Aldi's: Is It Worth It?

Just in case the giant sucking sound coming from your wallet hadn't yet clued you in, groceries are just a bit expensive right now. 

For years, I've shopped occasionally at Aldi's, a chain discount grocery which appears, unfortunately for some of you, not to be available in every state.  Every time I shopped at Aldi's, I had a vague sense that I was saving money on staples (which is, for the most part, the only things they stock, except for occasional special items).  But I'd never done an item-by-item comparison to get a real sense.  Was it worth the trouble?  Because shopping at Aldi's isn't exactly easy--you have to take your own bags, bag your own groceries, even pay a 25-cent deposit to use a grocery cart (refunded when you leave), and they only accept cash or debit cards.

As grocery prices have continued to go up (and, as it turns out, so have the appetites of my growing boys), I decided it was time to get serious about comparing if Aldi's shopping was worth the effort.  I took a list of grocery staples to both Aldi's and then Wal Mart, where I normally do my grocery buying.  I did an item-by-item comparison, comparing Aldi's price with the cheapest available brand at Wal Mart.  This spreadsheet was the result (click on it to view):

Download aldis.pdf

(And?  I don't want any lip from anyone that we list cheese puffs and popsicles as grocery staples.  Thank you.)

The few items in red are the ones actually more expensive at Aldi's.  All the others are either even or cheaper.  (And let us pause for a moment of silence in memory of the brain cells I overwhelmed in building a color-coded spreadsheet).

I was blown away by the results, actually.  I knew I was saving something by shopping at Aldi's, but I had no idea it was adding up so quickly.  I can see how going to a little extra trouble will easily save substantial money each month.  Most of the items listed are generic, which is the way I generally shop (except for a few items, paper towels--you'll have to pry my Bounty from my cold, dead fingers).  I have never had any quality issues buying generic at Aldi's.

If you don't have one of these stores where you live, I extend my full sympathy, but I suggest you look around.  Most cities have some sort of warehouse-type grocery facilities available.  If you're willing to shop around, you might be surprised what you find.

Any other's Aldi's lovers out there?  What have you learned shopping there?  Have you ever had any issue shopping their generic brands?  I'm curious to hear...

(P.S.  Of course, if you use this list, take into account differences regionally in grocery prices.  GOD BLESS the great state of Oklahoma for having a crazy-low cost of living, and things might be priced differently where you are.  But it's a good place to start, and maybe it will inspire you to draw up your own comparisons, spreadsheet-inducing anxiety notwithstanding.)

Comments

[susieshomemade]

We have Aldi here but I haven't tried it. They are located in some scary places in the city so, we don't go.

[Alice]

I have shopped at Aldi's since FOREVER! I only go to the local grocery stores if I don't have the time to run to Aldi's. The price difference is huge and I still get quality besides quanity. Also, our produce at Aldi's is the same produce that our local Jewel store sells. Bananas for example at Jewel are 69 per lb and at Aldi's 33 cents. Awesome savings!

[ali north]

i love love love aldi.

my daughter (2.5yrs) LOVES taking the quarter to put in the slot for the grocery carts. she thinks it's the best thing in the world..

i went there today.. i get some things there but still have to go to bilo or walmart for the rest.. but my favorite things at aldi that are SO worth the stop:

bagged spinach
coffee creamer (fridge section)
eggs
bananas
olive oil
salad dressing
vanilla extract (a steal at 1.99 i think)
and my personal favorite: frozen berries

i usually just leave my earthfare green canvas bags in the car, that way i always have 'em on me. :)

[Amy]

We don't have Aldi's here, but it sounds like we are missing out!! About 6 months ago I started a price book and it's been really nice to see the difference in the grocery store pricing. I used to coupon shop, but stopped out of laziness, but I need to get back on the coupon train again. I've been mostly shopping at my super Walmart and I'm interested to know what the difference will be when I go back to my couponing. One nice thing I like about my price book is I can look and see the frequency of how fast I need to restock items

[Amy]

I can usually do better at Aldi's than I can shopping for name brand products using coupons in a regular store. But, for me, having to pay cash is a hassle as we don't carry much cash.

