Favorite Foods to Find at Aldi

A few days ago, I mentioned how our family has saved a lot of money just by menu planning. Another part of cutting down on our budget was switching to Aldi as our main grocery store. If you haven't heard of them by now, they are a quickly growing chain that offers discounted food and household supplies. The prices are cheap, but the store does have it's quirks. You have to rent a shopping cart for a quarter and if you don't bring your own shopping bags, you have to buy them at the store. Also, they have an average selection of grocery items, but not the variety that you may get at a bigger store. For example, if you want salad dressing, they may offer 5 or 6 different varieties as opposed to the 20+ you may find elsewhere. But, since the prices are so low, this is definitely something my family has been able to work with.

When I first started shopping there, I was a little skeptical of how some of their food would taste. Since I couldn't find many reviews of their products online, I thought I would offer a list of some of our favorites.

1. ǀ 2. ǀ 3. ǀ 4. ǀ 5. ǀ 6. ǀ 7. ǀ 8. ǀ 9. ǀ 10. ǀ 11. ǀ 12.

1. I am really picky about deli meat and Aldi's Oven Roasted Turkey Breast has just the same taste and texture as other major brands. 

2. Their Turkey Polska Kielbasa is a great addition to those October-fests that will be just around the corner soon! 

3. Generally, I don't care much for hot dogs. But, my boys love them and I feel better about giving them a healthier version and they don't seem to notice a difference!

4. The Southwest Veggie stuffed sandwiches are really one of my all time favorite foods from Aldi. They are so convenient to pop in the microwave before I leave work if I am running directly to another evening appointment. Plus, they have just the right amount of spice. Pair one of these sandwiches with an apple, and it's a complete meal!

5. My husband loves potato salad and this one is really one of the best. It's unfortunate that it's a seasonal item, because I know we could eat it year round!

6. When I cook, I prefer to use neufchatel cheese rather than cream cheese. The quality of the recipe remains the same and the price from Aldi's can't be beat.

7. I recently used Aldi's Ice Cream sandwiches to make this Ice Cream Sandwich Cake Recipe from The Girl who ate Everything. It turned out fabulous! 

8. Unfortunately, I have yet to try this specific type of Belmont Sherbet. However, the rest of the Belmont ice creams are amazing so I had to include a sample. Particularly, my family's favorite flavor is the Moose Tracks, but I couldn't find a link on their website. 

9. Along with Ice Cream desserts, I had to include their sugar cones. Again, a seasonal item, but available at a great price!

10. Aldi's fruit squeezers have really saved the day for our family many times! I love that there are multiple fruits combined in one pouch. And the convenience of carrying these in my purse or car is just the best. I know that I'm not the only one that loves these since this item won the 2014 Product of the Year Award!

11. The kaiser buns from Aldi are my favorite bakery item. They taste fresh and go great as any type of sandwich.

12. In the fall, I do a lot of crock-pot cooking. Many of my favorite recipes call for cream of chicken soup. Since I try to put a healthy spin on most of our meals, I really stock up on Aldi's Fit & Active version. 

13. Not pictured above is my all-time favorite Aldi item: Salsa Style Diced Tomatoes. Unfortunately, they only carry this item once or twice a year, but you can guarantee I just about clear the shelves when it's in stock. I love the tomatoes so much, I could drink them straight from the can. (OK, that may be more of an actual confession than a possibility.)

I hope this post encourages you to give your local Aldi a try! 

If you are a current shopper, what are some of your favorites?

Weekly Menu Planner

When my family and I started our budget, I couldn't believe how much money was being wasted on uneaten food! In order to put a lid on the excess waste, it was essential for us to start meal planning. As we started to prepare ahead of time, the way I shopped for groceries was dramatically changed! Instead of going to the store and buying a bunch of food, but nothing to make an actual meal with, I started to intentionally buy ingredients for meals throughout the week. However, one little problem I had was that I habitually plan out my meals on the same piece of paper as my grocery list. Then, when I would get home, I would throw out the list, including my meal plan, and quickly forget which meals I was going to prepare! So, having designated spot to list out my meals has been very helpful for my scattered brain :) 

I created this menu planner with some inspiration I found on Pinterest (of course). The process is very simple: paint a frame, print your menu on patterned paper, add decorations, and you're all set! For a frame, it's easier to use a wooden certificate frame because 1) wood is easier to paint on 2) it will better match the paper size. When the paint is dry and the paper is inserted in the frame, just use a wet erase marker to write in your menu details. Dry erase markers would also work, unless you have kids that like to touch things, as the case in my household :) Alternatively, it's also very easy to convert into a schedule or shopping list.  

Do you have any tips for budget menu planning?