The food is totally fine. However, unless I happen to have the time to go at an off hour (work hours during the week), I'm not shopping there. I just don't have the bandwidth to stand in line with 20 other people to pay and one register open.

HHI $550K and we shop almost exclusively at Lidl.
I have never been able to bring myself to shop at Whole Foods for more than an occasional item. It's just igniting your money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t like Aldi or Lidl. The off-brand products are terrible. The produce is not as good as giant or Whole Foods. I would never buy low end meat. That’s gross. I buy all my staples at giant and specifics items from Whole Foods.

Harris Teeter and Safeway produce are terrible. TJ’s is all processed goods. If I want to novelty shop, I like balduchi’s in McLean.

You do realize that the meat comes from the same places that the meat in the “regular” grocery stores comes from, right? Not from a separate “low end” farm?

Aldi gets its beef from all the slutty cows down at the trailer park

I buy produce at Aldi. With two kids, we go through it so quickly that it doesn't matter to us if it spoils faster than a regular store and it's the LITERALLY the same brands as major stores for much of the fresh produce, so I don't even know what the difference is (just know that some folks say their produce spoils faster).

Some things are fine - like I can find 2G yogurts or chobani/fage sometimes. Some things, like their shredded cheese, aren't (shredded cheese doesn't melt as nicely, I don't know why). I read ingredients and sometimes there may be additional fillers. However, their Simply Natural brand stuff is great.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t like Aldi or Lidl. The off-brand products are terrible. The produce is not as good as giant or Whole Foods. I would never buy low end meat. That’s gross. I buy all my staples at giant and specifics items from Whole Foods.

Harris Teeter and Safeway produce are terrible. TJ’s is all processed goods. If I want to novelty shop, I like balduchi’s in McLean.

You do realize that the meat comes from the same places that the meat in the “regular” grocery stores comes from, right? Not from a separate “low end” farm?

I'm a big fan of Aldi. Haven't been to Lidl yet, there isn't one super close to me.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t like Aldi or Lidl. The off-brand products are terrible. The produce is not as good as giant or Whole Foods. I would never buy low end meat. That’s gross. I buy all my staples at giant and specifics items from Whole Foods.

Harris Teeter and Safeway produce are terrible. TJ’s is all processed goods. If I want to novelty shop, I like balduchi’s in McLean.

You do realize that the meat comes from the same places that the meat in the “regular” grocery stores comes from, right? Not from a separate “low end” farm?

Anonymous wrote:Aldi isn’t a low end grocery store, it’s just a baby Costco.

I generally don’t want to make two stops and that is my main focus which usually means Whole Foods.

Aldi has nothing like what Costco has.

Anonymous wrote: Costco, Whole Foods, Wegmans, Indian Grocery store, Giant, safeway, Great Walls, Grand Mart, Halal Meat shop, Aldis and Lancaster County Dutch Market. We have everything close to us and we shop in all these stores for very specific things. Also stop at many farm stalls around us for specific produce. Honey, Eggs, Corn etc.

Trader Joes for snacks. Local farms for chicken eggs. south mountain creamery for dairy products.

Tell us you "work" from home without actually telling us. Or SAH

I starting shopping at Aldi during the pandemic. It was the only place a could get instacart timeslots for during the early days. I was shocked and amazed in the best way. Prices are lower but the quality is good. The prices on fresh salmon can't be beat. They have good brie for a great price. There is a mix of name brand and store brand items but the prices are competitive. For example we make smores with friends in summer so we stock up on Hershey's bars. The 6 pack is probably a $1 cheaper than Giant or Wegmans. There store brand Frost sparkling water is less than half the price of the comparable name brand Ice drinks. I say try their store brands, much cheaper without a drop in quality. Unless you live alone you'll save more than $100/month.

I don’t like Aldi or Lidl. The off-brand products are terrible. The produce is not as good as giant or Whole Foods. I would never buy low end meat. That’s gross. I buy all my staples at giant and specifics items from Whole Foods.

Harris Teeter and Safeway produce are terrible. TJ’s is all processed goods. If I want to novelty shop, I like balduchi’s in McLean.

Aldi isn’t a low end grocery store, it’s just a baby Costco.

I generally don’t want to make two stops and that is my main focus which usually means Whole Foods.

My Aldi sucks except for the salmon which isn’t as cheap as it used to be. Trader Joe’s is not that great either because it’s mostly processed convenience foods.

I save money on groceries by shopping at BJs wholesale and watching the Harris Teeter and avians add and stocking up when not perishables are on sale .

I shop the Kingstowne and Springfield Aldis and Springfield, Burke Lidls.

Don't care for Lidl as much except, as many have stated, their bakery is delicious. I find their prices higher than Aldi for the same thing.

I find the K'T Aldi more expensive than the Sfld Aldi but their selection is better, so YMMV.

I don't buy their meat anymore. It pretty gross. But I do get milk, eggs and bread. And their fruits and veggies are generally really good for the prices.

You have to know what you need before you go and no, you won't be able to do all your shopping there. I go to Costco for meats and paper products but Aldi pretty much everything else.

And no, needing a quarter doesn't turn me off or freak me out. I keep one in my car along with reusable bags so I'm always good to go for stopping by for stuff.

The Del Ray Aldi is bomb. You see DC and Maryland plates there all the time. Everyone shops there. I love it.