Anyone who has read my blog for any amount of time knows my undying devotion to Meijer grocery stores… as well as the fact that I’ve never been a huge fan of Aldi grocery stores (for many reasons).
However, right around the time Clara was born, I started disliking a few things about my Meijer shopping experience (more on that below) and just a couple months later, a brand new, much nicer Aldi store opened up less than 10 miles from our house.
After several months of trying Aldi one time here, one time there (and still disliking it) I finally gave myself a self-imposed one-month challenge to essentially do as much of my grocery shopping at Aldi as I possibly could… today, I’m sharing the results!
First… a little history.
For my entire adult life (roughly 14 years), Meijer has been my sanity-saving, one-stop-shop, go-to grocery store… and before then, I always went to Meijer with my mom, so I definitely won’t be kicking Meijer grocery stores to the curb any time soon.
And speaking of “curbs”, Meijer’s fabulous curbside pickup service was a life-saver for me when James was a baby and Dave could pick up the groceries on his way home from school. However, Meijer has since doubled the per-use fee for their Curbside service, which personally made it less of a bargain for me… so I never used it after Clara was born.
Also, right around the time Clara was born, Meijer partnered with the Shipt Grocery Delivery service. I briefly looked into using Shipt, but there is an annual fee to use Shipt, plus the groceries are roughly 15%-17% more expensive, plus I’d need to tip the delivery person, and I wouldn’t be able to use many of my digital coupons — needless to say, it was a no-go for me.
So I was back to grocery shopping again, and this time with 4 children (including a fairly fussy newborn who hated being in her carseat) — not exactly my idea of a fun time!
I started to dread grocery shopping and was so grumpy and stressed out when I got home. I almost always went on a day Nora was in school, and I tried to coordinate it with Clara’s nap, but it was still a nightmare almost every week.
Well, actually… just the checkout lane was a nightmare.
I started timing my shopping trips and found I was averaging 20-25 minutes in the store to get ALL my groceries, and then another 15-20 minutes in the checkout lane (seriously, it was ridiculous).
Every single checkout lane was clogged up with Shipt shoppers who were trying to be efficient (good job!) and checking out multiple orders in a row. If you’ve ever gotten behind a Shipt shopper checking out multiple orders in a row — and completing the extra paperwork that each order involves — you know it takes extra long.
And if you’ve ever gotten behind a Shipt shopper taking extra long while trying to calm a fussy baby and entertain 2 toddler boys who insist on touching EVERY SINGLE THING in the checkout lanes, you most definitely share my frustration!
My temporary solution was to get groceries at 9pm on a weeknight or 5:30am on Saturday — both of which were OK options, BUT there was only ever ONE checkout lane open at those times, and if 3 or 4 other shoppers were in the store at the same time, we still had to wait a fairly long time to finally check out.
Right around the holiday season (when the stores were even busier) I realized my weekly grocery shopping was causing me unnecessary stress, taking up tons of extra time, and… that I no longer loved shopping at Meijer.
Over Christmas break, I told Dave I wanted to try the new Aldi store… and while the store was very nice and the staff was very capable, I still hated shopping there.
I tried it twice over Christmas break, and both times, I left feeling like I could only get half of what I needed, and ended up spending MORE in the long-run because I went to Meijer and Costco too, and spent significantly more time than I would have if I had just stuck to shopping at Meijer.
I was super frustrated and vowed that Aldi just wasn’t for me.
I continued to stand in the LOOOOOOOOOOOONG lines at Meijer, while all my friends (and blog readers) raved about how quick and efficient their Aldi shopping experiences were.
I needed quick and efficient!
So I tried Aldi a couple more times after the New Year, and realized that even though I couldn’t get everything I needed or wanted, it WAS very quick and efficient.
I also took a look at our Finance Tracking Workbooks from previous years and realized we were spending a HUGE amount on groceries — in fact, groceries was our largest monthly expense for 2017!!!
Yikes!
I forced myself to go to Aldi twice over Dave’s spring break and found that I liked the experience slightly more. I was also impressed with the markdown deals (specifically their half-price bread!)
