Appreciating Aldi

Recently I've been getting a little anxious when hearing about upcoming food shortages and prices for food increasing as much as threefold due to fertilizer shortages. I have been actively appreciating full or almost full shelves when at the grocery store and trying to not lament the higher prices of food because at least it is available to purchase and most products are not too outrageously priced. I would love to think that the shortage prediction is hyperbole or just a rumor or that there's some explanation for that will not actually, ultimately lead to food shortages. But then I recall reading that Fauci said in 2017 unequivocally that there would be a pandemic during Trump's presidency. Not that there may be one or since pandemics happen every so often, it was likely there would be another one. No, he said that there would be a pandemic. So when "they" predict something bad now, I think they are privy to what will happen. Well, again, in the meantime, I will appreciate full shelves and having purchasing options when at the store. And if there are no shortages in the future, I will be thrilled that my worrying was for naught...

Speaking of the pandemic, I first started shopping at Aldi during the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, I knew Aldi prices were cheaper than at traditional grocery stores (my mom shopped at one when I was growing up). But, in Springboro, we live closer to traditional grocery stores and life had moved at a fast enough pace that it was hard to justify driving out of the way to go to one, learn where things were in a new store, and deal with having no baggers, bringing my own bags, etc. 

Then when life as we knew it came to a halt in March of 2020, suddenly we had a lot more time on our hands and a lot more uncertainty regarding the economy. We had the time and the incentive to find more reasonably priced grocery items. Abby started going with me to do our weekly grocery shopping at Aldi and it was something, if not looked forward to, at least was something different than staying at home. Going to school, dance, church, and the gym were not not options for her, quite abruptly beginning in late March of 2020. I would not say that going to Aldi filled a void that the cessation of normal activities created but it was... something.

It has been two years now that I have been consistently shopping at Aldi and I like it just as much now as I did then. I go to Aldi by myself (usually) and I don't go every week but rather every two weeks or so.  Aldi doesn't carry every item that a traditional grocery store does which necessitates going to a more traditional store in addition to shopping at Aldi. 

Grab a quarter (to "rent" your cart; you'll get it back when you return it!), your bags (you can bring your own or purchase bags at the store; none are provided gratuitously), and your cuppa (cause there ain't no Starby's in Aldi's to purchase one there). Let's go shopping!!

Snack food items:

I buy almost all of our chips including pretzels at Aldi. Aldi has its own Doritos style chips, baked chips like Baked Lays and slim pretzels. We aren't huge chip eaters and as for me, chips are among the least of junk foods that are tantalizing to me. Consequently, I can tell no difference between the Aldi brand and name brand chips but some members of my family and some of our friends have been able to tell the difference. They prefer the name brand but will eat the Aldi brands in a pinch.

Clancy's chips for the win... (for me anyway!). 

I also keep Aldi nuts in stock in the pantry.

Eggs and Dairy products:

Two years ago, when I first began shopping at Aldi, I was blown away by the cheap price for eggs at Aldi. It cost .67 for a dozen eggs. At Kroger, eggs were well over a dollar for a dozen. I noticed that right after the new administration was sworn in around January of 2021, prices really started to rise. They rose to over a dollar for a dozen eggs (in late January 2021) and this week when I was at Aldi, a dozen eggs cost $2.13. Whaaaat?? I purchased a bunch of eggs right before Easter at a traditional grocery store on sale at a much better price than this.

Aldi redeemed itself with its reasonable butter prices. Speaking of butter, my sister told me in Canada, the regular price of butter is $7 a pound (the four stick package). At Aldi (for now) it's $3/lb.

Aldi has a much smaller footprint than most grocery stores so it just does not have the space for many varieties of types of foods that it carries- one thing I LOVE about Aldi is that it has made its cheese offerings a priority.  Cheese gets a lot of real estate in an Aldi store... Aldi has a really great selection of cheese including some fancier cheese like goat cheese, Gouda and Gruyere. I typically stick to buying basic varieties like pepper jack, cheddar and mozzarella. I buy pretty much every other dairy product- butter, Greek yogurt, sour cream, etc. from Aldi as its prices are much cheaper than at the grocery store.

Don't judge a refrigerator drawer by its cover- my cheese collection is housed in a drawer in my refrigerator labeled, "Fruits and Vegetables." Almost all of my cheese and cream cheese is from Aldi.

Cheese and thank you! This thick but cheese reminds me of the Tillamook brand cheese (that I love!) It was just a bit over $3 for 11 ounces. I will be buying it again (I noticed it for the first time a couple of weeks ago).

Meat- 

I buy chicken breasts from Aldi because they are way cheaper than at than at a traditional grocery store. Prices at Kroger have really jumped for chicken breasts but at Aldi, as of now, I can still get a large pack for $1.99/ pound. I have noticed that the large packages of chicken are not always available to purchase. I buy most of my red meat from Aldi as well.

Picked up two pounds of beef this week to make a double batch of Jennifer's taco soup. Aldi didn't have the fajita seasoning package the recipe called for; I made it without it. Alyssa liked the soup quite a bit which made my mama of a fussy kid heart happy. (I knew that Donnie and I would like it and we did!)

Chocolate-

If your strong preference is for chocolate made in Hershey, PA over European chocolate then you won't appreciate Aldi's made in Germany selection of chocolate. I prefer the taste of European chocolate so I am partial to the chocolate selection in Aldi. I don't always pick up chocolate when I am at Aldi but when I do, I always get chocolate with hazelnuts. Chocolate magnates here in the US of A don't seem to appreciate the combination of chocolate with hazelnuts like they do in Germany. I appreciate it! 

Aldi also carries a hazelnut wafer cookie type product that is really good. 

Produce- 

Definitely not the greatest variety at Aldi but it sells the most popular produce items like strawberries, blueberries, watermelon (in the summer), pineapple, etc. Same with veggies. One odd thing regarding the latter, you can't buy just one sweet pepper or jalapeno pepper. They come in a package with multiples. That is something to keep in mind if you want just one of an item (small items like apples and lemons are the same way- you have to buy them by the bag). Prices are definitely cheaper on produce at Aldi than at traditional stores and I buy all the produce that I can at Aldi.

Miscellaneous/ boring items- 

I buy most canned goods at Aldi. I have found that Wal-mart store brand canned goods are the same price as Aldi. But I go to Aldi more than I go to Wal-mart so I pick mine up at Aldi. I buy most of my pasta noodles at Aldi except for a certain shape, cavatappi, that Alyssa loves for her favorite of pasta dishes- buttered noodles, (lol) and that Aldi does not carry. I buy almost all of my bread needs from bagels to buns at Aldi. Aldi has a Keto bread that is low in carbs and calories and tastes great as well. It has a different texture than regular bread and I prefer it to regular bread in taste and texture. I don't buy it often because we don't eat a lot of sandwiches. Donnie likes the protein wraps at Aldi quite a bit though he hasn't been eating them as often recently as he's done in the past. I buy all basic baking products like flour, sugar, vanilla extract at Aldi.

In a nutshell, I buy all that I can at Aldi and then supplement items that I can't find at Aldi with items at the grocery store. If Aldi could just start carrying popcorn kernels and a large variety of pop, I may never have to go to a non Aldi grocery store!

Letting our Aldi flag fly- this insulated Aldi bag (in which I store smaller Aldi bags) now has its own hook in the laundry room for storage. And of course it accompanies me to Aldi!