cheeses (fresh shredded parmesean is 1.99), crackers, spices and ice cream to make shakes.

  127. Over the last few years, Aldi has really stepped up their quality on things and we shop for the most part at our local Aldi.

  129. I absolutely love shopping there! The on sale produce are always fresh & you can’t really beat the prices!

  130. I love Aldi! We bought a 6 person tent for about $60 earlier this Spring. I’ve got to try the maple syrup.

  133. I love Aldi for all the things you highlighted – especially apple juice, veggie chips, milk and oatmeal. Thanks for having an open mind about this!

  134. I recently started shopping at Aldi. They have good prices on a variety of items!

  135. I love Aldi. It’s right across the street from where I live so I’m there all the time!

  136. I have been a long time customer of Aldi. I remember when they didn’t even take debit cards!! A $25.00 gift certificate would go a long way there. I think my every week things are eggs, milk and ice cream.

  139. I always buy the butter and cottage cheese they have the best prices here on those two items :)

  140. I have been a long-time customer of Aldi. Like so many of us I have been severely affected by the economic downturn. At one point while my son was still in HS I was managing to feed the two of us on $20 a week and that included lunches for him at school. I like the fact that Aldi also often has Kefir as I need it for digestive health. Same thing with the soy and almond milks! They also carry Greek Yogurt now and so many other things you wouldn’t necessarily think of when thinking of Aldi! Aldi’s produce, egg and milk prices are fantastic. You can’t beat their packs of Romaine Hearts…three for $1.99! I have had their Mama Cozi frozen pizzas and they are quite good. Their salsa and con queso dips are delicious with those chips Jill mentioned. Love their crackers too. So many great products at great prices. Aldi ROCKS!!

  141. We shop at Aldi weekly to get the Soy milk since I have 3 people in my family that is intolarnt of Cows Milk. We always are finding great deals which builds up my total each week without any fears I could have received a better deal somewhere else :)

  142. We stock up on fruits and veggies for smoothies. We also found out recently about the organic, grass-fed ground beef. It is delish! I usually stock up on baking goods at Aldi during the holidays and food for entertaining since they are reasonably priced.

  144. Jill – so very happy that you were impressed with Aldi, me too!!! Here’s my staples: Whole grain tortillas, Jelly & PB, Almond Milk, Peppers, Spinach, Friendly Farms greek yogurt, Parm Cheese, and frozen veggies for my dog (to add with her food). They do have great specials on odd items, waffle makers, hot water kettles, garden stuff (Yes, I even bought some twig size hydrangea bushes, 3 years ago…If only I could post you a photo….they are BEAUTIFUL! Glad you had success, I’m lovin the place!! :)

  145. I shop Aldi frequently for vegetables/fruit. I do notice that their bananas don’t last as long so I don’t buy a big bunch. I also like the ground chicken and can usually stock up when they are near the sell by date :). I’m starting to think I need an aldi run!

  147. I love getting good quality cheap fruits and vegetables at Aldis. We also buy our cat food there.

  148. when living there. loved to buy their German biscuits/cookies.

    They have them in Chicago?!?!

  149. Aldi’s has delicious products at incredible prices. What’s not to love?

  150. I shop at Aldi’s for a lot of my produce. Vadalia onions and potatoes are usually cheaper. I do find that the quality varies from store to store as they usually get their produce local. My kids love their bread.

  151. I like shopping at Aldi for canned goods, pasta sauce, instant rice, and chips.

  152. I always stop at Aldi’s before my grocery shopping and pick up what I can there, then head over to Ultra. I do love prices on produce fruit and milk. Have only bought one thing there I was not happy with and I returned the ham with no questions asked. Gift Certificate would be very welcome here.

  154. Aldi’s version of Fig Newtons are only $.89 in Baltimore. My kids love them!

  155. Aldi’s has gotta so much better over the years! love their frozen mini eclaires.

  156. I would use the $25 bucks up in no time! I’d rather buy directly from Aldi than price match at Walmart on produce since they challenge my “apples to apples” a lot lately.

    (pun intended on the apples thing above LOL!)

  157. I love Aldi.. Their ranch tortilla chips taste exactly like cool ranch doritos. When I’m too lazy to make pizza dough, their $4.99 cheese take and bake pizza is great … especially when I top it with their cheap veggies!

    Would love to try their grass fed beef.

  158. I love Aldi.. Their ranch tortilla chips taste exactly like cool ranch doritos. When I’m too lazy to make pizza dough, their $4.99 cheese take and bake pizza is great … especially when I top it with their cheap veggies!

    Would love to try their grass fed beef.

  159. To me, it’s SO much easier to walk into Aldi and KNOW I’m getting good deals without having to mess around with all the coupons and keeping track… in fact, other grocery stores are almost overwhelming to me anymore – too many choices! :) I have started to adding Dollar Tree, Save-A-Lot and Kroger (esp. their Manager’s Choice and the recent e-coupons for free stuff) to my shopping trip, but the bulk is usually bought at Aldi!