Then, after spring break, I decided to “bite the bullet” and swear off Meijer for one month (well, not totally… but almost). I challenged myself to do as much of my grocery shopping as I possibly could at Aldi for one month, and see if I liked it any better.
I just finished my one month challenge last week… and I’m happy to report, I no longer hate shopping at Aldi!
I’ve been going to Aldi one morning each week for the past 5 weeks, and since I always went on a morning Simon was gone at his 5-week preschool program, I only had 2 kids with me each time — Clara usually napped in her carseat while James sat nicely in the cart.
I mostly got fresh produce, dairy, and bread (we got a quarter of a cow from Dave’s parents for Christmas and get most of our other meat from Zaycon Fresh)… then I headed to the checkout lane roughly 20 minutes after walking through the door.
Of course, I can’t ever find EVERY SINGLE thing on my list, but I told myself we could do without some of those items for one month.
Plus, the amazing speed of the checkout lanes was FANTASTIC! I could hardly get my items on the belt fast enough and they were already being scanned and put into the 2nd shopping cart. It was amazing!
I bagged up my own groceries (which is more efficient and organized than anyone at Meijer could have done for me) and then was on my way!
There are still lots of things I don’t particularly love about shopping at Aldi, but I think they are balanced out by my growing list of things I don’t love about Meijer (at least for this stage in my life with multiple little children in tow).
I’m positive I will still utilize Meijer grocery stores — but I do think I will continue doing at least some of my weekly shopping at Aldi, especially during the Summer when Dave can stay home with some of the kids.
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So the biggest question… Did I save any money?
This is fairly difficult to know for sure — my bill was definitely less expensive at Aldi, BUT I get all kinds of digital rewards, MPerks, and credit card rewards specifically for my Meijer purchases, so I usually see a significant post-shopping savings at Meijer, which I obviously don’t get at Aldi.
Plus, I simply decided to go without the things I couldn’t get at Aldi for most of the month — and we obviously can’t go on like that forever… so I’d eventually need to go to Meijer more regularly for those items.
That said, I certainly did not spend MORE, and I saved a significant amount of time (and stress) so I’d call it a WIN!
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I do feel like I should mention that a BRAND NEW Meijer store is currently scheduled to open this summer, only 2 miles down the road from our house!
So, while I have definitely changed my tune about Aldi, I wouldn’t be shocked if I eventually switch back to shopping at Meijer based on the proximity of the store to our house!
Who knows… we’ll see what the new Meijer store is like, how well they are staffed, and how quick the checkout lanes are.
At least I’m fortunate enough to have so many great grocery shopping options and the ability to choose where I buy my groceries based on convenience. What a blessing!
What about you… what do you like (or dislike) most about Aldi or Meijer?
Rebecca | Unexpectedly Domestic says
I loved hearing about your Aldi experiment, Andrea! I also used to be skeptical of Aldi, but now it’s my go-to store for regular weekly grocery shopping. I love how you don’t have to wait for a sale to get great prices, and how quick and efficient my shopping trips are now. Since Aldi is so much smaller than Meijer, the cashiers are much faster (possibly because they don’t have to worry about bagging), and they open a new lane promptly when the line gets longer than a few people, I find the time-saving element a major bonus. I also appreciate that they seem to operate with a high level of integrity, with a business model of having fewer employees but paying them more and offering great benefits. They are also dedicated to reducing their environmental impact. Thanks so much for sharing an update on your grocery shopping method. I always enjoy hearing about what’s working well for you.
