Friday 21 November 2014

How to succeed shopping in Aldi...with a little effort

I do seem to have been in reflective mood recently. Not sure why that is - I've never been one for too much introspection, even when I was trying to be a goth. But having just purchased tickets to take Pink to see Olly Murs, something I thought I'd never do (and not just when I was trying to be a goth - at which point, I hasten to add, Mr Murs was probably no more than a proverbial twinkle - I feel so OLD) I thought the time was probably right to 'fess up to something else I never thought I'd do - shop at Aldi.

Of course it's quite the thing these days, isn't it, to declare that you shop at Aldi, and I don't want really want to jump on the band wagon. What I will say is that while I've called this post 'How to succeed shopping in Aldi...' what I should probably have called it is 'Confessions of a food snob' because that is basically what I realise I am guilty of, and what you have to get over if deep down you believe your supermarket soulmate is Waitrose (or Booths for those of you that know) with a liberal sprinkling of the farmers market.

Not that there's anything wrong with shopping at Waitrose if that's your environmentally-friendly jute bag, and definitely nothing wrong with a farmers market, but, as they say, there is another way. Of course in an ideal world perhaps there wouldn't be any supermarkets and we would all shop in small, hyper-local stores but certainly in my life as it currently is, this is unrealistic.

My relationship with discount supermarkets goes quite a long way back. I have memories of my mum coming home triumphant from a Lidls with bags of delicious Liebkuchen - spiced German cookies - but at what ever impressionable age I was, the way she talked about it all being so, well cheap, it was just embarrassing. And now that I have a nearly 11 year old who is suffering from the crippling agonies of living with THE MOST embarrassing parents E-V-V-A, well I can kind of see how her enthusiasm for Lidl turned into a negative in my brain.

For a long time - since I've been in charge of the food shopping, I have essentially avoided discount supermarkets like the plague. I did frequent Leader Price during the year I lived in France in my very early 20s because it was close to the flat I was living in, and of course a discount supermarket in France was bound to be the equivalent of Waitrose (or at least Sainsburys) in the UK. I've also got a deep seated suspicion of Tescos - don't ask me why, but there's a hierarchy that I've lived with for a long time now and it involves trying to buy locally where possible and Sainsburys online delivery (because Ocado is just too expensive) for everything else.

Well since moving West, I've had to change all that. The nearest Sainsburys is a long way away for a start (in fact I'm not sure I know where it is) - no online delivery from them here - and in fact plans for a Sainsburys in Cardigan now appear to have been scrapped as the supermarket has all but admitted to pulling out. Not necessarily a bad thing. Morrisons is a 40 minute drive away (at least - assuming you don't get stuck behind a tractor) in Carmarthen and I think there's an Asda somewhere down Llanelli way...

There are plenty of fabulous farm shops round here, market gardens and the like, but I like to use those for my fresh stuff - meat, veg, eggs - and not the endless tins of chopped tomatoes and pasta we get through.

So what are the options? Well here, it's Tescos and Aldi. There is a Co-Op too but I don't go there - my mind is firmly set in its way of thinking that the Co-Op is for emergencies only (from where we used to live - talk about stuck in my ways). And reader, after coming out of Tescos a few times early on since the move here practically weeping about the cost of my supermarket shopping, which seemed to have inflated beyond belief, I decided I had to do something. So I ventured forth into Aldi.

Now, Aldi is not the best shopping experience in the world. You need to remember to have a £1 coin for the trolleys which can be a challenge, the car park is quite small (but see speed of shopping, below, which encourages high car turnover). You can't always rely on finding that fabulous product that was there last week or last month because it simply may not be there - but if you haven't deemed Aldi worthy of your attention, you really should give it a go. 

