13 Reasons Aldi Is a Good Place to Shop (And Yes, It's Mostly the Prices)

If you’re wondering if Aldi is a good place to shop, it’s time to get off the fence. The bottom line is that shopping at Aldi will save you money. But beyond that, their high-quality store brand items, specialty products, and no-fuss store experience top our list of favorites, too.

I’m a fan, so I’ll give you my reasons why I think Aldi is a good place to shop. And then you can tell me if you’re convinced.

Remember to download the KCL app to find out about all the best Aldi deals each week.

 

1. Aldi puts quality designations right on the signage — which makes it easy to compare items.

Aldi knows you’re skeptical about if Aldi is a good place to shop, and they make every attempt to help you along.

To this end, they’ve added tags to items with various information to convince you. You’ll see the USDA organic seal, and a callout whenever an item is sourced locally.

Plus, many of Aldi’s products have won the Superior Taste Gold Metal. This is an award for the best-tasting products as judged by Chefs in America, which has been taste-testing food for 30 years and awarding this seal to products that, in their opinion, taste the best.

 

2. Get produce for up to 68% less than Walmart prices.

This is a no-brainer if you’re a clean eater. Here’s a sampling of price differences:

Blueberries

Aldi: $1.29 per pint
Walmart: $3.98 per pint
68% savings

Roma Tomatoes

Aldi: $0.59 per pound
Walmart: $0.98 per pound
41% savings

Broccoli Crowns

Aldi: $1.59 per pound
Walmart: $1.77 per pound
10% savings

Related: We did a deep dive into this question: Why is Aldi so cheap?

 

3. Go ahead and stock your freezer with affordable organic, grass-fed meat.

Aldi offers organic, grass-fed beef, chicken, turkey, and more at lower prices than you’ll find anywhere else.

Grass-Fed New York Beef Strip Steak

Aldi: $9.99 per pound (boneless!)
Walmart: $15.97 per pound

USDA Organic, Grass-Fed Ground Beef

Aldi: $4.65 per pound
Walmart: $5.78 per pound

USDA Organic Chicken Breast

Aldi: $6.49 per pound
Whole Foods: $7.99 per pound

USDA Organic, Grass-Fed Ground Turkey

Aldi: $6.39 per pound
Target: $6.89 per pound

 

4. Where does Aldi get their chicken?

OK, it’s affordable, but where does that chicken come from?

Like many other grocery stores, Aldi sells Foster Farms chicken. The other predominant chicken brand you’ll find is Aldi’s Kirkwood brand. Now, there’s a rumor that this is actually Tyson chicken under Aldi’s private label. This information is something retailers rarely disclose, but in 2019 when Tyson had a big chicken recall, Aldi voluntarily recalled all their Kirkwood brand chicken, too. The Aldi Kirkwood recall press release instructed anyone with questions about the Aldi recall to contact Tyson Foods Customer Relations.

Beyond that, Aldi uses a strict Animal Welfare Buying Policy to make sure that all of their meat and dairy products are ethically sourced and not cruelly treated. If any of Aldi’s producers are found violating this policy, or if the producer is on the USDA’s naughty list, Aldi will request a third-party inspection and take corrective measures when necessary.

 

5. Aldi’s store brand doesn’t use food dyes or MSG.

Hate processed foods with unnatural ingredients galore? Me too. Lucky for us, Aldi’s SimplyNature line promises no food dyes, partially hydrogenated fats, or MSG.

 

 

6. You’ll spend up to 73% less on healthy snacks than you would at Trader Joe’s.

As you probably know, Trader Joe’s sells mostly its store brand, so comparisons here are across different brands. I’m going after per-ounce pricing only, in order to get a good comparison.