    I think the organic beef may just be temporary, but they’ve tried that organic store-brand a couple times over the last year – hopefully, it’s been popular enough to add some of the products permanently!

  160. I go to Aldi first then hit the other stores. I love getting the basics amd checking out their specials. Love my jumbo Aldo cloth bags. They wash up grest!

  161. I go to get milk, fruits, vegetables, chips, cookies, fruit snacks, sandwich bags, slider bags,etc…
    My children also loves to come with me because they know that I would get something for
    them since Aldi is pretty cheap.
    If I win the gift certificate I know I will go over my budget but I will get a lot
    of things for everyone in my family.

    Thank you.

  162. I have been an Aldi fan for years. I have seen much improvement over the years not only in the appearance of the stores but the variety of things to purchase. Aldi has come a long way and has great values all the time. I recommend Aldi to everyone I know almost on a daily basis.

  164. I have only been to Aldi a couple of times because there is one right by my sisters. I was so surprised to go in there and see the prices and variety they had. I have not been back in awhile but found out that they have one about 5 minutes from me, so it looks like I’ll be making more trips to it now!!!

  165. I love the produce selection at Aldi’s and I often stock up in their frozen food section. I also like to buy my cereal there. They have great deals.

  166. It had been a while since we’ve been there. I would love to goback to see what they have . Thanks jill for searching for the lowest prices for us!

  167. I shop at Aldi’s weekly. They generally have the best prices on milk for sure! I also like their greek yogurt. But my family’s favorite item from Aldi has to be the log sausage. It tastes better than any sausage we’ve had before!! Really hope I win the gift certificate!!!

  168. I have to say this last year I have turned into an Aldi shopper, very pleased with the produce. My husband LOVES the chicken. Great value

  169. I usually buy my bottled water there and flour, sugar and yogurt. I also love their deals on produce!!! I would love to win!

  171. I shop Aldi all the time. I find it very interesting that the Aldi you shopped at and the one in Cary, where I shop, has over a $.30 difference in Milk. I believe the one in Cary is $2.14 or $2.09. I can’t remember. I LOVE their breakfast sandwiches, better than McDonald’s and cheaper.

  173. We have an Aldi in town and I shop there often. Always clean and very friendly. I always buy their frozen Italian meatballs. They also have great prices on fruit for PADS, milk, cream, & eggs. Don’t, however, try the sardines. It’s the only thing I ever returned.

  174. It’s been a long time since I’ve shopped at aldi, but I do go every month or two to pick up a couple flats of canned veggies. I should start back up; I know they have some really good deals

  175. My favorite place for groceries!! Simple to get through , friendly workers and clean!! Love it!

  176. Among my favorites are the German imports, especially around the holidays. They have some great pastries and chocolates.

  177. Haven’t been to Aldi in years but would love to give it a try after reading about your great trip!!

  178. I don’t shop at Aldi very often, but whenever I do I’m usually quite impressed by their prices! Definitely need to try it out again soon.

  180. We usually shop there every week,mostly for veggies,cream cheese ,tuna in water( one of my daughter’s loves tuna salad) and sometimes ice cream.It would be great to win the gift card:)

  181. I almost exclusively shop at Aldis for their produce. It is very fresh and good, and very good prices. I love that they have been adding things like sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, and the beefsteak tomatoes are almost as good as from the garden!

  182. I have never been to Aldi as it is a little ways from my house. If I could try some of the items for free ($25 worth) and my kids liked them maybe it would be worth the further drive.

  183. I too love aldi for cheap milk other staples and the grass fed neef is great. The other thing I love is their garantee. No questions asked. The only you bought that I didn’t care for was the tuna thought it looked and smelled like cat food but you judge.. would love to wi. This gift card thanks for all you do and happy anniversary

  184. I am so happy that I discovered Aldi, I shop there weekly and buy certain staples in our house like maple syrup and some frozen fruit….glad to see this write up

  186. I buy a lot of our staples there – produce, meat, dairy (milk, eggs, cheese). I love the consistently low prices! Specialty items and “free” items with coupons I go elsewhere for. I am always amazed how much I get at Aldi for the total price paid.

  187. A few summers ago I stopped there to grab some can goods and bread. While waiting to check out they had bunches of flowers for $2.99 or $4.99. They looked so colorful and healthy! So I grabbed some for my table. To my surprise they lasted over 3 weeks! Now I always joke around with my husband to get me flowers from there.

  188. Aldi has very reasonable produce and large varieties. Their products are excellent and a great value. It’s a great place that you can really stretch your dollar and save a lot of money. I’d recommend it to anyone. Give it a try!!! I think you’ll like it!!!

  189. We’re from Chicago but live in Houston now. We really missed Aldi when we moved here because it’s a nice place when you need groceries and don’t have coupons. Good news, we just got an Aldi!!

