Aldi vs. Trader Joe’s

[Anonymous]

We generally do our weekly shopping at Trader Joe’s as it is close by, supplemented by the farmers market, monthly trips to Costco, and occasional trips to Target or Giant for things we can’t get at TJs. There’s a newish Aldi’s near us and I just can’t bring myself to go- DH stopped there for an onion once and brought home a whole bag of onions. Yet my parents rave about the one near their house. I know I should check it out sometime but for those who shop at both Aldi and TJs, how do they compare? It just seems like it would be similar- good for some stuff but somewhere you’d have to supplement with a stop elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Aldi is more complete store, lower prices, more of a high/low mix (store brand Cheetos and gluten free stuff and kombucha in same store)

Trader Joe’s has more prepared and frozen food, more international offerings, more expensive, a bit more organic (but not by much), higher quality dairy products

I cook from scratch and I HAVE to supplement when I go to a Trader Joe’s, but can normally get what I need in one Aldi run

[Anonymous]

I have things I like from each store. Lately I find the fruit, especially strawberries, from Trader Joe's are moldy/rotten within 48 hours of purchase. I have been really impressed with Aldi fruits/veggies, including that they sell organic on some items. We have Aldi in our rotation and TJ too. Also Wegmans.

[Anonymous]

I usually buy the Aldi organics (the "simply nature" line) and think it's pretty good quality.

[Anonymous]

Maybe I live near a big TJs and a small Aldi's but I find TJs just as complete a selection (obviously not identical)

TJs is more convenient (I hate the way Aldis handles carts) and more pleasant to shop, and has lots of specific items we like.

Aldis is pretty consistently cheaper though (and not as terrible an experience as BJ's, plus more realistic sizes for a small household)

We go to Aldis sometimes, but probably less than TJs. My wife will go to BJs, I hate to set foot in there.

[Anonymous]

Unless you have food restrictions, TJ is so much more expensive and has so little choice compared to Aldi. For fresh food, meats and such, I mean. Simply nature is pretty good, you can watch some Youtuber FlavCity with Bobby, he does TJ and Aldi heath food videos. I watch it since I have milk allergy and wheat issues. I do not know him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have things I like from each store. Lately I find the fruit, especially strawberries, from Trader Joe's are moldy/rotten within 48 hours of purchase. I have been really impressed with Aldi fruits/veggies, including that they sell organic on some items. We have Aldi in our rotation and TJ too. Also Wegmans.

Trader Joe’s seems to have problems with their refrigeration. I’ve stopped buying berries there after having the same experience. Last week I bought a quart of half and half and it was bad two days after opening (expiration date still several weeks out). I don’t have time to take things back. I wish a wegmans would open up closer to us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We generally do our weekly shopping at Trader Joe’s as it is close by, supplemented by the farmers market, monthly trips to Costco, and occasional trips to Target or Giant for things we can’t get at TJs. There’s a newish Aldi’s near us and I just can’t bring myself to go- DH stopped there for an onion once and brought home a whole bag of onions. Yet my parents rave about the one near their house. I know I should check it out sometime but for those who shop at both Aldi and TJs, how do they compare? It just seems like it would be similar- good for some stuff but somewhere you’d have to supplement with a stop elsewhere.

When Aldis opened up in the Del Ray area of Alexandria, I had friends and neighbors who were like you and "couldn't bring themselves to go there"
Now the store is flooded with people like you

[Anonymous]

They don't sell onions by one at Aldi, and their bag of onions is cheaper than a single onion at other stores.

[Anonymous]

Aldi's is smaller, less crowded, and much faster to get through. It also has so much less prepared food and specialty items that I find myself spending half as much as when I go to Trader Joe's, there just isn't the temptation. I have had to simplify my grocery lists or supplement, but that is mostly for Asian items or hit or miss things like specific herbs you can't always find at TJ either. Mainly I'm an Aldi loyalist because i hate shopping and it's faster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aldi's is smaller, less crowded, and much faster to get through. It also has so much less prepared food and specialty items that I find myself spending half as much as when I go to Trader Joe's, there just isn't the temptation. I have had to simplify my grocery lists or supplement, but that is mostly for Asian items or hit or miss things like specific herbs you can't always find at TJ either. Mainly I'm an Aldi loyalist because i hate shopping and it's faster.

I enjoy shopping at Trader Joe's. It tends to put a smile on my face.

[Anonymous]

Trader's and Aldi are actually sister companies (joint ownership...somehow), so you'll find a fair number of the same items in each store, but labeled and packaged differently. But they operate differently too--Trader's is geared more towards prepared foods, Aldi more like a typical grocery store with a bigger Euro section, and fewer frills (like baggers).

[Anonymous]

Why can't you bring yourself to go to Aldi? It's a great store - good products for great prices. I've been waiting for years and years for them to come to the US - I shopped there all the time in Germany.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Trader's and Aldi are actually sister companies (joint ownership...somehow), so you'll find a fair number of the same items in each store, but labeled and packaged differently. But they operate differently too--Trader's is geared more towards prepared foods, Aldi more like a typical grocery store with a bigger Euro section, and fewer frills (like baggers).

Just a bit of trivia... the guy who owns Aldi and the guy who owns TJ's are brothers (German grocery empire).

I like both. They are good for different things. Beats Safeway for sure.

[Anonymous]

Aldi's is very basic and no, I wouldn't say a more 'complete' store as a PP said. They might have one brand of no name pretzels, one brand of another thing.
I find it hard to maneuver because they are so minimalist, they don't believe in good signage.

My take - it is cheaper and basic and doesn't have as much as TJs. I have gotten some of the best avocados there - around 79cents. I'll keep trying the place. But I know what I like at TJs. I also know I can get most any variety of things at TJs. I don't find that Aldi has everything I need in produce.