Revised to add: I'm not sure what on earth store Jon K. Is shopping at, but this store is immaculate, the employees are always hard at work and always have a ready smile and are willing to help however they can. I prefer it over any other grocery opportunity in this area for produce and basics 90% of the time. I actually only go to other options when Aldi doesn't have something I need (I'm a recipe developer so sometimes require more exotic ingredients). Even on that note, Aldi has surprised me by having options like spiralized zucchini (I do my own), Califia cold brew, and Kombucha.
Aldi is, by now, well-known for its no-frills approach to saving money on a smaller selection of foods. While you won't find the massive quantities of stacked-sky-high offerings you might at the nearby ShopRite, you also aren't likely to find massive quantities of people pushing and shoving to get to the selections (excepting, of course, opening day, which was sheer Jersey madness). If you know the right times to go (just ask when they are restocking), you can get great deals on produce- both traditional and organic. You will save on specialty items like nuts and cheeses and even coconut or chia water, and you will also save on easy-to-grab staples like milk, eggs, bacon, butter, and frozen fruit. Our family doesn't use much pre-packaged food, but there is a well-priced selection of canned and boxed items as well as a "natural" and a gluten-free line. A little research shows that the store-specific brands are the same as, or comparable to, larger brands. I also love the behind-the-scenes efforts of Aldi as a whole, to continually upgrade product quality and streamline/clean-line the stores themselves. (AVOID the gross Toms River store - thankfully, we no longer have to make that trek!). With "new" overpriced Acme stores around that still look and smell like old meat from the former groceries, I'm happy to have a clean, no-fuss little Aldi for quick grabs and savings on a smaller selection. While I'm holding out with all I've got for a Trader Joe's and eventually a Wegmans (wake up, little town! We need it!), I'm happy we now have an Aldi on our map. read more