Total Basset Case: 5 tips for shopping at Aldis

Feb 26, 2015

5 tips for shopping at Aldis

My mom has always been a fan of Aldis and I usually listen to everything she says.  However, I was not as quick to jump on the Aldis train with her.  Well that has all changed recently (see Moms really are always right) and I have been loving Aldis.  
In the past month or so I have incorporated a stop at Aldis in my Sunday errands routine.
I have been so happy with the products we've gotten, the money we've saved and the overall experience, I thought I would share with you guys!
(Ps Aldis has NO idea who I am, this is just a friendly blog PSA.  But if Aldis wants to send me gift cards I wouldn't hate it.)

Aldis takes a simple, straight forward approach to grocery shopping.  No frills and no bells and whistles.  It is a bit of a different shopping experience but with these few tips I am pretty sure you will come to love it as much as I do.
1.  Bring a quarter - In order to get a buggy (cart) at Aldis you need $.25.  Don't worry, you will get it back when you return said buggy.
2.  Bring your own bags - In order to save costs, the attendants will not bag your groceries at Aldis.  But they have a counter near the check out and it is easy to just throw your goodies in a bag.  I am a little neurotic about taking my own bags to the grocery anyway so this isn't a biggie!
*they also have bags you can buy at checkout
3.  Keep your eyes peeled - walking into Aldis is not like walking in Kroger or your local grocery store.  Generally there are 3-4 rows total of foods and very simple labeling.  It may take a few trips to get your bearings (I also feel this way about Trader Joes) but once you have been a few times, it becomes second nature.
4.  Stock up on produce - I primarily buy produce at Aldis because it always looks fresh, there is a great selection and the prices are crazy good!  Honorable mention for gluten free pizza crust, vegetable chips, chicken, eggs, baking supplies and spices.  Bonus points that they carry wine and Diet Coke! 
5.  Bring cash or debit - Because of their no frills philosophy, Aldis only accepts cash, debit or EBT.  Again, not a huge deal, but something to make sure you know!

And those are just some of the reasons I love Aldis.
To give you an idea, I picked up everything below for $32. 
 This will last us a bit over a week, depending on how many smoothies we make and what is on our menu.  

Do you shop at Aldis?  Any favorites you have?

12 comments:

Courtney said...

I once went to an Aldi in Memphis and it was just so terribly crowded and I wasn't used to the layout so I walked out empty handed. Thanks for the tips, though, because you've inspired me to try it again in PA! Plus we have a place called Amelia's Grocery which I believe is the same concept as Aldi.

Brittany Fry @ The 26th of August said...

Ahh I am a die hard Aldi shopper! They are perfect for getting all those smoothie concoctions and they actually have a wide variety of gluten free foods.

Unknown said...

HUGE fan of Aldi :)

Pamela said...

Love Aldi!!

Roots Out West said...

I too love Aldis and was also slow to come around to it. Now I pretty much go every week as my main shopping stop and then just pop in other stores for things Aldis does not carry (i.e.- my fave beers and wines). Along with produce they have an awesome cheese selection. I also like the flavored quinoa. Fun fact: they are owned by the same company as Trader Joe's.

Jen said...

I'm very intrigued by this and I'm totally going to stop by and check things out at least this weekend. One question, do they carry more seasonal items like a farmers market, or can you depend on them having the same stuff every week. I wasn't sure how they worked and were able to have such low prices.

Jodi said...

Never heard of this store but that is a lot of produce for 30 bucks!

Joanna B said...

Did you know that Aldus and Trader Joes are owned by the same parent company? There was an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer a couple of weeks ago. It's a German company -more maybe not. Definitely foreign though.

Kait said...

My friend Katie sent me that pizza crust before and it was AMAZING! I have never been to one of these places but I really want to go!

Unknown said...

In Scotland we have Aldi & Lidl which are very similar though Lidl has many more stores. I have learned to love them and also find fruit & veg better & cheaper than elsewhere. During the last few years of recession , I have also noticed loads more "middle class!"people doing the bulk of their shopping in these stores. Love from Scotland xx

Unknown said...

One of my favorite items at Aldi is their Salsa. The "mild" tastes just like fresh. Of all of the salsas in all of the world, it is our favorite! For smoothies, they also have HUGE 48 oz. Bags of frozen fruit for less than half the price at Kroger. Also, their spices are typically $1.00. And if you have purchased ANY spices recently, you know how expensive they usually are! They also have awesome frozen stir-fry veggies with the sauce included. (I promise I will stop now.😊)

Kylie @ Counselor with a Cape said...

I would totally shop at Aldi's if they had one here, but unfortunately they don't! I used to shop at the one in Madison all the time when I lived there and I loved it!!