Yes, I am one of those people that has asked that question – WHY IS ALDI’S so much cheaper. I was sure it was because their food was inferior or even, well.. plain gross. I also thought the food was simply on par with the generic food you find at the grocery store. I am not a big fan of generics, because I can get name brands for less expensive. I would stop in to Aldi’s from time to time to pick up produce and a few basics like milk and butter.
Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I was proven wrong, for the most part. {read on to see what I mean}
I had the opportunity to head out to Chicago and meet the folks at the Aldi corporate offices. It was an interesting visit to say the least and I left with a new found understanding of Aldi culture & concept.
SO here is truth of the matter – I participated in a blind taste test and picked Aldi’s brand over the national brand all but ONCE. Here is the kicker – the guacamole. I picked the Aldi guacamole. Seriously, I am a guacamole “expert”.
Ok, so if the food isn’t gross or small quantities how do they do it?
1. Less Wasted Time – You know the guy that is constantly stocking the shelf in your other grocery store. He doesn’t exist at Aldis. Instead they using a box system that allows them to restock quickly and effectively.
2. Cart System – Yeah, the quarter thing is weird, but again one less cost and honestly – I hate the people that leave their cart against my car. {Lazy}
3. Bags – Again, weird, but hey they save, plus I am all about not using plastic – bring your own folks.
4. Multi barcodes on packages – Say what? Yeah, you know all the flipping, turning at the register to find a barcode.. nope not necessary, allows for quicker checkout.
So even if you have never checked out Aldi’s and you shop organic, here is the BEST news I learned.
Yep, Aldi’s is introducing an Organic Line, rolling out to all the stores! This EXCITES me. It is so hard to save on Organic items and the price points will be up to 50% off on national brands. A few products:
I just found out that there will be a brand new Aldis coming to my area in late 2014. I am glad, our current store is very small and rather old. I am hoping this will expand the selection.
If you have been reading to find out what I was not wrong about, well that is their yogurt. I loved all their products, except the yogurt. It was rather yucky. My point is this — if you try one Aldi’s product and think never again, you are missing out.
I will always be a couponer at heart, but definitely will be shopping at Aldi’s for my organics and non coupon items!
Note: Aldi’s provided me with an expense paid trip to visit their headquarters. I did not have to write this post. The opinions are all mine (would anyone else claim this poor writing?). Nobody made me or advised me to eat the guacamole right out of the package, no spoon necessary.
PS IF you have any questions, leave them in the comments and I will try and help! What food do you love at Aldis ? Do you like the yogurt ?
LISA says
WISH THEY HAD MORE COFFE OPTIONS LIKE JACOBS
Megha Shree says
What about frozen chicken, fish over there? I have a kid, can I give non vegetarian items to him from Aldi?
Thirsty says
Aldi used to carry Fit & Active brand of iced tea powder in packets that were diet and caffeine free and peach flavored but don’t no more. I believe I found that Fit & Active brand is owned Friendly Farms but I can’t find anything else on them. Where can I find Fit & Active diet decaffeinated peach flavored iced tea packets of powder mix? Perhaps an online retailer?
Justume Samson says
I have a debilitating allergy to food gums (guar/xanthan/cellulose). We are traveling some distance to the Aldi and would anyone know if their ice cream or any cream based condiments contain any of these atrocious additives? I know in Europe it is against the law to add the above to foods, not so here.
Mare says
I have question about spices…shopped there for the 1st time and just realized that they do not say where spices are from …I bought Cayenne Pepper Organic ..want to be sure it is not from China. Thank You.
PrinceHarming says
Walk into any grocery store and take a quick look around. One of the first things you’ll notice is all those departments, with ALL those employees on the clock: Bakery… Produce… Deli… Prepared Foods… Floral… Seafood… Meats… Dairy… Frozen Foods and Refrigerated Foods… Cashiers… Stock People… Baggers & Cart Recovery… Front End Managers……… And ALL THOSE PEOPLE HAVE TO BE PAID.
I think the very most I’ve ever seen at an Aldi at one time was 5 employees, and even that number is rare. That alone saves a ton.
I cook and train at the highest levels and in the kitchen a good part of the day, and have never noticed a difference in Aldi brands vs national brands (which, incidentally PAY a lot of grocery stores for shelf and display space – which the customer ends up paying as well). (To be clear, I rarely use Aldi for work..it’s just not feasible in that setting.)
Another nice thing about Aldi is that they don’t open a new store until they can pay cash for it. Huge savings right there. This also means that they’re not growing so fast they can’t manage themselves properly… And I don’t have to hear them say “sorry” all the time.
Guess you could say I’m pretty sold on this store. Brilliant concept, sound management. Nicely done.
turtlefoot says
Am so glad to now be able to shop at Aldis without having to drive far away! Absolutely superior quality foods. Unbeatable prices. Yeah, having to pack and carry my groceries is difficult sometimes but waaay worth it; the grocery budget goes almost twice as far now. Love the imported food choices, too.
Mary says
I do love the Greek yogurt! I also love the bagged coffee they sell as well as dozens of other things. I now do all my shopping there. I was a coupon clipper but since it’s now the only place I grocery shop I save the time it took to clip coupons as well. I am loving that they carry a lot of organic food. Now I can afford to buy organic foods as well as gluten free. Also, no artificial growth hormones in their dairy products and they sell a Simply Nature line that’s free of 125 artificial ingredients! One more thing I love is the size of our local Aldi, it’s not huge like Wegmans (I do like Wegmans too but it took more time to shop there).I am in and out of Aldi within a half hour!
Penny40 says
I was like you for many years. My sister would shop at Aldi and I thought just like you the food could not be quality. Our income was cut for a time so I was forced to try Aldi. Much to my surprise I found their caned vegetables to be better than the name brands. I will not buy anything else. I also love the dairy products and eggs. Their cheese taste like the cheese I remember as a child. Aldi is my first choice when I shop now. I fill in with other stores with the things I can’t find at Aldi.
Marc says
Aldi is the only place where I have found “simple”, basic vanilla ice cream. Thier Specialty Select brand of ice cream has 5 ingredients – no guar gum or carrageenan. It is yummy. For years I foolishly thought Breyers vanilla bean was a simple ice cream recipe, until I read the ingredients. Aldi isn’t perfect, but you can find a lot of good foods there, including produce and “simple” foods, at low prices.
EJM says
I have the feeling that their products contain Neotame. After being excited about Aldi’s opening a store near me and buying some products, every single item that I bought gave me HORRIBLE heartburn. Can someone help me find out if Aldi’s does use Neotame? I hear that companies don’t have to put it on the label. Thanks in advance for your help.
EJM says
I have found one Aldi product that contains BHA and BHT. It’s jarred pizza sauce with pepperoni flavoring. Reggano is the name brand.
Cheryl says
Does anyone know if the simply nature organic honey from aldi is raw honey?
David says
You have to buy raw honey from a local bee keeper
Heckroth says
Aldi’s organic honey is from Brazil. Brazil has different standards for what can be considered organic. Check and see — unless they’ve changed recently, it’s NOT marked USDA organic.
