I have recently become an Aldi convert. I love Trader Joe’s, I love Safeway and Target, but Aldi has recently won a special place in my heart. I was so surprised about it, but I’ve become a real lover of Aldi. I’ve been shopping there regularly (weekly, or thereabouts) for the past couple of months and it’s made a big difference in how we eat, and how much money we’re spending.

Things I love about Aldi:

• There’s always something new.

• The prices cannot be beaten.

• The quality has been top-notch.

Let me say right out of the gate, this isn’t a paid promotion. I’ve seen a lot of that going around lately, and I’ve never heard from Aldi. I just wanted to share this thing that I’ve been loving, and that has cut our grocery bill in half.

I have to confess here that my first impression of Aldi was less than favorable. Our town has a fairly small grocery and when it’s crowded, it’s hell on earth. That was the case for the first few times that I went there. Busy, bumping carts, unable to find what I wanted. Awful. I’ve got the hang of it now, and it’s way better. That still, it’s not the best all-around. There are some things that Aldi rocks at, and some they don’t.

What Aldi is Good At

Consistently low prices

I am not exaggerating when I say that we have cut our grocery store bill on a regular week in half. It’s crazy the amount of high-quality produce that we can get for a fraction of the price. Today, for our weekly grocery shop, we got enough produce for the week, pasta, shrimp…for $21. There was a crate of kiwis for $1.49. I saw the same package at our local grocery for $6.99 today.

Regular store design

If you go into any Aldi, you’ll be able to find your way around. There are Aldis all around the world, and every single one is essentially laid out the same. You can be in Minnesota or Berlin. They’ll both look the same. The best part is the Aldi Finds section in the middle of the store that hs random things that are here today, gone tomorrow. This is where you can find artisan pasta for $1, brand-names sweets for half price, and seasonal goods.

High-quality items

I have been loving the selection of A+ produce that we’ve been getting week after week. A pound of strawberries for $1 in perfect shape. I’ve also been able to find some surprising bright patches. They make a ginger beer that I love and have the best selection of cheese. Do you want to build an expert charcuterie board? I’ve bought everything I needed for 8 people there before for less than $30!

What Aldi is Bad At

Brand-loyalty

This is the biggest problem for me personally. If there is something that you need the specific brand of, you are out of luck. This is not that kind of place. The biggest spot that I run into for this is soda. Call me snobby, but there is a big difference between Lemon-Lime Soda and Seven Up. You know this. If your kids demand a specific kind of cereal, that’s too bad.

They’re only open peak times — no late-night milk runs!

Our Aldi closes very promptly at 7 pm every night. This means that if it’s late, and I need something for the next day, too bad. It also means that there isn’t much opportunity to shop during non-peak times. You know, early int he morning or late at night when you have the whole place to yourself? That doesn’t exist here.

A speedy time

Because our Aldi is pretty tight and the aisles fairly narrow, it can be truly hellish. Because of their limited hours, it’s worth considering a non-peak time to stop by and get what you need and then high-tail on out of there. I have also never been to my local Aldi and had more than one check-stand open at a time.

A one-stop grocery

Aldi is fantastic when it comes to basics, but if you’re making a specific recipe that calls for something out of the ordinary, you’ll need to stop at another grocery. The thing I ran into that surprised me was whole ginger root. Nope! Not available. If you are heading in with a super-specific list, you’ll be out of luck.

Things to Think About

Before you head off for your visits, a couple of things to keep in mind. There are no shopping bags provided at Aldi, so you should either bring your own or plan that you’ll need to buy a reusable one. You will also need to bring a single real quarter coin if you intend on having a cart. No quarter, no cart. You’ll get it back, don’t worry. This can throw people off if they don’t know. Happy shopping, and good luck!

What do you like to shop for at Aldi?