A Peek Inside My Grocery Bag: Getting Cheap Groceries at ALDI
My friend Meredith has graciously offered to let us peek into her grocery bag to see what kinds of deals she’s scored at ALDI. She shops at ALDI once a week to stock up on groceries for the week, and typically spends around $30.00.
I’m usually pretty pleased at the quality of food I get at ALDI. The produce is usually fresh, and there is an increasingly large selection of organic foods available. Plus, they regularly come out with interesting new products (like poke bowls!) which are fun to try.
If you’re on a strict food budget, remember: Where you shop matters.
Your money will go a lot further at a discount grocery store like ALDI, as opposed to a regular or high end grocery store (see my grocery store price comparison post). Set aside time in your schedule like Meredith does, and make a weekly trip to ALDI or another budget-friendly grocery store.
ALDI Shopping Bag #1
- Wheat crackers: $1.25
- Apple cinnamon breakfast bars: $1.89
- Oatmeal: $2.19
- Trail mix: $.59
- Romaine lettuce: $1.99
- Skim milk: $2.58
- Wheat bread: $1.69
- Turkey breast: $2.49
- Sandwich: $1.89
- Croutons: $.99
- Blackberries: $.99
- Bananas: $1.18
- Pears: $1.99
- Strawberries: $.99
- Tomatoes: $1.29
- Green peppers: $1.49
- Grapefruit: $.98
- Yogurt: $1.17
- Eggs: $1.25
Total amount for groceries pictured above: $28.88
ALDI Shopping Bag #2
- Chicken breast: $6.49
- Pasta: $.99
- Wheat bread: $.89
- Milk: $2.58
- Pineapple: $1.69
- Cereal: $2.69
- Dried cranberries: $1.19
- Greek yogurt: $2.55
- Pie: $.49
- Cheese: $1.79
- Cucumbers: $.49
- Baby carrots: $.99
- Broccoli: $1.49
- Green peppers: $1.69
- Mangoes: $.98
- Hummus: $1.69
- Pita chips: $1.99
- Drink mix: $1.79
- Tomatoes: $1.29
- Cookies: $.95
Total amount for groceries pictured above: $34.70
ALDI Shopping Bag #3
- Sandwich: $1.89
- Pancake syrup: $1.49
- Yogurt: $1.99
- Cheese: $1.79
- Energy bar: $.79
- Blueberries $1.29
- Bread: $1.69
- Fruit bars: $1.89
- Refill tub: $2.29
- Bananas: $.84
- Gum: $.99
- Romaine lettuce: $2.49
- Strawberries: $1.49
- Raspberries: $1.89
- Plums: $.39
- Nectarines: $1.17
- Watermelon (not pictured): $3.89
Total amount for groceries pictured above: $28.26
Shopping at ALDI for Appetizers
I shopped at ALDI when I was putting together my $10 appetizer platter last fall. I paid $.88 for spreadable cheese and $2.80 for a big package of Genoa salami. I was able to put together a huge (and delicious!) appetizer spread for less than $10.
This post is not sponsored by ALDI. I’m simply writing about it because it’s a great place to get cheap groceries. Stay tuned for upcoming posts about other grocery stores that consistently offer great prices. (P.S. I also shop at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods!)
And while I have your attention: Be sure to like my Facebook page, where I only post interesting, relevant stuff. I promise!
Meredith is a star!! Great post… though next we need a trip to Cub Foods… 🙂
Oh how I wish we had an ALDI near us!
I love the great buys at Aldi. I always get eggs and coffee (Donut blend whole or ground). I check online for their specials like .99 pineapples! Artisan lettuce is wonderful and keeps for a long time. I can do most of my grocery shopping there.
That’s an amazing price for a pineapple!
I love it!
I’ve never been to Aldi’s but my next grocery run will be an inaugural visit.
i had gone to aldi with my sis. i tried to get my mom to check it out for months we went to eat less than a block away and were going shopping after lunch so i tried again she gave in now we shop every week she loves it. i have not found any of there things that were not as good or better than major store brands there produce is always cheap ours always has milk for $1.99 all i can say is if you have an ALDI near you you owe it to yourself to go see for your self
Aldi is the best! I feed a family of 5 for $200 a month, so that’s stop #1 for us, supplemented by our small garden and a few sales items at other places. Unlike the other discount places I’ve been, they have a good number of “ingredients” (rice, beans, plain yogurt, soy milk, flour, dried fruit, etc), rather than simply cheap processed foods, and also carry things like dark chocolate that we couldn’t afford to splurge on at a regular grocer. That makes it a lot easier to eat well on a tight budget. PLUS, they have a guarantee on all their store brand items- if you don’t like it, you get DOUBLE your money back. How do you beat that?
$200 a month for 5 people is amazing!
It was a lot harder in the beginning, before I had much of a plan. But now it’s second nature. The trick is to shop to fill the pantry (based on what’s cheap/seasonal that week) and decide what to make with it afterwards- if you shop for ingredients for several difference recipes a week, it adds up really fast. Instead, I have a short list of “must always have” staples, like flour, rice, etc, that I can make into unlimited dishes. Doesn’t hurt to know how to cook either! Love your blog, btw. Cheap recipe inspiration is always welcome! 🙂
I have an Aldi and I love it!
Instead of bringing plastic bags, I made bags out of old t shirts (cut off sleeves to make handles and sewed up the bottoms to create the bag). They hold a ton of stuff, last forever and were FREE!
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We are from Roseville but living In Peru right now. I asked someone to bring us some corn tortillas from Aldi, but they couldn’t find them. They were also in Wisconsin. Any clue if the Aldis in MN are still carrying the corn tortillas? (Specifically looking for the corn and not the flour, they were up near the registers in the Mexican food section at the Aldi on Lexington and University.)
I bought some sour cream at our aldi and it was green it expired next month and they said they couldn’t do anything about it so u need to find out what your aldis will not take back if it’s bad …..
Good to know!
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Interesting as I’m a big price watcher. I wonder if those items were duplicated what would the price be today. But the one thing I noticed in particular was that I buy whole fat milk at wally for $1.97. Does make one wonder why and I’m going to assume that the dairy farmers aren’t getting rich any time soon.
My step-grandmother came from Sweden in 1914 by herself to marry. I often had many of the recipes you post. She was a phenomenal cook and very nice lady.