Aldi and Lidl

Not Aldi, because they are not very nice here, but we use Lidl all the time. They have the best fruit and veg especially in winter and we enjoy speciality weeks because forrin food can be quite hard to find in our supermarkets. I just wish they would sell fresh milk. My OH says they always have just what he needs when he needs it (an awning thing for the garden, a strimmer when the last one broke etc). We get the catalogue and swoop at 830 if there is anything we think will run out fast.

I've used our local Lidl (Aldi is too far from us) for quite a few years now, and have noticed that they are getting much busier and if the cars in the car park are anything to go by, they seem to be attracting a different sort of customer lately!

Whilst I have to drive out to Lidl, nearest big one with a car park about 5 miles away, I think some of the buys there make it well worthwhile. They have a very good selection of fresh fruit and veg. Some items are definitely half price, such as cucumbers. I like the various cous cous they have in their deli section, along with cold meats and things like brie for a pound. Also always buy fresh fish in vacuum packs, definitely much cheaper as well as chicken fillets. Haven't tried a joint yet, (the meat variety that is) Also like their muesli without sugar, quite like Alpen and half the price. Their bakery section is amazingly good value, small baguettes for something like .15p if my memory serves me well. When my husband comes with me he loiters around the wine section and has been getting their Chilean Merlot for £3.99 a bottle which we find very drinkable.

Yeah I think you are right about getting there early Mamie, have done a later in the day shop and clearly they run out quicker than the average supermarket, but I guess that's to be expected if they are to keep their prices at the current level.

HUGE fans of Aldi & Lidl in this little homestead !

Only go to the others when we can"t get what we want at those two !

It does make me smile when I read of members who think that a drive of 5 miles would usually be a bit far but the buys make it worthwhile!

My nearest supermarket is about 7.5 miles (Waitrose), Lidl is in the other direction and is about 8.5 miles.

Sorry Phoenix, I guess I'm talking from the perspective of living on the edge of London. I appreciate, depending where you live, a drive to the shops is necessary. I'm spoiled in that respect, supermarkets in my neck of the wood are thick on the ground.

I love Aldi and Lidl. Fortunately we have both within walking distance. The fruit, veg and meat selection in Lidl is fantastic and ours now has an in-store bakery. They have a great selection of bread, rolls, doughnuts and muffins freshly made on the premises

No need to apologise Terri, I've said before that wherever you live there is always a compromise.

KatyK the in-store bakery is the work of the Devil! I never seem to be able to manage to come out without either a maple and pecan plait, or a vanilla crown!

The cinnamon whirls were lovely too, but they've stopped doing those. The pastries all seem to be around 37p, I was in Waitrose the other day and a very ordinary looking iced ring doughnut was 99p

Is that the Lidl in Torrington, Phoenix?

I'm a Lidl fan and have been for a while. The route on foot to the nearest Lidl takes me on a lovely walk that skirts a golf course, once there I do my shopping - regularly pistachio nuts, 1L of their Turkish yoghurt (£1.69) and recently their brand of disposable nappies (£2.99) - fresh fruit and veg and then because laden with parcels, I hop on the bus for a few stops and I'm home again.

We don't have an Aldi anywhere near us.

Same here, phoenix. We have an 8 mile drive to the nearest supermarkets. Tesco is the nearest by a whisker and Aldi and Sainsburys are opposite eachother which is useful.

I've just got back from doing my weekly shop and actually ventured into Sainsburys first because I love Clipper Organic Decaff coffee and you can't get it in Aldi.

My only beef with Aldi is their 'take it or leave it' ethos. They hadn't stacked the shelves this morning so there were no mixer drinks out at all. I was told they hadn't come in yet!!! Their Slimline Tonic is only 37p and tastes just as good as Schweppes. Now what am I going to put in my £9.99 gin??

They also did not have any pints of milk. Just large containers which are no use to us.

Our village shop is ridiculously expensive (£2 for a bottle of tonic water) so I had to go back to Sainsburys.

Ariadne yes, the very same! The rolls, bread and the pastries are delicious, and amazing value!

Another convert here. I used to have it all delivered by Ocado, but not any more. Our lidl and Aldi are within walking distance of each other and a 3 mile drive from home. As others have said, the quality of fruit and vegetables is excellent. I just adore, but have to ration, the lidl fennel salami.

I do wonder about the living conditions of the people growing and producing these cheap foods. Sometimes it seems the same people who would n't set foot inside Primark are the ones who rave about Aldi and Lidl. How many of us actually choose to pay the extra money to plump for the Fairtrade option?

I use Aldi as it's closer to me, only going over to the 'other' supermarket for the cat's food, as she doesn't like the Aldi offerings!

Plenty of Fair Trade stuff in Lidl.
I assumed it was cheap and good quality just because it is Europe wide so good brie from France, chorizo from Spain etc. I know that they say that the chocolate is produced in the German factory that makes very expensive stuff; just sold in Lidl under a different label.
It is always interesting to go and see what is in Lidl when you go abroad. Still can't work out why Spain and Italy have fresh milk and we don't though.
Five miles to our nearest shop that sells anything at all here!

Phoenix - I know! My DH has a 'thing' for doughnuts and he really shouldn't because he has type 2 diabetes. He is allowed one occasionally as he would eat 6 at a time if I let him.

No Aldi near here, but I am a growing fan of Lidl. They have such good bargains and their fruit and veg are brilliant. This week I bought strawberries for £1.30 whereas the same size in Tesco was £2.
It's a five mile drive to any of the supermarkets from here. There is Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda and Lidl all fairly close together in town.

The two Lidl shops we used in South Wales both had fresh milk. I liked their frozen fish - the ones in breadcrumbs but you cannot get it in France - all the fish I have seen here have some form of vegetable mix on top - such as Basquaise or Provençal

I shop in Aldi because it's nearest although I prefer the cold meats and vegetables in Lidl. Anything I can't get ther I buy in Waitrose or M&S. DH worked for Waitrose, I worked for M&S so staff discount in both! Result!

MrsPickle the Lidl Fennel Salami is much better than either M&S or Carluccio's and a fraction of the price

And we are fans of Moser Roth, too. Again, rationed!

MrsPickle Moser Roth alone is worth a trip to Aldi.

I see I am in good company, then!