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

Katiehound

it was the salads & fruit reductions that were put together near the door and a bread shelf with bread products.
 
 Sometimes I would buy something different if it was 50% off to see if I liked it so that would have increased sales for Aldi. Won't be bothering in future as I am not a huge shopping fan- go to shelves that have the products I want.

Rosa_Damascena

Well I went a little mad in Lidl last month to benefit from the bakery goodies on offer. On a couple of occasions the stores visited had run out, but it was no big deal.

Then I read this in the Sunday Times: https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/croissant-a-day-heart-disease-saturated-fat-ffszr87c8 

Daily croissant can take a toll on your heart in under a month

Eating buttery foods such as pastries and cakes every day for three weeks can increase the risk of serious heart problems

Eleanor Hayward

, Health Editor

Sunday September 01 2024, 10.08pm, The Times

Science

Scientists have long been puzzled by the “French paradox” — how a nation famed for its croissants has relatively low rates of heart disease

DZONSLI/GETTY IMAGES

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Treating yourself to regular morning croissants or biscuits can “silently” increase the risk of serious heart problems even if you do not put on any weight, a study shows.

A trial by Oxford University found that if people spent three weeks eating buttery foods such as pastries and cakes every day it took a major toll on heart health.

A group of volunteers followed a diet high in saturated fat for 24 days, including foods such as butter, croissants, ­sausages, cakes and chocolate.

They were weighed and had blood tests and MRI scans at the beginning and end of the study. The number of calories was controlled, meaning they did not put on any weight, but there were still concerning changes to “invisible markers of heart health” after three and a half weeks.

Their cholesterol rose by 10 per cent on average, while there was also a 20 per cent rise in the fat in their liver, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which can cause heart attacks and strokes.The study, which was presented at the European Society of Cardiology conference in London, sought to examine how changing the type of fat in a ­diet could affect the heart, even if overall calories remained the same.

Even though the participants in the trial did not put on weight, their heart health deteriorated when they ate saturated fat regularly

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There were 24 participants, and half were put on the saturated fat diets of butter and pastries. The other half ate lots of polyunsaturated fat for three and a half weeks, including oily fish such as mackerel and salmon, sunflower oil, walnuts and sesame seeds.

• Workers to be weighed in the office for health MoT

This polyunsaturated fat actively protected the heart. The group experienced a drop in total “bad” cholesterol levels of about 10 per cent, and an increase in energy reserves in their heart muscle, even though their body weight and calorie intake was unchanged.

The lead researcher, Nikola Srnic, a PhD student at Oxford, said it showed that “even when you are not gaining weight, different fats can have drastically different effects on our health in a short timeframe. The results suggest that a diet high in saturated fat may negatively change cardiovascular disease risk factors even when a person does not gain weight.

“On the other hand, we saw protective effects if a person ate a diet high in polyunsaturated fat.” He said people who were eating healthily but not ­losing weight should be reassured that they were getting beneficial effects even if the numbers on the scale did not change, adding: “If you’re not losing weight, you shouldn’t lose hope.”

He encouraged people to make simple substitutions to replace saturated fat for healthier polyunsaturated fat.

The researchers also looked at heart muscle cells in the lab, finding that cells found it easier to break down poly­unsaturated fat and use it for energy, explaining how polyunsaturated fat could help the body lower the level of fats in the blood.

Professor James Leiper, the associate medical director of the British Heart Foundation, said: “This study gives us evidence that saturated fat may silently start to pose a risk to heart health very quickly, without causing any changes to a person’s weight.

“The results the researchers saw in lab-grown heart cells will hopefully improve our understanding of how these changes happen. Longer studies with more participants are needed to confirm these findings and show whether these short-term changes increase people’s risk of serious heart problems in the long term.”

Scientists have long been puzzled by the “French paradox”, of how a nation famed for its croissants — although they came from Austria — has relatively low levels of heart disease.

HillStreetBlues

Personally I don't think this thread should go down the route of what's bad for you as there could be no end of different links and views.

Cornucopia

I had a Lidl Filled Blueberry Muffin yesterday (my last bakery freebie).   I've not had one before, and was impressed by how good it was - certainly up to the standard of coffee shops.   

The difference between this and other supermarket muffins is that is is filled with both blueberries and some kind of blueberry flavoured sauce.  

Brie

HillStreetBlues said:

Personally I don't think this thread should go down the route of what's bad for you as there could be no end of different links and views.

I don't mind some comments in that direction as long as we're not swamped with them.  A comment about the problem with croissants is in context with the "free pastry a day" promo with Lidl in my opinion.

Rosa_Damascena

Now I'm going to comment on the Lidl scratchcard promotion. Thus far its given me discounts on ultra-processed food that I will never eat.

Bring back the Spin to Win fruit and veg promotion, I say.

HouseMartin567

Rosa_Damascena said:

Now I'm going to comment on the Lidl scratchcard promotion. Thus far its given me discounts on ultra-processed food that I will never eat.

Bring back the Spin to Win fruit and veg promotion, I say.

Do the croissants you profess to polishing off not count as UPF? 😂 Not a judgement just a gentle ribbing. 

On topic, and to prove I have no right to comment on others UPF intake, I’m partial to the Spanish Bacon and Potato Tortilla from Lidl. Half of one with a bit of salad makes a nice lunch.

Rosa_Damascena

HouseMartin567 said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

Now I'm going to comment on the Lidl scratchcard promotion. Thus far its given me discounts on ultra-processed food that I will never eat.

Bring back the Spin to Win fruit and veg promotion, I say.

Do the croissants you profess to polishing off not count as UPF? 😂 Not a judgement just a gentle ribbing. 

On topic, and to prove I have no right to comment on others UPF intake, I’m partial to the Spanish Bacon and Potato Tortilla from Lidl. Half of one with a bit of salad makes a nice lunch.

If they are baked fresh and not mass-produced then they are ok. Who am I kidding, Lidl ones are definitely mass-produced and merely finished off in store ovens.

I like Lidl's cans of mixed G&T for 99p (also UPF). M&S ones are far more expensive, more than twice the price although also twice the strength. Doubt I'll be buying many more this year now the sun has done a disappearing act.

Cornucopia

Lidl have a new range of Frozen High Protein Ready Meals.

I tried the Naked Burrito - mildly spicy BBQ sauce with some peppers and beans, rice and cheese, with pieces of lean chicken.   I thought it was very nice, and although not a huge serving, it was filling and reasonably good VFM.

There are other varieties including Penne Bolognese, Salt & Pepper Chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala.

Rosa_Damascena

I am less than impressed with Lidl's "Spin to Win" promotion.

Bring back the fruit & veg offer, that was the best of the lot.