Good and Bad Buying at Lidl and Aldi (***Please don't expire***)

Cornucopia

FedUpWithHikes wrote: »

I have been buying "soft wholemeal" loaves, from either Aldi or Lidl...

I'm not keen on thick slices, either, and medium-sliced loaves are thin on the ground at Aldi. At Lidl, there are definitely several medium-sliced options although these include the three Deluxe sliced loaves.

If you really want frugal slices, the ISB slicing machines in many of the larger supermarkets are very thin on the medium setting although the minimum priced brown loaves seem to be 80p or more now.

20 slices rather than 22 is like an 8% 'hike', and Aldi have now increased the price, too; 36p to 40p is another 10%! Having to pay 55p would be 52% more! (and we are still told inflation is around 3%!)

This is a good point and one that doesn't seem to be mentioned very often. Those of us following the cheaper or cheapest end of the market are probably subjected to a higher rate of inflation than average. That's because the cheapest options sometimes disappear altogether leaving no option but a large price-hike.

robrymond

A._Badger wrote: »

Sadly, a rare 'don't bother' from Aldi. Its Bramwell's pea and ham soup is pretty tasteless and uninspiring. Even the Co-Op does a better one!

One a happier note, Aldi's oat cookies with fruit (the ones containing apricot pieces) are excellent but rather addictive!

Pea and Ham was vile. The old Minted Pea was much thicker and nicer. This was just cheap tasteless soup.

The special selected tins of soup at 89p are very nice but I think they are a tad pricey for the size.

Cornucopia

I'd definitely recommend Lidl over Aldi for soup. That goes both for the tins and the instant soups.

I'd love to see/run a taste test between Lidl Cream of Tomato and Heinz because they seem virtually identical to me (except that the Lidl one is only 35p).

The Lidl Chunky Soups are also good, and good VFM at 57p.

Lidl Tomato & Veg Instant Soup is very nice, if a little sweet. 4 sachets are 35p.

FedUpWithHikes

Cornucopia wrote: »

I'm not keen on thick slices, either, and medium-sliced loaves are thin on the ground at Aldi. At Lidl, there are definitely several medium-sliced options although these include the three Deluxe sliced loaves.

If you really want frugal slices, the ISB slicing machines in many of the larger supermarkets are very thin on the medium setting although the minimum priced brown loaves seem to be 80p or more now.

This is a good point and one that doesn't seem to be mentioned very often. Those of us following the cheaper or cheapest end of the market are probably subjected to a higher rate of inflation than average. That's because the cheapest options sometimes disappear altogether leaving no option but a large price-hike.

The problem is that all other options are more expensive. If I need more bread but will be going on holiday before I can finish a loaf, I tried looking for a smaller loaf, or other alternative, but would end up paying more, for less, so I make sandwiches and take them with me!
The other thing about the lowest price bread - in both Aldi and Lidl - is that they seem to 'run out' earlier.. often before 12:00 (but always have plenty of loaves for more than twice the price!)

I rarely go to Tesco - ever since the bankers' crash, they led the massive price hikes; every time they raised prices, the other supermarkets followed! I had to 'downgrade' to the cheapest bread (and other food) I could find, when prices had more than doubled, while my income fell! The only thing I go to Tesco for, at the moment, is tea bags.. they have a box of 80 for about 60p!

Pollycat

Cornucopia wrote: »

I'd definitely recommend Lidl over Aldi for soup. That goes both for the tins and the instant soups.

I'd love to see/run a taste test between Lidl Cream of Tomato and Heinz because they seem virtually identical to me (except that the Lidl one is only 35p).

The Lidl Chunky Soups are also good, and good VFM at 57p.

Lidl Tomato & Veg Instant Soup is very nice, if a little sweet. 4 sachets are 35p.

My friend converted me from Heinz tomato soup by giving me a tin from Lidl.
I now buy Aldi as we have one very local (within walking distance) and Lidl is a 9 mile drive away.

Can't find any substitute for Heinz lentil soup though.

charlies_mum

Pollycat wrote: »

My friend converted me from Heinz tomato soup by giving me a tin from Lidl.
I now buy Aldi as we have one very local (within walking distance) and Lidl is a 9 mile drive away.

Can't find any substitute for Heinz lentil soup though.

Make your own. 200g carrots, 100g each of onions. Leeks and broccoli and 75g of red lentils. 2 chicken Oxos and 1 litre water. You might have to play around with the quantity of lentils to get the right flavour.

Pollycat

charlies_mum wrote: »

Make your own. 200g carrots, 100g each of onions. Leeks and broccoli and 75g of red lentils. 2 chicken Oxos and 1 litre water. You might have to play around with the quantity of lentils to get the right flavour.

I do make my own veg soup. I've got some in my freezer.

But tinned soup is our go-to when we've not planned anything in advance.
We don't have it a lot so I'm not sure experimenting with flavours would be a good use of my time and freezer space (which is always at a premium).
Also, I've tried other lentil and lentil & bacon soups and not liked them at all.
I'll bite the bullet and pay Heinz prices when they're on offer.

But thanks anyway.

Doc_N

Cornucopia wrote: »

I'd definitely recommend Lidl over Aldi for soup. That goes both for the tins and the instant soups.

I'd love to see/run a taste test between Lidl Cream of Tomato and Heinz because they seem virtually identical to me (except that the Lidl one is only 35p).

The Lidl Chunky Soups are also good, and good VFM at 57p.

Lidl Tomato & Veg Instant Soup is very nice, if a little sweet. 4 sachets are 35p.

Doc_N wrote: »

Interesting find inside a packing carton of Aldi Chunky chicken and vegetable soup today.

Just one can of Heinz Big Soup - Chicken and Vegetable!

All the other cans in the carton - Aldi Chunky Chicken and Vegetable.

The store doesn’t sell Heinz soups, so unless some odd customer slipped one into the outer carton, which wasn’t even on top, I think there may be certain conclusions to be drawn........:)

The above might interest you. It's pretty clear from that that Heinz are making soups for Aldi, and I imagine they will for Lidl too.

The ingredients may vary, but having looked at a few, the variation is small. The price difference, though, is large.

Doc_N

Anyone else finding that Aldi have run out of their low-price paracetamol tablets?

Out of stock for several weeks, returned for a couple of weeks and now out of stock again.

Plenty of supplies throughout at Lidl.

FedUpWithHikes

Doc_N wrote: »

Anyone else finding that Aldi have run out of their low-price paracetamol tablets?

Out of stock for several weeks, returned for a couple of weeks and now out of stock again.

Plenty of supplies throughout at Lidl.

Probably because Home Bargains raised their price, and £-stretcher stopped selling theirs for 15p Check Wilko, last time I looked, theirs was less that 24p..