Six Mistakes You Should Never Make Shopping At Aldi

It’s really easy to get lost in the sauce at Aldi. You’re walking into a budget grocery store that’s made to lure you in with promises of cheap groceries! And boy, does it work. We have to hold steady, though. We’re still going to get a good deal on all the groceries ahead but we’re going to be smart about it. Here are six mistakes you should never make while shopping at Aldi so you’re coming out like a pro!

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Forgetting Your Quarter

The first mistake that many make when they shop at Aldi starts before you even walk into the grocery store! Don’t forget your quarter for the cart! Or that little 3D printed alternative that people sell on Etsy―which are actually ethical because Aldi doesn’t actually get the quarter when you use it to unlock a cart. Aldi’s got some good deals so we’re going to need a cart for what’s ahead.

Leaving Your Cart At The Door

Speaking of, don’t bring a bag to do your shopping right out of. It gets really awkward, really fast. I pride myself on the ability to do my shopping without a cart. It makes me superior at Costco because I can dodge through the aisles. Aldi is a different story. Aldi saves money by not hiring baggers. Instead they rely on your cart to be there to get your groceries from the cash register to the side where you bag them up yourself. If you don’t have a cart, they’ll just awkwardly put them into your arms. It’s a whole thing. That you absolutely want to avoid.

Cheap Doesn’t Always Mean Better

Just because something is cheap at Aldi doesn’t make it worth your time and money. I’ve made the mistake before of getting pasta at Aldi because well, pasta is pasta. Right? Wrong! Basic pasta can actually be bad and they sell it at Aldi. Thankfully you’re talking to Sporked here and we have a plethora of handy guides to tell you what’s actually worth getting at Aldi. Funny how that works.

Avoiding The Basics

Now that being said, there are some basics that you can get at Aldi that are worth your time. There are four in particular that have the Sporked seal of approval. Aldi sells some fantastic cheese, bagels, marinara sauce, and boxed pasta that’s worth your money. Just for the record, the pasta that burned me was in fact in a bag, and not a box, so I’m not contradicting myself here. I just wanted to clear that up!

Skipping The Dupes

Aldi has a ton of dupes that we should be taking advantage of! Aldi has a number of dupes in their store for classics that you know and love including Chick-fil-A chicken and Reese’s. You’d be a fool not to get them when you can get them for cheaper and in the same store that you can get a bag of 6-7 chicken nuggets.

Passing Up On The French Toast Sticks

I need to take the chance to talk about my absolute favorite Aldi find. The double cinnamon French toast sticks are unreal! I love breakfast and I take French toast sticks, in particular, very seriously. I don’t mess around when it comes to them. Out of the dozen French toast sticks I’ve tried over the years, from grocery stores to fast food chains to sit down restaurants, Aldi sells what is by far the best version I’ve ever had. You need to try them as soon as humanly possible!