Justume Samson says
We bought one jar of Brazilian fair trade organic honey many, many months ago. On opening the product the odor was drastically that of molasses. It overpowered. Aldi gave us our money back on the purchase.
Greg Testa says
It should not be surprising that a substantial amount of its products are from Germany and the EU. Its a German company based in Essen. Ironically or maybe not the German word “essen” is the verb “to eat”
Charlie Bee says
My thoughts about Aldi’s were pretty much the same as your
I walked into a new store and walked out
I thought I arrived in a Save-A-Lot ANNEX
Then just recently I came across a weekly store ad from Alidi
in the ad the advertised banana’s for $.29 a Lb.
My 92 year old mother loves bananas any brand
So I made my way over to the store
Low and behold I find that the bananas are Chiqutia brand
Usually you’ll find some Crap brand like Bonnita or worse
Well needles to say I was impressed
They sell certified Organic Grass Fed Beef
It states on the package that it comes from Uruguay & Australia
So now this brings me to my real question
Is the Beef Grass Finished ???
That’s from birth to slaughter
Grass Fed is a LOADED term
A animal could be Grass Fed 75% of it’s life and then the remaining 25%
Fattened Up just like Feed Lots
The animals are then feed ( of course Organic ) Organic Grains or Corn
If you can answer this for me Alidi may have a Customer for life !!
Grasshopper says
I love to shop at Aldi’s because the price is half the amount I have paid at other stores and I also noticed that most if not all the can food is from the United States. We are supporting our own country when we buy items that are made or grown in the United States.
Kay says
I love shopping at Aldi but I found out yesterday that the talapia they sell is from China which is supposed to be all bad. :(
dingleburt says
We have Aldi here in the UK, it’s known as a cheap brand however I recently switched over and have never looked back, the meat and veg is better quality than Asda (Walmart) and Morrisons. I’d say the only category where Morrisons beats Aldi is with fresh herbs and spices you can buy them and they are still in pots with soil, Aldi simply don’t sell them only ground herbs. I’ve never seen a GMO product in Aldi, come to think of it I don’t think I’ve ever seen a GMO product. Wasn’t that made illegal in the UK as the GMO crops contained less vitamins?
Judy says
A very lot of their food is from Europe, Germany mostly where they don’t allow GMO’s. When I buy wheat products, which I’m allergic to the GMO wheat in America, I buy their brand made in Germany where I don’t end up with a migraine after eating. Europe is ahead of us in preserving their people and not letting the government be bought by Monsanto, like our FDA is run by an ex Monsanto lawyer. So eat good non GMO food from their German products.
Judy says
There plain yogurt has no additives and is the best tasting I have ever had, not goupy or grossly colored like some, and no bean additives to thicken it, all natural cultures and only milk. I beg to differ with your opinion on that one. Try the plain yogurt at Aldi’s, you will like it.
Andrea R. Smith says
Glad to know this, thanks! My problem with yogurts is they’re way too sweet and I don’t want to put extra sugar in my system, and it’s so hard to avoid.
Dean Riggott says
but does their simply nature organic plain yogurt contain live cultures and probiotics? I can’t find any information on this.
Kathy Johnson says
I love their organic plain yogurt!
turtlefoot says
I make my own yogurt but ‘cheat’ by purchasing a small carton from the store for my culture source. All of the Aldi dairy products that I’ve purchased are excellent quality.
reallyerica says
It’s made in the same places all the foods in your other grocery stores are made–sometimes the exact same places, only contracted out and packaged differently for ALDI. And certainly *none* is shipped in from some shady inspection-dodging place overseas!
Janet says
Its unfortunate we have to check food labels so closely and many people don’t even realize their food comes from China. I didn’t learn about it until 2012 and I was appalled. You are right about finding imported China food items in your “regular” grocery store and not just at ALDI; some are even at Whole Foods. Trader Joe’s made an agreement to not sell any single food items, such as garlic and spinach, from China because they knew their customers didn’t want it. Hopefully that will be across the board someday.
CatherineMiglianoPhD says
Seriously? Where is the food made? Unsafe products? You’re not buying at your local Wal-Mart that has conveniently place rat traps at the entrances.
I grew up w/this brand in Europe and the midwest (Wisc& Iowa). I was champing at the bit for them to get here and driving a 1/2 hr when they opened their 1st store 3 yrs ago.
The closest one still is a bit of a drive, w/traffic, but well worth it. A lot of the food from Germany. I’ve seen some from other EU countries, too. EU standards are much more stringent than in the USA. No dangerous preservatives like BHA, BHT & BHP. USA made foods from their Friendly Farms, Sundae Shoppe and Bremer brands are made and distributed from Batavia IL, where I remember another Kraft Foods, On-Cor and Con-Agra being located when I was younger.
All Aldi’s livestock are free range, grass fed, start to cart. No hormones, no caging. They dont staff out anything. All their stuff is in-house. We’re expecting them to start livestocking here in Florida to reduce distributions costs from Illinois. Yes, they are vertically integrated organization which is a European mentality.
They have an extensive Gluten Free line, an organic line, a lo-cal line and a vegan line. The shopping experience is great. Wide aisles and no stockers getting in your way or stock carts either. Everything has prices prominently posted. Nothing is stacked so high you cant reach it. There’s a flyer at the entrance and next wk’s flyer at the exit. Cash, debit or cheque, keep me from using revolving credit. My current bitch w/grocery stores is that the cashiers are so slow & chatting w/friends hanging out. Not at Aldi’s. When logged onto the system, they’re required to scan the equivalent of 1000 items per hour. There’s bar codes all over the containers, so no searching for prices. Prices are the same all across the country. Nothing is ever not in the computer. There are never any “price check on xx” Forgot your bags? They’ve always got some boxes you can grab. I dont eat meat, but my mom does and she stopped going to the butcher and buys hers at Aldi’s now. She also stopped going to the Farm Market and buys fruits and veggies at Aldi’s, too. We’re getting into the time of year when they’re bringing over the Kuchen and Doppel Keks from Germany and those windmill cookies we used to eat in the 60’s. While they have canned goods, a lot of shelf items are in glass jars which is healthier.
Ammonium Bicarbonate and Sodium Bicarbonate at < 2%, at any amount is not dangerous to humans. Bicarbonate is used in baking for levening.
All their containers are recycled and recyclable.
Cindilou says
I love Aldi’s…but they do have mouse traps at the entrances of their stores…just saying…
Josh says
I used to work at a Walton store and there are mouse traps everywhere in the store.
Julie B says
julie
Xuanito says
I’m interested in their grass fed beef. Do they process it themselves? In other words, from “start to cart”? I heard they are a vertically integrated organization.
Louise Triggs says
I had no idea two years ago when my daughter in law took me to a funny little store outside Memphis, where you had to pay a quarter for your grocery cart that two years later I would be wishing there was one northwest of Seattle! Over the years I have been diagnosed with celiac disease and they carry the finest line of gluten free foods that I have tasted. East Coast relatives now send me a monthly supply of everything from their fabulous wraps to their baking mixes.
kellie says
I could not agree with you more. The GF Line is better is great and MUCH easier on the budget than regular grocery stores. My mom shopped at Aldi when I was little (and she worked a a grocery store). Ben shopping there ever since I moved out. That was 20 years ago. I love Aldi!
