What are your favorite Aldi finds?

Definitely the produce! And they have laughing cow wedge knock offs that are really good. I buy their frozen shrimp, scallops and fish. And the center cut bacon - 25 calories a slice!

michelle172415 wrote: »

Our Aldi just opened recently and I'm loving all of the wonderful food options, especially their organic and gluten free stuff.

What Aldi exclusive products do you love?

I got a bike maintenance stand.

https://www.aldi.us/en/weekly-specials/aldi-finds-for-may-16/may-16-detail/ps/p/bikemate-bike-assembly-stand/

I bought mine last year when they offered them. It's a steal for $30 and makes working on our bikes easier.

I love their plain Greek yogurt -- it's the only one I don't mind on its own, without adding sugars to sweeten it up. Their Fit and Active shredded cheeses are nice too. I add them to salads, pizzas, etc and don't stress over the calories.

I also love their Cool Ranch Dorito knock offs and the imitation Girl Scout cookies (mint and samoas). But those aren't exactly calorie friendly lol.

And I have a different experience with the produce. Unfortunately my local Aldi doesn't really have fresh veggies They're always on the verge of rotting!

They sell an off-brand version of the cherry-lime and blackberry-cucumber La Croix Curate flavors for like half the price, which is awesome because I'm addicted to them...

I don't often shop at Aldi because in my small city we just have one location and it is PACKED from open to close, even at 2 pm on a Tuesday (and even though we've had an Aldi store for 25 years or more).

But the stuff I do like to get...

unsalted roasted peanuts
prosecco
multigrain "Fit n' Active" waffles (BEST frozen waffle ever and just 70 cal each)
hummus (especially the classic, garlic, and roasted pepper varieties...not a big fan of the olive one)
feta crumbles
crazy-cheap avocadoes (though quality & size vary a lot)
various frozen fish items, including their battered fillets for a guilty pleasure, easy meal (tasty!)
cheap eggs & almond milk
plain nonfat Greek yogurt (cheap, not the best though)

Simply Nature Marinara. Yum! Also Clancy’s veggie chips and veggie straws. Produce is sooo cheap! I always stock up. Their almond milk is good, too

I'll get snack type foods at Aldi but that's pretty much it. I used to buy fruit and veggies there but the quality wasn't very good. Because of this, I don't trust the raw meat.

They have good pricing on frozen things like chicken nuggets, waffles and ice cream! They also have the lowest price for things like crackers, chips and cookies and they taste exactly the same as the brand name.

OMG the Chocolate, biscuits, museli bars, breads, dairy, cereals, beauty products - I could go on!!

Oh, I forgot their chipotle black bean veggie burgers. So delicious!

Sliced gouda, eggs, organic spinach, organic tomatoes (canned), spray olive oil, peppered salami, black forest ham,
center cut bacon, dog treats (not for me--:))

The SimplyNature Fruit strips and fruit snacks are delicious! The Moser Roth chocolate is awesome - my favorite is the dark chocolate and sea salt. The pizzas are delicious and cheap. Pasta sauces are great. I really like the whole SimplyNature line; including tortilla chips and salsa!

Black bean veggie burgers, organic black beans, olive oil are good tips going to have to try those!

LadyElectron wrote: »

They have so many tempting and delicious snack foods it can be kind of a pit fall for dieting.

YES!! The wall of amazing (and super cheaply-priced) Belgian chocolate bars immediately upon entering. And specialty cookies. And cocoa-dusted truffles (seasonal). And all the cheeses! (sub <$3 camembert/brie is just dangerous). (Lots and lots of stuff I have to speed by now that I count calories).

So what do I get there now?:
• Food bars (protein bar, and Special K/Nature Valley/Fiber One protein& fiber added food bars at much cheaper).
• Greek yogurt singles (same price as the generic at the other stores - no better or worse in price or selection)
• The aerosol oil sprays (mentioned above). Usually the butter-flavored one.
• boneless/skinless chicken breasts (cheapest in the area at $1.89/lb. next closest is Wegmans at $2/lb for club pack. everywhere else is at least $3/lb).
• boneless pork chops (they have a fairly lean cut that is often on weekly special for a pretty good price).
• Frozen shrimp and salmon <-- much, much higher priced everywhere else
• Frozen berries <-- they have $2 bags. And not just the strawberries.
• Frozen asparagus, green beans (theirs have a particularly low-water-content compared to other brands - not soggy and lying in a pool of water when microwaved unlike others)
• Random produce (often something is really low priced. Asparagus last week. Potatoes were a good price too).
• Potluck/Party food (they have a lot of ready to eat, but not quite diet-friendly, food items. chocolate/cookies, cheese, baked stuff, frozen mini eclairs/cream puffs,..).
• Bottled sauerkraut

What, in particular, do I not get there/they do not have that I buy regularly?:
• They do not have sugar-free jam/preserves that I like with my cottage cheese
• No plain popcorn kernels (just microwave bags)

We love their Clancy veggie sticks, fresh chicken, ground beef & turkey, pork tenderloin. Their lettuce prices are always much better than the other stores.. I don't buy too much fresh produce from there, I feel like sometimes it goes bad quickly, but not all the time.. it's kind of hit or miss. Love their hummus and the brand Little Salad Bar has really good pre-made macaroni salad, potato salad & coleslaw. Their french fries and tater tots are awesome. I get dog food there, name brand, but cheaper and I also buy their brand diapers, never had a problem with them. The only problem I've ever had at Aldi is with their canned black olives. My daughter loves olives and 3 separate times I've gotten canned olives and they've been moldy when I opened them! I try to get as much as I can at Aldi, before going to another store. Their bread is always really fresh and a good price!