UK 'clean' eaters - Trying out Aldi. What to avoid?

emmamcc1981
emmamcc1981 Posts: 133 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Need to know what to definitely go for in there and what to avoid please with regards to eating as cleanly as possible. also what sort of meals can i expect to make? is it all pasta based? i imagine they have a large pasta section and not much else going on.

i like to cook real food all from scratch, for my family of 4, no ready meals or just bits of this and that you can sling together to make a meal. i'm a bit of a control freak about my food that way. for example, i can't have artificial sugar, since it sends my appetite through the roof. that kind of thing.

so. Aldi. good for weight loss and clean eating, or no?

Replies

  • Stephie_J
    Stephie_J Posts: 260 Member
    Have you looked on their website? http://www.aldi.co.uk/

    I get my cat litter from there as its under £2 for a MASSIVE bag. I know that doesn't help you with the food question... lol

    They do fruit and veg and fresh meats etc so not all pasta
  • Bosbes
    Bosbes Posts: 55 Member
    I don't know about Aldi in the UK, but in the Netherlands they have a lot of good stuff. Including rice and vegetables.
  • Natty0506
    Natty0506 Posts: 103 Member
    I do the majority of my shopping at Aldi here in the US. They have cheese (good cheese, not just packaged crap), fruits, veggies, meat. Their variety isn't huge, but they do have chicken, beef, pork, and turkey. Most of the fruits and veggies are seasonally based, which I think is pretty cool.
  • angeldelight13
    angeldelight13 Posts: 177 Member
    I mainly shop in aldi and i hardly ever buy their pasta lol. Lots of fresh fruit and veg (including their super six, promoted items each week... I think pineapples and kiwi are included atm), fresh meat and check out their frozen section for the fish they stock!
  • zophiel67
    zophiel67 Posts: 181
    We do most of our shopping at Aldi in the US. They are good for cheap basics - sugar, flour, bread, meat, etc. But we do have to be careful with the fruits and veggies. Maybe it's just our area but things go bad very quickly, so you may want to plan on shopping at least twice a week if you want to get produce there.
  • elis_mama
    elis_mama Posts: 308 Member
    Aldi here in the US is my "go-to" store. Love it! They have amazing prices on their foods. They have a wonderufl variety of fruits and veg at the best prices around! I refuse to buy my produce anywhere else now. Only Aldi and farmer's markets when they are open. Good meat selection and frozen fish, too.
  • emmamcc1981
    emmamcc1981 Posts: 133 Member
    Have you looked on their website? http://www.aldi.co.uk/

    I get my cat litter from there as its under £2 for a MASSIVE bag. I know that doesn't help you with the food question... lol

    They do fruit and veg and fresh meats etc so not all pasta

    hahaha cat litter! :D

    i have looked at their website, but it's not very good, i don't think. i may mosey down for a look this afternoon so i can plan the weeks shopping properly.
  • emmamcc1981
    emmamcc1981 Posts: 133 Member
    BTW i had no idea they had Aldi in the US as well.... :D
  • Erika1962
    Erika1962 Posts: 187 Member
    I don't know if there is a big difference between the states and europe, but here I go to aldi's once a week, they always have super deals on produce. Like last week I bought mushrooms for 69 cents a pack, cucumbers for 29 cents, large container of strawberries for 1.49, avocados for 69 cent. This coming sunday another good sale, 1.39 for a 3 pound bag of apples, I forgot what else, I'd have to get the flyer, but there are several things on there that I want to get. I eat loads of fruit and veggies so I will be heading there again to stock up !!!
  • nml2011
    nml2011 Posts: 156 Member
    Their frozen veg has always been good!
  • mummum2
    mummum2 Posts: 415 Member
    Aldi in the UK is great! (I'm in the Sout East), although I don't get all my shopping from there, excellent on fresh fruit and veg (cheaper than leanding brand supermarkets). Fresh meats as well as frozen (chicken, port, beef), excellent value! Wonderful selections on chesse and different cuts of cooked meats i.e. smoked ham, etc, sugar (I only like brown, they sell cheaply). Juices, water, etc, etc, all your food shopping if you want can be purchased there! But like I mentioned, I'm one for brand named goods, so will buy all my fruit and veg there, along with their water, sometime meats (prefer my butcher)! and everything else I'm a Sainsbury's girl!