Devin says
I was born and raised in Germany, the ALDI’s there are a staple on everyones shopping. The stores can get really big and they have everything like a mini casco
Carrie Mines says
I love the frosted shredded wheat cereal from ALDI. I go thru at least two boxes a week and prefer it to the Post brands that are twice as expensive!
Jen says
Aldi is the first store I go to every week. I know their prices pretty well, so I already know what will be less expensive at my local grocery store versus Aldi. Their Simply Nature line is something I am just trying, but I have to say, there isn’t much I wouldn’t purchase. I think with any store that carries fresh produce, there are times when I pass entirely. There are other times when I buy all my produce there. It’s the same at any store you frequent. Sometimes the produce is grandeur; other times not so much. I happily bring my own bags & carry a quarter with me every Friday on my weekly grocery trip.
Guest says
Just tried them for first time today and was not impressed. The meats looks horrible, the produce was moldy and didn’t have a fraction of what I needed and am now forced to go to another store. I also did not find it to be cheaper. On the shelf it appeared cheAper yes, but totaled at the register I was charged $40 about what I would pay for name brands at a traditional grocery store for the same stuff. Will not go back and am super bummed I didn’t come away excited and having saved some money.
Layla says
This is an awesome post and it’s good to get confirmation that these items are as fresh as other supermarkets, but it’s ALDI. Just…Aldi. Not Aldi’s.
Mum says
Just went to Aldi’s for the first time..very impressed! The thing that shocked me the most were the raspberries!! I have never seen raspberries looking as good as I saw yesterday! Plus, the were so cheap! Should I be worried? Lol
anita says
Where does Aldi’s get their produce from? Just curious.
Big Mike says
It depends on which division the store is a part of. The store that I run is in New York State. Different items come from different places. Our produce comes from Florida, California, Mexico, and some other counties in central/South America. It all depends on cost and season.
abrie says
The guacamole is OUTRAGEOUS. Better than I can make at home using the same ingredients. I prefer the original to the spicy but sometimes combine them. I’ve been shopping at Aldi’s since the chain came to my neck of the woods many years ago now, and frequent more than one. But there are a few problems I’ve encountered too: understocked – or naked – shelves (despite trucks that are slated for daily delivery of those items in abundance); workers are too few (2 or 3 per store only) and sometimes hard to find; checkout lines can be long for too long; the carts are sometimes dirty (and I’ve never seen them steam-cleaned nor sanitized), especially where they’re parked outside. I’ve written their corporate offices more than once and posted on Facebook a few times pro and con. Ultimately I will not desert them because they totally undercut the competition price-wise and offer wonderful brands of their own. I’ve done blind taste tests and would not recommend their imi graham crackers, vanilla snaps, cocktail sauce, …. and agree that most of their yogurts are a bit too watery while newer ones are quite competitive with the best out there. Note also that the Aldis closest to their local headquarters get the best restocking.
Emerald Mariah Tidwell says
I LOVED the Aldis organic yogurt. Unfortuntly the store closest to me only had it “while supplys last” and are currently sold out :/ Most of the organic products they had were. I’m hoping they stock back up because they are also the only place within an hour that has organic cheese D:
John says
Try the probiotic yogurt, it’s very good
Leigh says
I have not tried the yogurt. I do not like their brand chips – but everything else I have tried, EVERYTHING else, has been great. I had to run to the store for just a few things and went to the one closet to my house. Most of their can beans were over a dollar! I couldnt believe it. I have been paying .50-.65 for can beans at Aldi. I am now a regular shopper here and tell everyone about it!
Polly says
I love their chips. Better than name brand.
anna Mancini says
I have quickly become an Aldi faithful shopper, after trying several foods (fresh and packaged) and finding them not just OK, but many times SUPERIOR in quality and taste. At half the price.I have bought only their plain non fat yogurt and have no problem with it, but then, I am not an expert at yogurt. The only thing I tried and did not like was their chuck roast, it was nervy. On the other hand, their pork is the absolute best!. I save on average $80 a week (that’s over $4,000.00 in a year!) on my grocery shopping. I still go to Stop & Shop for leafy greens, parsley, light cream, sometimes fruit that I cannot find at Aldi, but that’s it. Everything is VERY GOOD at this store. Get over the name brand fixation, folks…this is good quality food.
Sandy G. says
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE EVERYTHING I’VE BOUGHT THERE. I GO EVERY WEEKEND, RELIGIOUSLY. I SAVE ALOT THERE ON MY $24,000 PER YEAR. THE ONLY ITEMS I CAN’T GET AT ALDI ARE MY RX MEDICINES AND MY BIRDS’ FOOD.
THEY’VE ADDED LOTS MORE ORGANICS TOO. THE PRODUCE IS FINE, THOUGH LIMITED, SO I SUPPLEMENT AT THE NEARBY ORANGE FARMERS MARKET TO GET WHAT ALDI DOESN’T HAVE. I SPEND BETWEEN $100-130 TOTAL EACH WEEK FOR 3 HUMANS. THE STAFF IS WARM AND FRIENDLY. THEY GREET ME BY NAME! WEST HAVEN ALDI IS AWESOME!
Adriane Cieplinski says
We shop at Aldis from time to time…Love them…awesome post… They are a sister store to Trader Joes…their imported pasta has 4 ingredients or less…Their chocolate is awesome….and every time we entertain people are like…where did u get this.
safia says
Is The Aldi Food Actually Organic
CatherineMiglianoPhD says
Yes it is. The Gluten Free is actually Gluten Free. The Fit and Light is what it says and the Vegan is Vegan.
Tricia says
I have just noticed the Simply Organic product line popping up all over the Chicago area. I love it! I love Aldi! I was concerned that many products would not appear in some neighborhoods but to my surprise I went to my local Aldi today and there it was!
Lexi says
I haven’t tried the yogurt, but I have preferences on their ice cream. The Sunday Shoppe brand is yucky, but the Belmont brand is good.
Adriane Cieplinski says
We buy it all the time…live the yogurt
CatherineMiglianoPhD says
I like the Sundae Shoppe Toffee and Caramel Crunch Bars. The plain vanilla crunch not so much.
geekbearinggifts says
We didn’t like the two Belmont ice creams we tried. Icy and not very creamy, which is sometimes to be expected from a low-cost ice cream.
Pippi says
I actually prefer their greek yogurt to other brands, because it does not contain carageenan. It
Myra Esoteric says
I like the Fit and Active brand for diet food
zenmamasan says
Do the organic items have the origin of the product/.where it was grown?
Orion Antares says
Some of them do.
Big Mike says
The fresh produce does.
Dez says
Are the apples in Aldi organic?? Are their produce organic or is it just some??
F'real says
Mine does.. they are pre-bagged though, so you might end up with a few imperfect ones.
F'real says
Also, just some produce is organic, like baby carrots, mixed greens, grape tomatoes.
Lexi says
I have seen organic apples at my Aldi, but it’s seasonal. They don’t have them all the time.
Mindi says
Just some say organic. I’ve found apples, bananas, and carrots.