Guacamole

Aldi: $0.20 per ounce
Trader Joe’s: $0.75 per ounce
73% savings

Hummus

Aldi: $0.20 per ounce
Trader Joe’s: $0.33 per ounce
43% savings

Beef Jerky

Aldi: $1.15 per ounce
Walmart: $1.50 per ounce
35% savings

Trail Mix

Aldi: $0.33 per ounce
Trader Joe’s: $0.37 per ounce
11% savings

Marinated Mozzarella

Aldi: $0.41 per ounce
Walmart: $0.46 per ounce
11% savings

 

7. Aldi sells inexpensive and high-quality European chocolate.

Aldi brands Moser Roth and Choceur are affordable, sustainable, and have 4.5 stars on Amazon.

Aldi’s chocolates are made by private chocolatiers in Germany and they’re UTZ certified through the Rainforest Alliance, which means the cocoa is from sustainable, socially responsible, and environmentally friendly farms.

Additionally, European chocolates tend to be creamier, smoother, and melt at lower temperatures when compared with American chocolate. The fact that it’s affordable is icing on the (chocolate) cake.

Check out how Aldi’s chocolate prices compare with Lindt, a well-known chocolate brand:

70% Dark Chocolate Bars

Moser Roth: $0.45 per ounce
Lindt: $0.79 per ounce

Milk Chocolate Bars

Choceur: $0.24 per ounce
Lindt: $0.63 per ounce

 

8. If you don’t like what you bought, return it and get your money back, thanks to the Aldi return policy.

Aldi’s “Twice as Nice Guarantee” gives you a refund and a replacement for any Aldi-brand product you get buyer’s remorse over. Exceptions include non-food items in the Aldi Finds section and alcohol.

 

 

9. Get your hands on wine for only $1.99 a bottle.

Move over, $2-Buck Chuck that’s not $2 anymore, Aldi’s got Winking Owl wine for a mere $1.99 per bottle. And Aldi shoppers swear by it, saying the taste is pretty good for the price.

I tried the Sauvignon Blanc and found it to be inoffensive because it’s so thin and watery. The label says “light-bodied,” which is an understatement. Perfect for White Sangria.

 

10. Brand-name items cost up to 23% less, and you can use Ibotta offers at Aldi.

When you don’t have any coupons in hand, the name of the game is finding your items for the lowest selling price. It’s why some people trust Walmart over Albertsons or Fred Meyer. Some stores generally have lower prices across the board.

Aldi is solidly in that category. Why pay more for brands on your list?

Plus, even though Aldi doesn’t accept coupons, you can still use Ibotta offers. I’ve seen an Ibotta offer for $0.25 off when you buy two Chobani 5.3-ounce Greek yogurts.

Corona Extra Beer

Aldi: $13.48 per 12-pack
Walmart: $17.48 per 12-pack
23% savings

Arizona Green Tea

Aldi: $3.23 per 12-pack
Walmart: $4 per 12-pack
19% savings

Chobani Greek Yogurt

Aldi: $0.15 per ounce
Walmart: $0.17 per ounce
12% savings

 

11. Aldi stores aim to be green with a “bring your own bag” policy.

To keep prices low and to be more sustainable, Aldi expects you to bring your own bag. They charge $0.05 – $0.10 a bag if you come without bags and want one.

Also, Aldi doesn’t employ baggers; instead, they scan your items and put them back in the cart.

 

 

12. Are Trader Joe’s and Aldi connected?

Not really. Aldi is owned by Karl Albrecht and Trader Joe’s is owned by Theo Albrecht. The two are brothers. But the stores are not associated.

 

13. How many Aldi stores are there?

Aldi currently has 11,235 stores across the globe, over 2,000 of which are in the U.S. Find ALDI locations near me.

This is three times the amount of Trader Joe’s stores in the U.S. Not only that, but Aldi is the fastest-growing grocery store in America. Aldi built a massive distribution center in southern Alabama, which it plans to aid in expanding Aldi across the Gulf Coast. Plus, Aldi planned to add 120 more stores to the U.S. by the end of 2023.

So, Aldi is doing a lot of things right and is worth visiting, even if you’re still on the fence about “is Aldi a good place to shop?” What’s your favorite reason to shop at Aldi? Tell me in the comments.