    As you stated you'll take a look this afternoon, go fo it, you'll be pleased with what they have, suggest you take your own carrier bag(s) as you'll pay for them there!
    Godo luck and enjoy the shopping!
  • creative1981
    creative1981 Posts: 182 Member
    Maybe it's just our area but things go bad very quickly, so you may want to plan on shopping at least twice a week if you want to get produce there.

    I found this with one of the Aldi's in the UK too. We have recently moved towns and I haven't tried the Aldi's in my new town. Might have just been that store as they were massively under staffed in there!
  • Stephie_J
    Stephie_J Posts: 260 Member

    As you stated you'll take a look this afternoon, go fo it, you'll be pleased with what they have, suggest you take your own carrier bag(s) as you'll pay for them there!
    Godo luck and enjoy the shopping!

    YES! Own bags and a pound/trolley token :) - They don't have baskets!
  • tashajayne2011
    tashajayne2011 Posts: 288
    I went to aldi this morning and bought

    mini chicken fillets £1.99
    White cabbage 59p
    Wholemeal Pittas 49p
    Cucumber 59p

    They had baskets :)
  • lollypop_ginger
    lollypop_ginger Posts: 69 Member
    Maybe it's just our area but things go bad very quickly, so you may want to plan on shopping at least twice a week if you want to get produce there.

    I found this with one of the Aldi's in the UK too. We have recently moved towns and I haven't tried the Aldi's in my new town. Might have just been that store as they were massively under staffed in there!

    I have noticed this too, most of my fruit goes bad after a couple of days but the veg is usually fine
  • elis_mama
    elis_mama Posts: 308 Member
    BTW i had no idea they had Aldi in the US as well.... :D

    Sure do! My favorite store!! SUCH good prices and awesome assortment!!
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    Their fruit and veg is very well priced but I agree don't buy it too far ahead. I think they are a German company, there's always a lot of German style meat products, but you'll also find the usual meats and their fish fingers are the best ever in my opinion. Also like their part baked dinner rolls and tampons are the cheapest I've ever seen them - not that you should be eating too many of those ;-)
  • choirgirl1130
    choirgirl1130 Posts: 80 Member
    i shop aldi us and you have to be very careful...read the labels. i mostly buy fruit , veggies, milk, eggs, canned beans, frozen veggies, cheese...not too much of the packaged foods because they add lots of fillers, like: sugar, high fructose corn syrup, potato starch, msg, malodextrin, etc....in stuff you wouldn't believe, or maybe you would. my rule of thumb on labels...the less ingredients the better and if there is hidden additives or stuff i can't pronounce i won't buy it.
    hope this is helpful :0)
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    You can make huge chillis or spag bols, full of tonnes of vedge, sweetcorn, chick peas, kidney beans. I have a lot of stuff with salad. You can do jacket poatoes, chicken breast, fish. The smoked hams are great! The options are endless. Its a great store. Best fruit for lasting are apples and oranges. The pink lady apples are amazing! I use salad stuff quickly (go twice a week) and veg I end up wacking in a big chilli or something so that gets used quickly too! Hope this helps! Zara x
  • Stephie_J
    Stephie_J Posts: 260 Member
    I went to aldi this morning and bought

    mini chicken fillets £1.99
    White cabbage 59p
    Wholemeal Pittas 49p
    Cucumber 59p

    They had baskets :)

    Emma is going to the same Aldi that I go to, hence the baskets comment :)
  • lshafik
    lshafik Posts: 20
    As your best friend I can HIGHLY recommend.

    I cook from scratch EVERY DAY and I only shop at Aldi. (In fact my Jewish Grandmother, you know how picky she is, LOVES aldi and only shops there)

    Their frozen fish is AMAZING.

    I never buy pasta, I don't like it.

    Their veg is good but fruit is not...but I only go siansburys for fruit anyway.

