ALDI

© 2010 by ALDI

I live in Chicago, where there are ALDI stores about every 2 miles (at least around my area on the north side). If there's one thing I hope you learn from me, it's that ALDI RULES. It takes a bit of getting used to. I remember walking in there once a few years ago and being disoriented. It was like a foreign country with brands I didn't recognize. Everything was in bulk cardboard boxes, like a pint-sized Sam's club. People who shopped there looked like they were struggling, and the lines seemed long. However, now that I'm struggling, I realized those struggling people are smart. They were getting the same thing for less money. It's true that the manufacturing facilities that make brand name items also make generic. Getting over brand names and store loyalties without taking into account price is the first step towards being smart. Some of you may already know that ALDI is the parent company of Trader Joe's. I like to say that Trader Joe's is the off brand Whole Foods and ALDI is the off brand Jewel, Dominick's, Kroger's, whatever. Unfortunately, the products at ALDI are not the same as TJ's at half the cost, as was my fantasy. However, the products at ALDI are good for the basics. I'm talking about all purpose flour, cooking oil, sugar, orange juice, snacks, cheese, frozen chicken. Flour is flour is flour...at least in my opinion. Now that I don't have expendable income, I get my retail therapy fix by buying groceries, and I get a real high from saving money on them.

A few things you need to know (after the jump):


1. Bring a quarter. You have to put a quarter in to get a cart. Once you put the cart back, you get your quarter back. Once I went and I didn't have a quarter and it bummed me out really bad.
2. Bring your own bags, or forage for an oddly shaped empty box in the store to carry your stuff home in. Some stores have paper bags for 6 cents each, but the ginormous plastic ones are 10 cents each. I reuse bags for cat litter and trash, etc. So I don't always feel so bad if I have to buy one.
3. When you go through the line, make sure that you have something ANYTHING to catch the food after it's scanned. They don't have room on the counter like other stores. The line stops after the checker, and you need to catch that stuff like a hot potato. If you don't, the cashier will surely know you're not a regular and roll their eyes at you. I recommend a box, a hand basket, or the cart. Just make sure you're alert and move your container to the end of the line once you've unloaded it on to the conveyor belt.
4. You have to bag it yourself. Luckily, there's a really long counter at the edge of the store which gives you plenty of room to do this and you won't be in anyone's way. I think the most amount of employees I've seen at an ALDI at any one time is 3. If you compare it to the hustle and bustle of Trader Joe's employees running around, you'll see that they make up for it by not having to pay people. I'm surprised they don't have self check out there, they are so cheap.
5. Don't expect to find everything you need here, and don't expect to find brands you've heard of. They are all their own brands, much like Trader Joe's. However, just like Trader Joe's, there are a few random brand items they carry. For example, you can get a really cheap Kit Kat bar there at the checkout line (59 cents).

To find an ALDI near you, go here.

Just some recent things I've purchased at ALDI:

Stewed tomatoes .49
White Vinegar .79
10lb bag of Russet Potatoes 2.59
Jar of Peanuts 1.99
Shredded Parmesan Cheese 1.99
Turkey Bacon 1.99
Celery .59
One whole pineapple 1.19
Corn Oil 2.39
Baby Carrots .99
93% Lean Ground Beef 2.08 (on sale because it was about to expire, but I made meatloaf right away)
Tomato Paste .39
75' Aluminum Foil 1.99
Disinfectant Wipes 1.39
Laundry Detergent 2.29
Dish Detergent 1.69
OJ from Concentrate 1.79

(prices per oz will come later, I'm just getting started!)

Tomorrow I'll discuss how I made homemade potato chips from my recently purchased ALDI potatoes.