    We love knowing you can buy butter for $1.87 and cream cheese for less than $1 consistently. Sure, it’s nice to find an awesome coupon deal on these, but knowing Aldi has consistently good prices helps a lot!

    Recently I’ve noticed they have quite a large selection of gluten free products. We tried the gluten free brownies.. super yummy and way cheaper than national gluten free brands.

  190. I always buy my milk and coffee creamer at Aldi. A 32oz bottle of flavored cream is about $2, hard to get that elsewhere even with a coupon. String cheese is another good dairy item as their price is about the same as other places Sale price. I get whole grain white bread for $1.29 and regular white is less than $1!! They also have the best hot dog & hamburger bun prices. When they get bags of butter or cheese puffs, I always stock up. And you can’t beat the price on orange juice!

  191. I love Aldi and have been going for years. I taught my sons to watch the price per ounce when buying treats, cereal, etc. Now when in other stores they truly understand how much mark-up there is for a brand name. Sometimes, brand name is worth it…and most times…not so much.

  192. I always shop at Aldi for the produce and milk. My three year old daughter loves when I buy lemons and strawberries because she knows than means strawberry-lemonade!

  193. I shop at Aldi a few times a minth for dairy and produce. Excellent! And Aldi has the best honey glazed ham! Always perfect.

  195. I shop at Aldi for fresh produce. Good quality and generally cheaper than Dominick”s and Jewel. At the beginning of the summer, they had woks for the grill on sale – way cheaper than anywhere else.

  196. I have only recently started shopping at Aldi in the last couple of months. I was tired of the poor quality and high cost of
    the produce at my local grocery store. I would recommend the following purchases at Aldi – chips, yogurt, produce, bread,
    granola bars, ice cream cones, snacks, cheese, lunchmeat, etc. I also love the fact that I can get a cart full of groceries and
    walk through the entire store and go through check out in less that 30 minutes. I also prefer to bag my own groceries…
    I have no one to blame but myself for smashed bread.

  197. My kids love going to Aldi for their fruit strips and mini muffins, perfect for lunches. I love their greek yogurt!

  198. I love Aldi and have shopped there forever. If they still have their organics available if I win the gift cert, that’s what I’m buying.

  199. I love shopping at Aldi,and am so excited how they are expanding their organic selection!! can’t wait to see organic grass fed beef at my local store!

  201. If I can’t find a better price using what I learned from you, Jill (using coupons), I do my shopping at Aldi.

  202. Aldi is around the corner from my house, I can get in & out in 1/2 hour or less no matter how much I need, even my pre/teen boys will run in with me. It’s taken me longer at express/self checkouts in major chains! I may overpay for an item or two compared to a sale/coupon combo at times, but we are taking $.10-.20. My kids love their mac & cheese under $.40/box. You showed the pineapple – they had an awesome slicer for $2.99, the week after a mandolin for $3.99. Their seasonal items vary and can be good buys (now have a lot of organic including agave nectar too). The key is the high turnover & daily delivery/restocking of produce. I never have to check for expired yogurts. The other thing is fewer temptations so I can send the DH in a pinch and he won’t come out with lots of pricey items we don’t need. As my life gets more & more hectic & gas $$$, I don’t have the time to shop all over town and I know that I can get my staples at good prices. The staff is friendly & very nice, products come with a guarantee if you aren’t satisfied. My picky eaters are very happy with the food & treats I buy here.

  203. Recently started living on my own and my mom always told me to shop at Aldi that you can’t beat their prices on some things. I started shopping there for some stuff and couldn’t believe how cheap things actually were. I will be going tonight to purchase those cutting boards you mentioned and probably some cucumbers and maybe even some cereal. :) We seem to never have enough cutting boards either!

  204. I love the frozen Carribean fruit bars. I would probably load up my freezer with these. You have to try them. I would also buy milk, fresh fruit, and meat.

  205. I want to check out the grass fed beef from Aldi’s and some of their other organic items. The produce is always a good buy there too.

  206. Aldi has always been a regular stop for me. I love to go and see what they have new every week and many times last weeks special purchase items are being clearanced out!! Aldi feeds my addiction to grocery steals very well. :)

  207. I love aldi for alot of stuff. With not as great deals on things lately I’ve been doing quite a bit of shipping at aldi. No coupons needed and good prices. Once when i was there the manager was telling someone the bread is made my sara lee and chips jays. Dont judge a book by its cover…im sure alot of these items are made by the name brands but are labeld aldi with aldi prices. their fruit rounds taste identical to fruit loops ( the jewel verison of rhese taste awful). I have only found a few of their items don’t taste well so overall I love shopping there. And too with gas prices its close and a one stop shop that I can get in and out quickly. And don’t need to check dates since turnover is so fast.

