Looking for input on Aldis, No Frills Discount Grocery Stores and Grocery outlets

[churn111]

Originally Posted by snelson

I just love to read all your posts, you guys are great!

Churn111, you mention buying foods in bulk. I've always found spices to be a great deal when I buy them in bulk at my local health food store, like 80 to 90% off and you can buy a small amount. You're not stuck with a big jar of a spice you rarely use for the next decade when you buy 12 cents worth of what you need!

However, are you also referring to being able to buy large quantities of beans, legumes, rice, etc. in bulk from another type of store? I'm trying to figure out how to find those types of sources. Do you have a local store you use to buy bulk items?

And this is off topic but I have to say that lentils are definitely the best nutrition for the lowest price. I've done the math. Now we just need some really great lentil recipes! I only have one. That will be my next contest to dig yours up!

My store isn't super local, it's about 1 hour away and then 2 more about 20 minutes from that. The one closest to me is the cheapest. Not everything is in the huge 20# bag size but I can get 5 lbs of brown rice for about the price of a pound or 2 local,depending on sale/q. I'm particular about my rice I don't like store brands. Oatmeal, pasta also go up to about 5 lb size bags. You can get smaller. And the spices---I just bought nearly a pound of cinnamon for $3.50--it was $3.80 a lb.

We came upon these stores by accident, but stock up when we are in the area on things we like. The quality is excellent. The stores are run by Mennonite families for the most part. I've seen other stores of the like in Lancaster Pa area and Holmes County Ohio. I'm sure they're scattered everywhere.

Others can probably work deals and get some of this free. And in my OP I noted I did get a lot of Oatmeal free at Kroger. But I keep my shopping mind wind open because I can't always get those things free. I like WW pasta, brown rice, I never get these free.

And like everything else---not all things are cheaper.

We also used to have an excellent source for cheap coffee beans. Don't know if it'll work for everyone but I will post it in a seperate thread.


And that lentil recipe...I'll be on a hunt. I usually use more as an additive---stretcher in meatloaf, soups

[snelson]

Stretcher in meatloaf! I wouldn't have thought of that--I will try that.

I eat lentil soup almost every day for lunch. Boring I know but I love it and it's only 26 cents a bowl! And you can get the canned tomatoes with a coupon of course--

I'll post a different thread on lentils before our moderators ban me for being off topic. . . . .thanks!

[mnm'z]

Originally Posted by snelson

I'll post a different thread on lentils before our moderators ban me for being off topic. . . . .thanks!

Too Funny!! I'd think that in your position around here, you have the authority!!!! LOL

We used to have the Bulk Food Pantry around here (in GR Michigan), but they've all seemed to disappear. You could try to google them and see if they're in business anywhere in the country.

[ameeker]

Originally Posted by CherryPicker

Sorry to be negative....but there is a small store named UGO. That store just scared me. The reasons why were 1) Many of the frozen food items that I saw were already expired and 2) The produce looked ok on the outside, but went bad the next day. Haven't been back since.

It had a name like UGO and you weren't scared before you walked in the door? I think the name really says it all don't you?

[ameeker]

Originally Posted by snelson

Churn111, you mention buying foods in bulk. I've always found spices to be a great deal when I buy them in bulk at my local health food store, like 80 to 90% off and you can buy a small amount. You're not stuck with a big jar of a spice you rarely use for the next decade when you buy 12 cents worth of what you need!

However, are you also referring to being able to buy large quantities of beans, legumes, rice, etc. in bulk from another type of store? I'm trying to figure out how to find those types of sources. Do you have a local store you use to buy bulk items?

And this is off topic but I have to say that lentils are definitely the best nutrition for the lowest price. I've done the math. Now we just need some really great lentil recipes! I only have one. That will be my next contest to dig yours up!

You are absolutely correct on the spices at Health Food stores, I've been telling people that for years. I've found really great prices on beans, rice, lentils and different kinds of flour in bulk at a couple of health food stores (YMMV as all Health Food stores are not created equally). And the beauty of it is many of them are on-line and offer FREE shipping on orders over $49. Another way I found to get cheap bulk goods was to join an on-line food co-op. I bought items in 25lb and 50lb bags and ended up paying pennies a pound. Only problem I have is that my particular food co-op went under and now I have to find a new one. My local health food store is willing to special order the same things for me, but of course the price is a little higher than what I paid at the co-op, but still much better than full price or even sale price at the grocery store. I understand that there are a number of Amish bulk food stores that have great prices, but I haven't explored that yet.

