Aldi

I’m not sure why we finally stepped inside an Aldi but once we did this place become our primary grocery store. We still hit up Trader Joe’s occasionally for the speciality items which Aldi’s does not carry though.
I recall a friend shopping at Aldi a decade ago when he was between jobs so that negative (and incorrect) stigma was still with me but that changed quickly. Though TJ’s was our favorite for a number of reasons (mainly I hate the massive stores which carry 6 different brands of the same damn product) TJs produce can be hit or miss sometimes (like avocados for example).
Aldi has the same small size and simple layout but with wider aisles making it less annoying to go there at busy times than TJ’s. I also completely appreciate the German efficiency in their processes and approach, especially the completely European cart system which incenticizes returning carts back to the store instead of leaving them in the lot to coast into my parked car (you know who you are, lazy people).
I hesitate to point out a few of my favorite items for fear of you getting them all before us :) But on many occasions we’ve eaten something and commented on how it was consistently better it was than when getting from other stores.
So for what it is (not a one-​stop grocery store) we love it. No list is needed as we just walk down all of the few aisles and plan our weekly meals based on what new items they have and which of our favorites are on stock.
I honestly can’t complain about some of the common gripes like that they do not accept credit cards or that you have to bring your own bags. These inconveniences are what help keep the cost of their products down. So you have a lower bill once you walk out the door because you just paid for the groceries, not day-​care, ‘free’ samples, a 3:1 customer to employee ratio, or a guy to corral your and everyone else’s shopping carts.

I finally dismounted my Wholefoods high horse and decided to try the infamous Aldi.
I left with my fiscal conscience intact.
Wow, everything is just so much cheaper! I bought Greek Yogurt for almost three dollars less than what I usually pay for it. I avoided the produce as it looked a bit shady, but parked near the pasta aisle and loaded up on gnocci and other delicious Italian items equally as affordable as the yogurt. I felt like a kid in a candy shop instead of a white girl in a plastic bagless, anti-​credit card grocer.
But seriously folks, Aldi is really a great place to stock up on non-​perishable essentials. I’m sure most of the frozen items are great too. I just don’t think that the kind of mark-​downs they had on the fruit/​vegetables were indicative of any form of freshness. The price of everything is compatible with most levels of poverty, including full-​time college student (ahem).
The only thing I can say negatively about my shopping experience concerns the customer service. I understand that slowly moving lines during the hungry Sunday grocery rush can be discouraging, but the cashier in my aisle was such a grump! She impatiently scolded slow movers and bossed us around if we weren’t unloading our goods on the conveyer belt in accordance with her stop watch (just kidding, but seriously).
Ah, well. I accept her indecency in light of how few bills exchanged hands between us. Saving money forgives all. Almost. haha.

I love Aldi’s for its cheap factor (prices, that is), but remember… you get what you pay for. Avoid this franchise like the plague around the first/​end of the month and the 15^th (when folks get their Link cards!), otherwise you’ll feel as if you’re starring in a bad episode of «Lost»!
I’ve yet to see a grocery store with cheaper prices (not counting bulk/​warehouse stores like Sam’s or Costco). However, I very rarely buy fruit here. In the summer, if you dare to buy strawberries here, you’d better eat them within 1 day (2 at the very latest). I had the gall to try and eat some strawberries I’d purchased from Aldi’s within 3 days of my purchase, and the strawberries were covered entirely in white fuzz. Very disappointing to say the least.
The lines are almost always very long (especially on the weekends). The best time to shop here (or at any Aldi’s for that matter) is on a weekday before 4pm or weeknight after 6pm. After 6pm there are usually only 1 – 2 lines open, so if you’re in a hurry, you’re better off shopping somewhere else. If you don’t mind the wait, get comfy.
I buy my basic items (cereal, soy milk, canned goods) at Aldi’s, but I purchase my produce & bakery items from Tony’s Finer Foods.

This place is pretty decent for the selection that they offer.
Also, in recent years, Aldi has stepped up the quality!
Like most stores the 4 star is lacking because there will only be 2 – 3 registers open =/​, with really long lines!
Best days to go: monday-​tuesday-​wednesday
The cashier’s here are usually pleasant.
They take cards but you can only use debit; no credit.