The price element is certainly attractive - I would say that I have more than halved what I spend in supermarkets. On 'big shop' days, I find myself in a little challenge to see if I can actually spend more than £50. It's pretty hard, if not impossible, to do. Once (can I admit to this? Deep breath...here goes) I actually BOUGHT A DAILY EXPRESS (I can't believe I am admitting this - the ultimate betrayal of my Guardian reading-self?) to get a token that gave me £5 off my shop - but even with purchasing said paper, I had to buy 2 more packs of chocolate buttons to bump the value up to the requisite £50 to then pay £45...The advantage of course is that I can spend more on delicious, local, fresh produce that this area excels in, thus satisfying my inner Waitrose customer.

And shopping in Aldi is so quick. Not only have I cut my shopping bill, I have cut my shopping time. No dawdling round the higher-end establishments agonising over whether to go for branded or own brand, and whether paying for the 'premium' range actually means I'm getting a better product. No, at Aldi, the reduced choice is actually an advantage.

And quality? Well, as I'll share, you do need to be slightly circumspect. The middle aisles for example, stuffed full of the latest offers which Aldi has become renowned for - discount Wagyu beef anyone?  Some of them are fab, some are not. Spending £1 on a pack of 5 pairs of pants for Pink might not have been the wisest £1 I've ever spent, but I guess it was worth finding that out... But for tinned goods, cereals, rice and pasta, baking ingredients - well you know, it's really pretty good. And then there's the special selections - I even bought some Laverstoke Park Beef Jerky there once, and it definitely didn't cost £2.49. And the prosecco with the orange label for £4.99 (yes, £4.99) is exceptionally drinkable. And the chorizo (in fact cooked meats generally)... and the chocolate (they do this really lush milk chocolate with almonds bar which is to die for - you'll find me eating it in the car park...) the list goes on. You'll establish your own favourites, I won't impose my pre-conceived ideas on you!

But to get the most out of Aldi, you really do need to bear a few things in mind, so I thought if you were dithering, wondering about whether to embark on a voyage of Aldi discovery, I'd share what I wish someone had told me.

- Remember your £1 for the trolley; there's no (un)'helpful' customer service desk to exchange your purseful of coppers for a shiny coin. Alternatively loiter by the trolley park and persuade someone to take your fistful of change in exchange for their (empty) trolley.

- Go with a list. Yes, I know this applies to all supermarkets, but the likelihood is that you will get your head turned by all the amazing products and how cheap they are. You might even end up spending more than £50.

- If there's something there that you use a lot of - buy it (even if it's not on your list). I got a huge number of jars of 'Paprika Smoked' in Aldi recently - I suspect because there had been a labelling malfunction that meant Schwartz felt unable to peddle them to the 'more upmarket' stores. Too bad! Also look out for things like bottled cherries in syrup - fabulous on top of cheesecake...

- But be honest with yourself - how many luxury marzipan stollens can you actually eat before Christmas?

- Be brave. I'll admit to an inherent nervousness about buying something that isn't familiar - so indoctrinated have I been that cheap food is inherently bad food. This is simply not the case. At least we haven't died yet.

- There are some things that you just can't get in Aldi - or you can get it but it's just a false economy. This will be personal to you. For me, loo roll comes top of the list. Sorry, Aldi, but there it is.

- Finally, and most importantly - if you haven't experienced check out at Aldi, brace yourself. No longer will you scan for the shortest queue. Checkout at Aldi requires a bit of a brain re-wire. If you're doing a relatively big shop, you need  time to get all your items out onto the conveyor belt and (if you're anal like me and like to bag things in a certain way - it's all coming out now, isn't it) ordered as you like. Also open your empty bags that you bought with you and place them into the trolley and have them ready to receive your goods. Hopefully you've done all this before it's your turn. Get your trolley into position and on your marks... get set... GO! I challenge you not to end up just chucking everything in as quickly as possible to try and keep up with the flying hands of the checkout staff who have been trained to smile and ask you difficult questions about your weekend whilst shooting your purchases through the scanner at warp speed, and on to the impossibly short counter at the other side at lightening speed. I understand this is a tactic, part of why the costs can be kept down, Get used to it - and get in training... 

