While in Europe, I've become quite a fan of grocery stores anywhere and everywhere, because, well, what's not to like about an organized room full of food? That said, grocery shopping and cooking is not always a looked forward part of adulthood as you have to actually take the time to go buy the food, then bring the food home, then cook the food. I've been to many a grocery store, and Aldi is the one that tops them all. While I may seem a bit over-enthusiastic about a budget grocery store, I obviously am not alone in my love for Aldi.
Most recently, the Aldi Society was founded by it's three core members, myself, Millie, and Olivia. Previously, Millie and Olivia were generally online shoppers at Sainsbury's, which is convenient because food is delivered right to your door. But believe it or not, even with the 30 minute walk to and from Aldi, they were still converted to Aldi devotees. Our main activities involve a weekly trip to Aldi. Prior to the trip, you may hear things like "I'm so excited about our trip to Aldi today" or "Oh my gosh guys can we just go to Aldi right now". Since it's a bit of a walk there, we suit up with our empty backpacks and walk through the fields and army barracks till Aldi is within sight. You really never know what new things you might find. You can get snap pea crisps, a whole pot of yogurt for 45p, organic mushrooms that are cheaper than the nonorganic ones, 6 bananas for 69p, a box of tropical fruit popsicles for 99p. They even have hummus. What's not to love? It just never ends. The store's not too big that you feel overwhelmed, but it is easy to get thrown off by the organization, or lack thereof. You'll find lightbulbs by the frozen fruit or eggs by the kitchen roll. It's easy to feel overwhelmed at first by the nonstandard supermarket experience, but once you get the hang of it, it's always an experience to look forward to.
Arriving home from Aldi is a bit like coming home from a good vacation. You sit down and breath a sign of relief as you take your heavy bag off your shoulders. You bask in all the lovely foods you've brought home and look forward to eating them. Then, you realize you have to get back into reality, reorganize your refrigerator shelf, and wait until the next trip to Aldi.
Testimonials:
"Aldi is love. Aldi is life." - Millie (S. England)
"I thought I'd discovered heaven on earth. Turns out, it's a place called Aldi". -Olivia (N. England)
"It's always a good day when you go to Aldi". -Briannah (W. America)
Society photos:
Strawberries left behind on some cleaning spray
Lightbulbs above the frozen fruit
Member Millie taking a break to contemplate her shop
The Aldi Society leaves you with these parting words of wisdom:
"Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves."