pw says
I hate Meijers, their store is so huge that to get everything with an organized list just takes forever and I don’t find their prices that worthwhile. My biggest problem is that you can stand in line forever, the check out people are super slow, the prices don’t scan correctly.Our Meijers did put in some self checkout lanes making it much better. I have tried to go to their garden center and oh my the prices are hugely wrong or not priced. I only go to Meijer when I am in their area (I won’t go out of my way even 2 blocks to shop there) and I am not rushed for time. Our Krogers/Marianos here in the Chicago area is super pricy but I can get thru the store quickly.I go to Aldies occasionally because they have a nice gluten free bread we like, veggies are iffy and meat I won’t buy. We use a lot of organic so that makes Aldi tricky. I absolutely will go to Aldi’s for 1 thing–their bagged spinach is the best I have ever had even though not organic. I can walk to Aldis, our Jewel and a few others. No Trader Joe nor Whole Foods nearby. I go when I am in their area. There is just 2 of us and I have been cheating a bit and using checklist. Stop on my way home from work, done! Then I get time to walk outside and workout for 45 min. instead of running thru a grocery store. We go to Costco once every 2-3 weeks for gas and fruit and cheese not too much else.
Debbie says
An Aldi opened up about 3 miles from our house last summer, which has been great! I usually shop Aldi, Kroger, Sprouts and HEB, but not all of them always the same week. The only bad experience I’ve had with Aldi is that sometimes their produce is not so fresh and I’ve had their milk go bad a couple times before the expiration date. So I stick with milk from Kroger or HEB, but I love buying crackers, cheese, hummus, almond milk and some produce at Aldi for their prices, especially their cheese. I can also sometimes find great markdowns on their frozen food (ravioli…great for the kids) and seasonal food items for super cheap.
myrna eisenlauer says
When I realized that aldi’s is a German based company, I started looking for the grocery items that would be European. The bratwurst type meats are excellent, also chicken-base sausages – yum. The best bonus for me is the imported CHOCOLATE – they are so good and inexpensive. We love their fresh produce and their efficiency in checkout. Did you know that they put the bar code on several sides of the product so the employee is not searching for it ?
Kelly Hess says
I shop Aldi 2-4 times a month for staples. I do save a significant amount of money but this is not the only store I can shop. My husband does the Costco runs 1-2 times per month. I then need to get anything specific not carried at Aldi 1-2 times per month at our local Giant Eagle which I try to do on a week I do not need anything at Aldi.. I love shopping Aldi and how efficient it is and how inexpensive it is, but I cannot commit to ever shopping just one store. However in my case, I love grocery shopping (except Costco) so I am fine having to go to 2 stores in one week if needed.
Suzie J says
I’m curious about items that aren’t sold at Aldi that seem to be essentials for you and many of your readers. Maybe I’ve trained myself to go without but right now I can’t think of any groceries we need that I couldn’t get at Aldi.
Would anyone please share?
Kelly H says
Ours are often brand specific items, regular Cheerios, beef stew/sloppy jo mixes, triscuits (I do not like the Aldi brand), Italian Ice, etc.
Diana says
Maybe it comes down to food preferences, allergies, and/or style of cooking. The two main things I can’t get at Aldi are unbleached all-purpose flour (better for bread) and a natural peanut butter that doesn’t have added sugar (their natural brand has molasses I think). And since I need to buy these almost every week, I couldn’t just shop Aldi instead of my regular stops–I’d have to have 3 stops instead of 2 and that’s not feasible right now 🙂
Marcie says
Diane,
Aldi has organic (creamy) peanut butter that is only peanuts and salt.
Kellie says
I kept waiting to see someone mention Trader Joe’s! I know everyone has their own reasons for where they shop but for me it’s TJ’s! You won’t get Aldi prices but the quality, price, and EFFICIENCY is so worth it to me! I can go in with my 2 kids and be headed out to my car in 20 minutes – and that’s when it’s really busy. For me it’s worth it to shop there and then do a monthly Wal-Mart pick up order or Costco run for paper products and whatnot. Our Aldi is not up to par here!
Crystal says
Just a little FYI tidbit… but Aldi actually owns Trader Joe’s. Learned that recently & thought I would share-
Kellie says
Yes! That’s why I thought it was interesting no one mentioned! 🙂 There’s definitely some similarities but I find the efficiency and customer service of TJ’s much better.
Trudy says
I’m lucky…there’s a Kroger, Meijer and Aldi within a couple miles of me. My preference for most everyday things is Aldi, but our Aldi is smaller and the produce can be sketchy….so if my list has a lot of produce, we go to Meijer.