Marie says
Wow! I can’t believe you don’t like their yogurt. I buy12 every week for the family. I like Blueberry and Peach the best. I hardly ever go into any other grocery store anymore. No more clipping coupons. Plus… I can send my husband to buy groceries without worry he’s going to make poor economic grocery choices. I save so much time now. I go in, grab, and out the door. I’m not big on any boxed frozen items, but I don’t like that in the other stores either. Flour, sugar, coffee, milk, yogurt, cheeses, meats, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables. I can go on and on. Actually I was really excited to see that they are now carrying Organic Coconut oil. I can go on and on. I’m in and out in 30 minutes for the grocery buying week.
Adriane Cieplinski says
Me too…I have no gall bladder…so I can’t eat everything… But when I eat the yogurt I can cheat and not get sick…
jo says
Are this organic products GMO free?
F'real says
Anything that’s certified organic (regardless of where you buy it) is GMO free.
Mari says
thats not true, organic and GMO free are two different things. Some products even have the organic seal and the nongmo seal. So be careful, dont let them confused you.
F'real says
Yes it is true. They are not two different things. A product that is organic CANNOT contain GMOs (it also can’t contain antibiotics, synthetic hormones, synthetic fertilizers / pesticides). Whereas something that is GMO free is only tested and verified to be free of GMOs and can still have all that other stuff.
mp says
no, sadly Mari is correct. you can easily look it up. a plant can come from a GMO seed that is organically raised & they can still call it organic. doesn’t mean it is GMO free though.
f'real says
this was pulled directly from the USDA website: The use of genetic engineering, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs), is prohibited in organic products. This means an organic farmer can’t plant GMO seeds, an organic cow can’t eat GMO alfalfa or corn, and an organic soup producer can’t use any GMO ingredients. To meet the USDA organic regulations, farmers and processors must show they aren’t using GMOs and that they are protecting their products from contact with prohibited substances, such as GMOs, from farm to table.
Scáth Beorh says
Sad that we are even forced to have this important conversation. We wouldn’t have 60 years ago. Pesticides? What’s that?
Jen says
Not true.
CatherineMiglianoPhD says
Yes. GMO is outlawed in Europe and their food is produced to European Standards, which is more stringent that USA standards.
Mindy The Mom says
Where I wish that they would start to carry organic meats (I have a kiddo with an RBST intolerance) I think in the interest of money lost on waste is the issue. Correct me if i’m wrong please. I know more elderly shoppers and pre 1970’s parents tend to shop at our Aldi. I know they consider the the organic foods “hippie” food, due to the utter lack of education to what it really is. I also know that “pretty produce” sells better so organic produce is another area I can see the cost/loss factor.
I am however completely ecstatic about the increasing trend to carry “alternative” food items that are gluten free, hormone free (aka organic milk, and dairy products) and corn/corn syrup free. There are an increasing number of children being diagnosed with dietary issues and it’s nice to see that the grocery store chains are starting to notice this and give middle and lower class families a break!
Thank you Aldi!
Mindi says
They have organic ground beef at my Aldi.
Adriane Cieplinski says
My hubby only gets out bread here because it has no HFCS and is a great price…ooh what about the nice size gluten free products they carry
Erica says
What brand at your local Aldi has no HFCS? I haven’t been able to find it at any of my local Aldi and have to purchase ones at local big store grocery stores. It is ridiculous all the food that has HFCS in it and then the non-HFCS brands will run $1-2 higher. $4-5 for a loaf of bread just so it won’t have that evil stuff in it *sigh*
eisa says
I was very excited about Aldi’s when I started shopping there about a year or so ago; however; like his bro TraderJoe I believe they are expanding too fast and the quality is slipping. In VA their policy of not having a vegetable cooler for back stock has resulted in moldy mushrooms -must be kept at around 40 degrees per my conversation with VP Tony at ToJo mushrooms), their onions have serious fruit fly issue in the summer and the citrus gets too cold in Winter. Sure the grapefruits were .39/ but they looked like they had been kicked around the floor for a week, boxed, then dropped (I passed). They no longer carry organic butter, never carried organic beef, also be careful of their regular stock, e.g. croutons – they contain 7 additives banned in Europe. Watch out for price difference between stores in same area. I still love their wine, the Kettle chips, and a lot of other stuff, they just aren’ t the end all, plus availability is sketchy – is the gorgonzola a regular item or special purchase, will they have the same BBQ sauce next summer? Kind of reminds me of a on/off boyfriend I had — was really fun; good guy overall, but when it came to a real commitment…..well, you know the type. The best thing ALDI did was bring competition to a county that only offered 6 Food Lions & 2 Giants serving over 150K pop. — They did not up quality at those stores but at least they lowered prices.
Hanna says
I stopped by after reading your article because I never thought Aldi would carry organic. Not all their Simply Nature products are organic. Only one was labeled non GMO (the nut bars that compared to Kind bars) which means there is a high probability that all their wheat & corn products are GMO. A few were labeled organic but not many. Also the Aldi near me did not carry organic dairy but it did carry organic grass feed beef, organic cereal, salsa and few organic vegetables.
Aldi queen says
Lovvvv vee Aldi organic milk…. 2% is so rich and creamy it could almost pass for whole .. Anyway were a fam of 5 and despite it being more expensive and 1/2 gal instead of a full jug the taste is insanely better .. Waited a long time to give it a try and justify the cost but try one ! You won’t believe it… I still pick up 1 gal of regular for cooking but the kids always get the good stuff!
Cindy says
Someone just told me that Aldi’s has their products packaged in China. They are made in USA but packaged in China. Is this true?
CatherineMiglianoPhD says
No. Does that even make any sense?
It’s possible that like many things, the packaging is made in China.
Products made in the USA are packaged in the USA
Cliff says
I stay away from the Fit and Active brand yogurts because of the artificial sweeteners, but myself and my girlfriend both prefer the regularly sweetened yogurts over Yoplait. She loves the cherry, blackberry, peach, and raspberry, and I eat strawberry almost exclusively (habit). Also, it’s ‘ALDI’, no plural/possessive ‘s’ on the end :) Took me a while to start calling them the correct name myself.
Christopher Carolyn Ryan says
Aldi’s guacomole is made by Wholly Guacomole.
Lindy says
I actually like their yogurt but my kids do not. I’m not a fan of their string cheese, bagels or cereal. Other than a few items I love it! I recently purchased grass fed organic ground beef for $5.99 and an entire organic free range chicken for $7. Their individual containers of applesauce contains no high fructose corn syrup. I can buy “real food” at Aldi and feed my family incredibly well!
Matthew says
Didn’t understand article. I got stuck in car trunk.
blunite says
I found a little fly thing in my unopened sandwich loaf….it was dead between the slices, I hope it slept well..
Leah Hoffman says
I do not like their yogurt or their frozen pizza, but EVERYTHING makes up for it.
yabadoba says
It is very dangerous that they do not refrigerate their produce.
ashley says
your not very smart refridgerating produce ruins it. It ruins the vitamins and the quality.
jortiz says
How are the vitamins ruined? Science papers, not google university.
