Shopping at Aldi — My Favorite Items and Ways to Save

Shopping at Aldi can save you a ton on groceries, but there are some quirks to how the chain operates. Take a mini-tour and see what my favorite items to buy at Aldi are. https://moneyat30.com/ultimate-guide-to-shopping-and-saving-at-aldi/

The Aldi Shopping Experience

Private label vs. name brand
Most of the items that you’ll find on your Aldi visit are what are known as “private label” — in more layman terms, “generic.” At the same time, among these offerings are a few name brand items like Coca-Cola, Pop-Tarts, and other hyphenated favorites. The problem is that, while you can score some great deals with many of Aldi’s private label goods, you’ll save little if anything by buying the name brand stuff.

Aldi Finds and other temporary items
Another important thing to note about Aldi is that you may just find something you love that might not be there the next time you arrive. That’s because the chain often offers what they call “Aldi Finds.” These might be completely original items, different twists on existing products they may be testing, or seasonal offerings. As a result, you never know what you might discover.

Checking out and bagging
First, if you don’t have reusable bags with you and don’t want to carry all of your items in a big pile, you’ll need to purchase — yes, purchase — bags as you check out. In addition to some reusable bags for sale, Aldi also offers you the option to purchase standard paper grocery bags for a few cents each or thick, plastic bags for a similar fee. Alternatively (or additionally), you are welcome to take some of the extra cardboard boxes lying around to help you tote your items.

With that out of the way, you’re ready to check out. One thing you’ll notice as you get closer to the front of the line is that there’s always a cart at the end of the check-out. This is so that the cashier can easily scan your items (fun fact: you’ll notice that many of Aldi’s products have giant barcodes on multiple sides to make scanning even faster) and throw them into the cart for you to take to the bagging area. As a result, there’s no need to worry that the cart they’re filling isn’t actually yours. Once you’ve checked out, just take the cart of your items and move your empty cart next to the cashier for the next guest.

Once you reach the bagging area (in our store, this is essentially a long counter where you can set up shop), it’s up to you to decide how you want to arrange your groceries.

Returning your cart
Finally, don’t forget the cardinal rule of Aldi shopping: return your cart. Not only is this essential for getting your quarter investment back but it’s also just part of being a good citizen.

My Aldi Shopping List and Top Picks

Eggs, milk, and cheese
Some of the best items to get at Aldi are some of the most essential. For example, it’s nearly the only place we go to when it’s time to stock up on milk and eggs. In terms of price, a gallon of Aldi’s nonfat milk usually goes for about $2-$2.50 a gallon while a dozen eggs can fluctuate from around $.15 to $1.50. As far as we’ve seen, this has always been the best price — sometimes by a lot.

One way Aldi has really surprised me with their cheese selection. Although you might expect a store of its caliber to merely stock individually-wrapped American cheese and maybe some shredded mozzarella, I’ve been delighted to find slightly more exciting options like sliced muenster, aged swiss, and fresh mozzarella.

Ice cream and desserts
Admittedly, when it came to Aldi products, I wasn’t immediately on board. That started to change the first time I tried their chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. First of all, it was packed with dough (an essential element for me) and, to my amazement, was only about $2.50!

As much as I love their ice cream, my beloved cookie dough recently lost its crown as my favorite Aldi product. On a recent visit, three cookie flavors caught my eye; caramel coconut fudge cookie, peanut butter-filled cookies, and fudge mint cookies. These knockoffs are literally just as good if not better than the Girl Scout Cookies they emulate. The best part? They’re $1.39 per package!

Sparkling water, coffee, and other beverages
Lately it seems like sparkling water-based beverages like La Croix are all the rage. Aldi recently started stocking cases of their own sparkling water that come in at a fraction of the price other brands charge, making me a very happy customer.

While we’re on the topic of drinks, another real steal we’ve discovered at Aldi is the packaged coffee. Aldi also stocks a number of K-cups at reasonable prices to help you get your morning fix.

Other favorites
Finally, there are a few other Aldi products you can’t go wrong with. Among them, their variety of cereals. Ranging from $1 to $3 a box on average, you can likely find versions of your favorites at a great price. For those with healthier taste, they also have some unique but affordable options such as their Organic Coconut & Chia Granola.

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