Aldi's convert with some questions

[imagine]

Questions in Bold

So I gave Aldi's a try and it was great. They had some great deals on things we eat like whole wheat pasta, baby spinach, and fresh fruit. Their extra lean ground beef looked a good price too and I saw many people buying it

Whole wheat pastas a box for 1.09 ( smaller box at another store 1.59)
Bag baby spinach 79 cents (same size bag 2.50 at another store)
cantaloupe 99 cents ( I had just told son that 1.79 on sale at another store was to much still)
A pint of strawberries 88 cents (1.50 for ones about to turn almost mush at another store)

The store was very busy and the produce was excellent much better than the other local stores and Wal-mart. I guess lots of people buying produce makes for fresher produce available.

Do they generally have great deals like this? I noticed the "sales ad" talked about special purchases. but it didn't mention the above things. I did hear the lady in front of me talking to the manager asking about the 88 cent strawberries and she said they generally have a great price a few veggies/fruits each week last week as x and Y , this week was strawberries and cantalope, next week A and B. It this normally how it works?

The flyer said that they had a special purchase of the Fit Active turkey dogs for 89 cents. Does this mean when they are gone they will be gone? Get what you want cause they are here for a short time only? or do they still have them just not at that price?

We found some cheese raviolis that we loved for 2.99 We hadn't had cheese raviolis as the price at local grocery store had risen though the roof. Should I go back and get more or will they still be there? Are something consistently there and something and some thing not? How do you know?


Any other tips?

[hotprincesscm]

Aldi's with their produce, usually always has good deals. It does sound about right that on certain weeks things are cheaper than others. Special purchases I think are only carried for a certain amount of time, so take advantage of them while you can. The Raviolis, maybe normal priced depending on where you found them, in my store if they are found in the freezers that are against the walls, where they keep their "normal stock" of food, then I would say it's an everyday product, but if in my store they are found on the middle of the isle on the floor freezers, they are usually a special buy and arn't there all the time. I hoped I helped some! And welcome to the Aldi's conversion!

[canadamom]

Aldi's takes practice but a general rule of thumb is to not depend on it being in stock next week.

I love their soup, much cheaper than Campbell's.
Crackers chips etc change brands often but all seem fine.

[Nana2two]

I love shopping aldis, go to there web site and it will list specials they run. Its nice at christmas they have name brand toys really cheap. I bought 1 pound of strawberries .49 cents. they were huge. I bought 5 pounds.

[imagine]

I love shopping aldis, go to there web site and it will list specials they run. Its nice at christmas they have name brand toys really cheap. I bought 1 pound of strawberries .49 cents. they were huge. I bought 5 pounds.

Here they were 88 cents a pound. You bought way less than most people I saw. Most were buying a flat or two of them.

I ended up buying 4 pounds in two trips. They were so yummy.

[ladytoysdream]

I go to our Aldi's usually once a week.
A lot of the items are what they normally carry from week to week. Sometimes they run a special on things, usually in the produce or fresh meat section. Something they may have bought too much of and that is getting near the expiration date. Usually bananas. I have also bought hamburg marked down. It's not often on mark downs though. They seem to move things right along.

They have their own brands, and I don't know how they get them, but my guess would be a major company makes it for them and puts their label on the product. Anyone know for sure ?

The seasonal stuff might be like you would only see the item at Thanksgiving or Christmas for example. Then it would be another year before it would show up again on the shelves.

Some of their non food items, they buy in large quanities so they can offer at a lower price. I have seen clothing, household items, plants, etc, in our store.

Ask the workers in the store if they can tell you if the item is a regular item or a seasonal. Staff in our store is good about answering questions

[Grainlady]

I agree with getting it when you see it because it might not be there the next time. And yet there are many things that I ONLY get there, and get them on a regular basis: mandarine oranges, cherry pie filling, brown and serve sausage, butter, fresh produce, frozen 100% fruit juice concentrate, bottled lemon juice, frozen baby green beans, Clarissa facial tissue....