T says
If you’re going to insult someone’s intelligence, please do so with proper grammar…you’re*
Jack says
This made me lol. Produce is refrigerated to slow the decomposition process/growth of bacteria. Certain fruits and veggies should indeed be refrigerated, i.e. washed and ready to eat products, but a lot of unprepared produce can be merchandised on a table or display as long as the product is rotating somewhat consistently.
ajdhdjaj1737 says
That’s not true at all. I work there. We have a giant walk in cooler (the same one as the milk and eggs, etc are kept). We only bring it out when it is ready to be sold.
brittyH says
Actually….I’ve been shopping at aldi for…well ever…my mom always did shopping there…and I’ve always loved the food…but i recently watched an episode of ‘unwrapped’ and found out that 90% of the food sold at aldi was infact name brand products in off brand packaging
Happy Mama says
I worked at Aldis in the past and we sometimes accidently got the wrong labels sent on our products- and it was brand name products. For ex. the milk we got once had the Kemps or Morning Glory label or one of those big brands. We had it happen for produce and other items too. So yes, a lot of items ARE the same name brand products. However, some of the pre-packaged stuff I thought was gross tasting and definitely not brand name. But the milk, eggs and produce I think mostly were. Probably the butter too.
Illmakeyaluvme29 says
I love the cherry yogurt at aldi!! Everything in that store taste the same as name brand food at a different market only aldi food is cheaper!! I love aldi i will always shop there!!
Felicia Thomas says
Hi, is there a way that I can get Aldi’s to sponsor our program? Can you help me?
Mary Louise says
Aldi just opened up a store near here and the produce we purchased from our first trip was excellent quality and very delicious. Prices on nearly all of the groceries were at least 30-40% less. Probably at least 50% less than CUB, which originally started as a generic foods savings warehouse, and is now a major ripoff.
Renee says
I must say, Aldis is awesome!!! My sister and I both are very careful with what we buy for our family, we try our best to get the best food we can get. Aldi’s is by far the best, great organic line, awesome Greek yogurt, orange juice, organic milk, cereal, even organic coffee!! And their produce is by far the best!! I always get the organic bananas for the kids and regular bananas for me. They have the most delicious peaches and strawberries!! Once in a while they come a bit ripe but that’s normal anywhere. I only get my produce from Aldi or the farmer’s market. My boyfriend always made fun of me for going there until he tried it himself!! You must try!!
Demi says
I just bought some uncured bacon, and minimally processed black forest ham and turkey breast! Amazing that they off this!
Demi says
offer*
E Mom says
I do like their greek yogurt! I enjoy all of their produce! What are your thoughts on their meat? I’ve never bought it.
TDNB says
The meat is awesome.
yohnny says
yep. everything from the chicken to the turkey & ham is just as good as that overpriced stuff at publix in my opinion. same ingredients. what could possibly be different? all the food comes from the same place lol
Treehugger says
Their organic meat tastes like meat I remember from my childhood back in the 60s/70s. Amazing flavor and tastes like beef, not additives
The Germans says
I love ALDI. They started out the same way in Germany: as a low-budget, almost “dodgy” looking store where posh people wouldn’t ever set a foot in. Then, they won a lot of 1st prizes in consumer tests, so finally people got curious. The next step was to introduce fruit and vegetables. After that, organic food. Nowadays everyone shops there and they’re practically a guarantee for good quality. Thumbs up and I hope they will have even more all-natural and organic stuff when we move back to the U.S. next year!
katie says
I love Aldi’s
Nick Niebuhr says
I seem to find that Aldi’s food is higher in calories, sodium, and
sugar. It seems very unhealthy compared to the name brands, the produce
doesn’t look that great either. Sure it probably won’t kill you but it
looks like the left overs that were rejected from other stores. I tried
some of their hamburger meat and not only does it seem to cook funny,
but it tastes funny too, i heard there meat supplier in France mixes
horse meat in with the ground beef. The clincher tho that makes me
cringe every time i see and Aldi are the rat droppings i found at the
bottom of a bag of chips, sure that could happen anywhere, but it still
is gross. I certainly love to save money, but i think ill stick with
the bigger supermarkets and clip coupons!
Melvin says
Every once in awhile you get “one” of those people, you are one of them.
Anthony says
I have to disagree, i as well had an instance where i had a few mouse droppings in my bread crumbs from Aldi’s.
Amy B says
Maybe so, but I’ve also had this issue with name brand individually packaged oats from a regional grocery retailer (Bi-Lo). Spiders and bugs – disgusting! I’ve never had this issue with Aldi, and I’ve shopped there for years. I think it could happen anywhere really.
ashley says
did you guys ever think maybe you have mice in your house.
Amy B says
Lol, well, when it’s there when you open a brand new bag, it’s not from my house.
notatrolllikeyou says
weird, since it is the same brands & ingredients with off-labels.
Lara in Florida says
I was so excited when aldi came to Florida. So our family tried the beef products. January was really rubbery and tasted funny too. We questioned what exactly we were eating. Now after doing research I also found that the beef contained horse meat. Seriously?? This makes my stomach turn and explains a lot. We continue to shop there, we just don’t purchase the beef. Ground turkey and chicken is what we mainly use from aldi. But now I am questioning that too. I’m hoping that the organic line is really organic. But until I find out other wise I will continue to purchase these products , mainly so we can save money and not pay such outrageous prices at other stores.
khrystal says
yeah I heard that to I WILL NOT buy beef at Aldi. its a German company maybe different ideas about meat or whatever but I wont eat a horse period.
Pippi says
Maybe you should educate yourself. Those instances occurred in Europe. And “German company” does not equate to selling horse meat.
pal says
I agree, Nick. My kids asked my why some of my sister in laws food doesn’t taste as good as mine. She makes the same food, but they don’t like it. I found out that she buys everything at Aldi’s. It does taste very different to me. Imo, it makes food taste bland. You can most definitely tell the difference in meat and if you can’t, you have never had beef from a farmer! There is a HUGE difference.
Andy Jackson says
Probably because Aldi.s foods are not loaded with artificial flavors and preservatives as the store brands
Name says
Did you research the horse meat piece thoroughly? If you did you would find this was in 2013 and only in Europe not impacting the US based stores at all. In addition Aldi was not the only store chain to get meat tainted with horsemeat. The same vendor of this product provided it to other chains in UK Sweden and France. Aldi actually pulled their meat when they found out and the issue was resolved.
Melanie says
I’ve just recently discovered the joys of Aldi. I’ve loved everything I’ve gotten there. The thing I love the most, besides the prices, is that they have bakery bread (French bread, sour dough, etc…) that is labeled “peanut/tree nut free”. We have actually found several items that are labeled nut free that are hard to find at the big stores. This is huge for our family with a daughter with severe nut allergies!! We love Aldi!!
Jeana says
Las Vegas, NV is my hometown, and so the only time I ever had the opportunity to shop at Aldi, was when I was visiting family in Green Bay, WI. Like you, I thought something was wrong with the food, and all because of the ‘off brand’ labels, and cheap prices. Now that I have moved 20 miles northwest of Green Bay, I find myself shopping at Aldi quite often. For the price, I love their yogurt. Their coffee is the thing I don’t like. It smells like old, wet cardboard upon first opening the container. No matter, coffee I can get elsewhere, but the rest of the store is chock full o’ delicious foods at equally tempting prices. I’m most interested in Gluten-Free, and Lactose Free items, and if Aldi expects to be selling more of these.
