I got the chance to visit the ALDI test kitchen last week with some other fabulous bloggers and it was a great event! As y’all know, I shop at ALDI already since I can get my staples, including gobs of fresh produce for juicing for much cheaper than other grocers.
I don’t use coupons, in fact, I really suck at couponing, but I also realized that coupons only apply to stuff I wasn’t going to by anyway. Luckily, with ALDI, I don’t have to- most everything (aside from a few clearance items) is already marked down. I was sold from my first visit!
At the ALDI Test Kitchen, I got to hang out with some awesome bloggers while we learned a bit more about the company with a focus on how the grocer is focused on helping shoppers shop better, eat better and live better. They offered us some great information and tips on how to stock up on the healthiest foods, but also, how to make it look awesome.
Food Stylist Janice Stahl and Registered Dietician Sylvia Klinger gave us their pointers on how to cook healthier meals, but also- how to style it. Cheap prices does not mean your food looks cheap!
One of the activities we got to partake in was guessing how much it cost to fill this shopping cart with ALDI produce and products. Yes, it was a game, and yes, I took it seriously. I won a gift certificate since I was one of 3 who got it the closest! I squealed! To fill this cart was around $90 and it included salmon, wine, chocolate, house goods and tons of fresh produce.
You can see us circling the cart making our guesstimates..serious business when prizes are involved!
We also got to make our own smoothies. Mine included “Magic” (and also ice) but it was not an award winner. In fact, it looked pretty gross but tasted delish! Did you know ALDI has store brand agave, organic honey, stevia, nutella and coconut milk? It’s much cheaper than name brand but equally tasty.
You can see- ALDI is carrying more and more organic and natural foods in their Simply Nature selections. My favey fave are the KIND Bar knockoffs- around $1 a piece in a box of 4, it’s much cheaper than the $1.69-1.99 price I’ve seen elsewhere..and OMG they are seriously the best bars I’ve ever eaten without a horrible price tag… I seriously, no joke, just drooled.
Roni from Ronisweigh.com put together a great video that answers a ton of the most common questions about ALDI:
Basically, ALDI keeps their prices low by cutting out some of the “fluff” that causes other grocers bake into the price of items.
“Fluff” to me, includes stocking shelves (ALDI uses ready packed boxes, stacked), sending staffers out to retrieve carts (ALDI has you use a quarter that you get back when you return the cart to the right place), generic brands vs. name brands (which I think are as good and sometimes am shocked at how good they are for the price…like the knockoff KIND bars!) and no free plastic bags…which really aren’t free if you pay for them in higher prices overall.
Roni – RonisWeigh.com
Caitlin- HealthyTippingPoint.com
Wendy-DailyDoseOfDelSignore.com
Jen- FitbottomedGirls.com
Sarah- SarahFit.com
Lorraine –RunWifeyRun.com
Meghann- MealsAndMiles.com
Rebekah- BexLife.com
Very coool! Is this the location off ov Kirk rd..near Batavia??
I love the fact that people are realizing the importance of providing quality food for lower prices- such a big plus! I grew up in a family of 8, I know my parents would love this place!
I love this! I have always wondered about Aldi. We have one near by and I have never gone in. I will definitely go and check it out now! Thank you!!
Hey Erin! I was the same way for a long time, now I’m really glad I shop there! I am very happy with the organic options you can buy, plus some specialty items like agave sweetener, coconut milk, kale, feta cheese and really yummy granola bars for cheap… I was surprised by the selection and am a devotee of the brand now 🙂
Thanks for the comment!
This is way cooler than I expected! Actually, I’m not entirely sure what I expected, but this looks like it was a blast! I learned a lot from your experience. Thanks!
Wow good to hear! I hope we have that too here in my country.