  208. I usually stop by Aldi for their produce, milk, French toast stick (kids love them best) and random items they have. Unfortunately, my family and I are snobs when it comes to cereal, bread and chips and only like name brand when it is on sale.

  209. While I shop deals, Aldi is one of my staple shopping trips almost on a weekly basis. We love their baked chips, fit and active lean pockets, hummus, produce, and so much more! A $25 gift card would be great with a baby on the way!!!!

  210. ..the veggie chips and tortilla chips (we love the black corn). German week is always great for their Bratwurst and peanut puffs (a German original!). Dried cranberries and the yoghurt raisins are also a great buy. Their ground chicken is always $ 2.49 so I always pick up a few. Crumbled feta cheese (and other varieties) are always $ 1.99.
    I’m surprised about the milk however, I was there last week and was surprised they had increased the price to $ 2.08 per gallon, so what’s with the $ 1.78 you found ?!?!

  211. …the bread, yes! My family loves the mini bagels and multi grain sandwich skinnys (no crusts!).
    Regarding the comment about items made by major brand companies: that has always been one of the big pluses for Aldi in Germany – their canned veggies e.g are produced by Bonduelle (brand name manufacturer there) and a lot of other stuff as well. That’s why it says Manufactured for Aldi…They make deals with major companies, question is though if the quality is equal to the product made to be sold as brand name item….

  212. We get the large tub of honey wheat pretzels, french toast sticks and ice cream novelties. The chicken fries they have are the only ones my kids will eat. Their frozen chubs of ground beef are inexpensive as well.

  213. I do most of my shopping at ALDI. I don’t always have time to clip coupons (sorry, Jill!) but i’m savvy with prices (thank you, Jill!) and can recognize a good deal. Baking supplies, snack bars, chips, crackers and cereal are great savers (my kids have gotten used to the slight difference in taste in the house brands but many are almost the same). Canned beans, vegetables, fruit and soup are always a HUGE savings over the name brands, even with coupons. Produce is fresh and a good variety – but not always the same items each week. Pricing is great when on sale. Dairy such as milk, cheese, yogurt and butter are well priced, too. Hot Dog and Hamburger buns are a steal!

    I hit the seasonal items and weekly specials for good birthday presents for my ‘gift closet’. Bigger stores have more selection, but even the smaller stores have everything you need for a standard shopping trip.

  214. I have been shopping at Aldi for 25 years as its is always an easy store to go in and get milk (under $2) and bagged mixed green salad ($1.99), fresh salsa is good too and get out. More so now that they take debit cards.

  215. love aldi’s beef
    certificate would help me plan my dad’s 93 rd birthday end of this month

  216. I just started shopping at Aldi’s and have been very pleased with their produce and milk prices.

  219. We bought ginormous ones before for guacamole and the sale prices were amazing. We’ve also bought their portobello mushroom caps when they were on sale and were pleased with how well they did on the grill.

    Thanks for a chance at the giveaway, Jill! : )

  221. I LOVE shopping at Aldi for the savings without coupons. (No guilt!) I can walk out with 4 bags of groceries for about $25! My husband and I love to make easy, homemade oatmeal in the morning for breakfast. To do so, we always keep stock of ALDI vanilla almond milk, dried cherries, old fashioned oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add a spoonful of peanut butter on the side of your bowl to dip your oatmeal in-YUM. I love their Greek yogurt-add fresh berries-raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries. They recently rearranged their store layout to make room for about 400 new products, I believe. Returns can be done while checking out-great return policy, fast and friendly service! Love it!!!

  222. I shop regularly at Aldi and would buy produce (especially strawberries and blueberries), milk, sour cream, Fit & Light large 32 oz. plain yogurt, eggs, and baking supplies.

  223. Aldi is always worked into my grocery shopping trips. Lately I tried the aged white cheddar. It’s extra sharp, DH loves it, as do I, and for a 10 ounce bar it is under $3. If I remember correctly- $2.49.
    I’ve never forgotten seeing another customer years ago, returning the canned tuna, so Jill I will be interested in how it is now.
    Oh, almost forgot! They sell 312 beer for $10.99/12 pack- at least a buck cheaper than elsewhere.

  224. Unless there is a deal at Jewel, we regularly buy the 42 oz oatmeal at Aldi.

  226. I’m like you Jill, shopped at Aldi years ago but then didn’t for years, but have gone back to it in the last year, when a lot of the deals have not been good as before and it is my go to place for a number of things. The first aisle is my main ‘hit’ and everything else is gravy. Fabulous place to stock up on kid snacks and cheap produce. And the take and bake pizzas are my savior on the crazy days (or when I don’t feel like cooking).

  227. We usually buy the chicken wings. My husband really likes theirs. Milk is usually priced low and I can often find good deals on produce. I like to use their flyer for price matching at Walmart too.

  228. At $1.29 a loaf, this is my go-to place for 100% whole wheat bread . . and we love it!

  230. I had no interest in shopping at Aldi until I read this. I would love the $25 gift certificate to check out this store!