So there you go. Confession over. Now get thee to an Aldi...

*Just in case you are wondering, I haven't been paid or otherwise induced to write this post by Aldi or anyone else. Just think of it as a public service broadcast

21 comments:

  1. I'm a recent convert to Aldi here in Cardiff, and I have to agree with everything you say. My discoveries so far have included some lovely extra virgin olive oil (but don't touch the Balsamic), fantastic smoked dry cure bacon (no watery pan from it!), and some great goat's cheese logs. (God, how middle class does that list sound?). The baking products are brilliant value, too. The salt and black pepper crisps are strangely addictive! I think you just have to know what you want. That said, it's worth trying some things even if they're not to your taste, as you do save a lot. :)

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    1. Oh yes - the bacon is great isn't it - better than some I've bought in the butchers that I'd thought was 'better quality'. I think you're right that you have to know what you want but be prepared to try other things too - but I'm glad to have done away with my preconceptions! Thanks for commenting.

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  2. When checking out with a big shop I found that throwing everything back in the trolley is best then going to the provided counter to sort out my bags.

    I had a lot of people telling me to try Aldi's as well, because locally we have a big Sainsbury's and that's where I tend to shop. Anyway I found my way to Aldi's and I was surprised by how much I saved. As affordable as it is, I feel like I can't get everything I want there all the time. As you said it can be touch and go on the products.

    I enjoyed reading this as it puts into words how I too feel about Aldi's!

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    1. :-) thanks for commenting Lisa, I agree that yo can't always get everything, but I've found the best way to approach it is to go to Aldi first and get all you can there, then if necessary, go elsewhere I often see the same people who were in Aldi in Tescos...

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  3. I do love Lidl, especially now our local has started an instore bakery. It's always a juggling match at the end of the shop to keep everything in the basket and not let it roll merrily down the aisles!

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    1. There's no Lidl here - I think there may be one in Carmarthen...

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  4. The thought of not being near a supermarket does induce a slight feeling of panic in me these days - I'm pleased to say that there's a Waitrose less than 5 minutes walk from my front door. As a result, I don't do many big shopping expeditions but I also probably spend far more than I can afford. I'm perfectly happy to shop in Aldi and Lidl but I have two problems with that. First, there's a local bylaw that prevents any shop opening that's not posh enough in our little town. Second, I can't tell the difference between Aldi and Lidl. So I go looking for my favourite choc bar in one of them and find out they sell it in the other one. I'm hoping to visit one of them soon because apparently they're selling very decently priced bottles of Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh and that's got to be a good and a slightly posh thing. I've no idea which of the two it is and I bet I go to the wrong one.
    I'm slightly shocked about the Daily Express thing but I think I'll get over it.

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    1. I know - it's fairly unforgiveable behaviour, but in my defence, I didn't buy the Express because I knew about the offer in advance. When I got to the checkout in Aldi, they were flogging the paper and when I gasped in horror and suggested that I might not be able to bring myself to buy the Daily Express she gave me such a look if incomprehension that I felt like I had to...

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  5. I use Aldi and Lidl here for the fruit and veg. Organic, local produce that is a lot cheaper than the other supermarkets have to offer. Sadly none of them are up to much though. If one day we move back to the UK, I will probably not go in one for quite a while though...

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    1. Ha - I have to say that I steer mostly clear of the veg in our Aldi unless its bananas, butternut squash and potatoes. The shelf life doesn't seem to be that good. However, I did buy some delicious pears recently. Much nicer than anything I've bought in Tescos recently.

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  6. An absolutely brilliant post. It's so funny. When we're at home in the cottage we're like you, in the middle of nowhere and our choice is Morrisons or co op. (Which I love.). Nearest Waitrose 40 miles so it's for Christmas only. Have no idea where the nearest Aldi is but I'm prepared to give it a go if I can. In London we rarely supermarket shop. Just hop into the local for what we need. It would prob be different if we had kids is imagine.

