If you want to know what a health-conscious foodie buys at Aldi, check out our list! It’s everything we purchase on a regular basis right now.

 

 

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One of the most frequent requests I get from you guys is to share our grocery hauls. I’m glad we think the same way. Grocery hauls are some of my favorite posts and videos from other frugal foodies.

A fly on the wall learns so much from the people it watches. The only problem is, it’s a fly. So application capability is a problem. Hopefully, you’ll learn nearly as much from this post, but you can go apply exactly what you need.

Keep in Mind

This is what my family currently purchases at Aldi. This is not a survival grocery budget. Each month, we spend on groceries around what a family our size would receive if we were on food stamps. For some of you reading this, that amount feels like a luxury. For some of you, it would feel really tight. There’s no right or wrong, better or worse, when it comes to the grocery budget – as long as you stick to what fits in your budget!

3 Goals

In this season, I have 3 Goals when it comes to our eating:

1. Simple – we just moved, and life is still crazy. I’m not cooking fancy meals or trying to make our own ketchup. As my friend, Stacy, LINK says, “Feed the people. Keep them alive.”
2. 80/20 plant-based meals – We’ve done traditional eating, paleo eating, and gluten-free and dairy-free. Right now I’m experimenting with mostly plant-based, whole foods. The Forks Over Knives Cookbook is helping a lot with that! (affiliate link)
3. Work through the pantry – I have a good sized dry-goods stockpile. Trying to work through it so we don’t waste anything!

Special Diets

What we buy at Aldi reflects those above 3 goals. However, Aldi carries a ton of products for a variety of special diets:

• Whole30 (read ingredient labels – you’ll be surprised!)
• Gluten-free
• Organic and non-GMO
• Paleo
• Vegetarian
• Vegan
• Fair trade
• Artificial dye-free

Keep in mind that stores vary by region and season, so not every Aldi carries the same products.

 

 

Here’s What We Buy at Aldi

Listed according to food group.

Since prices vary according to region, I won’t list those. If you see items that you use on this list, it might be worth checking them out at Aldi, because there’s a good chance it’s less expensive than at another store.

Grains & Beans

• Sprouted bread & Organic bread – Sprouted is the best price
• Gluten-free bread – I don’t love the ingredient list, but it’s an occasional splurge.
• Organic quinoa – Our Walmart has a better price, so I usually get it there
• Dry beans – My store only carries pinto, black, and great northern. If I want something else, Walmart has the best prices
• Canned beans – Occasionally I purchase these for convenience and for emergencies. They have some of the best prices on organic canned beans too! I also like their refried beans.
• Pasta – They carry conventional, organic, gluten-free, and both organic and gluten-free. Trader Joe’s has a better price on organic gluten-free pasta. I don’t care for Aldi’s gluten-free pasta. It turns our slimy. Conventional and organic are great! Great prices too.

Produce

All of it! Aldi carries all the basics, plus some seasonal and organic items. I only buy what’s in season because it’s more likely to taste better. I try to follow that rule at every grocery store. And don’t forget the freezer section!

Canned tomato products – They carry a few organic varieties. Costco has a better price for organic canned diced tomatoes, but besides that, Aldi is the best price in my experience.

 

 

 

 

Dairy

• Organic plain yogurt – We buy the big containers because it cuts down on price and waste. Surprisingly, their organic yogurt costs less than their Greek yogurt.
• Greek yogurt – My husband takes this to work for easy protein.
• Almond milk – Does this belong in the dairy section? Regardless, this is the best price we’ve found on half gallons of almond milk. We buy Unsweetened Original flavor so we can use it on sweet and savory dishes.
• Shredded cheese – We buy the big bags of shredded mozzarella and other varieties. They store well in the freezer so we can get the best price and keep them on hand for 1-2 months.
• Goat cheese – Since we are mostly dairy-free, this is a fun, occasional splurge, and it’s by far the best price I’ve found.
• Grass-fed Cheddar & Kerrygold butter – We don’t usually purchase these items, but I know a lot of real foodies love them! Great prices, but Costco and Trader Joe’s might have better.
• Butter – Best consistent price, but sometimes sales elsewhere beat Aldi’s price.

Meat

• Eggs – When I can’t get amazing eggs from my friends’ chickens, I get cheap-o Aldi eggs.
• Grass-fed ground beef – When I can’t buy it in bulk from our local farmer, Aldi supplements us.
• Ground turkey – Not good quality, but if you need inexpensive ground meat, you won’t get much better than Aldi’s ground turkey.
• Never Any! Chicken sausage, Chicken breakfast sausage links, and Lunchmeat – better ingredients than the cheapo stuff, so we buy it occasionally for quick meals.

 

 

Fats & Oils

• Olive oil – They also carry organic for nearly the same price!
• Organic coconut oil
• Butter – Best consistent price, but sometimes sales elsewhere beat Aldi’s price.

Nuts & Seeds

• Dry roasted almonds – No added oils or salt!
• Roasted peanuts
• Peanut butter – Mine carries organic and “natural” conventional peanut butter. Organic is made with just peanuts and salt. “Natural” contains a little bit of palm oil and sugar. Costco’s price on organic peanut butter beats Aldi, but most people I know don’t like the Costco version – not enough salt.
• Slivered almonds
• Chia seeds
• Hemp hearts

Drinks & Condiments

• Fair trade coffee – I don’t drink coffee, but I keep it on hand for guests
• Bottled lemon juice
• Salsa
• Marinara sauce – They carry both conventional and organic at great prices.
• Organic ketchup
• Mustard
• Olives (kalamata, green, black)
• Banana peppers
• Pickles – no food dye!

 

 

Snacks & Sweets

• Non-GMO, fair trade sugar
• Organic cane sugar & brown sugar
• Molasses
• Maple syrup
• Moser Roth Dark chocolate – Dairy-free and UTZ-certified, which seems like it’s trying to be fair trade, but I haven’t looked into it to know for sure
• Chocolate chips – Some stores carry organic!
• Granola bars – There are a lot of Aldi-brand versions of popular energy and snack bars, including classic oat-based granola bars (organic too!), Clif bars, protein bars, and Lara bars.
• Tortilla chips – Conventional and organic at great prices!

 

Remember that this is not our survival grocery list. For a long time, we fed our family of (then) 4 on less than $40-$50 a week. We ate a lot less organic and just ate whole foods and homemade things. Even then, Aldi provided all of our basic needs.

Now, we still have a smaller grocery budget, but we choose to spend a little more on organic products and a few treats we said no to for many years. We still stick to our budget. Every few months, we reevaluate it to ensure it fits our health and financial goals.

 

What You Can Do Now:

• Run through my list and note items you buy on a regular basis.
• Locate your local Aldi, and give it a try! Even if it’s a long drive and you have to make a once-a-month trip, it’s worth a shot.

 

 

Fun pic to pin!: