Good and bad buys from Aldi and Lidl

Doc_N

ic wrote: »

Has anybody noticed how Aldi seem to be sneaking in more branded goods?

Hadn't noticed that - but they are bringing in an awful lot of premium lines that are a lot dearer than their standard ones.

My Aldi's looking more and more like Waitrose every week - while Tesco gets more and more downmarket.

MysteryMe

Not keen on the texture of the Aldi toothpaste, seems a bit watery.

My Aldi has premium brands in for Xmas but still have the regular versions too for puds, mince pies etc.

Car park is full up a lot of the time as well, goodness knows what it will be like closer to Xmas!

We don't have a Lidl in my town so rarely shop there.

Edwardia

In USA Aldi is a big national chain and has an organic own brand but no plans to do that in UK. Lidl does a few organic things but not enough Going to my mother's local Lidl to look at the Christmas stuff though.

MrsCautious

Hello, I'm posting this in the hope it may be useful to someone and/or that replies on a similar theme may be helpful to me as I'm still learning and just perhaps there are things I still wouldn't buy in my conditioned state of 'you get what you pay for.'

I know it can be a mystery as to what your shopping is going to turn out like when you first go to Aldi and you wander around wondering if what you buy will be any good..

Anyway, here goes, just my opinion and if people agreed/disagreed/can think of a way to improve (eg putting butter in the beans?) they could add that, I hoped that could be good, as well as adding more?

Yay

Fruit and veg, bagged salad -- good quality and much cheaper than my 'usual' supermarket.

Continental cooked meats -- brilliant

Frozen pizzas and garlic bread - unbelievable quality for me and cheapest I have found (apart from homemade which I don't have time for.)

Frozen duck legs and lamb shanks -- not cheap, but a real treat.

Rice pudding - 55p for a tin with 3 portions.

Fruit juices and squash

Smoothies -- same flavours as Innocent and convenience of ready made as opposed to making at home

Breakfast cereal but not those similar to Weetabix/Coco Pops.

Sweets - especially jelly meerkats

Love - clover style buttery spread is nice

Lighter spread cheeses, 49p each - taste great

Continental bakery - croissants, pain au chocolat/raisin

Crackers (as in biscuits:)) really nice.

Foil

Washing up liquid

Bleach

Deoderant

Dried pasta

Village Bakery bread for toasting

Fruit conserves

Kids' yoghurts for lunchboxes

Big pack Cornish icecream

Apple strudel, 99p

Nay: False economy:

Eggs - found much cheaper in meat market

Meat -- better quality and cheaper in meat market.

Big tray of Aldi mince -- far, far too fatty.


Little scotch-type pancakes - cheaper in Sainsbury's and preferable taste
Loo roll - use more

Milk - never seem to have big bottles of type I want

Pasta sauce - bland, added more flavour more so than when bought more costly item

Dishwasher tablets - awful

Cling film - rubbish, gets stuck and thrown away

Maybe - a matter of personal taste :Eek - didn't like, went back to dearer brands or didn't buy again:

Beans

Soup

Bread rolls

Branded biscuits and snacks -- offers elsewhere cheaper when I visited

Tea and coffee - ditto

Crispbreads

Little puddings in fridge like cheesecake - gloopy and over sweet

'Specially selected' jam - really runny!


Sunflower spread - horrible consistency and taste

Cookie dough ice cream - bitter, synthetic taste.

Hope my ramblings may help someone, I am sure I could add plenty more. I do have a life, honest :j

What would you add under, yay, nay and maybe?

EDITED to add: Thank you for moving me to the right place x

PLRFD

Here you go Mrs C

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3743609

MrsCautious

love it, thank you, will study carefully

*slaps self around head with Aldi pancake for rubbish attempt at finding earlier thread*

markdavey

MrsCautious wrote: »

Dishwasher tablets - awful

x

Don't agree with this at all. The Magnum All in 1 Dishwasher Tablets are comparable (if not better) to the leading Brand. My dishes and Glasses always come out squeaky clean. Not tried the cheaper ones tho' so you could be referring to those...

I would like to add the Concentrated Laundry Liquid & Fabric Softener to the list of 'Yays'. It is brilliant and a fraction of the cost of the brand names.

fozziebeartoo

I love Aldi "weetabix"!!

Even more than I love real weetabix

I have tried all the own brands and cheap versions but Aldi ones are so much more wheaty! :j

MrsCautious

fozziebeartoo wrote: »

I love Aldi "weetabix"!!

Even more than I love real weetabix

I have tried all the own brands and cheap versions but Aldi ones are so much more wheaty! :j

Hehe - perhaps I should have included a warning that this was based on the opinion of a 14-year-old, a friend of mine puts Aldi cereal in posher brand boxes, perhaps if I did that my children would like them better. . .

TravellingAbuela

I always bought Aldi cling film and would have recommended it BUT not any more! The last box I got drove me mad, sticking to itself, difficult to get a piece off etc. Obviously changed their supplier and I won't be buying again. Still recommend their tin foil, however, as good and thick as ever.