A couple of weeks ago I told you about some of my favorite things to buy at Costco. Today, here are my top twelve things to buy at ALDI! Do you agree? What would you add?
Top Twelve Things To Buy at ALDI
1. El Milagro tortillas. These are, simply, made of awesome — and at $.33 for corn or $.85 for flour? Totally awesome. Plus Chicago area ALDI stores get daily deliveries, so if you are lucky, you’ll one day catch them as they’re restocking. Because the only thing better than an affordable and tasty El Milagro tortilla is a fresh and warm El Milagro tortilla.
2. Produce. ALDI puts different produce items on sale each week, at a huge savings over conventional grocery stores. The quality of produce at my ALDI is almost always better than the produce at my Jewel — and I can get 2-4x as much for my money, making this one a no-brainer. While they do have limited varieties, I count on ALDI for basics like cheap baby carrots, mushrooms, strawberries, avocados and more.
3. Baking supplies. Sugar for $1.38, flour for $1.38, baking morsels for $1.59… even the gluten free baking mix at $2.99 is cheaper than I can get gluten free Bisquick with subscribe & save on Amazon, with no noticeable taste difference.
4. Canned beans. We use a lot of beans in soups, stews, and chili, and they range $.59-$.79 a can every day. I can pick up organic beans at ALDI for less than the sale price of conventional beans most other places, and coupons for beans are few and far between.
5. Gluten free snacks. If you’ve priced out gluten free products, you’re familiar with the sticker shock that can come with that diet. I have been buying the ALDI liveGfree gluten free pretzels ($1.89) and crackers ($1.49) for wheat free Junior High Guy, and he’s a big fan of both. Note: If you’re also dairy free one variety of the crackers contains milk, so check labels.
6. Clancy’s tortilla chips. They recently changed the bag, but same great chips and same $1.19 everyday price. Cheaper and tastier than Tostitos!
7. Clearance items. Whenever you’re in ALDI, make sure to walk the aisles looking for good clearance prices. It won’t take long, as the store isn’t that big! Your best bet here will be on perishables nearing their expiration date, and on special buys that need to be cleared out to make room for the next batch.
8. Bacon bits. They’re $1.39. Enough said.
9. Organic soy milk. Coupons for non-dairy milk seem to go in waves — sometimes I can get a better deal on Silk with a coupon combined with a sale, and sometimes it’s stuck over $3.00 with no available coupons for weeks. Organic SimplyNature soy milk is $2.29 at ALDI every day. Dairy free Junior High Guy gives it a thumbs up, so this is where I buy soy milk in the absence of a great sale elsewhere.
10. Cheese cups. Aside from the rare ALDI sale or clearance price, regular shredded and block cheese are not a super buy at ALDI; it goes on sale for less almost every week at one or another nearby grocery store. However, shredded and crumbled cheese cups are a nice everyday price at $1.79-$1.99, and MashupDad is an especial fan of the Parmesan.
11. Weekly Special Buys. Every week ALDI brings in a new batch of products as limited-time Special Buys — and how fun is that? Some of these are better prices than others, so watch that, but sometimes you can get a great deal. My kitchen alone sports everything from a cushy floor mat to a big rolling pet food container to a metal strainer, all good prices at one time or another on an ALDI Special Buy.
12. Meat (with a caveat). Some meat I will buy at ALDI, and some I will not. Buys include things like this year’s corned beef, which came from ALDI at $1.99/lb — it was fantastic. Their Nature Raised chicken is tasty and all natural, and often turns up with clearance stickers. Don’t buys include their solution added pork chops (the amount of liquid that cooks out of these is truly disturbing), most of their frozen fish filets (great prices, but processed in China), or the beef filets that show up regularly on Wed. meat special buys (just not very good at all).
Your turn
Those are my top twelve things to buy at ALDI! Do you agree? What would you add to this list, or where do you disagree?
Mandy says
July 22, 2016 at 7:33 amThe best canned tomato sauce, the American cheese slices, not the cheese food slices. Really liked the american cheese at Food 4 Less better, but, they closed and left my area. Aldi brand is pretty decent. The graham crackers taste the best and are cheap. I think most of the stuff is pretty good, and if not, they have a great return policy, so it’s worth giving them a try. I recently tried their milk chocolate chips and didn’t really care for the taste out of the bag, but, when I baked them into the cookies, they tasted just fine?
