I think I'm becoming an Aldi's Junky

Carolina Q

tarheelmatt said:

Our Aldi in town is being remodeled and it's closed. They're preparing for Lidl opening soon. 

Went to the Aldi that was just reopened in Lexington.  Wow! Place was amazingly nice and upscale looking. Cannot wait till the reopen locally and when Lidl opens. Hopefully we can drop Walmart from groceries.  

Interesting that the Lex store is upscale. My ALDI is only a couple of years old, purpose built as an ALDI store. It's nice enough, but far from "upscale". The cardboard boxes everything is displayed in sorta kills that.

Closest Lidl to me looks like it'll be in NJ. I'll have to wait for a visit to mom in VA to get to check them out. Thankfully, visits to Mom are the only time I shop at walmart for groceries - because it's only 2 miles from her house. Lidl will be 7 miles, about the same as her ALDI. Too bad they're in different directions! I'll definitely check out Lidl.

tarheelmatt

Carolina Q said:9

tarheelmatt said:

Our Aldi in town is being remodeled and it's closed. They're preparing for Lidl opening soon. 

Went to the Aldi that was just reopened in Lexington.  Wow! Place was amazingly nice and upscale looking. Cannot wait till the reopen locally and when Lidl opens. Hopefully we can drop Walmart from groceries.  

Interesting that the Lex store is upscale. My ALDI is only a couple of years old, purpose built as an ALDI store. It's nice enough, but far from "upscale". The cardboard boxes everything is displayed in sorta kills that.

Closest Lidl to me looks like it'll be in NJ. I'll have to wait for a visit to mom in VA to get to check them out. Thankfully, visits to Mom are the only time I shop at walmart for groceries - because it's only 2 miles from her house. Lidl will be 7 miles, about the same as her ALDI. Too bad they're in different directions! I'll definitely check out Lidl.

Your Aldi maybe like the remodeled ones. The fit and finish seems upscale,  but the boxes hurts the feel, as you said. Our Aldis were older around here, thinking 10 years old or more. They weren't dumps, but dated. 

bgebrent

Our Aldi's suck.  They just do.

tarheelmatt

bgebrent said:

Our Aldi's suck.  They just do.

Maybe it's you. 

stv8r

hmm I have an Aldi's close by but haven't ventured in there in years.  May have to give them a shot again.

WeberWho

Aldi St. Louie ribs for $1.99/lb.

Focker

WeberWho said:

Aldi St. Louie ribs for $1.99/lb.

Looking good V!

JethroVA

Bought the German Pickles today.  Awesome.  They also had high end pasta on clearance for .99.   Score!

Focker

JethroVA said:

Bought the German Pickles today.  Awesome.  They also had high end pasta on clearance for .99.   Score!

Nice!!!
Need to get some more for the pantry this week.  We went through a jar and a half.  May combine the juice of both and pickle some hard boiled eggs.  

JethroVA

I'm doing 5 days of biz travel this week so I also got my girls the 5 cheese pizza for $5.  Hugely bigly (16") for the price.  Will report back on the feedback. 

Carolina Q

@Focker, tried one of the brioche buns last night. A 1/3 lb (ALDI grass fed) burger smashed to 1/2" fits perfectly. Topped with a very gooey combo of mayo/dijon, caramelized onion, bacon and cheese. It was deliciously messy, but the bun held up much better than a standard cheap burger bun! Will definitely buy again! Thanks for the tip.

tarheelmatt

Tried to get some of that Kobe like meat, but they were out.  

Focker

Carolina Q said:

@Focker, tried one of the brioche buns last night. A 1/3 lb (ALDI grass fed) burger smashed to 1/2" fits perfectly. Topped with a very gooey combo of mayo/dijon, caramelized onion, bacon and cheese. It was deliciously messy, but the bun held up much better than a standard cheap burger bun! Will definitely buy again! Thanks for the tip.

Glad you liked them.  Saving 50% at the grocery store is a pretty big deal, the main reason I have highjacked your thread with Aldi food pics.

The ribs alone, were some of the best I've found in a long time.  Pickles are better than anything from our fanciest grocer, Schnuck's.

Saving some significant scrilla, without sacrificing quality, is a smart move.  Hope this thread motivates others to ride the Aldi bandwagon.

chrisc133

Is that a regular price on the ribs?

UncleBilly

Focker

Lazy rainy, cold day Za, stayed nice and toasty while magic happened on the preheated 16" Griswoldiddle.  Love at 420 degrees.

Pepperoni $5.99 16"er, diced ernyin', canned sliced black olives, grated sharp chedda, and a swirl of Mike's Hot Honey (only thing non Aldi). 

Bomb bigly...

WeberWho

chrisc133 said:c

Is that a regular price on the ribs?

Every Wednesday, Aldi publishes a fresh meat special buy. So they were $1.99/lb. Not sure what they are normally 

StillH2OEgger

Aldi's always crushes it on rib prices in my area. Quality has been pretty good, especially on St. Louis style.

Carolina Q

Finally remembered to look for the German pickles. Had to ask and still no luck. She said they got them in sometimes.

I have had very good luck with Aldi employees. Always friendly and helpful. Every time I have asked them anything, they either have had an answer or have led me to whatever I couldn't find. Today, she took me to the right section and helped me look, even though she'd already told me there were probably none on hand. She asked me which store had them. I said, the one in Iowa. LOL 

Focker

Carolina Q said: 

Finally remembered to look for the German pickles. Had to ask and still no luck. She said they got them in sometimes.