Me says
I’ve shopped at Aldi’s for a while now and I was excited to see more Organic products. I buy organic milk,cereals,fruits and veggies. I would like to try the meats but I don’t see on the label anything that says organic or grass-fed/antibiotic free.
Wendy Darling says
I just bought a package of 100% grass fed USDA organic beef. Says so on the label. “Simply Nature” brand.
Genevieve says
I seem to talk to everyone….and at Aldi’s I spoke to a truck driver and his wife: He piced up a truckload of canned corn at the processing plant in the middle of nowhere…while waiting he asked the mgr. which canned corn he boughtm and he told him Aldi’s…they are the only company that sends out an inspector when their product is run AND the entire can is niblets…the other name brands are mixed…just do a comparison test!
Another day a friend told me their make-up was great! I checked it and began talking to the couple standing next to be…she didn’t speak English, but he did. They were from Germany and he was in the US on business for a few months. He said that make-up was very expensive in Germany!
Gina says
Thank you so much for this post.
I’m really excited about Aldi’s grass-fed beef and have three questions…
1. From what specific farm(s) do they get their organic beef?
2. Is this beef not only grass-fed but also grass-finished? Grass fed can mean allow for cows to be fed grain, including corn, usually toward the final weeks before being butchered to add extra bulk.
3. Also, some time ago I read that if something is certified USDA organic, it cannot be fed or made with any gmo products. But now I am reading that this isn’t always true. Hard to know what is true. Does Simple Nature organic products contain any gmo, especially in organic beef.
Wendy Darling says
I just bought a package and it doesn’t name specific farms, just countries of origin. Says 100% grass fed. If something is organic, the feed is organic. Organic ingredients are not allowed to be GMO. There may be contamination due to things like cross-pollination / wind. Organic refers to the process, not the end product. Nothing’s going to be perfect, but organic items are usually / mostly gmo-free. It’s about the best we can do, anyway.
Rich says
Try their awesome German chocolates, at one third the price of other places. They sell a Cabernet Sauvignon wine for (don’t laugh) $2.89 and it’s great; read some of the reviews that are out there-they have their own vineyard. They have a whole wheat gnocchi that is wonderful and pestos and sauces you cannot beat for the price. I agree with many of the commenter’s on the hummus, guacamole and the quality and price of fresh vegetables. Their frozen veggie pizzas are good as well, if that is your thing. It’s the cheapest place in town for peanut butter and better than most. They typically don’t carry some of the odd vegetables I like, for instance; kale, collard & turnip greens, eggplant, cilantro, parsnips and turnips. I have enjoyed most of their cheeses but I don’t eat meat so I cannot comment on any of their meet products personally but I have friends who have spoken positively about them.
Leah Hoffman says
our Aldi has artisan lettuces (that are alive!), organic arugula, organic spinach, cilantro, greens, baby kale, regular kale…
Anonymous says
Thank you for writing this! Some of my well-to-do friends who swear by target are so snobby about my Aldi-ways. I love them!
Shannon says
Well I know well to do people who shop at Aldi and perhaps that is why they are well to do! Smart with their money!
Andrea says
Aldi’s is my JAM.
Victor Perry says
Targets has been terrible ad over priced. I just started shopping at Aldi and I love the turkey meat and the grapes. I like the fact that they put the price in big and bold numbers. I go to other stores and you have to wait to get to the register to find the price. I also love the fast checkout. That other comment sounds like a competitor posted it.
Christine Pham says
I would love to get an expense paid trip to Aldi Headquarter. How did you manage to get that? I love shopping at Aldi!
Five Star says
He didn’t, can you tell a sales pitch when you hear one. The average person who was to get an ALL PAID EXCLUSIVE TRIP TO ALDISS HEADQUARTERS & as well FIVE NIGHTS IN THE RITZ CARLETON, & the Ritz now uses all Aldi organic beef too! :)
Tracy Ryder says
I live 5 miles from the Aldi HQ and there is no Ritz out here.
The Aldi Mom says
Great read! I am in absolute love with the Simply Nature items at ALDI, as well as their Fit & Active products! Glad you had a wonderful visit! :)
Natalie says
I also love the Simply Nature items..this week I picked up Organic Milk for less than $3.00!
Jan says
I haven’t heard anyone speak about Aldi’s clam chowder. I do believe it is the best I’ve ever had. I always keep some on hand for that clam chowder and grilled cheese lunch. Produce and price of produce is best anywhere. Our prices of eggs is ALWAYS cheapest around, Aldi’s prices and product are worth the drive. I was glad to hear about the numerous bar codes…wondered why they could scan so quickly !!!
Sue C says
I love Aldi’s produce, and my husband LOVES their tomato juice! When we shop at the other stores, don’t even bother getting their tomato juice. He’ll wait for me to go to Aldi’s.
Also, I personally appreciate that their checkout people are allowed to SIT! I know they work hard stocking during slow times. But I hate to see checkout people who have to stand their whole shift. Seems soooo unnecessary. Swivel chairs, please… for your people. Nice!
Anonymous says
Our aldi’s all have swivel chairs
Sibylle F says
Absolutely, I could not agree more!!! It makes no sense for cashiers to have to stand. Maybe the office people should be made to do that so they can feel what it’s like having to stand all day.
Mike says
I’ve been a big Aldi fan for 20 years now, so it’s good to hear the validation. I don’t buy organic though–I guess I’m not convinced it makes much of a difference, either health or environment-wise. I’m open to be convinced though (with actual evidence, not just rhetoric).
rachel K says
organic is supposed to be non-genetically modified. a natural product that doesn’t kill bees or harm cows. GMO’s are dangerous which is why american food stuffs are rarely exported. Heres something GMO that will make you barf. Aspartame is made from fermenting genetically modified bacteria feces.
Michelle H. says
We just got a bigger Aldi. I like their Greek yogurt. We love their garlic lovers hummus. I like the Dutch Kitchen brand. They have brat that is “seasonal” that is better than the top brands…although recently I’ve found they have different manufacturers some times and have learned to tell which is better, some have a better casing with the “snap” you want in a casing. They have some of the best produce. I wish they would stop carrying some thing “seasonally” and carry them year around.
formeraldicashier says
One reason they are able to keep their prices so low is their seasonal items. They buy them in bulk when the cost is cheapest, then pass the savings on. If they provided their seasonal products year-round, they would have to temper that savings to make up for when the cost was higher.
Seasonal items also give Aldi more variety without having to take up tons of shelf real estate.
dontpanik says
Yep, I currently have a cabinet full of the Deutche Kuche mild mustard with herbs I picked up last October, lol. I will go on a frenzy when I can get either shelf stable or frozen goods at a good price. Those stuffed clams are also awesome! I can’t wait for fall. Can you say Aldi Apple Butter?!?
Yvette says
There is an Aldi’s about two miles from me. There is also one across town. I buy their milk, eggs, cheese, bread, produce and toilet paper. The bbq chips are our favorite. The others were not good. My hubby LOVES their cheesecakes. My mom loves the yogurt and avocados. I like their cart system. When I shop elsewhere I always park near or by the cart return corral. I hate when people are so lazy and not return the carts :-( The workers are friendly.
