My slight obsession with Aldi
A few of my favorite things…from Aldi
It’s a running joke with my daughter…if someone asks where I bought a food item – cheeses, pasta, meat, etc. – the answer is inevitably, ALDI. She rolls her eyes but knows Aldi is the real deal and she too shops there. So, why am I so in love with this weird little grocery chain from Germany? A few reasons. Quality. Selection. Price. Quirkiness. Yes, I love the weirdness that comes with being an Aldi shopper. A quarter for a cart. BYOB – Bring your Own Bags. The strange aisle of housewares and toys. There is a mystery to Aldi – many people think it’s “seconds” or damaged items…like an outlet store with irregular socks?!? Others think it’s not fresh because it’s cheaper – like there are aisles and aisles of day old bread and nearly expired produce. Let me assure you that Aldi is none of those things. It’s a regular old grocery store done differently. And, in this case, different = good.
But when you look beyond the peculiarity of Aldi there is a gold mine of amazing deals on high quality, wholesome foods that will not only be kind to your wallet but fuel your family in a healthy way. Aldi is leading the way in providing organic products at a price that everyone can afford. Read more here about how Aldi is taking on the big players in organic and specialty foods. Products you already buy like eggs, milk, bread, etc. And, amazing deals on foods you may have never considered because the price at a big grocery chain scared you away – speciality cheeses, grass-fed beef, organic nut butter.
I get it. I’ve been there. I was totally skeptical. I went once at the urging of a smart and dear friend and left before I even got in the door. But I went back, and again and again. And, I’ve done the legwork, I’ve tried hundreds of their products. And, folks, I’m a big believer in the cult of Aldi.
People often ask me what I buy at Aldi and how is it better than what you might find in a more mainstream grocery store. So I’ve come up with a list of my Top 10 Aldi Swaps that you can buy with confidence. Most are organic too! #bonus
But before we get into it…understand that I have two big guys to feed and while price and value are important, my 17-year old isn’t fooled easily by an off brand. However, even he’s come along and eats mostly Aldi products without even knowing it.
If it’s your first trip to Aldi – take this list. These are easy swaps that are “safe” to substitute with a low likelihood of getting complaints from the Fam. I chose these because they are simple, whole ingredients in their most basic form for the most part. Eggs are eggs, no additional ingredients. Same with most items on the list. Your family shouldn’t be able to tell the difference between tacos made with Aldi grass-fed beef or grass-fed beef from a big chain store.
Top 10 Easy Aldi Swaps to Save you Money
Brown Organic Eggs
Whole Wheat Organic Bread
Organic Grass-Fed Beef
Uncured, Organic Bacon
All-Natural, Organic Peanut Butter
Organic Tomato Basil or Marinara Sauce
Organic Black Beans
Organic Linguini Pasta
Multi-grain Flatbread
Vanilla Almond Cereal (ala Special K)
Bonus: ALL THEIR PRODUCE and their gluten free items. Future post on the g-free and produce coming!
To buy these 10 items at my local grocery chain, I would spend roughly $47. At Aldi – about $30.
Saving money is great when you are buying food for a family but when you can save on food that is healthy, that’s even better! Look for my complete Aldi Healthy Eating list in the coming weeks, and happy shopping!
xoxo
Niki