I do like Wegmans for items such as cheese, chocolate, dairy, breads, prepared foods but it is quite expensive for what it is. I am not a huge fan of Aldi, very spartan and I miss brand names. I nhave never been to Lidl. Aldi is an adjustment compared to Wegmans. Agreed stop at Aldi and see if you can get your basics and then go to Wegmans to finish what else you need.

I like Aldi - can I do all of my shopping there? No, but it makes a difference in our grocery budget for the things we do find there. They have some good produce if you are open to seeing what looks good that day versus needing something specific, but I mostly go for staples like nuts, dried fruit, basmati rice, pasta, marinara sauce, cheeses, tissues, milk, olive oil, etc.

I have also gotten some great random home items there - a shelving unit for the garage that was a third of the price of others I'd been looking at, an organizer for rakes, shovels, etc in the garage, my favorite fuzzy blanket for when I'm reading.

^^ Adding to my last post, you guys will probably scoff, but Lidl’s 49c croissants are quite good. Whatever butter they use is decent quality. I paid $7 for a croissant in DC not long ago that was nowhere near as good.

I like Aldi, the quality of their store brands tends to be quite high. They make a living by being lean and having a relatively small selection of products compared to the traditional stores. Product turnover is very high, so time in storage and on the shelf is short. It’s kind of fun to browse the shelves of oddball non-food items. I bought a mixer there for $25 a couple of years ago, amazingly it still works.

Lidl tends to force their app on you more if you want their lowest prices, but I don’t do apps.

Anonymous wrote:LOL NO. Unless you like cosplaying poverty or shopping with the unwashed.

Has anyone ever told you you are an a$$hole before? If so, I think I know why. Also not too bright. Sorry.

I find Wegman’s to be kind of lousy. Their stuff isn’t very good and they tend to be expensive. I think you’re mostly paying for the decor.

I go to Aldi occasionally and stock up on basics with great prices that are just cheaper than anywhere else. Like the packets of tuna...49 at Aldi and 1.50 at Giant...same flavors hard to believe they are not the same brand in disguise. The produce is well priced but the quality varies. I still shop at Giant for my weekly shop. I do not like to spend too much time going to different stores even though it would save.

I love Lidl. I cut my grocery bill by a third when o started shopping there.

Anonymous wrote:This topic comes up enough times and the reason it's never a satisfying conclusion is that the answer depends entirely on 1) how you cook, 2) what you eat, 3) your taste preferences, 4) your savings goals.

I flitter with checking out Aldis and Lidls versus my mainstay Whole Foods and the occasional Wegmans foray. At first Aldi and Lidl are indeed cheaper. As someone who cooks most meals from scratch and has a lifetime of cooking great meals relatively economically, the potential savings from going to Aldis is not enough to justify doing most of my shopping there. I also find their fruits mediocre although root vegs and onions and garlic are fine. And yes, a lot of their savings is from lower quality food, their yogurt / dairly is cheap but it's not as good as brand names like Siggi. But there are other savings and other perfectly fine food at Aldi or Lidls.

OP, what you can do is to start your grocery shopping at Aldi or Lidls and get everything you can on your list, and then go to Wegmans for what wasn't available. Do it a few times and you'll get a sense of whether it's worthwhile for you.

This is what I would advise as well. And you should give it several tries. The closest Aldi to me is pretty small and ick; but I still find enough stuff to make it worthwhile. Over time, I "discovered" certain items that adequately substitute for counterparts at twice the price at Giant or Safeway. I have never been to a Wegman's. Remember, it's more difficult to give-up something you've had. So if the produce is so exceptional at Wegman's, it may be more difficult for you to regularly replace it with Aldi produce. I went from horrible Giant produce and declining Safeway produce; so it hasn't been difficult.

Another note: just remember that Aldi's selection isn't always consistent. There are occasional items they stock and items that you regularly buy there that suddenly aren't one day....and may or may not return. Bottom line: go for the cheap items it offers and enjoy the savings from the supplemental shopping while still getting other things at your regular store.

Anonymous wrote:LOL NO. Unless you like cosplaying poverty or shopping with the unwashed.

OP would be shopping with me and I am most decidedly not unwashed, thank you.
If you don't need to worry about budget and saving money, fine. Don't disparage those of us who do.

This topic comes up enough times and the reason it's never a satisfying conclusion is that the answer depends entirely on 1) how you cook, 2) what you eat, 3) your taste preferences, 4) your savings goals.

I flitter with checking out Aldis and Lidls versus my mainstay Whole Foods and the occasional Wegmans foray. At first Aldi and Lidl are indeed cheaper. As someone who cooks most meals from scratch and has a lifetime of cooking great meals relatively economically, the potential savings from going to Aldis is not enough to justify doing most of my shopping there. I also find their fruits mediocre although root vegs and onions and garlic are fine. And yes, a lot of their savings is from lower quality food, their yogurt / dairly is cheap but it's not as good as brand names like Siggi. But there are other savings and other perfectly fine food at Aldi or Lidls.

OP, what you can do is to start your grocery shopping at Aldi or Lidls and get everything you can on your list, and then go to Wegmans for what wasn't available. Do it a few times and you'll get a sense of whether it's worthwhile for you.

Anonymous wrote:LOL NO. Unless you like cosplaying poverty or shopping with the unwashed.

This is silly. Just try it and make your own judgement. The new Aldi at Fort Totten is great IMO.

Anonymous wrote:Wegmans is actually more affordable than Safeway and Giant. And the quality is light-years better.

+1, I find better prices on many things at Wegmans. We buy meat at Costco, though.

Since moving across the country we no longer have Aldis. I miss shopping there, but we have Winco which is the best.

I hive been to aldi 2x and did not find it worthwhile