Claudine says
I love Aldi and shop there weekly. I don’t like their regular yogurt (too much added starch) but their large container of plain greek yogurt is just as good as the expensive name brands.
simone says
they also have fabulous small appliances and exercise equipment – it’s seasonal but well worth the effort to watch for them…i love the convection oven and it’s practically all i use…i’ve gotten rid of my microwave. I am also super excited about the organic line!!!
Anonymous says
Their all time best product in my opinion is their chocolate cake!! I was so excited to see them bring that in as a regular product instead of a once in a while product!!! YUMMY!!
Anonymous says
I love Aldi! I am (was) a name brand snob. I had been burned by a lot of ‘off brands’ and was weary to try a lot of their products. It took me about a year to basically switch completely over to them.
I’ve done a lot of research on this company and like their values. Interesting little facts, to include; Aldi doesn’t finance their stores, they pay cash-if they are planning on building one and find out they don’t have enough money they don’t finance-they cancel the build and wait (excellent example of money handling); they don’t have anywhere near the ‘junk’ chemicals and preservatives in their products as most you will find at regular grocery stores; they compete on butter, eggs, milk, and some canned food and all produce items-so it is Rare you will find those things cheaper anywhere else; I had a manager open a product in front of me while shopping so I could try it-find another store willing to do that on occasion; they have a specialized team of people whose only job is to develop products they sell; they import very little and although they are a German based company, the US stores carry US made products primarily.
They do not carry baby food and won’t be. They have a product that is apple sauce that appears to be appropriate to use as baby food, but I would suggest waiting on that one until your baby gets bigger…it’s not watered down for baby consumption-it’s organic…but if your kids love applesauce and you need a clean, no mess, super convenient snack on the go, it is PERFECT!!!.
The reasons I think some of you are seeing issues with their produce could possibly be because Aldi doesn’t have a refrigerated produce section (put your produce on your counter instead of in the fridge and see how long it lasts)…all of it is set on a display shelf everyday. Aldi gets produce on every single truck they have. The advantage to their produce is not only the price, but also the way it is delivered. Larger grocery stores get specific produce items on different trucks that will last a certain amount of days. Aldi gets every produce item every day they get a grocery delivery truck. So those of you who are having issues, I would suggest maybe finding out their truck schedule and go there on those days for produce.
I know their mark up is practically nothing, and their ‘produce picks of the week’ they are losing money on. (Example-I actually ran into one of their canned fruit suppliers at the store one day and that person showed me what they sold the product to Aldi for-quick math told me Aldi was making seven cents for every 12 cans of that product sold!!
Yeah, their stores are ‘different’, sometimes there are a lot of empty boxes around that they need to pull off the shelf, and I see their floor around produce gets really dirty sometimes because of all the grapes that fall on the ground getting smashed by people shopping and making a sticky, black mess, but I go there for fresh, good quality produce, good prices on (and here is a hint about some of their suppliers) extremely popular named brand products packaged in Aldi’s name, and to see super sweet cashiers that usually have a big smile for me.
They have my business for life!! Especially if they keep bringing in all of those super cheap, awesome kitchen gadgets and accessories!! (And lets face it-during Christmas time it’s nice to see those name brand toys on their shelves for usually five dollars or more (depending on the price) less than anywhere else!!)
Lol, I know I’m bragging on them, but the more I find out, the more amazed I am by their business technique!! (Really is it worth paying twenty dollars more for groceries because they are set on a shelf one by one instead of in the box they came in??? Ummm,, I think I can deal with pulling chips out a box rather than off a shelf–i happily think about all the germs I don’t bring home because some stocker person at some other store didn’t wash his hands before handling every single bag of chips…eeewwww!
HAPPY ALDI SHOPPING!!!!
Jane Goodson says
Thanks for giving all this info – I’m thinking of switching and I’ve already done some Aldi shopping and have always been pleasantly surprised!
Mary says
I, too, do not like their yogurt! But I regularly shop for dry and canned goods, milk, and snacks for kids lunch boxes. I am SO excited to hear they will carry more organic items! I was told by a friend who contacted Aldi’s headquarters that their food producst are made in the same facilities in which the name brand items are made except that the recipe or formulation is tweaked just slightly to differentiate them from the name brands – I suppose for legal reasons.
Tracy says
Love Aldis! The hummus is the best, I want to try the guacamole now. The sweet and salty breakfast bars are amazing!
Wayne Miskelly says
My wife loves the yogurt, and has tried many other brands. Their ice cream is simply the best.
Their new addition of choice steaks is wonderful.
Anonymous says
My wife loves their yogurt. And she has tried a number of brands. Their ice cream is simply the best.
Andrea says
I don’t shop at Aldi’s often because it’s at the opposite end of town from where I live. However, I did discover their great produce prices last year, and started going more often (before summer farmers market season anyway). Know the prices of staples at your favorite grocery store. Some are cheaper at my Wegmans. Also, once I needed to buy sugar and it was definitely a smaller package. I believe it was only 2-3 lbs. instead of 5.
Shannon says
I just purchased the sugar and it was 4lbs, but most major brands have switched to 4lb bags as well in the last 2 years.
Heather says
We love Aldi! Their Kettle chips, tortilla chips, rice cakes, semi sweet choco chips, butterscotch chips, non-fat dry milk powder, butter, eggs and yes, even their yogurt. The Greek yogurt is good and so is their cottage cheese. I use their mozzarella cheese and blocks of cheddar, colby, etc. They have a natural peanut butter, gluten free salsa and spaghetti sauce and sometimes they have gluten free chicken nuggets and sausage. The one thing that we haven’t liked is their frozen peas, BUT they have a great guarantee if you are not satisfied with something you buy there. Take it back and they will give you your money back.
Anonymous says
you should be recieving your money back AND a replacement item.
Ang says
I love their hummus for $1.69 and their produce. and yes I love the yogurt. They even have a pumpkin yogurt out now that I love!
Martha says
I actually love their greek yogurt! So much better than other brands I’ve tried. :)
Steph says
At Aldi’s I’ve noticed it is much easier to find food that is a product of the US not China!
Shannon says
Steph,
About 90% of their products are made in the USA. If the product is not made in the USA, you will see a country of origin. I thought that was pretty cool.
Ruth says
That’s one of the best reasons to shop there.
Pam says
“Made in the USA” doesn’t mean it’s ingredients are from the USA or that it’s packaged in the USA. The labels are so misleading and hard to tell what is what. We need easier to understand labellin in the USA.
Tracy Ryder says
I think if it’s not from the US, it’s from Europe which banned GMOs.
Heather S says
love the produce prices there! just wish there as one closer to me!
Kellie B. says
LOVE that their chicken, eggs & milk are hormone free and taste very fresh. I am also a fan of their frozen salmon & frozen shrimp. I want to try their hummus soon. Any thoughts on that? Canned goods are super cheap as well as spices, and bread.
Sheila W says
Their hummus is the only hummus I will eat. It is very smooth.
FTM - Natalie says
Shelia, thanks for the recommendation..I haven’t tried the hummus yet, but was considering it. Thanks!
