ALDI

My wife and I have been shopping at Aldi for about a year now. If you know what you are doing, you can save a lot of money by doing the bulk of your shopping here but it does take some getting used to.
They have an organic line called Simply Nature which is a far better deal than any other organic around. Their produce is all paid by quantity rather than weight which can provide good value but be cautious because it is not always super fresh. Their meats are ok but I prefer to get it elsewhere. Their boxed goods are a very good value. Many of their no name brand items taste very similar to what you would find elsewhere but at a fraction of the cost. I pair aldi with trader joes and can do all my shopping at a fraction of the cost of other major chains.

Need the basics? Baking products? Cheese? It’s a great place if you have simple needs. Chocolate snacks are a score. Can’t do all your shopping here but can’t beat the prices.

I’m not a creature of habit but admit to some trepidation when entering ALDI! I knew it was a European chain of supermarkets for the thrifty and related to my fave, Trader Joe’s right down the street. But for my first visit, I wasn’t sure what to expect. .25 for a shopping cart? Ok. Private-​label brand snacks, canned goods and more? Yep. One cash register open and bring your personal bag? Sure.
Things are just DIFFERENT here and you do get used to your grocery and food shopping runs at Teeter. To try a new spot takes some effort but in ALDI’s case it might be worth it. While there isn’t a lot of known name-​brands and there’s limited selection, ALDI is like a more basic Trader Joe’s. And in all honesty, I bet some of the suppliers are the same but with an off-​brand of a private label. Hope that makes sense.
So if you’re on a budget and willing to try something different, check out ALDI. Great for snacks, canned goods and more, don’t expect a huge produce section or meat/​seafood section and you should be all set…

I absolutely love Aldi. Love love love.
Everything is super cheap.
Most brands are generic, but rival their brand-​name competitors.
Staff is super friendly.
I always go here on a weekday. I’ve never tried going on a weekend, but I’m sure my experience would be different. It’s never super crowded and the lines are really pretty short if you go during the week.
Side note: My mom used to take me to Aldi’s in Ohio and I never liked it. It was so dirty and crowded. This was twenty years ago or so. Either Aldi has undergone a great metamorphasis, or the store is just much better in NC!

Aldi has great prices. I am very excited about their new gluten free products. If you like their private label products you can save some money here.

I honestly love this place, I wish it were closer. Saturday I got a cart full of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, sweet potatoes, colorful bell peppers, avocados, asparagus, red onion, cucumbers, cabbage, bananas and a couple of non produce items for under $ 40.00. They have the BEST dark chocolate with hazelnuts for under $ 1.99. I have also started trying some of their snacks and have never been disappointed, just make sure to bring a quarter and your own bags, I did neither this weekend and got a min workout.

Eh

I have been to Aldi twice, and I don’t understand what all the hype is about. The store doesn’t have much selection, and there are many «off» brands. I’m not opposed to store brands, but the food has to be good quality, a unique buy…
IMO, Aldi has an identity crisis. It doesn’t offer niche products like Trader Joe’s, it’s not big enough to be Costco, and it’s not cheap enough to be Walmart. Overall, I don’t recommend the store. There are far better places to shop.

Very reasonable. For example, $ 1 for a bag of tortilla chips that are as good as most you can get anywhere else. Score.
The guacamole is always what I come for, and end up with a few extra items to try. Most of the time, I think «huh…well…that was decent, but don’t know that I’ll get it again.» I’ve never been disappointed with anything here, just don’t go enough to be a regular shopper here.
I do know when I go, I enjoy the savings, and the quality is good. Give it a try.
Weird things: Bring your own bags, and bring a quarter to unlock a shopping cart (you get it back when you return it to the designated area)

Aldi is where I go when I need a lot of groceries for a little $$. I don’t have time to be coupon queen so this is how I keep to my budget. This is where I stop at first when I go grocery shopping. I hit Aldi and get all the basics. Eggs, cheese, yogurt, cereal, flour, etc. It’s nice to get a grocery cart full under $ 40. You will hardly find name brands here, but keep in mind that Aldi and Trader Joes are owned by the same company.
Be aware, that this is a bare bones grocery stuff. Nothing fancy. Want a cart, bring a quarter. ou’ll get it when you put it back. Want a bag for your groceries, bring your own or be prepared to pay for them. There are usually only 1 line open so you may have to wait but they are quick and efficient.

Clean, well stocked, and friendly staff.
The carts are in good repair, as I have encountered at most Aldi’s.
Most of the other customers are friendly and respectfully not on their cell phones and walking over you.
The store is usually not overcrowded, in the afternoons or evenings on the days I am there.
Parking is easy.
What more is there that a national grocery store chain can offer?
Oh, the special buys for the following week usually start on Tuesday, and by the weekend are nearly gone, so come by early in the week if you see something you like in the online flyer.
I’m here at least bi-​weekly to stock up with the sundries.