Aldi's ~ Vent: Shocked

[warcraftbaby]

ITA OP-I buy a handful of things now and then if I run out of something before a sale. I stopped shopping there more for the reason that the cheaper items are too processed-beet sugar instead of cane, items with HFCS, etc. And the produce has gone downhill (bruised, moldy, etc.) yet the meat selection has sky-rocketed along with the price ($1.89 for 70% ground beef? really???) Combine all that with no qs, long lines, fumbling with the quarter to use a cart, and the overall vibe mine has (I like the one an hour away much better, it's cleaner!) and I only go in once or twice a month for a few things. I want the old Aldi's back!

[Kristim71]

You know, I thought maybe it was just me, but mine here is the same way!! I've stopped going.

[Obama Mama]

I'm guessing the price went up when they started advertising on TV.

[b304z]

our produce is always brown and gross, it seems like leftovers from somewhere. I'm jealous you all find good produce there! Prices have gone up at mine too, even tuna which used to be dirt cheap there. Agreed that now i can find better deal else where, I think they've gotten greedy maybe? It was good while it lasted though.

[thriftycj]

I still get several basics there, though I've been disappointed that they've really downsized the grandessa line, though they do seem to have more fit and active products. Things I still get at Aldi include:

Milk ($2.37/gal in KC)
Cottage Cheese
Plain yogurt (other than occasional vanilla, I only eat plain)
Olive Oil (good quality, and great price)
Southwestern egg rolls (just like Chili's, but only $1.99 for a box of 4)
Fit and Active lunch meat (GREAT quality, and good price)
Paper plates
Plastic cups


I do get some produce there, but have noticed a jump in the price. I've had problems at several stores finding onions that weren't moldy, but otherwise, quality has been very good. I tend to only buy produce that will fill out whatever I've purchased at farmers markets that week (so, usually onions, mushrooms, avocados, and peppers).

I'm really trying to eat a lot more locally grown foods, but the prices of local meat and milk are so high, that I still buy those at the supermarket. Baby steps!

ETA-- Just went in yesterday. Happy to find the Fit and Active 2% singles cheese for $1.69 every day. While Dillons had it on sale for $1.47 (plus a $1/2 q making them .97 each), I'd have to drive 30 miles each way, and the other Dillons deals that week weren't that great.

[Mandy]

Originally Posted by hburnette3 If was wasn't for there GREAT applesauce and WONDERFUL peanut butter. I wouldn't go there at all. Not to mention the $1.99 milk. I won't drink it a day after the X day though. $1.99 for milk. Something just is not right with that milk. IMO. WAY TO CHEAP. My DD and DH specially aske for those items from there.

both loaded with too much sugar for us and no low/no sugar options.

aldi can suck it, really. I went once. not impressed.

[holamelitta]

Originally Posted by marvholly I have been an Aldi shopper for >35 years. I even found one in Vienna when I was there. Went to Aldi last weekend for a stock up trip which I have not done for 3-4 months-just ran in for a couple things here & there. I am SHOCKED at how high the prices have gotten. I can buy 90% of what I “used to” buy elsewhere MUCH cheaper just w/ sales on house brand items let alone w/ sales and coupons on name brand. I do NOT have any super Kmart, Walmart or Target. I am just talking regular & independent markets. ormerly I spent $10/week, now it is less than that per month. This is more than just the increased cost of transporting goods. I suspect the expansion into more perishable items like increased dairy, produce (terrible at my stores AND $$$) and meat has caused costs to increase and there is MUCH more waste. Thus other prices had to go up to make up the costs. I would probably NOT bother w/ Aldi at all but it is next to one of my top 3 independent fruit markets, across the street from Walgreens and I do pass it to go several places several times/week so I guess I will still do the 6-8 items they are still well priiced on.

I agree with a lot of what you said. The last time I went in Aldi, I had a bit of sticker shock - most prices were still lower than shelf prices at Kroger, Jewel, etc., but they were far higher than what I was used to paying for things after coupons and store promos. Or, on a lot of other things, I can now get name brands with coupons for the same price as Aldi generic brands. I have had some issues with their produce not lasting that long. I will get some fruit there (it gets eaten very quickly at our house), but if it's something that might not get used right away (like potatoes or onions), I get it at Kroger, Ultra, or Jewel. Stuff like that from Aldi always seems to go bad faster than the same stuff from other stores. I used to get a lot of milk there too - never had any problems with it...just started using my ecb to buy it at CVS.

[albgardis]

We started buying their cream cheese, because it was only 79 cents (compared to 99 cents all other house brands were in the other local stores). Now I saw recently Aldi has moved up to 99 cents as well. I actually caught myself buying their items out of habit!

Is THAT what their plan is? You get used to buy things there, and one day they raise the prices, and you keep buying them because you are so used to??

Frozen vegetables once were 79 cents, then 89 cents, now 99 cents, and some are even around 1.20$. I can get that cheaper at Wegmans! (And Wegmans is absolutely not cheap!)

But of course, there are still deals nobody (so far!) could meet, like their chocolate or cereals. Also they have a lot of german stuff, and as a german immigrant, of course I am taking advantage of that. The alternative is having my sister mail it to me in a parcel, and then the postage will ruin any deal...

[keithandmissy]

Originally Posted by hburnette3 If was wasn't for there GREAT applesauce and WONDERFUL peanut butter. I wouldn't go there at all. Not to mention the $1.99 milk. I won't drink it a day after the X day though. $1.99 for milk. Something just is not right with that milk. IMO. WAY TO CHEAP. My DD and DH specially aske for those items from there.

Actually there is nothing wrong with Aldi's milk. Here in the Chattanooga, TN area the milk is from Flav-O-Rich, the same company that makes Golden Gallon milk for the local convenience stores.

[robnshellnboyz]

I have never had a problem with their milk...and ours is $1.49/gallon this summer. It's a blessing for my family that goes through many gallons/week. I've also found their produce to be wonderful quality and much cheaper than what I can get at Walmart or Publix. Sure, if you have the time to find and clip the coupons for the dry pantry items, they can be found cheaper, but I don't always have the time to do that.