Great 'What's Hot and What's not at Aldi, Lidl & Netto' Hunt revisted

missteach_2

GOOD
Fresh lasagne
Fruit & veg
Spongebob crumpets
Tortilla wraps
Vegetable crisps
Dishwasher tablets
Frozen lamb shanks
Frozen mixed veg (in plastic round dish)
Chocolate
Italian chocolate cake / tiramsu
Danish pastries
Mousse
Sliced cheese
Biscuits

BAD
Bread
beans
spaghetti
cornflakes

scrooze247

We (myself and my wife) have been shopping at Aldi and Lidl long before any recession was ever mentioned.We were initially driven there some 6 years ago when we retired in order to save money.Subsequently we have used them both in The UK,Spain and France.To suggest their products are hit and miss is complete nonsense,this remark is elitist,ignorant and extremely narrow minded.These two brands are some of the largest throughout Europe!! We save consistently around 15-20% on our weekly shop by using these stores,particularly for their own label products whose quality is excellent !!
Thus every week we purchase A CORE OF PRODUCTS there,topping up the rest from Tesco or Somerfield who always seem to be competing against each other for business in our town.We would particularly recommend the following from Lidl as being of super quality and stunning value:
All fruit and veg (don't wait for their 70% off deals in The Spring..wow !!)..all yogurts,all butter based spreads,all juices,some cheeses (try their Garlic spread,Smoked German cheese slices "mit schinken" - ham -, Camembert,Emmental, and Gorgonzola)..most frozen food ( especially ready meals,Kiev's,and fish products)..some canned/bottled vegetables (sauerkraut,mixed peas and carrots,Gherkins),all wine,all German beer,all bathroom cleaners,all kitchen rolls and toilet rolls,all "Cien" brand toiletries (Lidl)....
By adopting the "horses for courses approach" and spreading around our weekly shopping we eat and drink very nicely thank you for around £60-£80 for two.Honestly, Aldi and Lidl's own label quality FAR EXCEEDS ANYTHING THAT TESCO PRODUCE !! The rest is up to you money saving bunnies!!:T

baggie58

Just a couple to add:

Good
Couscous - ab fab, better than leading brands
Aloe vera toilet rolls - last long time, better than Tesco cheap ones
Fresh pasta sauce and fresh pasta, esp ravioli
Fruit and veg
Vegetable crisps
Chocolates
Red Wine

Bad
Fish fingers - taste more like fish feet
Cheap butter - v. salty

kermie101

Things I've tried out since the last "hunt" and would recommend from Aldi:

Smoked mackerel fillets
Breakfast cereal - hoops, "bran" flakes and the "posh" cereals (with clusters and nuts and things like that)
Camomile tea
Biscuits (especially good value if you have builders in!!)

mr_pickles_2

Lidls:
Hot Chocolate Powder ..its better than Cadburys, Galaxy and numerous others
Cranberry Juice..the real thing ..only 79p each...tastes great when chilled
Cranberry & Raspberry Juice...only 89p...lovely too

scampo

So far as the Leicester branches are concerned, you just can't compare Aldi with Lidl. The cleanliness of Aldi both outside and inside the store as well as the friendliness and helpfulness of their staff are far, far ahead. I have had to complain more than once concerning the grubbiness of the Lidl store both inside and out. I expect it's down to their management.

Aldi

Likes:
- Their freely included three-year electrical goods guarantee
- Cat food (tinned)
- Valpolicello Ripasso - an excellent full red wine, vastly superior to the Tesco "equivalent"
- All fresh vegetables are a real bargain and top quality
- Chocolate is equal to the best anywhere
- Fish fingers
- Tinned rice pudding
- Frozen chicken breasts (greaat for student sons and daughters!)
- Sliced cheeses
- Swirl choc and caramel dessert
- thick and creamy yoghurt
- Medion PCs and laptops are excellent with award winning after-sales service
- Breakfast cereals seem to be identical to the leading brands
- Loo rolls are strong and soft (twelve pack)
- Washing powder and liquids seem to be the equal of the leading brands

Dislikes

- Very little! Their baked beans are not quite up to the best
- Crumpets/pikelets don't taste as good as other makes
- Frozen peas (but they're = Tesc, etc; best to always stick with Bird's Eye - none are better)
- Sliced ham (it's as good as Tesco but nothing compares to ham sliced from the bone)

Bongedone

Lidl:

Herb toothpaste has a lovely flavour and is very thick
Own brand hand wash is good value

Cornish pasty are nice also

mouseymousey99

Lidl have the most amazing cheese counter - totally yummy....in the past have picked up Raclette (seems to have vanished now), Gruyere, and Jarlsberg at really good prices.

storm3

We've just had a new Lidl open nearby & most of the products are good,especially;

Veg/fruit
Smoked salmon
All frozen fish
Soups
Mineral water
Beers/wines
kitchen roll.

Find Aldi better for choice though.ie;

Frozen lamb shanks
Frozen Pork shanks(yummy!)
Aloe vera loo rolls
Bubble baths
Bin liners
Welsh cheese
Oxtail soup.

Why are these stores not located in the Surrey area?My parents can't get to the nearest one in Hampshire as it would involve alot of bus journeys!

:beer: Cheers!

geldgirl

Thankfully, there is an Aldi fairly local to us.

Recommended are definitely

Bockwurst in a jar - lovely in lentil stew with spuddies and carrots; around 85p
As a German, I tend to buy my bread there, so the Whole Grain bread. Looks like concrete, but is very tasty and better for you. Give it a try!

Agree the veg is good, as are the offers so worth signing up for newsletter alerts.

Other items:
Beer Schoefferhofer Weizenbier - £1.19 for 500 ml; much cheaper than Erdinger or the belgian Hoegaarden

Muenchener Helles Bier - £1.19 as well. Very good quality lager, good brand.

Cheesy sticks with Gruyere, also very reasonable.

Ritter Sport Mini chocolates - £1.60ish for a variety pack.

Antipasto, such as Artichoke hearts in oil, a v. reasonable 99 p (or maybe £1.49). Still, much cheaper than Tesco or Sainsburys as it's classified as posh food you usually get in a deli.

Alu(minium) foil - good quality

I don't shop at Lidl as not v. convenient, so cannot comment and Netto has been one BIG disappointment since it replaced Kwik Save at the local crescent last year. Lots of hoo-ha about nothing, though having said that, wine tends to be quite good value. More often than not, they advertise stuff and never get it in (or it sells out within minutes and that's that, but I don't believe that).

Hope this helps, and happy saving/shopping!