Before I shopped at Trader Joe’s, I was never loyal to any one grocery store. Like many shoppers, my store choice was driven primarily by convenience: whichever grocer was closest to me became my go-to.
That’s why when I worked near Trader Joe’s, I stopped there daily. Although I found the aisles crowded and the produce inconsistent, I liked the store’s seasonal items and preferred the interactions with employees over the self-checkouts of bigger stores.
However, when a new job came with a decreased income, I decided that I could no longer spend money on food of inconsistent quality.
When I realized there were two Aldi locations on my way home from work, I started shopping at the popular budget retailer and never looked back.
I’d been to Aldi in the past, and my partner raved about it
My partner had been an Aldi superfan for years and often supplemented my Trader Joe’s stops with groceries from his weekly hauls.
I had only been to Aldi a few times and was always surprised by the selection of foods he brought home — non-GMO and gluten-free foods, plus lots of crunchy snacks, chocolates, and bags of oranges for his ever-hungry teenage son who lives with us on the weekends.
I also began to notice how long the Aldi produce he bought lasted in our fridge. While Trader Joe’s fruit and bagged greens were sometimes overripe and wilted despite the sell-by dates, I found Aldi berries and spinach remained fresh for much longer.
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Over the last two years, Aldi opened more locations than any other grocery store — so I figured there had to be something to that, and decided to venture back to the retailer.
I was sold on Aldi as soon as I visited
I didn’t know what to expect on my first trip back to Aldi, but the first thing I noticed was that I forgot a quarter for the shopping cart.
I ran back to my car in the blustery rain to find one and then fumbled to release the chained cart. Since I typically prioritize convenience over everything, this frazzled me. But after I freed a cart and stepped inside, I was relieved.
Unlike Trader Joe’s tight aisles, which were often jammed with shoppers reaching for items stacked above open freezers, Aldi had wide aisles and open cardboard boxes of fresh, colorful produce.
Aldi has a warehouse feel, but its no-frills presentation probably helps keep prices low.
During my trip, I found the pasta aisle lacked a great selection of gluten-free options, but I did find organic quinoa pasta. I also couldn’t resist a $7 jar of Rao’s marinara sauce, since I’ve seen it in other stores for as much as $10.
When I headed toward the produce, I found that the open boxes of fruits and vegetables were well-organized along the roomy aisle. It didn’t feel cramped like Trader Joe’s, which made browsing easier.
Just like the seasonal items that stoke Trader Joe’s fandom, Aldi’s Finds are ever-changing and quirky. A few weeks ago, I left with Space Dunk Oreos — filled with pink and blue cream and strange popping candy.
I’ve grown to love Aldi’s prices, relaxed atmosphere, and products
Locked shopping carts aside, switching to Aldi made me realize my loyalty to Trader Joe’s was just a habit.
Although I used to spend more money on higher-priced brands, I’ve been enjoying Aldi’s products for months. This makes me think the quality of their products is the same as — if not better than — the more expensive items at other stores.
Not only does Aldi have better prices and a more relaxed atmosphere than Trader Joe’s, but I’ve found Aldi’s produce stays fresh longer — a convenience that may turn me into a loyal shopper.