Aldi vs. WalMart foodstores

Becky . . . You asked about the nuts at Aldi's. The only ones I've tried are the mixed nuts (no peanuts) in the clear plastic jar. My favorites! I was talking with a lady in the checkout in front of me about them just yesterday. She had two jars of them. I said to her, "Don't you love those?" She agreed they are the best. (They are unsalted, not roasted.) I don't buy them very often because it's really hard NOT to eat the whole darned thing in one sitting while watching TV.

How are the nuts there? I saw the cashews and wondered about them. My whole family LOVES cashews, but man they are super expensive.

Good, very good. addictive . . . As is the trail mix. I can not let myself buy that stuff.

I buy all my veggies there. We go thru 2-4 heads of broccoli a week, so that's a big savings. Also on the mushrooms, peppers, carrots, cucumbers, celery, and avacodos. Those are once a week items for me. I go twice a week just to buy apples, banannas, and bread. My kids go thru about 4 bags of apples a week.

I love the sliced cheese, especially the provolone and smoked cheddar (they dont always have the smoked, but do the regular cheddar slices). I buy the shredded cheeses too. The milk is a given with us. It is usually almost a dollar a gallon cheaper than Wal-mart.

That dark chocolate is fab! I really like the dark chocolate with orange.

I buy rice and pasta there often. I also use their signature spaghetti sauces when in a pinch.

I do buy meat there sometimes. I don't cook alot of beef though. I always buy frozen skinless and boneless chix breasts. They have good chorizo. I buy frozen shrimp and scallops there cheaply. Also I like the salmon.

Now....I do not like the dish detergent. I do not like the processed cheese slices. I do not like the lunch meat. I do not like the peanut butter. I do not like their margarine, but love getting real butter from there.

Thanks for the heads up on the nuts, we will be trying them since i see a consensus.

Trisha, sounds like our kids eat alike. Or is it that all kids can eat you out of house and home?

I bought the chorizo and will try it for breakfast tomorrow, it is very cheap. 1.99, i usually pay the 3.69 @ kroger for it. All of the veggies and fruits you mentioned is what i am always keeping in stock here at home. So finding all of those things cheaper is great.

i was wondering about their detergents, seems like a couple of people have already said they do not like it. Plus it didn't seem that much cheaper to me. I saw the peanut butter, which we use a lot of as well. But, i am brand loyal to just a couple of things, PB is one of them, I like Skippy, my husband JIF. I can really taste a difference with off brands of PB. Picked up the cheese slices and shredded, will also be trying tomorrow. Their lunch meats didn't look very appetizing, but thats ok, since i am trying to get away from them.

I did buy the milk. We had some yesterday, it tastes fine. But, i don't know, doesn't seem as thick/rich to me as Kroger or Wal-mart. Bought the same kind, full fat, not 2% or skim, so i do not know what the difference could be. Could be psychosomatic, dont know.

Nice to know what is hit and miss.....

I can't respond about the "lunch meats", but we really enjoy Aldi's "Deli Cuts" meats (roast beef, ham, chicken, turkey). The roast beef is my favorite. 97% lean and thick sliced. Makes a mean R.B. sandwich.

I will bet you that if you pour the Aldi milk into a Kroger milk jug, you won't be able to tell the difference. And I like their peanut butter a lot. Ditto the margarine.