  231. I just recently started doing some shopping there. We love the veggie straws, yogurt raisins and yogurt pretzels. The produce is great too! I would love to win this gift card.

  232. My girls and I shop at Aldi at least once a week and sometimes three times a week. They have excellent semi-sweet chocolate chips (and only $1.79 at our store). The milk is always the cheapest around. Our family loves the shredded cheese (all varieties). Also, the chocolate peanut butter cups can’t be beat. Last holiday season, we bought all of our teacher gifts here. The variety of candy/cookies and holiday assortments was exactly what we needed . . . and the prices can’t be beat!

  233. it’s been a while since i’ve been to Aldi, think i’ll have to go check them out again. they usually have awesome prices on fruits and veggies.

  234. They have such fresh produce compared to the other stores. Love them for this!
    Thanks

  235. I love shopping at Aldi without planning a trip with coupons–no prep needed. I buy produce, chips, crackers, and juice. I don’t mind paying for their more expensive 100% juice (Berry Burst and Fruit Punch) since it is good quality and tastes great. It also doesn’t have apples from China, like many cheap apple juices today at most stores–I always read the labels to avoid apples transported across the entire world.

  236. We recently started going to Aldi more often too! My daughter is a big baker and she noted the low prices on flour, sugar and marshmallows (for making fondant). Aldi will be our supply center for her next cake creation.

  238. You need to try their chocolate cake mix. Not only is it easy on the budget it is super moist. I get compliments every time I use it. I went to Aldi the other day and came back with a tote full and spent 16.00. Ice cream is another good thing to stock up on. Our family trip to DQ is ridiculous but I stock the freezer with an assortment from Aldi and save a bundle!

  239. They have some awesome deals. If you like gyro’s they have a kite with everything in it but the lettuce, tomato and onions. It’s an easy meal in the summer. Only $6.99

  240. I shop at Aldi primarily for staples. Their milk prices are always reasonable (but not as low at the Frankfort Aldi as what others have reported), and I now buy 100% of my milk there regardless of other sales because Aldi’s milk is now hormone-free. They also now have all-natural sour cream at an unbeatable price. I originally started shopping at Aldi because we love LeSueur canned peas, and Aldi sells their version for 99 cents–a great deal! Try their caramel sauce when it’s available during the summer! Also love their guacamole @ $3. Other things I buy there consistently are eggs, butter, romaine lettuce hearts ($2 for a 3-pak), tomato sauce and tomato paste, bags of lettuce, baked beans, box cake mix, mustard, their German coffee, the all-fruit spreads for bread, cottage cheese, whipping cream during holiday times and some produce. Their spice prices are also great! I like their frozen breaded fish filets but my husband doesn’t. I also think their salty snacks taste good (chips, pretzels, etc.), but again my husband doesn’t like them.

    But Aldi has also lowered the quality on some items. I used to buy their Oreo clone cookies. They were delicious at one time, but they changed the recipe a couple years ago and lowered the quality. Their tuna has been iffy starting about a year ago — sometimes the tuna is better quality than brand name, and other times it’s mush.

    I don’t buy their cheese because I can get a 2-lb. block at Dominick’s for a lower price per lb. Mayo and ketchup — no. Tried them but don’t like the flavor. I tried their pasta but it seemed more mushy than brand name. Don’t buy the canned spaghetti sauce-it tastes like Chef Boyardee to me. I also didn’t have good luck with their fresh hamburger — it’s the only thing I have ever asked for a refund on. Although most of their produce is top-quality, the onions I buy there generally get moldy before I finish the bag.

  241. I visit Aldi on average once a week. I buy milk there (price can rarely be beat!), Kefir, and most of my produce too. I love that they have been offering healthier options too like their whole wheat bread and multigrain waffles. I often walk out with more than I planned on, but at least I always feel like I found some deals!

  243. We usually stop by Aldi about once a week. The only downfall for me, is that they don’t open till 9. With little ones, we’re out and about usually at 8, to get home in time for naps. I do get my staples there, as they’re usually cheaper than other store brands. Oh, and the Log Cabin pancake syrup has no HFCS in it :) That’s what kind I get, it even comes in the big family size jug for cheaper :)

  244. I’ve never shopped there but am willing to see what they have! Thank you for the give away!

  245. Growing up I remember shopping at aldis with my mom. I shop there because of the great deals. I have never really been into home-based stuff mainly cuz of their pricing. The frozen Apple juice at .99cents is a hit at home.

  246. Absolutely love to shop at Aldi. We always buy the Jenny O ground turkey there..only 3.49 by my house. Cheapest I’ve seen…

  248. I would love to win a $25 Aldi gift certificate. Like you I didn’t realize some of the products they have!

  249. Aldi was the go-to grocery store when I was growing up in a family with 6 kids. I’ve always known about their great prices on baking supplies but good to know now that they have some interesting specialty items. I will have to check it out!

