Do you know how some things just naturally go together? Peanut butter and jelly, veggies and hummus, tacos and guacamole, me and... Aldi's? Yes, it's true! I have a love affair with a grocery store.
I wasn't a firm believer in how amazing Aldi's was until one opened near my hometown in Connecticut a couple years ago. Now, no visit is complete without a stop at Aldi's. Here's why Aldi's is a grocery chain worth falling for:
Their prices are ridiculously cheap.
I purchased beautiful strawberries from my local Aldi's for $1.25 per pound last week (almost $3 less than my local Shaw's)- what a deal! You can also regularly find $0.75 avocados, $2 blueberry pints, and $2 asparagus packs. Their canned goods are also substantially cheaper than traditional grocery stores; you can find canned beans for $0.75 each and tomato sauce for $0.50.
I also love purchasing Aldi's hummus quartet (jalapeno, roasted red pepper, garlic, and original) for any small gathering I'm hosting. It pairs deliciously well with their pita chips ($2). If you're planning for a party, you might also browse their impressive selection of meats and cheeses- all of which are priced very reasonably!
As a vegan, I've also found that Aldi's offers a plethora of options that are much cheaper than traditional meatless brands (e.g., Gardein and Morningstar Farms). I think their meatless meatballs are by far the best on the market. They also sell vegan cheese!
Unlike most "value" or wholesale grocery stores, you don't have to buy mega-packs of food.
I love shopping at Costco, but I can only eat so much produce in one week! Instead, Aldi offers smaller portion sizes for customers without compromising value. You can buy a single dozen of eggs, gallon of milk, or a small bag of chips at or below the price per pound of a warehouse store. This is ideal for people who live with less people or want to reduce how much food they purchase (because food waste is the worst)! You also don't need a "membership" to shop at Aldi, as you would with a warehouse store.
Although almost all of their products are generic brand, they are similar (if not better) quality than a traditional grocery store.
Brand-name isn't always better! If you're looking to save on your weekly grocery budget, I would recommend buying as many generic-brand products as possible. If you look at the labels of generic versus brand-name, you'll find many of the same ingredients and nutritional information across them. In terms of taste, they're basically indistinguishable!
Although most of their products are generic, you can find find some brand-name yogurts, breakfast cereals, snacks, and frozen foods in their aisles. Aldi doesn't skimp on variety either; you can find everything from fresh produce to frozen nuggets!
They require customers to bring their own bags, because why create more plastic waste than we need to?
Aldi claims that the reason their prices are so low is because they don't have to pay employees to bag food for customers. It also saves a lot of time for you to bag your groceries yourself!
Their staff is always friendly and willing to help customers with any concerns they may have.
Rarely do I ever walk into a grocery store and remark about how clean everything is, but Aldi's always manages to impress me. Their staff is well-versed in the location and variety of products they offer, so I always feel comfortable approaching them if I have questions.