Alison says
I drive about 7 miles to get to Aldi and Costco is across the street. I buy 90% of my in person stuff from them. I stop in to a regular grocery store or Target infrequently… only if there is something great on sale, and then I pick up the odds and ends I can’t get at Aldi or Costco. I should mention that we spend a fair chunk of our grocery/household budget at Amazon too. I use their subscribe and save religiously.
Leanne says
We live less than 2 miles from Meijer…and its right on our way to school and work… that being said…we do a lot of “quick stops” to Meijer and use their deli because I don’t like Walmart’s or our Super Target’s… We use Aldi once or twice a month to “stock up” on things that are just definitely cheaper there– chips, baking goods, staples, and sometimes eggs and milk… I don’t love their meat, so I buy meat from Meijer or Walmart…
I don’t like the strange split aisle thing that our Meijer did when they remodeled…and they NEVER have enough checkout lanes open…never! I actually get grocery choice fatigue…too many options, too many aisles, too much advertising right in your face…so, I usually let my husband do the big shopping and I do all the little runs for things through the week… we spend a large amount on groceries, too! our boys are 13,11, and 10… but, we don’t eat out much at all as a family… and I know its easier and healthier for them to eat at home…so, Aldi helps us stay supplied with staples and we get the more “Fun foods” at other stores!
Alicia says
I hear so much about this Aldi store, but I’ve never been there! Here in the PNW they don’t have either of those stores where I live…at least not that I know of. In fact in our town, the ONLY grocery store we have is a Safeway, and I am not a Safeway fan. We do have a Costco, so I end up getting the bulk of our items there, but that’s definitely not a budget friendly option.
Leslie says
I live in Texas and we don’t have Meijer where I live – but the store managers seem VERY interested in what folks like/dislike about their shopping experiences. From the comments here, it seems like you are not the only person inconvenienced by having to wait behind the professional shoppers. Could your Meijer store manager dedicate one or two checkout lines only for them? They might be surprised to know it is costing them customers and business.
Caroline says
I love Meijer,but we do not have this store in NY. The only Meijer I’ve visited was in Michigan in the Saginaw area and it was great!
Our local Aldi store does save us a significant amount of time and money and we do about 90% of our shopping there. I’m glad you gave it a try!
Lynn says
Great post Andrea! Since I grew up the beginning of my youth in Lansing, I too know Meijer really well! I have even been there in the years after leaving Michigan when I visit family!.
We love Aldi;s. While there is no Meijer here in Missouri, we have the Walmart Supercenter. So, there are some things we cannot get at Aldi’s, but we do the majority of our shopping at Aldi.
We posted about the top 5 things we buy at Aldi here at https://fulltimefulllife.com/the-top-5-items-to-buy-at-aldi/ .
Thanks again for sharing!
Janessa says
I found Aldi last year and I’ve really enjoyed going there. I have started going back to Kroger (we don’t have Meijer here) for their Clicklist option this spring just because of super busy schedules. And I go to Costco every other week for certain things we prefer to get from there. I have found that I really love the cheese selection at my Aldi. I can get a wide array of different cheeses there at great prices.My daughter actually prefers their brand of pop tarts too. and I load up on milk there because it’s anywhere from .50 to $1 cheaper. Our Kroger just recently started lowering prices on things like cheese and milk to try to compete with Aldi so maybe it will actually end up being cheaper to go back there now. Oh also, snacks. Whenever we have a road trip planned, I will load up on snacks from aldi. I save a TON on those things.
Brenda says
I find that since Meijer started Shipt, I don’t like shopping there as much. It bothers me that someone being paid to shop for someone else is causing me a delay in doing my own shopping. They seem to be slow moving, always checking their phones for order details and looking for the one specific item on the shelves. I wish they weren’t allowed to shop at peak busy times (when everyone is getting out of work, etc.).
I used to shop at Aldi a lot more than I am now, but the one closest to me is in a strip mall and parking and exiting the parking lot are a hassle. Although I get in and out quickly.
