Im new to Lidl and Aldi at Christmas .

I wish they'd fix their website. I can't see any items for sale at all, just blank white space!

The Aldi Belgian choc mousse is addictive. You could scoop it out and put it in a nice bowl, add a mint leaf, and serve it up in a fancy restaurant and get away with it.

Lidl's humus is great and so cheap.

We don't have local branches of these shops- yet anyway.

Does anyone know their policies on animal welfare- is their meat/ eggs free range etc.?

DS1 trained as a chef and used to be sniffy about Aldi. Then, on holiday in France, he discovered it and has rarely shopped anywhere else since then.

aldi are a bit greedy at Christmas I find. I shop there every week so notice when they remove their all year smoked salmon 200 grams for 3.99 and replace this with 100gms specialist types for around £6.00.
I don't know about Lidl, ours was not there last year.
However the non food special buys they both have are not always the best value. Compare with Argos first before you buy

I like Lidl's reduced things as unlike other supermarkets they reduce about 3 days before the best before date. Great for cheap good meat.

I don't buy anything from either of these stores. A friend bought some Halloween cupcakes, and I couldn't believe the list of ingredients, some we'd never heard of, and some we would avoid at all costs.

Salted caramel mince pies? sound disgusting, why change something so traditional and so good?

I love the Aldi scallops in pea puree and the chicken parfait, which tastes home-made. Last year I got a treat, which was the word festival spelt out in chocolate with rum raisins. Each letter was a single serving and so delicious. A couple of weeks ago we bought a 'steak sandwich'. A huge piece of steak with rolls and some sort of relish. Cooked the steak yourself and it was delicious! Not seen it since though.

I love Aldi florentines. They sell out very quickly but as they are on sale now, I shall stock up. (Especially now that I’ve recommended them to all of you!)

The Aldi chocolate Christmas Santa (priced at under £1.00) is good quality chocolate. (We had to try one, in the interest of research.) These make a nice little Christmas gift/stocking filler.

I bought the lobster a few years ago when good housing recommended it and they were awful no flavour and full of water.
Don’t like their cleaning products WS as they have an overpowering smell
Love their steaks and wine

good vegetarian selection in Aldi and Lidl have fish sustainability

I bought an Aldi 18 month matured Xmas pud last year and it was divine! Rushed back for more, but of course they had sold out and despite my poring over all the Christmas goods week after week, there were no more! I am keeping my eyes peeled for them this year and shall buy several...they are delicious, moist, tasty and light...everything a great Xmas pud should be!

I don't usually enjoy ready meals but Lidl lasagne, shepherds pie and the frozen cauliflower cheese (as Hooty said) are lovely.

I love the chocolate cherry liquors from Aldi, I reckon they are supplied by the people who supply M&S as they are wrapped identically. I also buy my mince pies and Prosecco from Aldi. I can recommend their crackers for cheese as they have some very tasty flavours. I spend a fortune when I go to Aldi!

I have a delivery of wool from them expected today, I buy it online as my local store often runs out. When they were planning to build an Aldi in my area, some locals objected as they did not want a cheap shop in the village - the other shop being a Waitrose! Luckily they went ahead and now everyone I know shops there and raves about the food and the prices.

The only things I have been disappointed in is their fresh fruit, I find it does not have the shelf life of other supermarket produce and living on my own I was not eating it fast enough! It is great for families though with lots of mouths to feed as they have several low priced items each week so it is easy to cook healthy meals on a tight budget.

I might pop in this afternoon to see what I fancy!

I agree about the Salmon Wellington, I am going to get one for Christmas Eve, M&s are doing one , it is£25 ,serves 4.
I think Aldi's is about a fiver.

Very handy thread , thank you.
We have an Aldi near us, but the other side of town, so a bit too far for me to walk unless there's an incentive.
Shame that they don't advertise food offers on their e-mails, I might then be tempted to make the effort sometimes.

EllanVannin my DH was like you but when I persuaded him to try Aldi for food he was converted. I can assure you their food is very good quality and much cheaper than other supermarkets, especially Sainsburys.

I wish they delivered groceries I'd be first in line for that!

I've made a list from here We received a brochure from Aldi the other day and the food looks lovely in there. We have both a new Aldi store and a Lidl store here and I shop in both. I like Lidl's fresh bread and their Luxury hot X buns at Easter are delicious. I'll look out for these products when I next go.

I got an online delivery from Aldi yesterday of yarn and other goodies. Have any of you Gransnetters tried Aldi Salmon Wellington. Delicious. I might just go now and buy one for the family Sunday lunch. I'll do my Tesco order another day.

Salmon Wellington from Aldi is fab. Available all year, btw.

I love their Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese, really tasty and yummy. Their Thick & Creamy yogurts are absolutely gorgeous too, especially the raspberry ones. And I like the bag of frozen cauliflower cheese, really handy for a single serving.