The Best Things to Buy at Aldi, According to Super Fans
Aldi has a loyal fan base thanks to the store's mission to offer good food at great prices. But there's more to the Aldi shopping experience than savings. The brand's minimalist appeal lets shoppers get in, stock their carts and get out without the overwhelm of other grocery stores. Plus, they have a fair amount of really fun private-label groceries and housewares that make saving money even more enjoyable.
That said, not everyone gets the hype. One disappointed Redditor recently spoke up in the /frugal subreddit to voice their concerns—and Aldi fans came to the rescue.
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"What do you buy at Aldi?" wrote u/MissionViejo92692. "I always hear how cheap they are. But when I go in, I never see anything I want except for a few fresh fruits and vegetables. I generally check out disappointed, feeling like a failure in the money-saving game. What do you fine people like to get there?"
The fine people responded with more than 850 comments that will basically write your next grocery list for you.
Related: Food Fight! Aldi vs. Walmart Ice Cream-Filled Cupcakes
The Best Things to Buy at Aldi, According to Super Fans
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1. Coffee
Mornings and 3 p.m. slumps call for a cup of Joe. And Aldi shoppers swear the budget-friendly chain has the best bags of beans.
"The coffee is seriously good," raved one person.
Yes, seriously. Sit down, coffee snobs. Even spare-no-expense coffee enthusiasts have converted to Aldi, which includes brands like Barrisimo and Beaumont. You can find K-cups, Fair Trade, grounds, flavored and decaf, all at great prices.
"You know what? I’ll be that a—hole," one Redditor said. "As someone who has paid upwards of $40 for an 8 oz. bag of coffee...Don’t. Just get Aldi coffee. Whole bean if they have it, and grind it yourself. Or [buy] pre-ground for drip or pour-over. Taking everything into account, dollar-for-dollar, Aldi can stand up to even the fanciest coffees."
"I appreciate this from a coffee snob — I mean coffee connoisseur," wrote another.
That said, you may want to shop elsewhere for creamer.
"The coffee creamer was a miss for us," commented one person.
"The coffee creamer is also a miss for me, and I also love almost everything else," another huge Aldi fan concurred before adding a pro tip: "I like to retry the misses every six months because they do improve things."
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2. Condiments
One of the biggest trends in the subreddit: Aldi condiments are a must-buy.
"I truly swear they have the best Dijon mustard," dished one Redditor. "Don’t sleep on Aldi condiments, people!"
Burman's mayo was also a top pick. "Mayo is better than Hellman's," wrote one person. "If it's not Burman's, it's crap," said another.
Prefer ketchup on your hot dog? We won't tell your Chicago friends. But we will advise you to give Aldi's ketchup (also Burman's) a chance.
"Aldi organic ketchup > Trader Joe's ketchup," responded one bold Redditor. "Also, they had some good horseradish mustard before, but that seems to be seasonal. And their maple syrup is my go-to!"
"They have some great guacamole options," added another.
Related: Cheesecake Factory Debuts New Menu Item Destined to Become a Fan-Favorite
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3. All the dairy
The dairy aisle also got a lot of love. The thread is full of people recommending people snag their cream, milk, butter and cheese at Aldi.
"I love their Irish cheese," said one Redditor. "I go in once a month and buy a lot of those packages of cheese."
While we can't be sure, the Redditor is likely speaking of the Emporium Selection Irish Cheddar, which is available in mild, mature and vintage.
"Their cheese is seriously so good!" raved someone else.
"Their grass-fed butter has the best price," dished another.
Of course, those saved dollars and cents may not stay in your wallet.
"All the money I save in the dairy aisle I spend on candles and avocado holders in the 'Aldi Finds' aisle," admitted a Redditor.
We call that a reward for a job well done.
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4. Cheesecake
This recommendation only came from a couple of Redditors, but it was too delicious-sounding not to mention.
"Their tiny cheesecakes for under $2," noted one.
"The last couple of years, I've been on the occasional cheesecake kick, and their cheesecake is bomb," agreed a sweet tooth. "I love buying it in the two-slice containers — it's perfect!"
"It really is so good! My mom and I decided it was as good as, if not better than, the stuff from the Cheesecake Factory," gushed another poster. "Now, I wish I’d bought some when I was at Aldi yesterday."
Aldi has Belmont cheesecakes in 24-count boxes with flavors like strawberry and New York. And, like the one Redditor said, you can also snag a couple of slices if you don't want to commit to a whole dessert.
Related: The 5 New-in-July Costco Finds Everybody's Talking About
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5. Peanut Butter (and Peanut Butter Cups)
Crunchy or creamy? Reddit is split. But posters do agree that whichever style of peanut butter you fancy, Aldi is the place to find it (in cup form, too).
"[I] prefer Aldi crunchy to most crunchy," wrote one Redditor.
"We didn’t have an Aldi where we moved for years," said a creamy fan. "Anytime my sister came for a visit, she always brought Aldi smooth peanut butter. It is the best!"
"Their creamy peanut butter is literally the only peanut butter my child will eat," said a relieved parent. "[He] will not touch any other kind... but he will eat the hell out of that peanut butter."
"Their peanut butter cups are 100% better quality than Reese's," spilled a Redditor. Noted!
6. Or, Just Buy Everything
Some have a product or two that keeps them coming back to Aldi for more. Others are all Aldi, all the time.
"My specifics from this list that I prefer from Aldi vs. more expensive stores: Apple smoked gouda, gluten-free bread, Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, olives, butter pickles, crunchy peanut butter, fair trade coffee, gluten-free black sesame crisps, unsalted butter, fresh salmon [and] jasmine rice," said one.
"Dairy products, fresh ground turkey (lean), eggs, bread, baked potato chips (I have to be careful with what I can nibble on for snacks, and their baked potato chips are less expensive and taste so much better than name brand), frozen pizza, etc," rattled off another, to which one user responded: "So what DON'T you buy?"
Touché.