My Top 10 Aldi Favorites

Do you have an Aldi where you live? I've been aware of this small grocery store chain for years and years now, but I only started shopping there within the past two years or so. And the savings have been staggering!

Today I would love to share with you my top ten favorite items to purchase at Aldi, as well as other staple items that I often buy there. I'll also add in some tips for shopping there since it's not your typical grocery store.

So, grab a quarter and your reusable shopping bags (more on these later), and here we go!

Jumping right in. Out of everything I've tried there, here are my top ten favorite items to purchase at Aldi, in no particular order:

1. Crunchy Granola Raisin Bran.
I've purchased the name brand and I STILL think this one is tastier. Also, it's always $1.99.

Their version of Frosted Mini Wheats is also better than the name brand! (more frosting, YES)

2. Organic Reduced Fat (2%) Milk

A half gallon of this is $3.39. My only beef is that they only carry it in lowfat milk. I wish they had it in whole milk so that I could buy that weekly for Camille!

3. Brie Cheese
Their rounds of brie are fantastic and are a steal at $2.99!

4. Steak Seasoning 
We all know how expensive spices can be. This large container is so inexpensive at $0.99, and I use it on way more than just steak. Baked chicken dishes, roasted vegetables, grilled dishes, it's extremely versatile. I always have a container in our cabinet.

5. Sea Salt Dark Caramels
These are JUST as good as you hope they would be. Also, 1-2 are completely satisfying (they are very rich!) so you don't have to worry about wolfing down the entire container in two days. Their copycat version of the Girl Scout's caramel delight cookies, on the other hand...

Also, I should mention here that their containers like this of peanut butter cups are BETTER than Reese's! I have several friends who agree! The chocolate is thicker and richer, and the peanut butter filling is way creamier. 

6. Organic Cherry Tomatoes 
These little containers are a lot less expensive than our grocery store's organic tomatoes. Camille loves having halved cherry tomatoes for a side dish at lunch or dinner. 

7. Simply Nature Fruit Squeeze Pouches
Speaking of Camille, another favorite of ours are the fruit squeeze pouches they carry. They are $1.99. I was excited to find this one below that contains sweet potato and also is organic. Not all of the pouches they carry are organic, so I stocked up on these!

8. Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil
We all know that coconut oil is the nectar of the gods, right? I use it for everything from sauteed green beans to a facial moisturizer at night. This large jar is $4.99. Awesome price.

9. Tangy Citrus Kale Salad 
This salad kit has everything you need for a yummy side dish. We've even used it as an entree by adding in grilled chicken strips, blueberries, and pecans and tossing it all togther. This is $2.99 and I'd say it is on our meal rotation at least once every two weeks.

10. Four-pack of Artisan Lettuces
Lastly, this combination of lettuces is a great deal at $1.99. It lasts us a really long time ... at least 3-4 nights and days of big salads. I chop up the lettuce that I want to use for that meal, run it through the salad spinner to wash it, and it's all set.

Now that we've covered my favorite items, here are some other kitchen and home staples that I often buy there:

Sugar

All-Purpose Flour
Flavored coffee creamers
Fat free half and half (for our coffee)
Eggs
Organic apples, mushrooms, organic carrots, 3-pack peppers, berries
Broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, squash
Melons
Frozen green beans
Frozen organic fruits for smoothies
Garlic (fresh and jarred in olive oil)
Avocados

Sea Salt grinder

Black Pepper grinder

Butter 

Kleenex

Boulder plastic zip-top bags
Bananas

Whole wheat bread

Flour tortillas
String cheese
Blocks of cheese
Fresh mozzarella balls ($2.69)
Shredded cheese
Marshmallows
Pie Crusts (fresh and graham cracker)
Cake mixes
Dried berries and nuts
Canned beans
Canned mandarin oranges (for Camille)
Baby wipes (packs are $0.85, the quality is great -- a nice version to throw in your diaper bag!)
Wine (last year they had an Altiva vinho verde I was obsessed with for $5, and their chianti is great)
Take and bake pizzas (the pepperoni and fresh jalapeno thin crust is our favorite!)

And in full disclosure, there are a few items that I tried that I would not recommend:
+ Chicken salad (Mom and I agree, we just don't love the taste of it)

+ Blue cheese (it's not as powerful of a taste as what I buy at my grocery store)

Now, a few tips and tricks to help you out while shopping there:

+ Pack a quarter if you'd like a buggy. Aldi keeps costs down by not hiring people to go corrall carts from the parking lot. You put a quarter in the shopping cart at the front of the store as a deposit, do your shopping, and then get your quarter back when you return your own cart to the front of the store. I keep a quarter in my cupholder at all times for this reason!

If I'm just running in for a few quick items, I might skip the cart and just place my items right into my reusable shopping bags. If you shop this way (with no cart), you will want to bag your own groceries right as the cashier scans them. Since you didn't bring a buggy to the checkout lane, the one beside the cashier must remain there. You will see what I mean when you shop there. :)

+ Bring your own reusable shopping bags. You can certainly purchase bags there (the paper bags are $0.06/ea, so they are certainly cost-efficient), but it's so easy to use your own bags, and great for the environment, too.

+ Bring cash or a debit card. They do not accept credit cards in order for them to keep prices low.

+ Lastly, be prepared at the checkout line. Aldi contains costs by limiting the number of employees they have in the store, but these employees are super-efficient. When you approach check-out, there may only be 1-3 lanes open. Even if there are several people in front of you, don't be discouraged -- it moves quickly. The employees operating the check-out lanes are timed for each transaction and they are some of the fastest I've ever witnessed to scan your items. They will put your groceries right into the buggy, unbagged. Have your payment method out and ready. Then you just wheel your cart over to the bagging area and you place your own groceries in your reusable bags.

I know this is a lot of information -- can you tell I love shopping there and sharing tips? Fellow Aldi shoppers, I'd love to hear your favorite items to purchase (and any you haven't been impressed with), as well as any other tips you may have to pass along!