It’s no secret that I love food. Cooking and baking are extremely therapeutic for me, and making meals together is something my family really enjoys doing. But over the years, as we’ve added family members and grown in our food interests, so has the amount of money we spend on it. Truth be told, how much I spent on groceries was a constant source of tension between my husband and myself… until I started shopping at Aldi. I’m sure most of you reading this know of Aldi – but maybe you’re still on the fence. That’s okay – I get it. It’s hard to imagine such wonderful quality (and in some cases, unique!) food for such affordable prices, but I promise it’s not a dream!
For a quick info sesh on Aldi, check out the store’s history on their website. Now, let’s talk awesome finds (#aldifinds if you’re into Instagram!).
We’ll start with my kiddos’ absolute favorite – pizza. As you can see, a 16″ pizza is either $4.99 or $5.99. And y’all – they’re GOOD. In addition to these “take ‘n bake” styles, they also carry another one of our family’s frozen favorites, Lotzza Motzza – and at Aldi, it’s by far the best price around. My kids also love their selection of popsicles – all natural and/or organic, 100% juice (or 100% juice and Greek yogurt) all for under $3 a box.
The snacks in general are super affordable – and healthy! Think tons of organic items for under $5 – including fruit snacks, chips, beans and salsas. Their cereals use all-natural coloring, and you can also get protein and fruit and nut bars for under $5!
Let’s be honest . . . adults need snacks, too! Aldi makes it SUPER easy to make up a fun meat, cheese, fruit and cracker plate with high-end, quality cheese selections for under $3, packaged cured meats for under $4, grapes and berries for under $3, and organic crackers for the same. They also will occasionally have unique jellies and honey to serve on the side! And really quick, while on the topic of the dairy department, you can get half-gallons of organic milk for under $3 and soy or almond milk for around $1.99.
This is one of our new favorite salads to make – it’s a mix of spring greens (kale, spinach, etc.) and sweet butter lettuce, raspberries, blueberries, pistachios, and honey goat cheese. I got all the ingredients for it for under $13 – the most expensive being the already-shelled pistachios for $4.99. And with the amount of each item that you get, you can easily get 4-5 salads out of it all. (To note – Aldi does not presently carry many fresh herbs. I think I’ve only seen cilantro there on rare occasions – but right now, they are selling pre-potted herbs like basil and dill for under $2!)
In the words of The Sound of Music, “These are a few of my favorite things!” and we haven’t even touched on Aldi’s Special Buy section. Ladies, you’ve just got to see this area for yourself because the items frequently vary . . . this time of year, you could completely redo your garden and landscaping for under $100. Quality kid’s toys for under $10. Exercise equipment for under $20. Super luxe allergy-free pillows for $6. Lithium-Ion drills for under $30. The list goes on and on!
One last thing… you need to bring your own bags or purchase your own there for between $.06 – $.10 per bag. And you need $.25 for the carts. Don’t worry – you’ll get it back when you return it!
I won’t lie – most Aldi’s aren’t all that visually pleasing, but what you find within those four walls will surely surprise you. I’d love to hear your favorite finds!
(This post is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Aldi. This is just my opinion on one of the greatest little grocery shops of all time.)