[Blessed]

I love the zip lock bags at Aldi's!

[Cara]

Wow! Thanks for putting that all together. I will have to add some of this information to my price book.

I went to Walmart today and was blown away at the prices. They were too high on alot of basic things. I rarely go there, but there are some things you can't get anywhere else for a decent price. I can usually do so much better by shopping according to the sales ads and using coupon match ups. Of course this does dictate what you are going to eat a little more.

Thanks for bringing my attention back to Aldi!

[Lorie]

I'm not sure how our family would survive without Aldi's given our very meager budget right now. When my husband suddenly lost his job over 18 months ago I immediately went into survival mode. I was already shopping at Aldi's, but I still bought a lot of things at Kroger. Now there are some weeks when I don't go to Kroger at all. I have Aldi's prices memorized for the things we buy most of the time so unless Kroger's ad has something cheaper or I need something specific that I can't get at Aldi I don't go to Kroger. I buy their diapers which are cheaper than I've seen anywhere else & they work great.
The other savings that I haven't seen anyone else mention is the time I save. Since Aldi's generally just carries their brand there's usually just one choice of each item. I'm not spending lots of time trying to figure out which brand is a better deal even if I have a coupon or whatever. Even on the weeks when I do a big shopping spree I'm generally in & out in about an hour. I used to hate to go grocery shopping because it always took me so long. Not anymore.
Oh, & if I get an item that isn't up to standard, say a watermelon that is over ripe, my Aldi's has been very good about either refunding the amount or letting me get another one.
I think I could go on & on about them. I just love Aldi's & it's definitely taught me how to be even more frugal than I already was.

[Angie]

We have no Aldi's, and I hate, no make that HATE Wal-Mart with a passion... but it saves me money, so I buck up and go. Maybe I should start campaigning for Aldi's.

[Julie Anne]

I love my ALDI!!! thanks for the comparison. sometimes I wonder, but I really like the food I get there, so I am glad to know that it is still better priced.
Their chocolate chips are the best!! no more Nestle for me.
It is great to be in and out in no time at all because there are only a few aisles to go through!!

[Nancy]

Thanks for the break-down! I've been wondering the same thing for a while, so it's nice to see the results like that. I'll have to see how similar it is to Pennsylvania's Aldi.
Though flour is still cheaper at Costco, just so you know. :)

[Vickie]

I have shopped at Aldi's for many years now. It's never bothered me that I have to bag my own groceries and to tell the truth the way they bag them at some stores is disgraceful. My kids pack their lunches and if it wasn't for the low prices of chips, cookies, produce and lunch meat they wouldn't be able to do that. I have one teen who loves to eat either canned pineapples or mandrian oranges for breakfast with a bagel and cream cheese. If it wasn't for the low prices of these items she wouldn't get it everyday. Now there are a few things that we buy elsewhere like ketchup and crackers.

[Becky]

I love Aldi also! I just recently quit my job and am staying home with our first son. Aldi is helping out the budget a ton. If you haven't checked out their website... you really should! They have TONS of recipes on there, made with all Aldi ingredients. And you can sort them by different types of diets, ingredient lists, etc. (for example, you can find recipes by the number of weight watchers points they are!) Go to this link...

http://www.aldimeals.com/cgi-bin/customize?find_recipe.html

[Tracie Koenig]

Oh my, I am from sunny California(SF) and I can't believe the price difference for food!! For my family of four I spend roughly $800 month just on groceries. I have no clue what Aldi's is and avoid Walmart (for certain reasons) and shop local instead....Love your blog by the way!!

[Heather P.]

Let me tell you, the Clarissa Select-A-Size Paper towels at Aldi's are the SAME as the Bounty Select-A-Size. The SAME!!!
I love everything I get there! Have you tried the frozen asparagus? It is the same as the Schawn's frozen asparagus an it is only $1.99. I don't know if you are aware of this, but the Red Baron Pizza's that Aldi's carry are made by Schawn's so I would bet quite a few of their frozen products are made by Schawn's.

