Groceries on the cheap: Are you a brand snob?

By Erica

The last two weekends, I've shopped for my family's groceries at Aldi. A quick rundown, in case you're unfamiliar: Aldi only sells their own propriety brands of foods (although, I've spotted a few name-brand things randomly around the store). They don't have baggers and if you don't bring your own bags, you have to pay for them. They also have a system wherein you put a quarter in a slot on the cart-rack to be able to use one. In order to get your quarter back, you have to return it to the rest of the carts. These things allow Aldi to save on overhead costs and, therefore, keep their prices quite low.

The first time I shopped at Aldi, I was a touch nervous. I wasn't sure what to expect from the store, or their products. I worried needlessly, of course. The store is clean, well-stocked and the staff is friendly. Most importantly, the prices are shockingly low. The first week, I was able to get about 85% of my groceries at Aldi and spent $76. (My normal weekly trip is $150.) This past weekend, I shopped for two weeks worth of items and spent a whopping $109. I even got a pot roast, pork chops, and beef stew meat. 

The other very important fact is that their products taste great. So far, there's nothing that we've tried that we haven't liked. And there are even a few things that we like BETTER than the brand name. 

If you've got an Aldi near you, I encourage you to give it a try. Even if you're a brand snob, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Maybe you'll even become a reformed brand snob like yours truly!

{Image credit: aldi.com}

Comments

[Kristina]

I LOVE Aldi. I was nervous when I first started shopping there too, but now I do about 80% of my shopping there, and the other 20% I only get at other stores if Aldi doesn't have it or if it's one of the few things I do prefer name-brand.

Their Fit n Active line is awesome too, and they are owned by the same company behind Trader Joe's!

[Rachelbpg]

I like thier processed things, like pasta or breakfast cereal. Unfortunately, at least at my local Aldi, the meat and produce are reliably dodgy. Since we try to eat 'real' food mostly, Aldi just doesn't work for us. We go once a month or so for frozen fruit, cereals, and so on. It's not a name brand thing for me, it's a fresh fruit thing.

[Tessie]

Aldi chips are completely MONEY. I think pretty much every kind, even the fake Doritos, are less than $1. You can't afford NOT to eat fake Doritos for less than $1.

[carrie]

this sounds amazing! i want to go!

[Michele]

We love Aldi. Their products are great and their prices affordable. The ONLY complaint I have is that sometimes the line gets very long and they only have one or two lanes open (never more than two). Granted their checkers are fast but we get a lot of Amish and Mennonite families that REALLY stock up so it can mean a long wait in line.