So for me right now, I’ve been doing more small trips at the smaller local grocery store (Aldi and Meijer are both on my way home from work, about 20 minutes from home). I know I’m paying more for some stuff, but it gets me home from work in time to make it to my sons’ baseball games and still have food for dinner after. I probably need to start planning my shopping trips better so that I can get a couple weeks worth of stuff at once (if I want to save money). Its a toss-up for me right now: saving time or saving money?
Brenda says
I should add that I am glad that I have all 3 options. I hope enough people keep shopping at all of them so that they can stay open and I still have options! lol So really it’s good that all of us like different stores for different reasons. It’s good for business to have some competition.
Sherri says
(You knew you were going to get a lot of comments on this one, right 😉 I am also a true believer in Aldi, but, like you, I can’t get everything there…I’m probably 80% strictly Aldi, and the other 20% other local/chain grocery stores (some because Aldi simply doesn’t carry it, and some because I just prefer a different brand). I absolutely do save money and time at Aldi and those are big reasons I shop there but here’s another reason why: There are limited options of products so I’m not absolutely overwhelmed by the 20 different options of just one item. Seriously!!! Not too long ago I went into a chain store and needed a bag of shredded mozzarella cheese (at least 2 cups). After standing in front of the cheese section looking for a full 2 cup bag and then the right “kind” (no-fat, low-fat, etc) and then the best price I had wasted over 5 minutes…to find 1 bag of cheese…and it was more expensive that I would have like to paid! Just for kicks I counted up the different offerings of just shredded mozzarella cheese…14! Good grief, no wonder I was almost having an anxiety attack!!. Now, I do understand that there is a time/place for all the different offerings, but personally it is very overwhelming. In the end, I am very grateful for the different shopping options available to me and that I can fulfill every need and want regarding food for my family. Thanks for the post!
VV says
I have been shopping at Aldi for quite a few years and love it for all the things mentioned below – quick checkout, great prices and decision fatigue! I dislike going to Meijer because they often are sold out of the items I went for in the first place (usually sale items) and it takes forever to check out. I only go there when I can’t get the items anywhere else and then I try to make my husband go! If you have a Sam’s nearby they have an awesome new app called Scan and go. You scan your items as you are going through the store, and when you are ready to leave you check out right on your phone. No need to even go through the check out lanes.. The people at the door just scan you receipt when you leave and you are out the door. Total game changer vs other stores like Costco which also takes forever to check out.
Jen says
I’m a die-hard Aldi fan, although I will say that since we’ve moved to Charlotte, I have NOT been impressed with the Aldi stores down here. I have written to corporate several times about the issues and still they persist. I even got a phone call from their corporate office, but it was nothing but excuses about why the issues I was having were happening.
Last fall, a new store, Lidl (pronounced like “needle”) opened just down the street from Aldi, and that has been my go-to store lately. They are slightly–only slightly–more expensive than Aldi but the better shopping experience is totally worth it! I do need to go to Lidl and Wal-mart but I’m used to that after 20 years! And I also buy most of our meat and some other items at Sam’s or Costco.
When we moved from GR 17 years ago, I missed Meijer terribly! But I’ve been back when visiting my sister and the crowds make me crazy–and I’m not shopping with little ones! I’m glad you gave Aldi a second chance. It can’t be beat for many items. I also love their special buy items. We’ve gotten lots of nice things that would have cost much more elsewhere.
Jamie says
We have a Kroger store about three minutes from our house, but now we drive past it and about fifteen minutes further to get to Aldi and Meijer. Shopping with small kids, the huge carts they use for the Clicklist orders drive me crazy. There is barely enough room for a cart to squeeze by, often bumping at the handle. I wish our Kroger would install the bag turnstiles. They never seem to have a bagger when I go and it seems like I am expected to bag my own own stuff while keeping an eye on my kids and gathering my coupons. Bagging isn’t such a big deal at Aldi where I can find a quieter spot to contain the Kids. We feel like we eat healthier/less processed junk when we shop mostly Aldi.