  251. We just got an Aldi’s here a few months ago. Will definitely check it out!

  252. Produce prices are great. They also carry some products that you just cannot get anywhere else. Would love to win a gift card to help with the shopping.

  253. Aldi has always been a good store & the only reason I don’t shop there more often is I rarely have the cash on me, but when I do have a few dead presidents in my pocket I gladly spend them there.

  254. Aldi came to the mid-south several years ago, and for some reason, I never went there until about two years ago. I could kick myself for not checking it out sooner! They have the best produce deals. I also buy their bread, chips, crackers, eggs, milk, cookies, baking supplies, packaged tortellini, frozen Italian entrees…..I could go on and on!

  255. Have been experimenting with Aldi products for the past few months and have been pleased with everything purchased. We are particulaly happy with Aldi produce. It’s fresh and reasonably priced.

  256. Love Aldi. They have all the staples when needed in a hurry. However, I do know what items we like or dislike. I have recently found onion rings, marvelous as long as you flip them half way through. French toast sticks, a big win in our house. Fast and easy for those rush morning.

  257. We always shopped there as a kid. I need to get back in the habit. I love the smell of the store. The organic ground beef sounds awesome. Wish they still carried Dr. Schnee. It was generic Dr. Pepper from about 4 decades ago.

  258. I include Aldi in my rotation about once every one to two weeks. The milk and eggs are cheapest priced in my area and my husband loves their bagels. He prefers them to name brand. In addition to that, I get olive oil, oil spray, sugar, and other staples from there. They also have the best “special” items such as goat cheese, gouda etc… that are very reasonable priced.

  260. I have never been to Aldi! But that cheap organic beef price is making me want to!

  262. For me it has been a while since I’ve been to Aldi’s too. I like their milk prices.

  264. I typically only go to Aldi for a few brief things maybe it’s worth another look

  266. Aldi is a favorite of my mother in laws and I was skeptical when we first moved here, but now I love Aldi! I especially love their excellent produce. My daughter use to love their version of Frosted Flakes that had a cartoon Shark. It became known to her as ‘shark cereal’ and now that it has a polar bear, she is so sad. She insists Shark Cereal tastes better but reluctantly eats Polar Bear cereal. :P

  268. I shop at Aldi every two weeks…LOVE LOVE LOVE their prices! But if I won the gift card I would use it towards one of the Little Tikes items my store has in stock for my little boy!!

  272. Hey Aldi, bring back the ONE POUND bags of your frozen California Mix vegetables! I WILL NOT EVER buy the 12oz. bags!!!

  274. I Love Aldi. The Closest One Is An Hour Away. But We Are Getting Ready To Move And It Will Be 2 Miles Away. Yay! :)

  275. Aldi’s recently opened up by me…I would love the gift card to by anything vegetarian..those veggie straws looked good and price wise.

  276. I live Aldi. Always shop for milk, bread and produce deals. Often baby wipes and chips are a steal too!

  277. Is good for an occasional stop. One thing I’ve often found bad there is strawberries. They will either be moldy on the shelf, or within a day of getting them home. I do like the tortilla round chips, for easy nacho lunches for kids…

  279. I would go there for that syrup price for sure! I had no idea about the grass fed beef…thank you so much for the great information.

  280. I really like Aldi for their fresh fruits and vegetables which are usually priced very reasonably. I used to always buy their powdered donut holes but I can’t seem to find them anymore. (probably better for my hips!)

  281. I love coupons. My daughter is now an addict. Aldi has great prices ALDI time. I use coupons for the things Aldi does not carry.

  283. My husband loves to go into Aldi with me. He thought the prices were fair and even though he has yet to use the generator he brought 4 years ago (thank God) he still thinks it was a great buy. I love it for the good pricing on their fruits and veg.

  284. Aldi always has something I will buy. I shop there weekly for produce and chips!

  285. I don’t really care for any of their packaged/in-house brand items, but I do go there to get some cheap fruits and vegetables! Just last week – they had strawberries for $0.79!

  286. I have shopped Aldi’s for several years. What do we like??? We always buy the 100% whole wheat bread, Fit&Active yogurt, garlic mashed potatoes, Au-gratin potatoes, cereals (clones of brand name favorites), romaine lettuce hearts, tuna in a pouch (much better than canned), frozen vegetables, canned beans-baked, chili, black,red and whatever beans a recipe calls for. Some of my favorites (which my husband refuses to even try) are the German specialty foods, beets & red cabbage with apples. Recently we have been buying fresh blueberries by the crate. We eat them on our cereal, on ice cream, and in pancakes. We have bought some of the special purchase items, most recently a ceramic knife and a raised toilet seat. I can only recall returning one item that I was dissatisfied with and received a refund and courteous treatment. SO YES, i’M AN ALDI FAN!!!

