I’m not sure what I did before ALDI came to town. I do most of my weekly grocery shopping there, including almost all of my fruit and vegetable purchases. For my family of three, I pack a salad for my husband’s lunch during the week, I make salads for my lunch and we make healthy meals almost every night. That means I buy a lot of fruits and vegetables! Whether you’re looking for vegan and vegetarian ALDI options, or just interested in the healthiest foods available, ALDI has a lot to offer.
ALDI shopping tips
While shopping at ALDI is unlike a traditional supermarket shopping experience, it’s worth it to me to save a large chunk of money, about 30-40% off my grocery bill. Here are some ALDI shopping tips that will make your experience smoother whether you’re buying the healthiest foods ALDI offers, or just looking for a wide selection of great foods for your family:
Bring a quarter and reusable shopping bags. You’ll need a quarter for the shopping cart, and your own shopping bags, because you’re not given any (if you forget them, you can buy bags). After shopping, you can return the cart and get your quarter back, or give your cart to someone else, or leave it for someone else to get, to spread some good karma (or because you’re too lazy to bring it back, like me!).Shop in the morning. I usually go on Saturday mornings, and almost all of the items, especially the fresh produce, are available then. Note: don’t go too early, though. Most days (including weekends), they open at 9 a.m.Ask an employee about out of stock items. ALDI stocks products throughout the day. One Saturday morning there must have been an early morning rush on broccoli, because there was none to be found. I flagged down an employee and asked if there was more broccoli in the back. Sure enough, there was—it just hadn’t been unloaded yet.
Healthiest foods at ALDI
Here’s a list of healthy fruit and vegetables to get your shopping started, as well as average prices at a local ALDI for each at the time of this writing. Note: The availability of these various foods might vary by store and season, and the exact price of items will vary depending on your city and state.
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Fresh fruits and veggies are the hallmark of a healthy diet and ALDI has many options for those looking to add a trove of healthy foods to their shopping basket.
Frozen Fruits and Vegetables
Sometimes, the healthiest options at ALDI are in the frozen food aisle—these fruit and vegetables options at ALDI will last longer than their fresh counterparts, and keeping bags of fruit and veggies on hand means you’re always ready to supplement a last minute meal with a healthy side dish.
Organic Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
If you can afford to shop for organic fruit and vegetables, it can be a terrific addition to a healthy diet. If a totally organic diet is out of your price range, consider buying those fresh fruit and veggies listed on the “dirty dozen” list—a list released annually of the produce in the U.S. with the highest concentration of pesticides. By eating organic versions of these healthy items from ALDI, you can dramatically reduce your family’s exposure to pesticides used in agriculture.
Organic Frozen Fruits and Vegetables
Canned and Jarred Fruits and Vegetables
Get the longest shelf-life possible from your healthy ALDI foods by shopping in the canned food aisle. In addition to the jarred fruits and vegetables, jarred lentils and beans are healthful options you should always have on hand in your cupboards. Up next, use these great ALDI veggies in one of these 12 Insanely Delicious Vegetarian Chili Recipes.
