Good and bad buys from Aldi and Lidl

Doc_N

Just a warning about the £12.99 Mini Jamon Serrano at Aldi - shown in the brochures as being 1.5 kilos and £8.66 per kilo.

Actually, it's only 0.95 kilo and £13.67 per kilo. Slightly different! They seem to have corrected some of the online advertising, but it's less of a bargain than it looks.

Happygreen

I feel less and less easy about both stores' cheap olive oils. I still have a Lidl glass bottle from before they changed suppliers and it turns cloudy half-way up in the bottle in winter temperatures in my kitchen. None of the new ones do and this might be a sign of a blend with oil of inferior quality. It now does say blended but it is still sold as extra virgin - dubious tbh. ...

meer53

Happygreen wrote: »

I feel less and less easy about both stores' cheap olive oils. I still have a Lidl glass bottle from before they changed suppliers and it turns cloudy half-way up in the bottle in winter temperatures in my kitchen. None of the new ones do and this might be a sign of a blend with oil of inferior quality. It now does say blended but it is still sold as extra virgin - dubious tbh. ...

It just means your olive oil is cold. The cloudiness will disappear at normal room temperature.

Happygreen

meer53 wrote: »

It just means your olive oil is cold. The cloudiness will disappear at normal room temperature.

They are all in the same place, so some are not turning cloudy as they should when cold. Since they changed suppliers (both Aldi and Lidl around the same time).

VfM4meplse

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I think the Lidl Premium mince pies this year (black box, Which? endorsed) are excellent, though.

These are selling out fast, with good reason. My local has been without for almost a week now.

meer53 wrote: »

It just means your olive oil is cold. The cloudiness will disappear at normal room temperature.

Without turning this into a basic chemistry lesson, it also depends on the virgin fractions of the oil as different fats set solid at different temperatures. Extra virgin oils are liquid at lower temperatures than oils that require hot pressing extraction methods. However cheaper seed oils are liquid at lower temperatures too. By adding these to the olive oil the product stays liquid.

I think that is what the OP has been trying to point out in less words.

Feral_Moon

I've just scoffed one of Aldi's 6oz Venison leg steaks (cooked rare) and OMG it was to die for! :drool:

As tasty, succulent and tender as any venison steak I've paid upwards of £20 for in a restaurant, and for the bargain price of just £3.39 :money:

Beginning to wish I'd bought a few more now lol

VfM4meplse

I gentle warning about Lidl's own brand tomato ketchup. I bought a load on 1/2 price offer (34p?) a while ago and am on the last bottle. It seems to have separated and is accumulating water at the bottom of the bottle, so needs to be squirted into the sink before I use it. This may have something to do with the fact that it expired 06/2015.

It tastes fine though, a smidgen more concentrated perhaps.

candygirl

Has anyone seen the Aldee round fruit cake, with nuts on top, this year? It's Mum's fave, as she hates icing

Happygreen

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I gentle warning about Lidl's own brand tomato ketchup. I bought a load on 1/2 price offer (34p?) a while ago and am on the last bottle. It seems to have separated and is accumulating water at the bottom of the bottle, so needs to be squirted into the sink before I use it. This may have something to do with the fact that it expired 06/2015.

It tastes fine though, a smidgen more concentrated perhaps.

That's normal (as it doesn't contain gums or starch to bind it)- though can be annoying. I just give mine a really good shake before I use it

andygb

Had a couple of bottles of Aldi Weisbier at the weekend (wheatbeer for those who are not sure) and it was really nice stuff - for £1.25 a bottle.
If you buy it, then chill it down in the freezer - but don't let the second bottle freeze like I did:o
It defrosted by the time Match of the day came on:D