I really like Aldi (if you're a seasoned mommysavers Member you know that by now). As a frugal mom, it makes my life a lot easier by simplifying and streamlining my grocery shopping routine. I can get in and get out quickly without spending much time or money. The reason they can offer such low prices is that they're a limited assortment store. They stock the basics, and the basics only. Because of their limited overhead and quick turnover they can pass along those savings to their customers.
The drawback is that if you're preparing anything but the most basic of meals; you may not find everything on your list. I almost always find myself making a secondary trip to another higher-priced chain to make up for their inventory deficiencies. What's fun about Aldi, however, is that sometimes you're pleasantly surprised by what you find within the store.
Today I was lucky enough to spot some great cheese on sale “Special-Purchase” style. If you haven't learned to look for the yellow tagged “Special Purchase” items, you're missing out. These are things they don't stock on a regular basis. In my store, these things also seem to be the best value. Today I found goat cheese for just $1.99 (I had priced it earlier in the day at Cub Foods — it was $4.41 — and opted against it) as well as Gouda slices for around $2.
I'm going to make a spinach salad (with spinach from the local farmer's market) with the goat cheese. It will taste like a million bucks. A gourmet salad for around $1/serving – you can't beat that!
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