10 Secrets for Shopping at Aldi, Straight from Employees
It's no secret that Aldi is one of the best grocery stores you can visit. With rock-bottom prices and a selection of fresh produce and packaged meat, shopping at Aldi is the perfect place stock up on healthy staples for your family that won't break the bank. Aldi started in Germany but has been making a splash here in the US with more and more locations popping up. And since it's the sister store to Trader Joe's, most of the food is private label but just as delicious as your favorite name brands.
But even if you're an Aldi regular, there still may be some shopping hacks you've been totally unaware of. That's where Aldi employees themselves come in. We've gathered some inside tips from Aldi employees pulled from Reddit to make your next shopping trip a breeze.
Go Shopping on Wednesdays
"Wednesday is universally the best day to shop at Aldi. New prices roll out every Wednesday and they have new 'produce picks of the week,' which means that you can get a steal on some produce and other products. We just got done with a promotion where we had 79-cent dozen eggs. You'll usually find pineapple marked down to a dollar and 69 cent avocados. Also, since this produce is marked down so cheap, it goes fast so it's always being replaced with new product. It'll never just sit all day without being replenished but like I said, always dig to the bottom." — Reddit user and Aldi employee AmiriteClyde
They Have Great Coffee
When asked what his favorite thing to buy at Aldi was, Reddit user and Aldi employee fxxmulder replied:
"Coffee! We have amazing coffee. My favorite is the Honduras and Peru whole bean (single source, organic, and fair trade) and the regular fair trade medium roast."
But Stay Away from the Cola
"[My] least favorite is GT Cola. They really missed the mark on that (assuming they were trying to make it taste like American Coca Cola and not mop water.) There isn't enough whiskey in the world to make it palpable." — Reddit user and Aldi employee AldiEmployee
They Have a Killer Double Money Back Guarantee
"We have a double money back guarantee on our food products. Use this to try new things you'd be hesitant to try anywhere else. If you don't like it, bring it back and we'll give you your money back and a similar priced product of your choice. It's a win-win. You either discover something new you like or you get your money back and something you're used to. Example, you want to try our chips. You buy it and think it tastes like crap. We'll give you your $3 back and a free box of cookies." — Reddit user and Aldi employee AmiriteClyde
There's New Produce Every Morning
"We get produce deliveries every morning. The turnaround is very fast, so we don't have much waste. We just don't over-order, I guess. It's more typical that we are all out of broccoli by the time we close than it is that we have several extra cases that just end up in the trash." — Reddit user and Aldi employee fxxmulder
If You're Trying to Get Hired
"My advice for someone wanting to get a job is to fill out the application as if Aldi was their only job. It helps to have a friend that works there too. If your friend works there and you get hired (and stay for 6 months) they get like $700." — Reddit user and Aldi employee AldiEmployee
They Have Excellent Customer Service
"Most companies say they're all about customer service but Aldi really is. Take advantage of this. If you're looking for something but can't find it, just ask. I guarantee they won't mumble and point in a direction. They'll physically take you there. If there is anything you want done or need help with (other than us bagging your groceries) we'll do it. Don't be 'needy' but don't be afraid to ask." — Reddit user and Aldi employee AmiriteClyde
Produce is Sometimes Cheaper Than Wholesalers
"We often have local restaurants come in to buy produce to hold them over until deliveries come in. They have mentioned that it's cheaper than their wholesalers. I don't have actual numbers, but bananas and lettuce are big sellers in that area." — Reddit user and Aldi employee fxxmulder
Reach for the Bottom
"When buying meat, look at the back of the cooler or the product on the bottom, we put the closest expiration dates in the front to rotate it. Same with bread. The deeper you go the newer it is." — Reddit user and Aldi employee AmiriteClyde
Some Food Gets Donated to Charity
When asked if food that isn't sold gets donated, Reddit user and Aldi employee AmiriteClyde replied:
"It depends. We work with charities to donate our bread when it's 5 days from expiration but other than that we pitch it."
