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

Rosa_Damascena

Brie said:

robrymond said:

Katiehound said:

French Merlot in Aldi- £3.49 per bottle. No idea what it is like- but bought  bottle. (on offer: usually £5.49))

Disgusting it is. The Malbec last week which was £4.99 was much much nicer.

Interesting....  I used to drink a lot of red wine (in that it was my regular tipple, not that I was drinking to excess, well not normally....).   Somewhere along the line I learned that if I was going to like a red it had to be quite hearty.  And that didn't always depend on price. 

So the secret was to look at the alcohol content.  A red that is 9% is going to be bland, boring and likely give you a massive headache due to the chemicals in it.  One that is 14% is going to be rich and something you'll want to savour.  It will taste more like blood than grapes.  So when Lidl or Aldi have something labelled as a Fitou or vin Sobres (strange name for a wine...) if it's above 12% I'd be buying it.  Sometimes they have them at £4 and sometimes at £14.  So pick your price point then look at the alcohol content and you can see whether it might be worthwhile.

So my dislike of red wine is quite understandable!

MrsStepford

I may abandon Lidl. Every week, husband does a 5 min walk on Thursday lunchtime to a Lidl in Surrey, close to his office. More often than not, it doesn't have the things we want, from the online leaflet. On Fridays, he works from home and nips off to our local Lidl at lunchtime. Invariably, that store doesn't have the products either. This has happened for around six weeks now and it seems like the leaflet is an aspiration not a reality. When husband enquires about the products, he gets told that the store isn't getting any.

We used to use Lidl like a deli but now, when we can't even get offers, I can't see the point of going there.

Is this happening at Aldi too ?.

We don't drink wine now, as OH got a bit too fond of it. We are saving money and saving ourselves disappointment at the quality. 

Katiehound

Don't know about the offers in Aldi as I haven't seen a leaflet in weeks, and haven't bothered to look online to see the week's deals

Doc_N

MrsStepford said:

I may abandon Lidl. Every week, husband does a 5 min walk on Thursday lunchtime to a Lidl in Surrey, close to his office. More often than not, it doesn't have the things we want, from the online leaflet. On Fridays, he works from home and nips off to our local Lidl at lunchtime. Invariably, that store doesn't have the products either. This has happened for around six weeks now and it seems like the leaflet is an aspiration not a reality. When husband enquires about the products, he gets told that the store isn't getting any.

We used to use Lidl like a deli but now, when we can't even get offers, I can't see the point of going there.

Is this happening at Aldi too ?.

We don't drink wine now, as OH got a bit too fond of it. We are saving money and saving ourselves disappointment at the quality. 

Katiehound said:

Don't know about the offers in Aldi as I haven't seen a leaflet in weeks, and haven't bothered to look online to see the week's deals

Anyone ditching Aldi and Lidl might be in for a surprise anywhere else, given the still substantial difference in the average trolley of goods.

Others may claim to match SOME Aldi prices, but when you check the ingredients they’re invariably inferior.

Some of the joys of Aldi and Lidl shopping are the quality of the own label stuff, the avoidance of the need to watch out for prices jumping up and down with special offers, and the quick in and out by comparison with a bigger store.

Katiehound

I didn't say that I didn't shop in Aldi: I certainly do as it's the cheapest shop round here and I really like their products.

The offer leaflets just seem to have dried up.....but I can live without them! the leaflet used to highlight what (if anything) was worth hunting down.  I always cruise the centre aisles to see what is being sold off cheaply.

maman

I can't comment on offers as, except for the Aldi Super 6, I don't really take much notice of them unless I see something in store. I'm not really a Lidl shopper except from an occasional trip to stock up on a few favourites.

While I agree with @Doc_N that it would be foolish pricewise  to ditch either shop for another supermarket, I do take advantage of the price matches particularly with Sainsburys as it's geographically nearest to my local Aldi.

I take advantage of the price matched loose veg especially onions, carrots and broccoli. The carrots definitely last longer as they benefit from not being wet wrapped in plastic bags. Following another discussion on the thread, the onions are a decent size. 

rhcp

Katiehound said:

I didn't say that I didn't shop in Aldi: I certainly do as it's the cheapest shop round here and I really like their products.

The offer leaflets just seem to have dried up.....but I can live without them! the leaflet used to highlight what (if anything) was worth hunting down.  I always cruise the centre aisles to see what is being sold off cheaply.

The leaflets are on the Aldi website

Katiehound

rhcp said:

Katiehound said:

I didn't say that I didn't shop in Aldi: I certainly do as it's the cheapest shop round here and I really like their products.

The offer leaflets just seem to have dried up.....but I can live without them! the leaflet used to highlight what (if anything) was worth hunting down.  I always cruise the centre aisles to see what is being sold off cheaply.

The leaflets are on the Aldi website

yes, I am fully aware of that thanks.

Murphybear

Clowance said:

I would love to go to basic farm supplier but as far as I know just ludicrously expensive farm shops here in Dorset. Years ago bought sacks of carrots etc from barn style shop near Gloucester, wish I still could.

I can’t argue with that.  We moved to Dorset after 14 years in rural Devon.  Devon had much cheaper fresh fruit and veg.  

If you live anywhere near Dorchester they have a massive market, the produce is good and it’s very cheap.  

Rosa_Damascena

Rosa_Damascena said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

maman said:

When I was a child, my mother ate Cadbury's Bournville which was what was accepted as dark chocolate.

Over the years, my tastes have become less and less sweet. I now find 70% cocoa is just what I enjoy for a chocolate hit and I only have a minimal amount.

I tried a bar of Bournville a few years back and it was disgustingly sweet to my current tastes. 

So you can see why I'm disappointed that the high cocoa content bars have disappeared from Aldi. I'll be buying from Lidl while it lasts. 🤞

I can just about tolerate Bourneville. The rate I'm going I shall be 80 and gummy before I appreciate 70%

ETA: had another nibble of this and it remains unpalatable. It's only fit for dilution in some capacity!

Strangely enough, after repeated exposure to the smallest amounts over the past week or so I am getting used to it. I cannot say that I love it but I don't find it quite as objectionable now. Have persisted on your recommendation @Brie.

It's taken about 3 weeks of nibbling away at it, but I have finally developed a taste for the dark side!