[Sandy]

No Aldi's here on Long Island, NY, but every time I go upstate to visit family, I fill up the back of the suburban with Aldi's food and then bring it all back across the bridges to Long Island. I'd love to have a store here!

[Sandy toes]

Yes, I have shopped at Aldi's but I seem to buy more junk food when I go!!! I would never buy twinkies but I buy Aldi twinkies b/c I think they are cheap!

10 favorite Southern Living casseroles...wow!
-Sandy toes

[Debbie]

Aldi's has wonderful chocolate too! But I also buy all my Christmas baking supplies there. 2 pound bags of powdered sugar and brown sugar are STILL .99 !!! WalMart is way up there at 1.36. I have also found excellent deals on their specials. Check the Sunday paper for their flyer. Back to that chocolate. Definitly worth the buy.

[zehrbabies]

I love love love Aldi! Let me just say that ours has reusable shopping bags (the fabric ones) for $1.99. They are more expensive than the $1.00 bags at Walmart and Kroger but in true Aldi fashion, you get much more bang for your buck (or buck ninety nine in this case!). It is easily twice the size of the $1.00 bag and I can put my weeks worth of groceries in two bags. I'll admit that I still have to bring home the occassional box. My kids get upset if they don't have the boxes to make forts, cars, dollhouses, etc.!

[Elizabeth F.]

I guess base prices can vary by location. Our Aldi's has a gallon of Milk for $1.99...cheapest found anywhere! LOL! I do love Aldi's when I just need the basics, but I find myself getting too much crap food when we shop there and I'm not big on their meats. Produce varies based on when the truck comes at your store, but all in all I love Aldi's. Thanks for the post!

[Fiddledeedee]

Interestingly, I'm sitting here looking at an Aldis coupon for $5 off a minimum $30 purchase. I just found out that we have one close by. I usually do all my shopping at Wal Mart and Sams Club, but I'm going to check this out.

I love that you did a spread sheet. Now I know why I like you so much!

[Cindy]

We love Aldi's and since we live on a tight monthly budget it is the only way to afford groceries. I saw you posted on Money Saving Mom's blog and had to come over and leave you a comment.

Have you checked out http://www.aldifoods.com/index_ENU_HTML.htm

Aldi Foods website has all their specials, meal planner and you can sign up for their newsletter

[Kim]

We don't have Aldi's out here either. But the prices that you are comparing for walmart are much higher then what my super walmart's prices are. So, it makes me feel a little better about not having an Aldi's out here. : )

[Luanne]

I love-love-love Aldi. The key is remembering to put your bags back in the car when you empty them at home. Also, if you have a number of cars--making sure that there are bags in every car! I bought the big, cloth bag at aldi--I usually fill it up so much that I can hardly lift it--but it is huge! I love it!

[Bree]

Unfortunatley there isn't an Aldi's here within' a couple of hours. Growing up my mom always shopped at Aldi's. Around where I live we have a Save-a-Lot. I think it's pretty much the same deal! Except we don't have to bag our own groceries or anything like that. ;-) I have found, like you pointed out with Aldi's, that some things aren't going to be cheaper. But they do have a pretty good selection of produce that is usually cheaper. And the items that I purchase from there, I have never had an issue quality wise.

[christina]

So funny that you post this. I just went to Aldi's for the first time last weekend after our fridge died through the night. Once it was repaired, I headed to aldi's (with my grocery bags in tow) to check out the buzz.
I bought around $15 in groceries that I wanted to give a try.

It was pretty good, but maybe this store was small? I had done a bit of research and was looking for their chocolate and a few other things that were recommended and they didn't have them.

Does anyone here that loves Aldi's shop at Big Lots and/or Trader Joe's? I buy my Annie's Organic Mac 'n Cheese at BL for a buc! Love that! AND that is the ONLY place I buy cereal (well, unless I get to got to TJ's, then I stock up there!).
ps. thanks for that AMAZING spreadsheet! love it!

[Michelle]

My only problem with Aldi's is that I can't do ALL of my shopping there, and some weeks I don't have the time to make multiple stops. But the link with Aldi's recipes might just fix that!

