It's not glamorous, it's not fashionable and it's not fun; but we all have to do the grocery shop at some point. I tend to do most of my weekly shop at the Bullring outdoor markets (as the fruit and veg is dirt cheap and amazing quality), but there are some things you just can't get at the market.
We tend to head to Lidl once a month to pick up certain items that are exclusively stocked here and check out the bargains. Some of their stuff isn't wonderful quality (avoid the own brand baked beans), but the posh stuff (Balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, deli meats etc) and the German foods are brilliant! It's a real shock when you walk into this discount supermarket for the first time to find stuffed vine leaves, coffee syrups and really, really good chocolate.
We popped in on Saturday to get some "bits", which obviously meant we ended up with half a trollies worth. Mind you, half a trollies worth at this store (including 1.5l of fruit juice, delicious Frikadellen and loads of essentials) came to less than £15. I would recommend taking a list with you if you do need certain things. I always get distracted looking at all of the different packing and crazy items and can sometimes put A LOT of stuff in the trolly that we don't need (whilst forgetting the important bits), so be prepared!
Also, take plastic bags with you (Lidl charges for bags) and be prepared for a queue. There are normally 2 - 3 checkouts open at any one time, but this branch gets very busy. The checkout system is a little different from your normal supermarkets as you are expected to put beeped items straight in your trolley (rather than packing bags), to save time. Once everything is done and paid for, there are packing spaces provided in store to put your items in plastic bags.
In summary... be prepared to buy things you didn't expect, take plastic bags, make a list and gear yourself up for a queue at the checkout. As a bonus, check out the % stickers on foods (this is how they label reduced). That's where there are REAL bargains to be had. read more