Kim says
I had a hard time liking Aldi at first, but for a very different reason. They bought out my absolute favorite grocery store, Bottom Dollar Foods, 3 to 4 years ago. I loved the staff at bottom dollar, I loved that they beat any competitor’s advertised price by a penny (I seriously saved so much money that way), I loved the inexpensive yet good quality store brand products, and that I could use coupons on name brands. I held a grudge for a little bit of time, LOL. But then I discovered that they had the best price on snack foods that we had been missing since Bottom Dollar closed. Then I discovered the price on their plain whole-milk organic yogurt was a dollar less than what I would get at Wegmans. And the quality of their produce kept improving as the prices stayed consistently lower than other places.
At the start I would go to Aldi once a month and stock up on the things that we liked there. But I noticed they started carrying more and more of the things that I would buy at Wegmans for a lower price. Then last year my son went to preschool across the street from our local Aldi, so I started going a little bit more frequently.
Now I grocery shop every other week, start at Aldi, and end up at Wegmans. It takes me a couple hours to do all the shopping, but then I’m done for the next two weeks. Plus, I only have one three year old with me and she has been very well behaved with the promise of visiting the bakery for a cookie at the end of our shopping trip.
If it wasn’t for the better quality (and variety of) apples, plus a few other things that I prefer to get at Wegmans, I would be going to Wegmans once a month and ALDI every other week.
Deb says
Aldi is always the first place that I start. We don’t eat a a lot of processed foods and their prices on the basics cannot be beat. We are in Publix land, but they are expensive compared to Aldi and Walmart. They are obviously nicer and the people are friendly but that is not worth the extra money to me. I have tried the curbside pickup at WM and that is pretty slick. Even if I am not actually ordering, I will use the website to compare prices. We have Sam’s here, not Costco, but for the premium membership, you can get in early (7:00) and they give you coffee and granola bars! They also have an app. (that anyone can use) where you can scan everything and avoid the checkout completely, or you can order everything online and just drive through and pick it up for no cost. I think the products overall are more appealing at Costco, but the ease and early opening of Sam’s are HUGE pluses in my book.
Sarah says
We don’t have Aldi or Meijer here in NM. I love using the free curbside pickup at Walmart for many basics, packaged items. It’s been a lifesaver for me with 2 very busy little boys! Then, I use Smith’s (aka Kroger in some areas) for produce and other items I don’t care to get at Walmart. Smith’s also has a curbside pickup, but they charge a fee…not a big deal, but I’d rather choose my produce most if the time. It’s not a long trip, so I don’t usually mind it. Plus, they give fuel points for spending there, so I can get my gas for sometimes 40 cents off!
Alissa says
Oh grocery shopping! We moved to NW Ohio in December after living in Denver for 5 years (and South Korea for 2 years before that). We live in a small town that does have a grocery store. Meijer and Aldi are in a town 25 minutes away (but close together in that town – thank goodness!) and Costco is 45 minutes in the other direction. I am so, so, so glad to have an Aldi. They did not have them out west and grocery shopping was so expensive (and of course they did not have them in Korea, but they did have Costco in our city). I do a Costco run once a monthish after my little guy is in bed for the night (I am crazy loyal to Costco brand diapers) I usually got to Aldi once a week and then go to Meijer for anything else (I try to get our milk at Meijer as they source a local dairy). I have a one year old and he does pretty well. The beauty of going to Aldi first is I only need a few things at Meijer so I can use the self-check out lanes. I can bag my own groceries and Samuel is content to hand me groceries. I don’t think I have ever had to wait in line to get to self-check out. My husband and I went the other day and we only shopped at Meijer and I was SHOCKED at how expensive it was. On the way out to the car, I mumbled (grumbled) “we should have gone to Aldi first”. I think for different season, different grocery stores work better. Right now I have tons of free time and am trying to be really budget conscious. So Aldi first, then Meijer works for us. Clearly I have a lot of thoughts on grocery shopping 🙂 I am proud of you for giving Aldi a try!
