frugal living Archives - Page 6 of 23

What I Buy at Aldi {Real Food}

November 11, 2013 by Aliesha

In our family, we eat mostly made-from-scratch food with real food ingredients. We rarely eat packaged/highly processed foods. While some may think Aldi is filled with only processed foods, I disagree! Aldi has tons of great products for the real food kitchen! And did I mention the prices are amazing?*

*All prices are my best estimate of what I usually pay, but may not reflect the current prices at your local store.

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?

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6 Reasons Why I Shop at Aldi

November 9, 2013 by Aliesha

Many of you have asked how I manage to stay under budget when my grocery budget is so small ($50/week), and my #1 answer is… I shop at Aldi! I don’t go every week, since my nearest Aldi is 40 minutes away, but I make the drive usually twice a month. I definitely think it’s worth the drive, and while I’m there I stock up on favorite items!

If you’ve never shopped at Aldi, you should know a few things. You’ll need to bring shopping bags (you bag your own groceries), cash or a debit card (they do not accept checks or credit cards), and a quarter (you will “rent” your cart). The store is small – about the size of a drug store – and stocked with Aldi-labeled brands.

In my next post, I’ll share my favorite buys at Aldi, but for now I’ll start with my top reasons to shop at Aldi!

1. Prices are amazing!
Because of Aldi’s unconventional style (smaller store, all store-brands, fewer employees, etc.), they can keep prices waaaay lower than other national grocery store chains. Other grocery stores I shop at can’t even compete! The biggest compliment I can pay another grocery store is to remark of their sale price: “Wow! That price is Aldi good!” Aldi prices don’t fluctuate as much as other stores, which helps me know what to expect every time I go (and helps me stick with my cash budget!).

2. Food tastes as good as the national brand, or better!
We love the Aldi brands and have found them to be just as tasty or better than name brand products (not that we buy name brands often!). I haven’t tried everything in the store, of course, but almost everything that I have tried I like!

3. Employees are very helpful and friendly
Aldi treats their employees well, from what I understand, paying them 50% more than the average grocery store pays their clerks. They also offer good benefits, so maybe that’s why the employees are always so friendly!

4. Shopping takes less time since the store is smaller.
I can get “sucked into” big stores like Walmart, but shopping at Aldi is quick and more efficient! I can dash in and grab what I need quickly without having to deliberate about which brand to buy – there’s only one! If it’s your first time shopping at Aldi, you may find it takes a while to find things, but once you get used to your store’s layout, I guarantee it will be faster.

5. Aldi listens to its customers
Earlier in 2013 Aldi launched a “trial” line of organic products to see if there would be an interest. After many people purchased and raved about the new line, Aldi has decided to make the organic line permanent, even expanding it to produce and adding more dairy and meat! I’m really excited about this, since it will make organic food more attainable to my family and others like mine that are on a tight budget.

6. Weekly special buys are really fun!
Aldi offers select weekly buys that range from kitchen supplies to bath towels to toys to gardening supplies! I’ve found gifts and products I need for great prices! It’s always fun to be surprised with what they’re offering each week (though you can look online ahead of time too).

Do you have an Aldi near you? Do you shop there regularly?

Next up… my favorite things to buy at Aldi!

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DIY Cloth Baby Wipes

November 6, 2013 by Aliesha

Since we use cloth diapers, it was a natural progression for us to start using cloth wipes. I needed to make some new ones recently, so I made a tutorial for you in case you want to make some as well! Cloth wipes are easy to use if you’re already using cloth diapers… just roll them up with the diaper and wash with the diapers! They save a ton of money over disposables wipes, since you can use them over and over again until they wear out.

I made mine using a flannel receiving blanket we were given at the hospital, but you could buy flannel if you don’t have any on hand. Using pinking shears means you don’t have to hem them – yay!

Cut the flannel into even squares, each approximately the size of a normal baby wipe. To make them all the same size, fold the fabric first to see how many you will get out of it. I cut my fabric into four strips lengthwise first.

Then I cut each strip into six squares.

Stack ’em up, and you’re done!

You can use warm water alone, but I like to make a wipes solution (I like these). You can make all different kinds of wipes solutions… just google around for one you like. Also, when my girls have had rashes in the past, I soaked their cloth wipes in water and apple cider vinegar before using them. It helps clear up the rash!