My Top Thoughts on ALDI Grocery Stores

Wanting to eat healthier but discouraged by the cost? Find your nearest Aldi and shelve your excuses. While the selection is not enormous, you can find organic, gluten-free, whole-grain options (or whatever your niche description of “healthier” is) at Aldis for a fraction of the price.

 

Growing up a farmer’s daughter, (in what seems like practically the middle of nowhere), we went to Aldi probably once a month or so and stocked up since the grocery store was 30 miles away. I’ve just always appreciated the low-cost options, but now I’m becoming more and more impressed with their “healthier” selections!

 

What You Need to Know

If you’ve never been to an Aldi, there are a few things you should know in advance. (Man, it’s hard for me not to say Aldis… with an S… Grammatically speaking, it’s just Aldi. But we always say Aldis…)

1. You need a quarter to get a grocery cart. In an effort to keep costs low, they don’t want to have to pay a worker to gather the carts. So, you “rent” a cart for a quarter, and then when you’re done, you lock your cart back up and get your quarter back.

Obviously, it’s just 25 cents – but most people respect the concept, AND it’s fun for the kids! We have an “Aldi’s Quarter” that stays in the van at all times. Can’t use it for anything else.

Also, don’t be surprised if someone hands you a quarter on your way back to the cart corral. Instead of you locking it back up and then them putting in their own quarter, there are often friendly coin exchanges in the parking lot. Nothing creepy, just time-saving logic (but can probably seem a little strange for a first-timer).

2. You bag your own groceries in your own bags/boxes. Bring your own bags (any kind. any style). OR, it’s perfectly acceptable (and even encouraged) to use empty boxes from the store. They do have bags for purchase if you find yourself really in a pinch.

3. Shelving is pretty simplistic, so most products are just stacked on top of each other in their boxes. (Hence the empty boxes available for purchased groceries). When shoppers use the boxes, it saves the workers (which, I might add are just the cashiers and manager) from having to remove the boxes themselves. You can always remove the last couple of items from a box, but don’t be annoying and empty 3/4 of the contents just to get a box. (Make sense?)

4.  The stores typically only have a handful of aisles – which tends to make the shopping trip a little faster! Less to be distracted by! But on the flip side, that also means it’s sometimes a little more crowded, so my boys HAVE to ride in the cart. By the time we’re done, it’s overflowing (which helps decrease spending as well because I simply don’t have room to add anything else!)
5. ***They do not accept CREDIT CARDS. Be sure you have cash or a debit card on hand. I’m embarrassed to say that, on more than one occasion, I’ve had to run out to the van and swipe my “emergency $20 bill” from the glove box because my estimated budgeting skills were poor. (I could never remember my debit card PIN# – but thankfully, I’ve got it now!)

6. Even though the line may seem long, the checkout process is usually VERY quick! Interestingly, there are bar codes in multiple places on most of the products – so that they will usually scan on the first swipe. Plus, they don’t sell produce by weight – only unit. Small time saving steps that really can make a big difference.

 

What I Buy

Obviously, there are still products here that are not healthy, but if you stick to a simple, whole-foods based list, you can feel good about both the products and the price.

Some of my favorites from Aldi include:

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Fruit & Nut Bars (similar to Larabars)
• Organic pasta sauce
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Fruit Squeeze applesauce pouches
• Whole-wheat buns/bread
• English muffins
• Whole-grain pastas
• Brown rice
• Organic quinoa

While their organic produce options are continually expanding, the selection is definitely slim. But if you’re picking traditional produce anyway, Aldi is definitely the way to go!

• Cauliflower for $1.99
• Asparagus for $1.99
• 3 Red, Orange, Yellow Peppers for $2.99
• Bag of Sweet Potatoes for $1.79
• Organic Baby Spinach $2.49
• Baby Carrots $0.99
• Mangoes $0.79

(*And that’s just what was on my receipt from our most recent trip. I’m sure there are more deals than that.)

And then some of my other favorites:

• The Country-Style Baked Beans are our family’s FAVORITES! Certainly not healthy, but definitely delicious!
• I buy a case of the Sweet Pickles (because they’re only a seasonal item in the spring – and I have a hard time finding sweet pickles that I like in other grocery stores).
• Cans of tuna are only 65 cents.
• They have both multi-grain and blue tortilla chips that are really good. And their specialty salsas are just like Newman’s Own.
• Their cheese and hummus options are really nice as well.

 

In a nutshell, if you’re looking for exotic produce or obscure ingredients this will not be the place for you. But if you’re wanting to find a cheaper way to find healthier options, this is definitely a good place to start!

Tell me! Are you an Aldi regular? What else would you add to the list of suggestions?