Here's a tip: The Price Signs that are printed in black in the store are always-available, regular items. The Price Signs that are printed in red are special-purchase items, and they may not be there the next time you shop.

[Catherine]

Ooh I miss Aldi's! They were all over Chicago but I've never seen one in Texas. My only problem was getting the groceries to the car with several little kids since you can't take the cart away from the store front!

[Jenn]

I have to admit, it took me a while to get past the no-frills (read: low budget) look of Aldi's. But now? I'm in looooove.

Aldi's is a weekly stop on my grocery circuit where I buy all my staples. Then on to Meijer and Kroger, but ONLY for the 10/$10 items or super deals with coupons.

The difference it's made in our budget is remarkable!

[Mrs Lemon]

I did this for Save A Lot. There are very few things that we are unwilling to sacrifice for a lower price like frozen waffles and Mr Lemon absolutely refuses to eat anything but Pop Tarts poptarts. But it is definitely my first stop for groceries. Great spreadsheet!

[Anne]

We have Aldi here in Australia and it is by far our cheapest place to buy groceries. Just so you know, we pay $5.49 for our chicken, too. But that's PER POUND! To buy 5lb of chicken thighs we'd be paying $28. Milk is $3.18 for 3 litres, which is less than a gallon. Ground beef $6.99 per pound. And that's at Aldi which is the cheapest. Petrol (gas) is at about $6 a gallon at the moment, but it has been higher.
I couldn't believe how inexpensive your food is compared to ours. If I can get our family's groceries for under $200 a week then I'm doing well. That's with all luxuries removed and by shopping at three different places, including a fruit and veggie warehouse.
Oh, and our coin deposit at Aldi? It's $2.

[Beth]

I love Aldi, but recently moved to the West where there aren't any. I love the weather out here but miss my grocery shopping.

I actually find Aldi shopping easier than regular grocery shopping because:
1. There is only ONE brand of everything, so I don't have to do a bunch of cost-comparison standing there in the grocery cart aisles (time is of the essence when shopping with toddlers), and
2. They are LIGHTNING-FAST getting you through their check-out lines.

*sigh* I miss Aldi!!

[Alisha]

Ah, Aldi's. We have one just up the street and it's become quite the convenient money saver.

Another good money-saving food option is Angel Food Ministries. This takes a little planning, but we've found it to be quite a deal.

[marian]

Glad it's working for you!
There are a few items I buy at Aldi, but I could never do all of my shopping there do to a kid's special diet and quality concerns. I'm a little puzzled by the "interesified oil" I've found listed on many ingredients lists there. I'm wondering if it's a fancy term for or version of "hydrogentated oil", which many people are trying to avoid these days...

[bee]

Thank you for this comparison! My mom shops Aldi all the time. I just wasn't sure it was worth the extra effort! Looks like I'll be giving it a try soon!

BTW, their chocolate chip cookies that look like the Keebler chocolate chip cookies... YUMMO!

[Baby Blog Addict]

I was just introduced to Aldi's with an ad in our Sunday newspaper. One opens near my house tomorrow, so I'll have to check it out. Thanks for doing the savings comparison for us!

[Lori]

Around here, WalMart isn't even cheaper than Meijer. But I also shop at Aldi and I love it. And their brownie mix is yummy!

[Lora]

I love Aldi's and have shopped there for years. Before I learned about couponing,I did most of my shopping there. Now, I find that armed with coupons and shopping sales, I can do better elsewhere. I haven't abandoned them though and sometimes they just can't be beat. They have a great money back guarantee and most of their items are made by the name brand companies. Funny,they had me already trained to bring my own bags, so the new "green" trend isn't new to us Aldi shoppers!

[KIm]

I am a frequent shopper at Aldis, but I disagree that there are only staples to be found there. That is a seemingly common misconception. You can buy anything from liquor to produce to fresh meats, and even international foods. That little store packs a lot (amazing what you can fit into a store when you eliminate all the glitz and glamor).