JJ says
Since we are dairy free due to 3 kids have allergies, we LOVE their brand o Hawaiin rolls that are dairy free!!! So if you ever want to make someone the ham sliders with vegan butter and those rolls, it would work! I have loved some of the great finds there. We got them super hero shirts(Captain America and Spiderman REALLY cheap on clearance last year!). Their baby food pouches are really cheap compared to other organic brands, and my baby(they started selling them with my youngest)loved them! I love my super Target and Walmart(free grocery pickup), but I like Aldi when I can go with my husband.
Rachel says
Yes! You described exactly why I no longer shop at Meijer regularly–the long checkout lines drive me crazy!!! I have never waited longer than 5 minutes to check out at Aldi and normally it’s much less than that. (Although there is one Aldi in the area that we refer to as “the slow Aldi” so they do vary from location to location.) There are some things that I can only get at Meijer, but I challenge myself to go as long as possible between Meijer trips and stock up on those items when I do go. Welcome to Aldi Andrea! 🙂
Patty says
They are trialing “Meijer Express” at my local Meijer in Rockford. You are able to scan your items to your phone and bag them as you shop. I love it! When you get to the check out (you can use the 12 item or less self-check out lanes) you scan a barcode for checkout and all of your items load to the register. Checkout is a few minutes! They are still working out a few bugs, but I am overall very happy with the process. Not sure how easy this would be with kids in tow, but like you, anything that shortens the time in the checkout lane is a win for me!
Meghan says
We don’t have Meijer (Yet – one is being built.) I love, love, love Walmart curbside pickup. It’s free! I started using it last summer. Total game changer for me; I despise going into the actual Walmart store. I save money too because there is no impulse buying. I only order what’s on my list and don’t “browse.” The shoppers/ car loaders are so nice and friendly, and I feel like I get better produce than when I’m shopping for it myself. However, I don’t get meat there. I get meat from Giant Eagle every couple months and freeze it or from a neighborhood butcher. I like Aldi, and I go in as a special shopping “treat.” I let the kids pick out cookies or snack foods, and I stock up on pistachios, almonds, fruit strips, and cheap produce. It go maybe half a dozen times a year.
So should I try Meijer when it’s built???
Cathy says
I go to Aldi for lots of reasons. I have 5 children 4 of whom are boys so needless to say we need cheap groc. Where else can you buy cereal for $1.29 or so. I do know that Aldi isn’t a one stop shop, but then again neither is Costco. Meijer is usually the place I get all the fill ins that Aldi doesn’t have. Between these two I usually can do it all. O and I don’t have to take time to do digital coupons and all those other deals, which save time at home.
Linda K. says
I don’t like grocery shopping at all, and am fortunate that my semi retired husband is willing to do this.
I don’t like how huge Meijer is. I especially dislike all the crazy ads they run, especially when it’s something like buy 3 get 2 free! Seldom do I want 5 of the same item at one time!
I wish stores would skip all the silly ads and just lower prices all over. It would average out and save me so much time and frustration. (Like trying to make sure I have 10 items, not just 9 or 11.) Drives me crazy!
Anyone remember years ago the Meijer slogan “you’re next in line at Meijer!” Ha. Not anymore.
After spending time shopping you just want to get out of there.
Shopping is frustrating. I know, we are blessed in our country to have so many choices. It just shouldn’t be so stressful!
Julie says
Aldi is my first stop grocery shopping. I try to get most things there, knowing that I will never be able to buy everything I need there. If I can’t get something there then I head to the Pick n Save to finish up my shopping. We save a ton of $ buying mostly produce and staples at Aldi. Any meat I buy from the butcher. Aldi check out is very quick and I do like to organize my bags so that all frozen are in one bag(s) all fruit are in another etc. Big box stores are not for me. I don’t go in them unless I have to. When I run in it seems like I walk miles
to get what I need. Aldi’s for the win for me….even though I know I will have to go to at least one other store to complete my shopping.
