What/What Not to Buy at Lidl/Aldi

DrMoriarty

Moderator
Messages
5,173
Following all the debate about the , some readers might find this thread from the Moneysavingexpert.com forums interesting/useful? "Olive oil good, baked beans bad..." stuff, I know — all 14 pages of it! :eek: — but a useful supplement to their weekly email newsletters ([broken link removed]'s/'s, not Moneysavingexpert.com's).

I have no connection to Lidl/Aldi, by the way... I just dress there! :D
 
Jaysus, I think I'll try the baked beans just to see if they are really as bad as everyone on that forum are making out...just for experimental purposes of course!!
 
I dont drink tea but I hear that the tea in Lidl and Aldi is absolutely godawfull!
 
For what it's worth the Lidl ground espresso coffee in the black tin for €2.99 isn't bad. I'm not mad about their other ground coffee though.
 
The produce in Aldi is certainly miles ahead of Lidl. If you like after eight chocolates, get Bavaria Mint Thins in Aldi, I think they are €1.99. I have already gone through a box per week for about the last three weeks, so I think I should stop now! They also have them in orange thins, but I havent tried them yet. Also, partial to the "Badgers Creek" Australian White Wine @ €5.49.

I also bought rashers one week, (cant remember the name), but himself said you would drink a resevoir after them, so I have been barred from bringing them into the house again.

I got Cappucinos in Aldi and they were dire.
 
what to buy:
- cheeses, cooked meats are good quality & v.good value for money
what not to buy:
- all the special offers, that might be great value but you don't really need. (I bought a web cam for €15, which is still in its box!
 
ClubMan said:
For what it's worth the Lidl ground espresso coffee in the black tin for €2.99 isn't bad. I'm not mad about their other ground coffee though.

Yeah, when I'm in the Hills my mum sometimes has Lidl/Aldi (I think it's Aldi) ground coffee, and it ain't great (not the worst I've had admittedly).
 
Love the twin pack of Bacon Bits in Aldi, great fried up quickly with pasta yum yum, also the Seal Bars - the cooked chicken with herby bits, the dishwasher tablets are grand so far anyways! Toothbrushes very cheap too, pasta - huge pack for about 90c I think. Rice good price too, must try the Badgers Creek with the salty rashers - great excuse to drink more!
 
" . . also the Seal Bars . . " - is there no limit to what producers will process and sell on ? Next thing you know they'll be selling dolphin steaks and leg of giraffe . . .

z
 
I agree the Lidel espresso in the black tin is quite nice, however the cheaper ground coffee (Bellarom?) in the 1kg Brown/Gold pack is not very nice.

I often see some local B&B oweners stocking up on the stuff and pity their poor guests. However it is better than the weak instant coffee you still get in some Irish Hotels but sin sceal eile!

Incidently one of my very posts on the old aam was reccommending the Lidel black tin espresso. I use it in the ordinary filter coffee maker.

Lidel dishwasher tablets are excellent value.

aj
 
tangent time - does anyone who uses dishwasher tablets actually check the price/performance level ? I can't remember the details, but of you look at the price/kilo in the supermarkets it works out at something like €13/kg for the tablets and €5/kg for the powder. I don't understand the difference, apart from the power of marketing.

As it happens, I reckon the Lidl Belarom ground coffee is yer only man - it works for me every morning. From what I have heard (and seen the Germans/Italians buying) the cooked meats and sausages are pretty good.

z
 
What about the packets of bacon "mishapes" perfect for a good aul coddle available in both Aldi and Lidl at the cost of 1.99 .

Did youse have coddle on the North side or was it exclusive to the Liberties area ?
 
Yeah - and none of that second rate stuff where they brown the rashers and sausages either! Love it...
 
ajapale said:
I dont drink tea but I hear that the tea in Lidl and Aldi is absolutely godawfull!

Actually their Gold blend is extremely good and well priced.
 
ClubMan said:
For what it's worth the Lidl ground espresso coffee in the black tin for €2.99 isn't bad. I'm not mad about their other ground coffee though.

Agreed, the Lidl coffee is only OK (but no worse than Tesco's own, which I bought last week and it tasted like dust!). Aldi, on the other hand, have excellent coffee.
 
I like the boxes of frozen jumbo prawns in Lidl. Mr. V likes the brioche in Lidl. And I nearly convinced myself that I might get away with wearing those sheepskin boots that were on offer last week in a sort of Sienna Millerish way...however reason prevailed!
 
I prefer Aldi to Lidl

Nice stuff from Aldi:
Pizzas from the fridge and frozen (too nice really because I'm not supposed to buy convenience food).
Garlic Bread
Fruit and veg is fine (no worse or better than any other supermarket, i.e. can be a bit tasteless)
Meat - mince, chicken breasts, whole chicken are grand.
Rashers (balanced lifestyle range only) and Sausages are fine.
Cereal bars in aldi used to be good but now they are yogurt topped and are yuk.
Breakfast cereals (can testify for branflakes - much nicer than tesco own brand and honey nut cornflakes).
Flour, butter, margarine, olive oil, pesto, veg oil, salt, bottled water etc. etc. - can't go wrong
Fruit and nut mixes and generally all the yummies, especially the chocolate bars
Tins of tuna
Pasta shapes, rice
Instant "gold blend" type coffee is ok (but still no carte noir)
Yogurts - great variety in diet ones and the big pots of bio yogurt is yummy
Ice-cream yummy
Oven chips - mighty value and "steak cut"
Salami, pepperoni, cooked meats (especially teh chicken breast slices) are lovely
Feta cheese is lovely - can't get enough of this in our house at the moment.
Aloe toilet rolls are new in aldi and are lovely (but still not as nice as the quilted-ish ones in Lidl in packs of ten)
Bacon bits - so many uses, so little time. Use for quiches, omelettes, pasta sauces, lasagne and other heart-attack food.
Cat food (especially the dry tuna type and the little cat treat sticks) is a big hit with the kitties in my houses
Bars of proper marzipan in dark chocolate - the most orgasmic sweet in the world and needs to be bought in bulk as they only get it in now and then. Loved it in Germany as a kid and nearly died with happiness the first time I saw it here. Great with strawberries and wine or just scoff the lot. If they would only get in the odd bottle of sekt and decent Gluhwein, I could give up on my hankering to move to a Germanic country.
Bread rolls (half cooked assorted dinner rolls) are lovely and handy
Brioche "tear and share" stuff is nice
Naan breads (especially the garlic and coriander one) are nice - still nothing like the ones in an Indian though
Black olives in brine are nice
Cleaning stuff is fine (incl. washing powder, dishwasher stuff, especially the purple fabric softener)

Not so nice:
Steak (sirloin or quick fry) is not great
Taurus cider (shockingly bad - full of additives)
Wine is hit and miss and I can never remember which ones were ok, so I've kinda given up. The bad ones taste "chemically". Don't like the lager either.
Baked beans from aldi are awful - I've never tasted the lidl ones.
Tuna in tins of sauce (small tins like Weight Watchers range) - not nice at all; mostly oily and yucky.
Some of the "fancy" cheeses; brie, german soft cheese are not up to much (not much taste, rubbery).
White bread - not keen on the ordinary sliced pan - kinda a bit "powdery" to me.
Bags of Chocolat au pains are not great

Rebecca
 
I bought furry boot type slippers in Lidl last night and they're so comfy. Only went in for cloudy apple juice and ended up buying loads of stuff. I also love the sour cream and cheese flavoured crisps.

I got wine from Lidl once and broke out in hives so never again. I love the Strawberry Vodka.
 
Back
Top