Aldi's Christmas hamper
I’ve been quizzing people lately: why shop in any other supermarket besides Aldi or Lidl? I’m in love with them both, although I can’t help but feel like an adulterer as I slink past one to go to the other.
Yesterday at Aldi, I mentally jotted up the price of my trolley, and was delighted when I worked it out at about €15. It came to just under €9, and yet again I left with a smile on my face.
Aldi have sent me some of their Specially Selected products to sample, and think I might just do the bulk of the Christmas food shopping here. The range isn’t perfect: I think I’d need to be suffering from severe caffeine withdrawal before I’d consider drinking the coffee again.
However, most of the Specially Selected products are delicious in their own right, rather than “delicious as own brands go”. Some of Aldi’s Christmas highlights include:
- Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: €2.59. Perfectly sweet with an irresistable tang
- Luxury Layered Yogurts: €2.19 for four. Delicious and great value
- Parma Ham (90g): €2.99. I find Aldi’s cold meats outstanding, and the parma ham is the perfect accompaniment to the traditional melon starter
- Steak: €11.99 for 650g. Easily enough for two. Ok, I know steak isn’t exactly Christmas fare, but this really is the best value steak you’ll find out there. Try it, it’s incredible.
- Cheeses: unlike Lidl, Aldi understand what makes good cheese, and they’re working with Irish producers to stock some cheap yet very delicious cheeses for just €2.99 each
- Relishes: just €1.99 each and tasting like they’ve just been home-made. Yum.
- After Dinner Mints: €1.99 for 300g. A box of After Eights in Tesco will set you back €3.45. I don’t think you’d notice the difference in a blind taste test
- Irish Organic Hot Smoked Salmon: €3.99 for 125g. SnackBox spat this out in disgust. I’d certainly eat it again, but I do agree it’s not delicious enough for Christmas day
- Luxury Cocktail Truffles: €4.49 per packet. Again, difference of opinion between SnackBox and I. He thought they were too sweet, but I’m not sure he’s ever really met chocolate like I have. For this price – about half what you’d pay for a branded product – these are great value.
- Wines: €14.99 for a rich and spicy Chateauneuf-du-Pape, €11.99 for a very good Sancerre.
Click here to see Aldi’s Christmas brochure. I’m still munching my way through the Christmas cake, pudding and mince pies, but I’ll keep you posted!
Tuesday 1 December, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Interesting comment re Aldi cold meat – have tried loads, have never bought a Ham that didn’t taste totally synthetic. Any you can recommend? Also, want to buy rather than make a pudding this xmas. Let me know if you recommend theirs or Lidl or whoever… tnx!
Tuesday 1 December, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I love Aldi’s specially selected range. You get to eat well for cheap. The relishes especially are nicer than some relishes I’ve paid a fiver for.
Aldi’s Specially Selected range also now includes craft Irish beer. It’s an ale made by Carlow brewing company and it is very tasty and great value. I think it’s great they’re supporting quality producers in Ireland rather than just having the cheapest nastiest beer they can get.
Tuesday 1 December, 2009 at 3:21 pm
The specially selected yoghurts are made by Irish Yoghurts Ltd in Clonakilty. They make them for Dunnes and T*sco too. I love their beef, tarts and cheeses but I can’t stomach Aldi/Lidl own brand wines. The hangovers are straight out of Pete Dohertys’ nightmares.
I cant wait to get the baklawa this Thursday though. The fat fighter in me wont let me buy mince pies this year.
Tuesday 1 December, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Laura – think I heard someone else mention that, is it the Carlow red? Do you know is it one of the weekly offers or a permanent line? Might have to keep an eye out on my next trip anyway!
Tuesday 1 December, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Laura – think I heard someone else mention that too, is it the Carlow red? Do you know is it one of the weekly offers or a permanent addition? Either way I’ll have to keep an eye out on my next trip!
Tuesday 1 December, 2009 at 7:19 pm
I found hte specially selected coffee to be good enough. We normally get the dark roast instant, and the bags of ground java.
Wednesday 2 December, 2009 at 10:09 am
I love Aldi, their food is actually tastier than most brand name foods our local Tesco has to offer and the bill is so much smaller!
Try their Specially Selected plum tart. It’s not exactly Christmas food but close enough and so tasty!
Wednesday 2 December, 2009 at 10:57 am
Shopping in Aldo/Lidl always feels like you’re on your holidays. Everything is just a bit… different. And not in a bad way.
Wednesday 2 December, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Also love the salt & black pepper cashew nuts – divine. They do a lovely Chianti wine for €6.99, and a decent siana night cream for under €3…now my night cream of choice!
Sunday 6 December, 2009 at 8:27 pm
@ Aidan It’s not the same as the red though it’s probably based on it. I think it’s hoppier than their red. I’m hoping it will be a permanent addition to the range.
Monday 7 December, 2009 at 11:29 am
Ooh, hoppier sounds good – excellent. Taking a wee trip in this evening, thanks for the heads up!
Tuesday 26 January, 2010 at 11:28 am
Just realised (prompted by a lovely red last night) that I never followed up on this. I can say with full confidence that the Aldi red ales are delicious – I would go so far as to say they’re my favourite red on the Irish market. Great value at €5.49 for 4 bottles, and brewed in Carlow!