I have had very good luck with Aldi employees. Always friendly and helpful. Every time I have asked them anything, they either have had an answer or have led me to whatever I couldn't find. Today, she took me to the right section and helped me look, even though she'd already told me there were probably none on hand. She asked me which store had them. I said, the one in Iowa. LOL 

Lol, good stuff brother.
There is a super cute gal who works at mine, flirts every time I go through her lane.  Hot, sweet, humble, shy, innocent, don't pick up any whackadoodle crazy b!tch drama in her at all.  Funny you mention this, and how small talk works at stores we frequent.

I was so close to asking her out to dinner last time through, but I had Mas and my nephew.  

I'll step up next time in, would love to give her my lil' German pickle. 

Carolina Q

Focker said:

...my lil' German pickle. 

Sorry, bud... but TMI!

GrillSgt

I will definitely make a stop at Aldi's to check it out. However I'm not a fan of enhanced meats. "Contains up to 12% solution of water and salt".

Focker

GrillSgt said:

I will definitely make a stop at Aldi's to check it out. However I'm not a fan of enhanced meats. "Contains up to 12% solution of water and salt".

I used to think like that too.  
So, they're brining it for you.
I've had Aldi butts and ribs, they turn out great.
Nothing to worry about here.

GrillSgt

A 2 day brine would be plenty for me. I've gotten really picky about the products. Absolutely won't buy meat from Kroger's except in an emergency. Nothing worse than making a great looking "____________" and having it taste like plastic, or worse. 

fishlessman

GrillSgt said:

A 2 day brine would be plenty for me. I've gotten really picky about the products. Absolutely won't buy meat from Kroger's except in an emergency. Nothing worse than making a great looking "____________" and having it taste like plastic, or worse. 

start slow, get the ham as they all have solution added, aldis ham is very mild. half price milk, eggs, bacon. veggies are good. they have been adding name brand products but alot that has an off named brand are really the same. not all the meat is solution added, you need to read the label like in most grocery stores. first few visits are odd, takes a few times to be comfortable looking at odd labels, like walking into an asian market the first few times

Focker

GrillSgt said:

A 2 day brine would be plenty for me. I've gotten really picky about the products. Absolutely won't buy meat from Kroger's except in an emergency. Nothing worse than making a great looking "____________" and having it taste like plastic, or worse. 

It's more of an equilibrium pump brine, not a traditional gradient brine.  Only so much Na moves, then it equalizes/stops moving...like wet curing bacon.  I don't know where you live, but none of the protein I've handled has come out tasting like plastic, or worse.

My foodie, world travelling buddy, who grew up here, now lives in Huntsville, says the all around protein here is much better than in AL.  He's uber smart, with a good palette.  Thought that was interesting, geography making a difference.  It's obvious for hunting deer in different regions, but never really gave much thought about animal feed differences throughout sections of the US until he brought it to my attention.

pgprescott

Focker said:

GrillSgt said:

A 2 day brine would be plenty for me. I've gotten really picky about the products. Absolutely won't buy meat from Kroger's except in an emergency. Nothing worse than making a great looking "____________" and having it taste like plastic, or worse. 

It's more of an equilibrium pump brine, than a traditional gradient brine.  Only so much Na moves, then it equalizes...like wet curing bacon.  I don't know where you live, but none of the protein I've handled has come out tasting like plastic, or worse.

My foodie, world travelling buddy, who grew up here, now lives in Huntsville.  He says the all around protein here is much better than in AL.  Thought that was interesting, geography making a difference.  It's obvious for hunting deer in different regions, but never really gave much thought about animal feed differences throughout sections of the US.

We happen to be blessed to live in one of the best places in the world for beef and pork. IMO

Focker

pgprescott said:

Focker said:

GrillSgt said:

A 2 day brine would be plenty for me. I've gotten really picky about the products. Absolutely won't buy meat from Kroger's except in an emergency. Nothing worse than making a great looking "____________" and having it taste like plastic, or worse. 

It's more of an equilibrium pump brine, than a traditional gradient brine.  Only so much Na moves, then it equalizes...like wet curing bacon.  I don't know where you live, but none of the protein I've handled has come out tasting like plastic, or worse.

My foodie, world travelling buddy, who grew up here, now lives in Huntsville.  He says the all around protein here is much better than in AL.  Thought that was interesting, geography making a difference.  It's obvious for hunting deer in different regions, but never really gave much thought about animal feed differences throughout sections of the US.

We happen to be blessed to live in one of the best places in the world for beef and pork. IMO

Agree 100% Pete.  Don't forget about Bambi. 

fishlessman

since buying pickles 2 weeks ago they redid the whole store and added the bread section you guys have, Hawaiian rolls, ciabatta, pumpernickel, giant rye etc.  mucho better.  looks like they opened the meat section for expansion, they also added australian lamb leg at 5.99/pound. seen butterball turkeys there as well

RRP

fishlessman said:

As you suggested I went there today to buy the fattest, cheapest pound of bacon I could find to use to season my new 17" BlackStone that arrived today. While $3.69 was the cheapest and the selection was little to choose from I searched for Mr Fat Piggy and found one package, though it wasn't all that bad. Other than first cleaning it then you are saying frying that bacon to a crisp is the best seasoning I can do? BTW any way to line or use something else in that little grease tray/cup? Seems like that will soon be pita to keep clean.