I've purchased flip-flops, a beautiful spring coat, hubby's winter coat, umbrella holders, rattan dressers and night stands for our bedroom and the two other guest bedrooms, steel wire bakers shelving (on wheels) we use in the basement for our stockpile of food, plants, fresh cut flowers - all were special purchase items, not regular stock items - here today, gone tomorrow.

I love it at the holidays when they get in German "goodies".

I always go there at 9 a.m. when the doors open to avoid the crowds.

[jacqueline]

I just started going to Aldi's last year and feel a fool for not doing so earlier. I think after shopping your store a few times you will get a feel for what is what -- I think any store varies from state to state.
Sign up for the newsletter and you will know what is on sale each week.
The things I buy from Aldi: frozen ground turkey (was .89 but now 1.19-still cheaper than anywhere else) potato chips 1.29 pepper grinder 1.99 (way better than mccormicks) milk is 1.69 here this week 1.69!!! fruits and vegetables-there's always something good cheap / block cheese, canned veg, their frozen salmon is better than walmarts, bread. I always walk the whole store - because you never know what has been changed and what new products they have. When I find a good deal, I stockpile. I take my own totes and always immediately take them back to the car after I unload. The times I have forgotten, I just pick up empty boxes from the store to use. And I always have change in my cupholder in the car for the cart. Ask your cashier when they get their fruit/veg in --at my store it's on Thursdays.

[cheles2kids]

I'm an Aldi's 'aholic too!
Their "Fit n' Active" brand is something that they carry all the time, so you should be good there.

*Most* of their weekly 'specials' will be located at the front entrance of the store and most of them are brand name products.
But for everything else, they pretty much carry it year round.

Although I will mention that during the holidays they carry special holiday chocolates and things like that, but again, most of them will be at the front entrance.

As for the produce, there have been tons of posts about Aldi's where people here have discussed it. Pretty much the general consensus is that it varies greatly from store to store.
But if you find something that looks good, you better eat it fast, because most of it goes bad quickly.

The only items that I've bought there have been potatoes, onions, green peppers & today I bought a package of grapes.
As for their refridgerated produce? I can't say, I've never purchased it.

Oh and as for clothing? I bought both of my teens a hoodie there for $6.99 each last year, it is their favorite hoodie.
Nothing special, just plain grey, but they have held up through numerous washings and still look as good as the day we bought them.

Welcome to the Aldi's addiction! Tehehehehehehehehehe!!!!!

[gapeach]

I've shopped Aldi for several years now and like it alot. My cousin told me about shopping there when she lived overseas. Alot of their produce is very fresh and usually needs to be used within a few days. I find that if I take it out of the cellophane wrap and into the crisper drawer of the refrigerator it will last longer. I've been pleasantly surprised with the quality of food.

[missyali]

We just got an Aldi's in our neck of the woods. I usually shop after church or on my lunch hour as there are Aldi's close to both. Many people are unhappy about our town having an Aldi's. I say "So sorry for you, more for me" .

[wwe11]

I love Aldi's too. My step mom told me about it and I just love it. I have heard their meat and produce was no good. But I don't know about that.

[frugalwarrior]

Love their baby carrots but finding them at my store is intermittent. My daughter loves chef cupboard soup. I say try it. If you don't like it feed it to the dog. They have great u-bake cookies in the freezer section too. My Aldis has actually gotten better. We used to stay away at night. Now more mainstream less "scary" people are there hanging out. I have found sand in there pickles and I don't like some of the snack cakes or bread but so many other things are excellent. Oh, In answer to your two questions Yes and Yes.

[Bellaboo]

I've found they rotate some of their frozen foods like their quesadillas. My DH loves these and so he stocks up when they have them so he doesn't run out before they get more in. Make sure you keep an eye on prices somethings you can get cheaper in a regular grocery store. My kids like spaghettios and the aldi's brand is .15 cents more then the generic brand at the grocery store. Aldi's can save you money but not everything is a good deal.

[Nana2two]

I have shopped at aldis forever. Lets see my son is 19 and i started shopping there when he was a toddler.