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    1. Glad you liked it, Dom! I think you always get used to what you've got close to you, don't you? Before we moved we had a small co-op less than 5 monutes walk away which was very convenient, but I did find it expensive - and if I wasn't organised, and kept having to 'just pop up to the co-op' I ended up spending a fortune... At least where we are now, if I desperately need something (usually milk, eggs, bread) there's a farm shop closer than a supermarket.

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  7. I only ever visited an Aldi once, here in France, where everything is not only foreign and suspicious looking but also labelled in every language except English! Seeing nothing that I recognised I came out empty handed, except for a single chocolate bar, which was horrid!
    However, we do have in Loches a shop called Noz, which seems to sell food near its sell by date, clothes and accessories, not to mention plant pots and cheap tools, all next to each other like a jumble sale. We were surprised to see some rather well heeled Loches ladies shopping there and indeed came out with a few bargains ourselves.
    Unfortunately the kiwi smoothie was a rather greyish green colour and tasted as bad as it looked, so it's a bit of a lottery!
    At home in the UK I head for Sainsbury's these days. Having been compelled to shop in Morrison's and Tesco while I was working, due to lack of time, I now afford myself the luxury of shopping where you don't need full battle gear to cope with the other shoppers, including a gas mask in some cases! For the time being I am happy to pay a bit extra for the superior ambience, but I will take your advice and try Aldi next time!

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    1. Ah you see that's why I have always aspired to Waitrose - it's not just about the produce but about the wider aisles, and the green freshness of it all - the whole ambience thing. Aldi doesn't have that kind of attraction - I'd be lying if I said otherwise, but it does have a certain draw...

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  8. You must live very close to my 'home' in Wales - a village just inland of Sarnau. I know Aldi in Cardigan very well, as it's our fist stop for family holiday food stocking-up shopping. I've given up trying to keep up with packing at the checkout and leave my bags in the car, chuck it all into the trolley as it whizzes past the till point and then pack it in a slightly more leisurely way straight into the car boot - if in Cardigan, then usually chatting to the people in the next car. In fact, Aldi even seems to have broken down some of the 'social' barriers in Winchester and everyone seems much friendlier and less competitive in there. Maybe it's the staff - they're so helpful, happy and friendly. Pob hwyl!

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    1. Yeah - I drive through Sarnau all the time - do you ever use the farm shop there? I love that place! And is your actual home Winchester? We moved here from North Hampshire in February...Thanks for commenting. May be I'll see you in Aldi (or on the beach) some time

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  9. Margaret DIckinson7 December 2014 at 15:19

    Glad to see Booths getting a mention! Did you know, when I was a nipper, the Preston store had a cafe upstairs, with traditional waitresses in black, with frilly white aprons and caps and they did proper silver service even at lunchtime? Sadly, it closed down years ago and was replaced by Waterstones.

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    1. No, I didn't know that! Booths is my mum's favourite - but as she lives in Yorkshire, she has the opportunity!

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  10. Aargh! Just lost my whole comment! I'll do bullet points this time...
    * Didn't know Aldi and co when I love in France. They appeared only shortly before we left
    * In Munich we used a shop called Penny Markt, where the cashier were actually not quite as horrid as the ones in other supermarkets
    *Always found the 'depot' like layout a bit depressing but can never resist a bargain (maybe from childhood when money was so tight we collected vegs from the reject pile at the local farmers cooperative, I loved it!)
    * Don't use here just because doing all shopping online (ASDA though!)
    * If I couldn't shop online I'd be an Aldi shopper too! :)

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    1. Sorry for typos from using phone left handed because of toddler asleep on my right arm!

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    2. I hear that Aldi will never do online shopping - I think it would be too hard given the amount of 'transient' stock they have. I'd probably never have ventured in if online shopping wasn't so hit & miss round here - but I quite like going to the shops - and I do do more 'local' shopping too here

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