Anyone do their main shop in aldi/lidl?

bramble1

I have recently discovered these shops what gems they are! but is it possible to do all your shopping in them? - does it come up much cheaper than using the big names?

i like to plan online my shop so i can guestimate the price of my shop, i can't do this with Aldi and i know i'll just have to test it one day and see.

But does anyone use these shops all the time? Or does anyone not recommend them for meat/etc?

Living_proof

I think you have to 'suck it and see' if you know what I mean. Over the years we have had products from Lidl which have been great at one time, and pretty poor quality on other occasions. I think they bend over backwards to keep the prices stable but there comes a time when the quality deteriorates. I often think they must make their money selling all the non-food items, although I have scarcely bought any.

As all supermarkets are reasonably close in my town I start at Aldi, look at their super six and buy anything else we especially enjoy from there - part baked brown rolls, Italian antipasti, etc. I then go on to Aldi where I buy most of my fruit and veg. and maybe their meat if it is a good price and I need it! I can't usually buy their frozen stuff as I will be in town to long and it will defrost but if they have a really special deal on the frozen section I may pop back on my way home.

Asda is generally another stop as their £3 for £10 red wine is unbeatable and I can also get any of the more obscure items (cinnamon sticks, for instance).

Lidl has a very varied range of vegetable produce and some of the fruit is also very good. If it's not, I have been known to take it back and get an instant refund. I have seen several restaurant owners shopping in Lidl as well. I've had their diced beef on several occasions and have slow cooked it as goulash, etc. and it has been excellent although others have said it is tough but maybe haven't cooked it slowly and long enough. Had some half price cheese recently which was a huge hit with everyone and their Flora is often just £1. My advice would be to try little and often and continue to buy what is good value and leave the rest alone.

bcl999

Yes, the woman in front of me the other night when I was waiting to pay for just 2 trays of bedding plants! I've never seen a trolley so packed. Plus, she had a child who was runing back & forth adding more things to the conveyor belt whilst the till operator was ringing the rest through. And, as is usual, there was only the one checkout open.

freudianslip

I'm beginning too. I find I have to at the moment even if their stuff isn't ideal etc. I have to make Aldi work for us. Their snackrite crisps are no where near as nice as Walkers crisps but they're edible and over half the price for a bag.

How long I can keep this attitude up for remains to be seen but the shear fact that I can get a whole weeks worth of groceries in for a fair bit less is all I have to focus on.

Kered

I have been doing the bulk of my weeks shopping in Lidl for the past 10 years or so since they opened in my town, I still check in the other supermarkets for special offers but would not switch back again now.

emiliah

Lidl is always my first stop - usually get most of my shop from there, apart from meat.

I used to buy brand name tinned products from Lidl, but recently have been trying their own range and 90% of the time have preferred them.

Am addicted to their potato salad with creme fraiche and chives:j

Went there yesterday, got loads of shopping and it only came to £30 - always amazes me how little it costs.

recovering_spendaholic

I don't do my main shop in any one supermarket but I do buy alot of stuff in Aldi, which I prefer to Lidl. I buy Aldi dried pasta which I think is comparable with the high priced premium dried pastas and less than half the price and their Potatoes au gratin at 89p are delish! I also buy olive oil, balsamic and wine vinegars, be light bacon, sausages, bratwurst, frikadellen, the super six veg and fruit offers and all my baking ingredients. I also love their bin bags, foil, Almat washing liquid and bathroom and kitchen cleaners which are all much cheaper than the main supermarkets and just as good IMO.

I have to say that their ketchup and salad cream which we used to love now has a distinctly strange taste and the kids won't eat it.

bramble1

Well, I shall be trying out there first and then picking up what i can't get at sainsburys i think

Thanks guys!

Catherine_Johnson_2

I find it's quite difficult to do a complete shop at Lidl, they just don't have the same range as, for instance, Tesco. But if I shop at Lidl first and then move on to Tesco it does keep the shopping bill down, and by quite a lot.

Used to pay around £80 - £90 per week at Tesco, but going to Lidl first I'll maybe spend £25 there and then only £35 or so at Tesco.

candygirl

I used to do all my shopping at ALDI, but have found Morrisons prices quite competitive recently so I skip between the two:D:DPlus Ms has more variety;):D

TravellingAbuela

I would say I do half a shop at Aldi and then go over to either Sainsbury's or Asda for the other half. I get most of my fruit and veg at Aldi (other than tomatoes and potatoes, as I prefer to pay a bit more for the Taste the Difference ones). They have a good selection of meat (cooked and fresh) and also different cheeses. I get all my cleaning items there too, along with their tin foil, clingfilm, kitchen towels etc. Don't like their oven chips (prefer McCain Homestyle) but their frozen Petit Pois are lovely. As are their frozen berries. Also not overly impressed with their yogurts (not very low in fat) but OH loves their Chocolate and Custard Twists and they are only 23p! I do see people with their trollies piled high so I guess you could get all your shopping there if you are prepared to compromise a bit. My DD is vegetarian and she buys lots of Quorn/soya meat type products but Aldi don't seem to cater for different sorts of diet so she isn't as impressed with the store as I am!