Donna says
When our 4 kids were little I would wait for Thursday, my hubby’s pay day and go shopping after supper, so he could stay home with the kids. Georgetown Family Fare was the closest store back then. It was heaven shopping all by myself! Now with being empty nesters, it is mostly Aldi and my hubby shopping Meijer and Family Fare’s sales. I really don’t like shopping, so I’m thankful he doesn’t mind doing it. I’ll never forget my first time going to Aldi. I didn’t have a quarter for the cart, so I had to get change for a dollar. When they first opened they only took cash, so of course I go up after being all rung up and want to write a check. Well they put my cart aside, so I could go to the bank to get cash. I really didn’t want to go back after that, but the savings were too good. Now I’m a Aldi shopper for life. 🙂
Margo says
Before moving to northern Michigan 3 years ago I alternated between Meijer and Kroger. Both stores had self check out lines which I loved. There are no Aldi stores near me but my experiences down state were less than positive. I have 3 grocery shopping options about 15 miles away, Walmart, IGA and another small chain. I REALLY miss Meijer and Kroger but they are about 45 miles away 🙁
Starla says
I’ve shopped at Aldi for years, and then about a year ago, we moved to a new community and I now have a 45 minute drive to the nearest Aldi. I have access to a Wal-Mart within 10 minutes, a Giant and Weis within 12-15 minutes, but they are in areas that I rarely go through for anything else.
Shopping more frequently at Walmart made me realize one of the things I miss most about Aldi: No DECISION FATIGUE. They basically have one brand and one size and I don’t have to decide what which product is the best deal!
As for saving money, Wal-Mart’s Great Value brand is pretty comparable to Aldi prices, and I found that I don’t save much at all til I make the 40 minute drive, so I don’t go very often. But I do miss the ability to get in and out of the store in a short time (Wal-Mart is so big and I have to walk sooo far for a few items!)
I’m rather pleased that you’ve learned to like Aldi at least a little bit. =)
Pamela says
I love Aldi. I really like bagging my own groceries. I pack the bags how I unload them at home, so putting away the groceries is super fast. I have a second refrigerator and pantry in my basement, so all the “basement food” gets bagged together at Aldi and then I don’t have to do any sorting at home. I also like Aldi’s fantastic return policy!
Elizabeth says
I also dislike having to go to Aldi and Meijer to get everything on my list. I’ve been trying to only do Meijer every other week…then it’s super quick the weeks I just do Aldi (However I sometimes find that I buy extra things from Aldi because I know it’s just a limited time thing ) At the same time I do love that I can get everything from haircare to spray paint to an unusual ingredient all at Meijer…so I don’t really know where I stand on the Aldi/Meijer thing. I love hearing your perspective-especially how blessed we are to have more than enough options for getting anything we need. Thanks Andrea
Kiesha says
My husband likes me supporting Meijer but I don’t like shopping there. The lines take forever, the shipt shoppers can be in such a rush and swerving through the isles it’s rude. I shop at Aldi twice a month and stock up on the items we like. Then go to Walmart or Costco the other weeks. We but a lot of our meat at Byron center meats twice a year.
Julie says
I’m so happy that you gave Aldi another try. I switched from Meijer years ago, and only shop there about twice a month to pick up HBA’s etc. My goal is to only spend 15-20 minutes total in Aldi and Meijer. When my children were little, I would shop at Aldi once a month and fill 2 carts full of staples without my kids along and then stop in for bread and milk as needed. I can’t afford to shop at Meijer for my entire grocery needs and waste so much time in their stores.
Christine from The (mostly) Simple Life says
We go to Aldi every week and then Meijer once or twice a month for a few things we can’t get at Aldi. I just can’t stand how HUGE Meijer stores are. I feel like even if I only need 3 things, I’m walking a mile to get to it in the store and then spend 15 minutes trying to check out.
Though I could definitely see that it would make sense to shop at Meijer once that store near you opens up. If you include your drive time, it’d take less time to go to a Meijer that close and wait in line 20 minutes to check out.
anna says
I only shop at Aldi and absolutely love it. I save so much money and I buy alot of there organice things and still save compared to my local store. I buy some of my meat there and a bit at GFS and over all Aldi is my favorite to shop.