    Their variety of cold meats is GREAT, they have tonnes of variety at low prices compared to other supermarkets. Where Aldi's is standard other supermarkets have it in their *finest range...FAR MORE EXPENSIVE.

    I don't buy frozen veg anyway, apart from peas and their petit pois are lovely.

    They have a massive variety of cheese too including a goats cheese which is nice.

    I honestly swear by Aldi... xx
  • AmeChops
    AmeChops Posts: 744 Member
    If it's like Lidl, take some carrier bags with you else you gotsa buy them :-((
  • lshafik
    lshafik Posts: 20
    Oh and their free range meat is TOP quality and cheaper than anywhere else.
  • avafrisbee
    avafrisbee Posts: 234 Member
    I sometimes shop at Aldi here in Germany. I didn't know they had Aldi in the US either. Anyway, the stores vary. Some are very good and others not so. They have decent pre-packaged deli meats and I buy their water. I buy their bolognese sauce occasionally but I only get their pasta if they have whole grand and the one nearest to me usually doesn't. Like another poster, I find that their fruit and veggies go bad very fast so if you're not going to use it in the next 3 days or so, don't buy it. That's my 2 cents anyway. Between Lidl and Aldi I can get almost everything I need. Except lactose free milk. I go to Rewe for that.
  • kurenaikumo
    kurenaikumo Posts: 271 Member
    I LOVE ALDI!!!!!!!!! <3

    They've got a line of "Fit & Active" foods that I basically live on. I've tried just about every item in the line now, and I haven't found one I didn't like yet.

    Besides that, as others have said, they have produce and meats. I buy their bagged chicken breasts, turkey burger meat and my all my fruit/veggies there. EXCELLENT prices.
  • emmamcc1981
    emmamcc1981 Posts: 133 Member
    agree with reading labels, but i'd got used to shopping in asda and i didn't have to and knew my 'trusted' foods off by heart - now i have to start all over again! grrrh!

    i take my own bags anyway and i *think* i've got a trolley coin keyring lying around somewhere....

    i reckon i'll be ok fruit-wise, the girls generally hoover up any fruit i buy, in one sitting :D so that's ok for them.

    didn't get to have a look around today as my eldest was adamant she did not want to go into town, but i have looked on their website and made a sort of rudimentary list - i will just have to see if they have everything stocked that i need. i have tried not to be too over expectant for the first few trips there. lols i hope i'm pleasantly surprised!
  • elis_mama
    elis_mama Posts: 308 Member
    Their fruit and veg is very well priced but I agree don't buy it too far ahead. I think they are a German company, there's always a lot of German style meat products, but you'll also find the usual meats and their fish fingers are the best ever in my opinion. Also like their part baked dinner rolls and tampons are the cheapest I've ever seen them - not that you should be eating too many of those ;-)

    Lol @ the "not that you should be eating many of those." Hahaha!
  • elis_mama
    elis_mama Posts: 308 Member
    I LOVE ALDI!!!!!!!!! <3

    They've got a line of "Fit & Active" foods that I basically live on. I've tried just about every item in the line now, and I haven't found one I didn't like yet.

    Besides that, as others have said, they have produce and meats. I buy their bagged chicken breasts, turkey burger meat and my all my fruit/veggies there. EXCELLENT prices.

    Your list sounds exactly like mine when I go there!
  • Wickedmeowmer
    Wickedmeowmer Posts: 157
    Man, Aldi is the bomb! I had no idea it was european, that makes me feel 'cool' and not 'cheap' when I go there now! haha!

    Yup, they have plenty of 'whole foods' available, although I also pick up convenience foods for lazy weeknight dinners.
  • angelina2585
    angelina2585 Posts: 273 Member
    I'm going to stick up for Aldi's veg....their bananas are cheap and not manky :) They have a 'fyffes' label on them.

    They have avocados in at the minute and if you like hummus theirs is fab with a decent best before date - I find that the ones from other supermarkets need to be eaten within a short period of time.

    Their tinned fish is fab too but I've never tried the meat.

    My teen son who is a pitta bread connoisseur ;) will only eat Aldi's so they must be good for a teen to rate something non-branded ;)

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