  287. I use Aldi for things I can’t get with coupons other places. We like their Mozzarella cheese balls for caprese salad. A $25 gift card will go pretty far there!

  288. I have been a long time Aldi shopper for some items. Most people will not try their meat but it’s actually very good and more reasonably priced.

  289. I am amazed that 2 to 3 people run an entire Aldi store. And the concept of the quarter for the cart. All grocery stores should do that. Who wants to go out and get carts in the rain or snow? The store is always clean. They don’t seem to run out of anything. I LOVE AlDI’S.

  292. Glad to see you include Aldi’s in your weekly deals. With a family of seven, I find good deals on butter, cheese and snacks.

  294. I have recently found Aldi to be an excellent place to pick up eggs, flour, and sugar for great everyday prices and fun appliances like the milkshake maker and icecream maker which made for fun Father’s Day gifts.

  295. Aldi is a great place for pantry staples such as flour, white and brown sugars, and chocolate chips. Produce can be hit or miss in terms of quality and flavor. That being said, we recently enjoyed their yummy fresh blueberries that were priced the lowest we’ve seen anywhere this season.

  296. My boyfriend loves their Fit & Active Protein bars, he swears they’re better than the Special K ones. We also like their chips & salsa.

  297. Their fresh produce is great! Quality is good and prices cannot be beat. I also enjoy the sweat potatoe chips @ $1.99 a bag. Usually you pay a premium for these at other places. I usually buy their canned pumpkin (if they have it) to put on my dog’s food. Their price is at least 35% cheaper than any place else. The fillets look like a fantastic deal! I will look for these the next time I stop in.

  298. I only go to Aldi for a few things maybe it’s worth another look since the grape tomatoes were delish this week.

  299. Aldi has a lot of great items at great prices. Everyday items are a great value. Hope to win.

  300. LOVE their produce – especially the blueberries :) always buy my milk there – super cheap and kids say it tastes better. Glad you had a fun trip Jill!

  301. Aldi is my favorite. I’m not always in the right frame of mind to deal with coupons. It’s nice to know I can go there and always know what I’m going to pay for something. I love that they keep adding healthier and/or organic options.

  302. We absolutely love Aldi. We love to cook from scratch and we can basically do most of our shopping at Aldi. It’s usually the first stop on our grocery shopping trip. What’s really nice is there aren’t 20 isles of products I don’t need so our shopping trip doesn’t take long.

  303. I have a friend who once gave me her recipe for her amazing chili. It was called Aldi chili because all of the items come from Aldi. It makes a ton of food and costs very little.

    Many times I go to Aldi for milk because it is much easier to go to instead of my local Woodman’s that is huge. They are both about the same distance from my house and Aldi’s always has good prices on their milk.

  304. Aldi is always in the shopping loop. You can’t beat their prices on produce! Also love their blue organic nacho chips!

  305. Whenever I need to tighten the budget even more I head Aldi and pick up the indgredients for chili (I find their pepper prices, canned kidney beans and canned tomato paste and sauce very low), a box of elbow macaroni, and a corn muffin mix. I make a giant pot of chili, freeze half of it. Then I make the macaroni and we have Chili mac for dinner (and enough left over for anotehr later in the week dinner or lunches. A few weeks later I defrost the chili and make the corn muffins and have that for dinner or lunches. i ended up with at least five meals for well under $10.

  307. I shop at Aldi enough to see even better deals. Like pineapples – $1.99 at Aldi is HIGH!! $1.29 – $1.49 is more likely. I buy what seems to be great deals and some basics.

  308. I enjoy shopping at Aldi as well, and thankfully there’s one really close to us. Not just milk, but produce, many of the items you mentioned (e.g. ice cream cones, chips, etc). Learned a few things, too, like the grass-fed organic beef (I don’t tend to look at the raw meats, I think). Thanks for this post! (And also for the chance to win).

  309. I have a large family, and Aldi is my favorite store! I rarely see lower prices for paper goods and dairy. Has to be a pretty good couponing situation to beat the Aldi prices. I also buy almost all of my produce at Aldi.

  312. I love Aldi. I can get everything I need at a super low price. I have found that the produce is cheaper and better quality than other stores.

  314. We love Aldi!
    I have a nice patio set, tables, chairs, & umbrella that we found there last year. We buy staples there because it’s usually cheaper, especially milk. My kids love the sour cream and onion potato chips!

  315. Those yogurt raisins are awesome, and I frequently buy Aldi’s baking, bread & dessert mixes.
    However, I cannot help but notice that my local Aldi’s prices on produce are a bit higher. I’ve NEVER seen baby carrots for 49 cents and I buy them pretty often. They’re usually around a dollar, 79 cents has been the lowest I recall.

    Still really appreciate having an Aldi just a bit over a mile from my house, especially since the nearest supermarket is several miles further.

  317. I see this come up often, so I thought I’d post a reminder.

    While the same German family owns both Aldi and Trader Joe, the two companies are not connected.

