not impressed with Aldi :(

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Produce there is highly variable. I've always had good luck with pineapples, potatoes, onions, and the four packs of "gourmet" lettuce.

The cheese sticks are flavorless, but I find most string cheese to be flavorless. The other cheese is always good quality. (Maybe not the American singles.)

Remember that Aldi has a "double guarantee" where they will replace the item and refund your money if you are dissatisfied. Maybe it's not worth it to you to retain the package and the unused food-- the only time I did that was with a package of prosciutto that I didn't notice had been partially opened and was all dried out.

I did do this with a box of fruit twists (kid snack food) that was gross. We each tried one and decided it was awful. The other stuff, like the cheese sticks, we ate and shrugged it off as a learned lesson.

Interesting that the gourmet cheeses are supposed to be good but the cheese sticks were not.

[Anonymous]

Aldi has wonderful baking supplies and anything with a German name or label is generally top drawer. They have an outstanding supply of cheese and sausages for the holidays. Their chocolate bars are top quality. My favorite: dark chocolate with hazelnuts. I even find their eggs superior to what I find at regular supermarkets. I'm usually a food snob and buy all my meat at a butcher shop, but I've been known to buy the herb-crusted salmon at Aldi. Wonderful!

[Anonymous]

Im German and really laugh at how Americans have been so excited for Aldi. It is absolutely THE crappiest grocery store in Germany. It's like getting excited over getting a local Save-a-Lot. Aldi to me is like a rung below Shoppers. In Germany Aldi caters to the lower class demographic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aldi has wonderful baking supplies and anything with a German name or label is generally top drawer. They have an outstanding supply of cheese and sausages for the holidays. Their chocolate bars are top quality. My favorite: dark chocolate with hazelnuts. I even find their eggs superior to what I find at regular supermarkets. I'm usually a food snob and buy all my meat at a butcher shop, but I've been known to buy the herb-crusted salmon at Aldi. Wonderful!

Yea. No. Nope nope nope nope.

That's like saying Ikea carries quality Swedish furniture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Im German and really laugh at how Americans have been so excited for Aldi. It is absolutely THE crappiest grocery store in Germany. It's like getting excited over getting a local Save-a-Lot. Aldi to me is like a rung below Shoppers. In Germany Aldi caters to the lower class demographic.

That is the appeal here, that it is really really cheap. Not that the food is great, just that the food is cheap. Cheaper than Food Lion, even.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Per the grocery budget suggestions on the finance board, I did some grocery shopping at Aldi this month. We were not impressed. The price was AWESOME and I left the store on cloud nine...so much food for $50! Hooray!

The cereal was fine, but it's cheaper at Trader Joes. I did like the price of organic apples!

Disappointed items include:
Cheese sticks: no flavor
Pineapple: went rotten within a couple days (before it even turned yellow)
Frozen fish fillets: very breaded and gummy
Kiwi: 1/4 was totally rotten

There's more but I can't remember.

Where did I go wrong?!?

All string cheese is flavorless. Pineapple is out of season, who knows when it was picked?! Try again, it can be hit and miss the first few times

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im German and really laugh at how Americans have been so excited for Aldi. It is absolutely THE crappiest grocery store in Germany. It's like getting excited over getting a local Save-a-Lot. Aldi to me is like a rung below Shoppers. In Germany Aldi caters to the lower class demographic.

I don't care if it's for the lower class demographic. Even with a $285k HHI, I like places where I can shop for cheap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Im German and really laugh at how Americans have been so excited for Aldi. It is absolutely THE crappiest grocery store in Germany. It's like getting excited over getting a local Save-a-Lot. Aldi to me is like a rung below Shoppers. In Germany Aldi caters to the lower class demographic.

Spot on!

Another German here. I never set foot in Aldi when we were still living in Germany. It's just a bunch of crap. HOWEVER, I do go to Aldi here in DC around Christmas time to get my fix of Gluehwein and Lebkuchen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im German and really laugh at how Americans have been so excited for Aldi. It is absolutely THE crappiest grocery store in Germany. It's like getting excited over getting a local Save-a-Lot. Aldi to me is like a rung below Shoppers. In Germany Aldi caters to the lower class demographic.

That is the appeal here, that it is really really cheap. Not that the food is great, just that the food is cheap. Cheaper than Food Lion, even.

Have you noticed that now that Food Lion has been acquired by Ahold (Giant) the prices have gone up? With higher prices there is no longer any reason for me to shop there. It's not the most pleasant store.

Agree that Aldi is popular because it's cheap. Nothing wrong with that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im German and really laugh at how Americans have been so excited for Aldi. It is absolutely THE crappiest grocery store in Germany. It's like getting excited over getting a local Save-a-Lot. Aldi to me is like a rung below Shoppers. In Germany Aldi caters to the lower class demographic.

That is the appeal here, that it is really really cheap. Not that the food is great, just that the food is cheap. Cheaper than Food Lion, even.

Exactly. I'm not shopping there because I think it's a fancy European boutique grocery. I shop there because I'm feeding a family of five on a budget, and it's the cheapest place around. I do think the chocolate is very good though, compared with most American chocolate.

[Anonymous]

http://mobile.onmilwaukee.com/living/articles/alditraderjoes.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Im German and really laugh at how Americans have been so excited for Aldi. It is absolutely THE crappiest grocery store in Germany. It's like getting excited over getting a local Save-a-Lot. Aldi to me is like a rung below Shoppers. In Germany Aldi caters to the lower class demographic.

I don't care if it's for the lower class demographic. Even with a $285k HHI, I like places where I can shop for cheap.

Totally. Staples there are so cheap!

[Anonymous]

One is opening in Annandale soon.

[Anonymous]

I recently went and was impressed with the hot chocolate packets a la Swiss Miss! Got toilet paper and toothbrushes too.

Prices on dairy were good (Lifeway Kefir) and half and half. Haven't picked up meats or produce but will go back and give it another shop.

Don't like the frozen whole grain waffles - TJs has better waffles.

[Anonymous]

The Silver Spring Aldi on Bel Pre Rd is opening Dec. 1