ALDI Shopping Guide

(The weekly frugal tip at Frugal Follies will now be published on Thursday night. The Wednesday Weekly Shopping post and linky will now appear on Tuesday night.)

Just started shopping at ALDI, and don't know what to expect?

ALDI is in some ways like a regular grocery store, but in some ways it is very different.  Here's what you need to know right away:

ALDI's grocery offerings

• ALDI carries its own house brand of groceries.  So don't expect brand-name items.
• ALDI doesn't carry every single kind of grocery you might need.  It carries the most commonly used items.  You probably will not be able to 100% of your shopping there.  However, you will be able to get all the basics.
• ALDI only has a few varieties of each type of item.  For instance, for canned beans they carry kidney beans, black beans, lima beans, dried white beans, and refried beans. So I have to buy the canned white beans for my Garlic-Parmesan White Bean Mash elsewhere. If you're looking for many varieties of items, this is not your place.
• ALDI carries fresh produce.  However, they do not have the variety that you might find in a regular grocery store.  
• ALDI does not have an onsite butcher.  However, they do have prepackaged fresh and frozen meats.
• ALDI does not have a fresh bakery onsite.  They do have a small selection of prepackaged breads, cookies, and cakes.
• ALDI does carry some basic health and beauty aids as well as paper goods, but their choice is limited.
• ALDI does not have an onsite pharmacy or other grocery store amenities.

Prices at ALDI

• Prices at ALDI are generally cheaper than the regular prices at grocery stores.
• However, if you're willing to combine coupons with sales, you can probably get better prices on many items at grocery stores.  If you don't want to do this, or don't have the time, then ALDI is the place to go.

Buying at ALDI

• ALDI does not take credit cards.  You can pay with cash, debit cards, or EBT cards. 
• ALDI does not accept coupons, other than their own store coupons.
• You need to deposit a quarter to get a shopping cart.  You'll get your deposit back when you put the cart back.  
• You need to bring your own bags, or pay for plastic, paper, or cloth bags.  You'll also have to bag the groceries yourself - there is a shelf available to help you do this.

Okay, now that you know what you can get, the next question is, what should you get at ALDI?  Keep in mind that these are just my opinions, based on one year of shopping at ALDI.

Should get:

• Milk:  In my area, ALDI milk is $2.79 - $2.99 per gallon, whereas milk at the grocery store is $3.50 - $4.00 or more.
• Eggs: These vary from 99¢ to $1.49 per dozen, depending on the week.  Grocery store eggs are generally $1.89 per dozen.  (Egg coupons are rare, though here is a printable egg coupon.  Combined with other coupons, it is possible to get eggs for free - check out how I did it once.  But generally ALDI is a better deal on eggs.)
• Bread: at 99¢ to $1.29 per loaf, ALDI's bread is much cheaper and very fresh.
• Produce that is on special this week: At my store, the sales-priced produce is on the end of the aisle.  These are almost always an excellent deal.
• Tortillas: At 99¢ per package, these are far cheaper than the grocery store, and I have rarely seen coupons or sales for tortillas.
• Instant oatmeal: At my store, a 10-package box of instant oatmeal is $1.39.  At the grocery store, a name-brand box is over $4.00.  Even with sales and coupons, the price rarely goes below $1.50.
• Baking goods: Flour, sugar, and vanilla are cheapest here.  These items can go on sale during holiday seasons but generally are only available at full price.

Maybe should get:

• Food items that rarely go on sale or have coupons.  What foods fall into this category depends on what sales are available in your area.  For me, this would include hard cheeses, cottage cheese, cream cheese, butter, 100% juices, canned beans, mushrooms, salsa, applesauce, and tuna.  I'm sure there are many other types of foods that fall into this category.
• Produce that is not on sale: The prices at ALDI are generally a little less than the grocery store.  However, if you can find an independent grocery store, produce store, or a farmer's market, you should be able to beat the regular prices at ALDI.

Should not get (unless you don't want to coupon, or don't have time to find deals):

• Cold cereal: The cheapest kind of cold cereal at my ALDI costs $1.59.  At least one brand of cereal is on sale pretty much every week at your typical grocery store, and with coupons the price can be reduced to under $1.50 per box.
• Lemon juice: I have found much cheaper lemon juice at a local market which specializes in Hispanic goods.
• Health and beauty items, paper goods, and medicines: Buy at CVS or Walgreens - you can get them for free or very cheap there.  Click on the links to find out how.

I can only speak for what I buy at ALDI.  I don't have any expertise about meat, most frozen food, or junk food.  What do you think is a good deal at ALDI, and what do you think others should avoid?  Leave a comment below!

For more frugal tips, please check out the bloggers listed on the left sidebar under Frugal Tips Linkups. There are lots of great ideas on each blog and I'm sure you'll find lots of wonderful tips!