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

harz99

For many (most?) people the two main criteria will be the same, lower prices than the big supermarkets and which one is closest to home.

Rosa_Damascena

thisisme01 said:

Can some kind soul summerize this thread for the rest of us, so we can know what is good and bad in aldi Vs lidl

It would be quicker and easier to tell us what's on your regular shopping list and then we offer opinions based on experience. You can build up your Aldi / Lidl shopping list through trial and error from that point onwards.

As Corny says, many items are identical or near enough. The only food products I pick at Lidl over Aldi are their generic Branston and tomato ketchup. 

Pollycat

thisisme01 said:

Can some kind soul summerize this thread for the rest of us, so we can know what is good and bad in aldi Vs lidl

It's 37 pages of members' own personal likes/dislikes so impossible to do. 

I recall that someone said they really liked x product from Aldi (I don't shop at Lidl so don't take much notice of comments about their products) but someone didn't like it.

I use the thread as a 'Hmmm. Maybe I'll try that next time I'm in Aldi'.

Cornucopia

The other angle on this is those product areas where L & A are particularly strong.

For me, that's: Deli & Dairy, Cereals, Biscuits, Chocolate, Dried Fruit & Nuts (esp. Lidl), Crisps, Cleaning Products, Alcohol, Soft Drinks (esp. Aldi), Christmas stuff.

Fruit & Veg seems to vary by people's tastes and expectation, and handling varies by Store.  

Brie

@thisisme01
Sometimes I think the biggest difference is the well known companies vs own label but Lidl has over the past few years stocked more of known brands.  So while we've been buying Heinz Cream of Tomato soup (MiL's fav) at Tesco at 8 for £5 it's now appeared at Lidl 3 for £1.80.  A nice saving to be had but unfortunately it's in nearly impossible to open shrink wrapped plastic so I'm wondering if I should stick to Tesco for their environmental stance (& ease of access!!).  Then again I'm sure that Lidl will start stocking something else instead of this soup at some point so it's a case of keeping ones eyes open.

OH is perfectly happy with the great quality high end Lidl tonic water (nice as Fevertree and also in small tins and with no sweeteners) but hates their own brand "coke".  Fortunately they do great gin too so obviously it's the place to go if you like a G&T.  I'm completely happy with either store's own tinned tuna in water but think Aldi is better for dry white wine and good fizz in general but Lidl more likely to have something special like an ice wine or Gruner Veltliner.  

And I quite agree that both are excellent for cheeses and the more special types of ham - black forest, etc.  

I haven't been happy at all with some of Aldi's frozen vegetarian food - pies etc have been much too spicy while also being much too bland - like as if the chef in charge realised the mix was wrong in some way so added a large heap of spice to zazz it up but failed miserably in doing so.  So that's my excuse to keep being a meat eater!!  

mikb

Cornucopia said:

The other angle on this is those product areas where L & A are particularly strong.

For me, that's: Deli & Dairy, Cereals, Biscuits, Chocolate, Dried Fruit & Nuts (esp. Lidl), Crisps, Cleaning Products, Alcohol, Soft Drinks (esp. Aldi), Christmas stuff.

Fruit & Veg seems to vary by people's tastes and expectation, and handling varies by Store.  

You're right there -- I've entirely stopped buying certain ranges at Morrisons: Jam/Honey, Tea, Cakes, Biscuits, Cereals, Multipack Crisps/Pringles, Frozen fruit/veg, juice cartons, cheese and some tinned goods ... as M seem determined to rid themselves of "Savers" brand, and jack up their own-brand prices.

After a bit of time comparing suppliers between M and Aldi, so many of the lines are from the same factories, even same batches, that it's a no brainer.

Doc_N

The reality these days - and everyone who shops at Aldi and Lidl regularly knows this - is that there are no more bad buys at Lidl and Aldi than any other supermarket.  And there are just as many good buys.

Most of the stuff is near-identical to what's sold elsewhere because it comes from exactly the same factories to much the same specification.

But it is all much cheaper!

sammyjammy

Brie said:

@thisisme01
Sometimes I think the biggest difference is the well known companies vs own label but Lidl has over the past few years stocked more of known brands.  So while we've been buying Heinz Cream of Tomato soup (MiL's fav) at Tesco at 8 for £5 it's now appeared at Lidl 3 for £1.80.  A nice saving to be had but unfortunately it's in nearly impossible to open shrink wrapped plastic so I'm wondering if I should stick to Tesco for their environmental stance (& ease of access!!).  Then again I'm sure that Lidl will start stocking something else instead of this soup at some point so it's a case of keeping ones eyes open.

@brie have you a  B&M nearby for Heinz C of T soup? 6 for £3.49 although currently on offer at £3 

sammyjammy

I mostly used to use Lidl but now I have a car my preference is Aldi, I can buy everything I need and a bonus is there is less temptation for me to buy food i don't need when I am dieting, middle aisles are a different matter though

harz99

When I moved from a rural Scottish small town (where my shopping choice was MrT and Home Bargains or a 25 mile round trip for a bigger MrT or Morrison),  across the border into County Durham, I ended up in a larger town with both A and L as well as Asda. I quickly sampled both A and L, comparing quality, ranges and price, coming to the conclusion that for our requirements A won on all counts, that was 7 years ago and our main shopping is still done at A...