Today's ALDI Trip

I braved a shopping trip to ALDI today with J-Dub.  Not my favorite place to go, but they have great deals and it's worth making the trip.  If you haven't given ALDI a chance, you might try it out.  And don't give up after the first trip.  You may start finding things you like there.  Four things you should know before you go, though:

1. You have to deposit a quarter to get a cart, but don't worry - you can get it back when you return the cart at the end of your shopping trip.
2. They DO NOT bag your stuff up for you (like at Sam's).  You can purchase bags (paper or plastic) at the register, but you will roll your cart over to a counter to bag up your stuff if you choose to.  I bring my own recycled shopping bag.  Usually 1 does the trick for me because I don't purchase very much.
3. You can pay with cash or debit.  No credit cards.  No coupons.
4. The store isn't huge.  They don't carry hardly any name brand stuff.  Most of their products are sold under the ALDI brand (Fit and Active, Mercer, etc.).  BUT, ALDI works with big national suppliers to produce their products.  I pulled this from their website: 

ALDI partners with the best suppliers in the country—often the same ones that produce national brands. In addition, we have a test kitchen to ensure that our products meet or exceed the quality and taste of the national name brands.

 So, here's what I typically get when I go there:

1. Milk - Thanks to ALDI's presence in the market, milk prices have come down.  For a long time, you could get milk just about anywhere for about $1.  I've noticed that just recently, Walmart has increased their milk price to almost $2.  ALDI's price for a gallon of milk is $0.99.
2. Eggs - ALDI's egg prices have crept up, but I think they are still a reasonable price.  Eggs were $0.49 a few weeks ago and I think are now about  $0.79?  I didn't check because I didn't need any this trip, AND I know I can get them cheaper at Walmart right now.  Especially with my INCREDIBLE EGG coupon I printed a while back! 
3. Produce - This week (which I think the new ad cycle starts tomorrow, so really through the end of today), you can get a 6 pack of Roma tomatoes for $0.65, a 3lb bag of yellow onions for $0.75, a 3 pack of red/yellow/orange bell peppers for $1.69, and cucumbers for $0.55.
4. Snacks (mostly for J-dub) - Apple juice, Applesauce cups, graham crackers, chips (their Sour Cream and Onion, and BBQ chips are VERY similar to Lay's brand - I haven't tried their baked chips), dried fruits, nuts, granola bars.... we are NOT a fan of their "goldfish sharks" or their animal crackers.  I'm a cereal snob so I've never tried any of their cereals.
5. Boxed Pasta - very similar to Pasta Roni.  We fix this on lazy dinner nights.  Usually the Parmesan flavor and we'll throw in peas and shrimp, and fix a salad.  I think it's about $0.69 or 0.79 a box.

I haven't braved getting meat there yet.  And really, I think you can get a better deal elsewhere by checking ads.
 
I hope this posting gives you some courage to try out an ALDI near you.  If you've shopped there before and have favorites you buy at ALDI, please do share!
 
P.S. Please don't be like my friend Whitney and buy a CHEESEBALL on your first ALDI trip!  It'll keep you away forever! :)  Love ya Whit!