If you're wondering how to shop at Aldi and if you REALLY can save and only shop one store, we have some great tips for you. Check them out!
How To Shop at Aldi and TRULY save Time and Money!
Could you shop at Aldi only? In the past few years, Aldi stores have GREATLY increased the amount of items they carry. I shop Aldi occasionally for produce, milk, spices and eggs, but in the past have never gone to the store expecting to buy my entire grocery list there.
But with their new additions of gluten free items, TONS of Aldi Keto branded items, and expanded produce sections…. is it possible to just shop there and no other store?
During my most recent Aldi trip, I noticed that they really do have everything. And the because they don't have so much of everything (for example 101 types of cereal in the cereal aisle like our local Kroger and Meijer do . . . ) I can get in and out without spending hours perusing the aisles.
See all the best current deals going on at Aldi this week right over HERE!Â
As a busy mom, spending way too long at the grocery store drives me nuts, and I love that Aldi is small enough that I can quickly get in and out of the store. And, if I forget an item at the checkout lane it doesn't take me too long to run back through the store to get what I missed.
You can also choose Aldi Curbside Pickup in many locations now – saving you even MORE time!Â
So I started looking closely and questioning if you could buy absolutely everything there? Here are the things I noticed . . .
Aldi has an abundance of snacks, including gluten free options. They also carry some name brand items in store (although those DO tend to be higher priced).  It's SO MUCH FUN too as they change out their seasonal snacks ALL the time. We've spotted kettlecorn popcorn and wasabi and soy popcorn in the past few weeks!
Aldi has tons of baking products. I tried to see if there was anything they were missing, but couldn't find anything  we would need that wasn't there. They have olive oil (for just $2.99!), real vanilla, cooking spray and spices.  Plus, they tend to have yummy seasonal flavors here too!
I tested their Aldi brand semi sweet morsels (for research purposes of course . . . you're welcome.), and honestly they taste almost identical to Nestle Morsels. At $1.79 per bag that's a pretty incredible price (they rarely go below $2 at the grocery store), so I may switch over to buying them completely. (Which is saying something, I'm pretty picky when it comes to chocolate chip cookies!)
Aldi has a  huge selection of bread products. Not only do they have typical sliced bread – but they have a nice section full of sliced loaves, bagels, sandwich thins, and more. Also – I was shocked at the price of English Muffins there – I've paid as much as $3 for them at the local grocery store, but Aldi had them for just $0.99!
Be sure to watch for discounts on bread as well!
My store had a huge bin of discounted bread for $.25 per loaf (several different types, including whole wheat and low calorie breads, which was all incredibly fresh when I checked it.) I asked the cashier about it and he said their policy is to not let it get closer than 5 days out from their sell by date, so definitely watch for those deals when you're there!
Aldi has a huge selection of dairy products, including eggs, milk, cream cheese, real butter, and even coffee creamer. It even seems like Aldi carries more specialty cheeses than Walmart! The best price I noticed was on their store brand cheddar cheese (16 oz. for $3.29), and I'm pretty sure you could find everything your family would need when you're there.
A lot of people are hesitant buying meat at Aldi, but when I asked my cashier he shared that most of their chicken comes from the Tyson distributor, and even looking at the packages they had Butterball Turkeys and Appleton Farms Hams.
The prices were decent (although I have seen better prices occasionally on sale at my local grocery store), and Aldi allows you to return items (they have a twice as nice guarantee!), so if you're not pleased with them so their meat might just be worth trying out.
(I've had several friends buy meat at Aldi and they've been pleased with their meat ~ I'd love to hear your thoughts if you've purchased meat there!)
Aldi has paper products and cleaning supplies, however you won't find the jillion items you might see at a larger grocery store. We're almost out of toilet paper (gasp!) so I bought some of their store brand TP and while I don't love it quite as much as Quilted Northern, it wasn't too bad. 🙂
They do carry some name brands (like Tide laundry detergent), but the price on that at Aldi is high. If you love name brand items at all I wouldn't recommend shopping Aldi because even though they carry a few of those items they just don't have great prices on them, but if you're willing to try Aldi store brands you can easily save!
Aldi also has pet food, a few pet treats, and kitty litter. The Aldi Finds aisle also often has special items for pets. My dog loved the treats I brought him home yesterday. 🙂
Aldi does carry a very small selection of toiletries, including personal care items, shampoo, and soap. I also noticed sunscreen, razors and even batteries, so you might really be able to make Aldi your one stop shop!
When I asked the cashier about things he's heard people complain about missing at Aldi he mentioned shaving gel and bug spray ~ so you might have to head to another store every once in awhile. But, as I went through the store I realized they really do have just about everything we use (just packaged as Aldi brands), so I'm seriously considering trying a month to see how switching would affect our grocery budget.
Where do you typically do most of your grocery shopping? Do you shop one store or multiples? Let us know in the comments!
Looking for more about shopping Aldi? Don't miss these posts!
- 20 Items You Need to Buy at Aldi
- Aldi Finds This Week
- New Aldi SnacksÂ
- Free Aldi, Target, Costco, Sam's & Walmart Price Comparison Sheet
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