I have never found any of their food to be lower in quality than any other brand, except their chocolate syrup--didn't hold up to Hershey's. Their salsa is our favorite.

The only time you have to watch your prices there is when they get in overstocks of name-brand foods. They are sometimes not significantly cheaper.

[Sudee in Florida]

Just came over from Antique Mommy for the first time. We are getting our first Aldi's opening tomorrow. Can't wait to try it out. Need all the help we can get these days. I need to go back up and look at the nursing pillow blog now and check the materials.

[Margaret]

I'm glad we have Aldis too. Although, in our area their prices have risen rather dramaticaly (in my opinion). Ground turkey is a staple for us and it's gone up .40 in the last three weeks. :( Still, they're a far sight better than Giant Eagle and the other store we have here. The only thing I can't get there are spices we use, and baking goods at certain times of the year.

[beth]

I LOVE Aldi's. (We live in the Atlanta Area) In fact, I am headed there today. Some things I didn't see on there, that are staples with us are: Frozen OJ/Grape Juice, Frozen 1 lb pkg ground turkey at .99. Also right now, Aldi's is advertising their milk at $2.49/gallon. Also pricing on their cereals is great. I am a coponer but I use Aldi's pricing as a guide. I also buy all of my canned goods there, etc.

[Lois]

I just read this post today and have to comment that while I always used Aldi's and went there first, now that my husband is on a strict diet for his heart, I am really, really thankful for Aldi's....none of the things on your list, mind you. It's the egg beaters, the nonfat yogurt, skim milk, telapia, salmon...all of which would be so expensive elsewhere. Even regular eggs...I throw away the yolks and stretch the eggbeaters with them, using just a wee bit of Aldi's bacon bits in bottom of pan for a mean omelet (well it probably helps to be deprived for a while). One of the things I don't get there is 2% cheese slices to top off that omelet, and I wait for them to go on sale elsewhere.

never saw your blog before but have bookmarked it...love your humor too.
Blessings.

[Audrey]

I used to go to Aldi then to super-Walmart to get anything I couldn't buy at Aldi. Now Aldi is further away than I prefer, so I don't go as often. I have always maintained that the majority of their food is as good as brand-name foods, and much better quality than Save-a-Lot or most store brands. Aldi is an all-around great store and the best part is, you get to save money. I only wish they'd have a few more items available (like name-brand coffee- can't cheat on coffee!)

[Kara]

I am probably Aldi's biggest fan. I am so grateful for that store. I actually think shopping at Aldi is easier and faster than shopping at a regular grocery store. It's smaller, and there's only 1 or 2 brands of an item so I don't have to spend a long time comparing the brands. I really don't mind bagging my own groceries. I don't have to worry about coupons. Most of the time the regular prices at Aldi are cheaper than even the sale prices at my "main-stream" grocery store.

[erin]

I am a huge Aldi's fan. I have never had a problem with the generic brands and I can get out of there once a month with a cart full of groceries for no more than $50. Worth it? I'd say so.

Of course, there's only 2 of us in the house (will be 3 in April!), and we have a small grocery budget to begin with (I thought we spent a lot--we come in at $200 a month--but I've quickly learned that we could be called, ahem, cheap. Hee.), but it's always been worth the trip for us.

Yay for Aldi's! And God bless NY for actually having them in the state. This Ohioan has had major sticker shock over several other things in the past 3 years.

Thanks for posting this!

Blessings,
Erin

[Tasha Via]

When we were in our poor seminary days I did a spreadsheet with ALL the grocery stores in our area, Lowe's Foods, SuperTarget, FoodLion and Harris Teeter and was blown away with the savings from shopping at SuperTarget (we didn't have a walmart). Now we've moved and we have an Aldi and I was like you, I truly felt like I was saving $ but didn't do individual price checks. THANK YOU SO MUCH for laying down the hard work to help us all spread out the blessings God has given us!

