Pantry Staples/Baking
– old fashioned oats ($2.29/2 lbs.) – this is a large container and it’s the cheapest “cereal” we can eat for breakfast!
– raisins ($1.89) – my girls think raisins are candy and love to have a few for “dessert”
– dried cranberries ($1.19) – we love to throw these in granola, cookies, oatmeal, and trail mix!
– whole dates ($1.99) – great price, but they just have them at Christmas time
– other dried fruit (prices vary)
– pure maple syrup ($3.99) – excellent price for Grade A pure!
– organic honey ($3.19)
– regular honey (around $2) – great for baking
– dark chocolate morsels 60% bittersweet ($1.69) – holiday special item, but I PROMISE these taste exactly like Ghiradelli chocolate chips and are half the price
– spices ($1.69) – pretty good quality for the price
– pure vanilla extract ($1.99) – I make my own vanilla extract now, but I used to buy this
– pure almond extract ($1.99) – seasonal, so I stock up
– nuts (prices vary) – all the nuts are very affordable
– natural peanut butter ($1.69) – our favorite peanut butter!

Canned Goods
– diced tomatoes ($.59)
– tomato sauce ($.25/small can)
– beans (prices vary)
– organic pasta sauce ($1.99) – a convenience food, but a good price for organic
– pumpkin ($.89) – seasonal item

Dairy
– milk (between $2-$3) – I buy whole and it’s a great price!
– half & half ($1.59)
– heavy whipping cream ($1.99) – I use this in white sauces, soups, and to make homemade ice cream
– butter (currently $1.69/lb.!!) – I stock up on butter when the price is this low!  (Normal price not around the holidays is $2.49)
– cream cheese ($.99)
– yogurt – I make my own most of the time, but the small cups of Greek yogurt are really good and taste like Chobani. They also have larger containers of plain Greek yogurt.
– eggs ($1.29)

Cheese
– all the “regular” blocks of cheese ($1.79/8 oz.) – we’ve tried it all and it’s all good!
– specialty cheese (price varies) – we have enjoyed Gouda, havarti, goat, feta, asiago and more!
– Parmesan wedges ($2.99-$3.49/8 oz.) – this is very good and SO much cheaper than at other stores
– fresh mozzarella ($2.69/8 oz.) – ditto!

Produce
I buy TONS of produce at Aldi.  Like anywhere, the produce that is currently in season is what will taste the best and be the best price, so that’s what I try to buy!  (i.e., watermelon in the summer, squash in the fall, citrus in the winter, asparagus in the spring, etc.)  Also like when shopping anywhere else, if it doesn’t look good, don’t buy it.  It’s helpful to find out when your store gets its deliveries and shop accordingly.  For me, Thursday is a great day to shop since the truck comes Wednesday.
The produce prices fluctuate based on season and region (check your weekly ad here), obviously, but here are some of my favorite rock-bottom prices for produce (some of this is from memory):
– pineapple ($.99 each)
– pomegranate ($.59 each)
– potatoes ($3.49/10 lbs.)
– lemons ($1.49/bag)
– cucumbers ($.29)
– carrots ($1.09)
– baby carrots ($.69)
– onions ($1.19/2 lbs.?)
– avocado ($.59 each)
– multi-color peppers ($1.99/3)
– mini sweet peppers ($1.99)
– blueberries ($1.69)
– red grapes ($2.58/2 lbs.)
– celery ($1.29)
– organic baby spinach or spring mix ($2.49)
– artisan lettuce ($1.99)
– grape tomatoes ($.99)
– garlic ($.49/3)
– Gala apples ($2.29/3 lbs.)
– grapefruit ($1.79/5 lbs.)
– butternut squash ($1.19 each)

Meat
– frozen wild-caught Alaskan salmon ($3.99-$4.49 for 4 fillets) – best deal on salmon that I’ve found! Quality is great too.
– ground beef ($1.79/lb.)
– grass-fed ground beef ($4.49/lb.)
– center-cut bacon ($3.89)
– whole chicken (price varies, but is around $.89/lb.)

Other Frozen
– broccoli ($1.09)
– corn ($.95)
– peas ($.95)
– green beans (around $1)
– mixed veggies (around $1)
– California blend (around $1)
– berries (prices vary)

Snacks
– blue corn tortilla chips ($1.69) – These are seriously the best chips we’ve tried, including name brands and ones from Trader Joe’s.  They are made with organic blue corn and have just a few ingredients.
– kettle chips ($1.79) – not super-healthy, but they only have three ingredients and are delicious!
– organic salsa ($1.99) – we thought this was pretty good! The non-organic salsa is good too.
– chocolate ($1.99) – I loooove the dark chocolate (70% and 85%) and often snag a bar to keep on hand.  One time they had organic Green & Black chocolate as a special buy!

Non-food
– aluminum foil ($1.99)
– plastic wrap ($1.49)
– zip bags in various sizes ($1.99)
– scrubby sponges (2/$1.19)
– tissues with lotion ($1.19)
– cheap paper towels ($.69) – great for cleaning up really gross stuff

Your turn!  What are your favorite things to buy at Aldi?