    It’s kind of like Portillos and Browns here in the Chicago area: owned by brothers, but independent.

  318. Our family recently started shopping at Aldi. We have some favorites we always get for prices you can not go wrong!

  320. Absolutely love grabbing extremely cheap milk at Aldi. Have learned that their prices change between locations though.

  321. I love Aldi’s. Easy peel frozen medium shrimp is $4.99 a lb. If the kids want Chicken Pot pie, the frozen deep dish pie crusts are $1.89 for a two pack (although I did see them for $1.69 today and was tempted to buy it…not sure if that’s the new low price or if it’s on sale). Frozen Hash Brown patties are another item the kids request ($2.99 for the large package of 20).

  322. I always get my ingredients to make spaghetti sauce, chili, and large weekend breakfasts there. I also am addicted to the sweet potato chips. There are very few things that I’ve found there that I don’t like or that I’ve found that are more expensive than what I get when I coupon. Thanks for the giveaway!

  323. I love strolling the middle aisles where they have seasonal stuff – I always find something that I can’t live without and it is always a great deal!

  325. My husband loves the prices on the veggies & fruits while the penguin crackers and mini muffins rate high with the kids!

  328. I pick up dairy products weekly. Two Key Lime Fit@Active yogurt added to whipped topping makes a great cool low calorie Summer desert. Yum. No problem using the $25 when there is so much to choose at great prices.

  330. Thanks for pointing out some great deals Jill!
    I actually need some olive oil and I might just go there this week…

  331. I remember when Aldi first appeared in the Western Suburbs 30 or 40 years ago. They didn’t sell ANY name brand products. They didn’t sell anything needing refridgeration. I could easily spend $25 on fruit. There regular prices for fruit are better than the sale prices at Jewel and Dominick’s!

  333. …is my staple, but I’m a new Aldi shopper so thanks for all these suggestions!

  335. My favorite item to purchase at Aldi is their Lacura Q10 Day Cream. This stuff works wonders and has been great on my skin. And it costs less than $5!! I also buy produce and kid snacks from Aldi. The gift card would be great to use to stock up on snacks before our vacation.

  336. This is the very BEST store to save on food basics. Butter is usually $1.99 at my store. Eggs, flour, sugar and milk are always cheaper too and not by a few cents! I buy lots of produce here also. It is always less expensive. For example, blueberries are 99 cents this week and my local grocery store has the SAME package for $2.99!!! Now that’s REAL savings. LOVE my Aldi’s!!

  337. My favorite things to buy at Aldi: cheese, avocados, turkey bacon, and chicken italian sausage!

  339. Since I found out my kids have dairy and gluten sensitivies, I have been shopping at Aldi. They label the gluten/dairy free foods the best! Also, they have been carrying gluten free brands—so far they have been specials, so only for a limited time, but I hope in time they will add them to their regular offers. After reading your post, I can’t wait to see if my Aldi has the grass fed beef!!

  340. Regular purchases at Aldi include Gallon milk, Lactose Free Milk, and select produce.

  343. Love Aldi! Have shopped there since I found them in my area. Staples like sugar, crackers, eggs, butter, lots of others always go in my cart.

  344. I love getting the deals on fruit since I consume so much of it. Thanks
    for putting these deals up so early now so we can shop before shelves
    are cleared.

  346. Aldi is my go to place when I can’t find a sale on produce, meat and certain condiments. They have a quick check out and their stores are much cleaner than they used to be back in the day.

  351. Aldi’s was our MAIN store for shopping because the prices are so inexpensive until I met you and your site. It’s incredible the lessons you have taught my family and I and the savings we reap! Thanks so much! (We still go here for produce on a regular basis)…

  352. Still shop their often in addition to the other deals on your site. Would love to win!

  353. I love being able to get soy milk at a reasonable price anytime. We get wheat bread, eggs, baking items. Love the fruit and veggies.

  354. Currently at my aldi, they have loaves of wheat bread and hot dog buns for $0.25! Can’t beat that! I am located in Evergreen Park, IL.

  355. For $25 I’m sure I’d be able to get at least TWO full bags of groceries. They have great whole wheat bread and consistently low prices for gallons of milk.

  356. I don’t often go to an Aldi. They are out of my way. When I do go, I always go over budget. Even tho they carry the same things, they always have something new, so it is fun. If I won, I would let the kids pick whatever they wanted.

  357. If I win, I would let the kids pick whatever they wanted.
    I do love to shop there, but it is out of my way.

  358. Aldi’s is a major part of our family’s shopping. It helps stretching our food budget so the kiddies are able to get a few goodies that they wouldn’t get otherwise.

  359. I love Aldi. I go there often when I need to restock and would probably buy some of my kids favorites like pizza and soda and have a movie night.

  360. The frozen mushroom ravioli is to die for. I love the fact that they have affordable Riesling wine.

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