I've used lentils just about anywhere you might use beans, rice or barley. What I like to do is substitute half the beans, rice or barley with lentils, it makes a great addition to soup of any kind, it's good in baked beans, with beans and rice and there is a whole world of Middle Eastern lentil recipes out there I haven't even begun to explore.

[CherryPicker]

Originally Posted by ameeker

It had a name like UGO and you weren't scared before you walked in the door? I think the name really says it all don't you?

I was!! LOL!! (A relative was insistent that I shop with them.) LOL!!

[PattyCake]

Thanks to you that posted the advice about checking for spices at a Health Food store! I am going to do just that! I usually stand and drool at the spice section of the grocery store and simply will not pay the price. I will let you know how I do! Thanks again!!

[FROGFAN12]

We have Cost Less, Food4Less, Winco and Grocery Outlet to name a few. I dont like the warehouse feel of the first 3 stores, especially Winco. And I have noticed they have huge walls of loss leaders as you walk into the store, but when you navigate through the rest of the 'warehouse' the prices are not all that great. And I dont care for the quality of the meat, it just tastes so dull and mass produced. Make fun of me if you will, but I like the meat at the local Super Walmart, even better than the chain of stores like Raleys,Save Mart and Safeway. I guess it also depends on the type(beef,pork chicken etc.) and the cut.
Grocery Outlet (actual name, it started out years ago called "The Dented Can Store") used to have great bargains on name brand items. Lately I have noticed they carry alot of store brands and brands Ive never heard of and the quality of these items just doesnt cut it. The store has become cleaner, and more organized, but the prices reflect the changes. I hardly ever find good bargains there, and they dont let you use coupons either. So Im not the fan I used to be.
Cost Less and Food4Less are good for loss leader bargains, for example Kraft Mac & Cheese for 50 cents ea, but Walmart has the same thing off and on. I can always find the same items for the same or lower prices at Walmart, and since I dont really care for the huge warehouse type store I tend to pass on them.
Winco has the bulk items section, pastas, rice, beans, chips, candy and all kinds of fun stuff. The prices are really good too. I just am not set up to store a lot of the bulk items, so I havnt purchased any yet. I will though, especially after reading the previous posts. Again though, its just difficult to shop at Winco for me because of the huge warehouse feel, the meat, and overall prices. They also stopped accepting IP coupons last year, which really made me mad. I heard rumor that they may start taking them again, so mayyyybe I'll give them another shot.
So I guess in summation, if I am next to the stores I mentioned, I will stop in and see if there are any bargains I can live without. Will I make them a destination store? Not yet, but I do have an open mind. To make my budget work I ALWAYS make a list (using the ones here on this site), match my coupons and STICK to it. I do allow myself some extra $$'s each month for discovery purchases (like 'stopping in' an unexpected store) so I dont feel too guilty spending money I didnt plan for.

[Bargainfinder]

I have to weigh in with my opinion on Aldi. Love the place. I used to make a special trip to them whenever I'd visit my parents in SC before they opened stores in Atlanta. I'm particularly fond of their Fit & Active line and all their Mexican foods. How do they sell cans of fat free refried beans for 59 cents when all the grocery stores are well over $1 a can? At any rate, you if you love Fiber One bars, try their Fiber Now bars...they taste EXACTLY the same and are over $1 less per box...good for when you have no Fiber One coupons. They have great bagged navel oranges here in Atlanta that are usually $2.49 for a 3 lbs. bag. They are also a great pantry stocking place for canned goods such as tomatoes, chicken and beef broth, peas, mushrooms....all these items are usually around 50 to 60 cents a can, and we all know how rare a canned good coupon is.

I've recently lost about 90lbs on Weight Watchers and did most of my grocery shopping at ALDI, so you CAN get nutritious, healthy food here and save LOTS of money.

[savingdee]

I do like aldis for stuff like fresh produce,eggs and milk(that sort of stuff).I see many items that I can get cheaper elsewhere.My dh's family always try to get me to shop there weekly(they don't understand couponing strategy).I tell my dh "I cant get dressing for 10 cents or cereal for 50 cents at aldis." Aldis is good for a few things but in the long run i'll stick to couponing.I do like the Dollar Tree though.Everthing in the store is a dollar.Its great for gift bags,decorations that sort of stuff.It saves alot of money that way.