Juliann says
I’ve been shopping at Aldi’s for several years now and my family loves the half and half. It’s so popular they can barely keep it in stock.
Tawna says
I’ve started shopping at aldi’s but thier produce seems to spoil much quicker than items from other stores. I worry that it is old or they are mishandling it. Also I worry about food safety when I shop there. Any knowledge about how and where the food is produced. The recent dog treat problem was mentioned earlier. There have been many similar problems recently. I worry that I may be exposing my family to problems when I shop at aldi’s. How are they on food safety?
Shannon says
Tawna,
The do source all of the produce locally, and they indicated that there stores are switching to daily deliveries of produce to reduce spoilage.
I am not quite sure what you mean by food safety (as food products are all regulated by the same manufacturing entities and rules in the USA). About 90% of their products are made in the USA. If the product is not made in the USA, you will see a country of origin listed on the product. (i.e. their Chocolate is sourced from other countries and their wine)
Tawna says
Thanks for your reply. I just stopped for eggs at aldi’s today and they were $1.58 a dozen in PA. I bought at Sam’s club instead. I had to buy 3 dozen to get a good price,$1.36 per dozen but I was going to buy 2 dozen anyway.
Anonymous says
Food safety…well they are under the same requirements as everyone else.
Their store employees and their warehouse employees don’t have to touch the products because they are all contained in a box, so that in my opinion makes them much more sanitary than any other grocery store. They have to abide by OSHA and Health Department regulations to stay open, a big part of their products are made in the same place as the most popular brand and just packaged in Aldi wrapping….
I’m gonna say their food safety is better than anyone else’s food safety regulations just for the simple fact they don’t ‘handle’ every single bag or can of something-they put it on the shelf in the box it came in. (And everyone is worried about how many germs are on a grocery cart….try figuring out how many people have touched your package of food at your regular grocery store, with dirty nasty hands, and you just picked it up, after washing your own hands, getting those germs all over, and started eating–GROSS!!! I’m a little more worried about that at WalMart than how clean the bar is on the cart.)
(Aldi also has less recalls on their products than any other grocery store because their standards are so high.)
amy says
My family loves Maier’s Italian bread…but it’s so expensive! ($4.00 a loaf) The Aldi’s version is sooo cheap and it is almost as good as Maier’s, much better than the other grocery store versions! Also, the eggs at my Aldi’s are only .89 cents a dozen every day, can’t beat it!
KyleneW says
Interesting. Will have to figure out where the closest one to me is :)
dawn w says
Aldi is my number one stop for dairy, breads, spices and chips. Yogurt, yuck! and it is full of artificial colors. Their fresh fruit and veggie prices can’t be beat but I will also price match them if I am at Walmart which is closer for me. Aldi’s flyer comes in our Sunday paper.
Azatoth says
It might be food color but it will not be artifical. Even in the US ALDI adheres to stronger EU regulations.
Jodi says
Aldi is great for a lot of items…their kettle chips and tortilla chips are about 1/2 to 1/3 of the price at the grocery store and taste the same. I am going to have to try the guacamole now! You cannot beat their prices on spices!! I got a huge container of Cumin and Chili powder for $.99 each. Their canned foods, meats, dairy etc. are all much cheaper and are good quality. As far as produce I think the vegetables are usually better quality than the fruit..at least at our store. Looking forward to the organic line too.
Karen says
PS–I saw that someone’s dog likes their treats, be careful when buying them. I wanted to buy them from there as well, but noticed they were from China and there are over 100 dogs in my area that have died and they traced it back to dog treats from China (we live in Ohio). Just an FYI :)
Tracy Ryder says
make you’re own. so much cheaper and better.
Karen says
I shop at ALDI’s regularly. Their produce prices can’t be beat, in the summer, they had grapes at $.89lb and avocado’s are usually 3/$.99! I do however, wash everything I get there in water and vinegar (unless it has a thick skin)! Some items for baking are pretty much the same as national brands, like the coconut, sweetened condensed milk and sugar. The best thing about ALDI’s though is their double money back if you do not like a product or something is wrong. You don’t even have to bring the product back, just the receipt and you get your money back plus another item to try or the same thing.
Michelle says
Love Aldi’s! Can’t beat the prices on Milk and most dairy. Did I see pictures of organic baby food and cereal!?! Our Aldi’s has a few organic items, but not many yet. Looking forward to see more on the way. Maybe they’ll even introduce organic yogurt. I have to agree with you, their current yogurt is the pits!
On another note, our dogs LOVE their dog biscuits. They prefer them to the name brand ones. (Yes, we did a taste test with them!)
Anonymous says
Nope, not organic baby food. Aldi is not introducing baby food. What you saw I think was the apple sauce…definitely AWESOME for on the go quick, no mess snacks for toddlers and older, but I personally wouldn’t give it to a baby unless you water it down first.
bonnie says
i like there can veg prices i dont go there often but u cant beat that
Shannon says
Oh I will have to take a look at them Bonnie.
Judy says
We totally LOVE this store, especially since we live in Manhattan, where grocery prices can get a little crazy. There is one that we go to on East 117th Street. Sometimes, they even have unadvertised in-store specials – one time I paid 25 cents each for a loaf of bread and for hamburger buns!! The yogurt is ok – I buy the Fit and Active. I bought the frozen mac and cheese for my 4 year old and it was very salty, so I won’t buy that again, but pretty much almost everything else there is great. The cereals are just about the same as the national brands and the snacks are delicious. You never know what you are going to find there.
beth says
dont think ive tried their yogurt but i know one of my friends buys theirs all the time. hubby and i LOVE their jalapeno potato chips lol. i like their frozen chimichangas too, but only the chicken, i don’t think the beef ones are very good. again not a healthy option, but better and cheaper than mcd’s for days i really dont have time on my way to work. oh, and their EGGS. absolutely the cheapest eggs around. i refuse to buy eggs anywhere else any more (unless i’m buying them straight from a farm, then the quality cant be compared.) but if you’re buying grocery store eggs, Aldi is absolutely the best place to get them.
Shannon says
LOL Evan said .. Jalapeno Chips.. oh yum. They do source their dairy local so great point about the eggs.. wonder if they do have cage free.
Natalie says their yogurt is just fine and I am weird.
Monica says
Well…I’m trying to like Aldi’s more, at least for certain things. While I haven’t had great success with their produce, and their prices on many staples are on-par with other area stores (so no big savings there) I think an organic line would definitely draw me there for a harder look. I do like the Fit and Active, their pumpkin coffee creamer, flour tortillas, and their prices on snacks. I look forward to seeing what else they have to offer.
Shannon says
Monica,
There are definitely some things I will always be a couponer for because the prices (i.e. free can’t be beat). The organics is a huge draw for me too!
Rebecca says
The closest one to me is about a half hour but I would be willing to go for good organic products.
Shannon says
I bought the butter and milk and was happy with the quality!
FTM - Natalie says
I like the yogurt! I also like the Bakers Corner line and the Fit and Active. I would love to see a bigger produce aisle and maybe a bit more meat specials. I am looking forward to seeing more of the organic line.
FTM - Natalie says
Don’t forget your bags and your quarter!