Charltote says
December 1, 2016 at 5:41 pmMy go to at Aldi are:
Eggs and milk (Super cheap at the one on east side of Bolingbrook)
Heavy whipping cream
Dried fruits and nuts for home made trail mix and granola
Yogurt, I love their organic vanilla and plain yogurts. At $2,99 a tub, cheaper than most name brands.
Prosciutto, unless it’s on sale at Meijer, it’s cheaper at Aldi. LOVE the stuff. And the one from Aldi seems to be sliced more evenly.
Cereals. They taste just as good, and I don’t have to go coupon hunting. We don’t eat much of it though.
Also, cream cheese and bagels. I don’t eat bagels, but the kids LOVE their cinnamon-raisin bagels.
Chocolate covered cookies/biscuits. They’re like LU biscuits. And MUCH cheaper!
Cind.y H says
December 1, 2016 at 10:46 pmWe do the majority of our shopping at Aldi as well. I would add that we love their Honey Crunch and Oats cereal, Frosted Wheat Squares cereal, and Kids Krunch. Kids think these taste better than the name brands! However, some recipes have changed…we no longer buy their version of Honey Nut cheerios.
Theresa Bailey says
December 7, 2016 at 9:28 amAldi is an amazing way to get the staples you need for your pantry without breaking the bank. You are so right about baking supplies being cost effective here!
Carola says
December 7, 2016 at 9:45 amGreat tips! I like Aldi. they have some great products! I agree on the cheese cups. I also love the cold coffees they sell.
Chick On The Couch says
December 7, 2016 at 10:03 amWhenever the boyfriend and I drive by our local Aldi on the way to our usual grocery store, I always mention that we should stop there first to take advantage of the deals. Next time, I think I’ll make him stop…Great post!
Trenara says
December 7, 2016 at 10:51 amI agree I love Aldis and they are a great way to save money on food. I love that they have organic foods too, thanks for sharing!
Kelli-Anne Harris says
December 7, 2016 at 11:11 amThanks for this. My town is finally getting an Aldi and I honestly haven’t been in one before. I’m sure this will help me pick out the right items. Thanks for this!
Tracy s says
December 7, 2016 at 3:31 pmI THINK MY ALDI IS NO LONGER CARRYING SOYMILK! They had coconut milk where the soy milk used to be! Love how they now carry whole wheat pizza dough in the refrigerated section.
rachel says
December 7, 2016 at 4:33 pmI just bought it at mine yesterday, so hopefully they were just out temporarily!
Mandy says
December 7, 2016 at 6:00 pmI was told at my Aldi that they discontinued the boxed non dairy milk. I loved the coconut and was going to try another variety. The price was great and they had a lot less junk in them than the other organic brands I looked at. I hope he was wrong and they are coming back, but, the shelf space was no longer there.
tracyS says
December 7, 2016 at 8:38 pmI was referring to the refrigerated ones.
Jodi 63755 says
February 15, 2017 at 11:03 pmI buy lots there! Their eggs are huge and seldom over 79 cents
Gallons of milk, cottage cheese, sour cream,
cheese, bagged salads, the Archway knock-off
cookies, the chocolate bars…yum! We own a
mom & pop ice cream store (formerly a DQ) and
I buy lots of things there. We melt the very dark
specialty chocolate bar for an add-in to our concretes.
We buy milk there for our hand mixed shakes! Lemons
are usually a great price and quite large for our hand-
squeezed fresh frozen lemonade slushes!
We buy the whipped cream there too for Sundae topping!
I’d really miss it if we didn’t have an ALDI’S nearby!
La-La says
May 14, 2019 at 10:55 pmTheir large Sea Scallops,pork potstickers,frozen mozzerella sticks,potato skins,and jalapeno poppers are delicious ( not the healthiest,but good for quick nights with pizza,rasberry vinaigrette,blueberry cereal bars,and protein bars,spicy pork rinds,chicken breast,produce.