[Michelle Goodson]

We shop at Aldi's a lot! I love the double child harness!!! Also, they have a new website with meals/menu planning/grocery lists. aldimeals.com I believe. If only they sold Soy Milk in larger containers! I'm glad to see I'm doing the right thing - I knew I was saving, just hadn't figured out by how much!! And we're in Arkansas, so I figure the prices to be close.
Michelle

[Karen Owens]

Love Aldi -- we are on the east coast where everthing is expensive. Aldi does not carry Tofu, which means I have to shop at two stores. Oh well.

[RikkrP]

We have an Aldi right around the corner, but I didn't start going there until about a month or so ago. I'm glad I did.

I've switched from 1% to skim milk because Aldi's doesn't carry 1%. But they also don't necessarily cary fat-free sour cream or fat-free cottage cheese, so I buy Meijer brand of that stuff.

[Melanie]

My bags go back in my trunk and the quarter stays in the ashtray too! And yes, it's bad news for someone stealing my Aldi quarter. Or moving my bags.

There's absolutely no comparison. All it takes is two trips-- First to Aldi's then to Kroger or Meijer's-- whoever has the best loss-leaders. Amazing prices and a small store, so I'm in and out in 40 minutes, including bagging. Also, around here, the cashiers are twice as fast as the other stores. We've been feeding five people (two teenage boys included) on $80 a week, and it's because of Aldi's. (But Cheese puffs aren't on our lists!)

I refuse to go to WalMart, I don't care what their prices are. Ever since that TV ad: "I go in for one thing, and come out with a whole cartful!" Yeah, count me out of that temptation, never mind that I'm exhausted when I leave.

[owlhaven]

We have Winco in the Pacific NW, which saves me a bundle...

Mary, mom to many and VERY tired today....

[Faith]

I love Aldi! We didn't have one near us for 8 years (we moved) and I was ecstatic when one moved near us - I shopped there and couldn't believe some of the prices - milk is almost a dollar less a gallon comparatively even to walmart!! Woohoo!

[Susan]

I love Aldi's too! They have a great selection and always extremely clean. My kids (7,5,3) love going to Aldi's with me. Everyone pitches in and helps sack and load the bags, but there is always a fight about the cart and quarter! My husband is a "grocery store snob" and I haven't converted him yet.Still have hopes!

[Doris]

We are lucky! There are 3 Aldi's stores within 25 miles around where I live (Central Indiana), and I love their products. The quality is definately high (now I know why!) And if you have not tried their frozen pies, check them out, no more Sara Lee for me, they are awesome! Especially the peach, the pecan, etc!

[Laura]

I love ALDI, too. Now I alternate between ALDI and another chain here in southeastern/southcentral Pennsylvania, Amelia's. Amelia's is an "outlet"--I can get name brand cereals there (not outdated, either) for quite cheap. They also will carry things like Minute Maid OJ that is dated soon (like 4 days to go) for really cheap. With 4 kids & everything going up, you gotta do what you gotta do!!!

[Everyday Mommy]

Just spotted this post and I'll jump in and shout I HEART ALDI, TOO! I got serious about shopping Aldi rather than Walmart Grocery about 6 months ago. I'm blessed to have an Aldi quite close and I've learned to keep my "Aldi Quarter" in my car at all times. I bought 3 Walmart "fabric" shopping bags and they live under my driver's seat. I've saved a ton. Love it.

[CathyP]

I live in Philadelphia and have 2 Aldi's in the area that I shop at...I love, love, love them!!! A bag of iceberg lettuce mix for 99 cents compared to, at best, 2 for $4 at the grocery store. I love their soymilk, frozen baked chicken strips (2 lbs. for $7), Fit & Active brand yogurts, etc. They are definitely not a generic brand...they are high quality...I admit that I'm a peanut butter addict and snob...it's been either Jif or an all natural for me for 30 years...I tried their brand of smooth...18 oz. for $1.39...just as good as Jif...heck it might be Jif...their Fit & Active yogurt is definitely Breyers...they have the exact same flavor names...I hate wasting money so Aldi's is my kind of place...Think of it as better prices than Walmart without the crowds or long checkout lines.

[Teresa]

I love Aldi's! Especially now that they carry some more "gourmet" things like fresh mozzarella and ciabatta rolls! Love it!