Aldi... what do you recommend?

Keane2baMused

This is a bit of an obvious one but their dairy section is great.

Milk, cream, butter, sour cream etc all perfect and cheaper than branded.

Digs

For anyone that likes the cola calipo ice pops Aldi have a new dupe of them. They're absolutely gorgeous!

vicwatson

Their chocolate and hazelnut "cornettos" are lovely, as are their strawberry ones, 4 pack for €1.29 - a steal !

whiskeyman

vicwatson wrote: »

Their chocolate and hazelnut "cornettos" are lovely, as are their strawberry ones, 4 pack for €1.29 - a steal !

Mint ones too! Much nicer that the real thing. lovely chocolate sauce down near the cone end!
In fact, all their ice pops are amazing... especially for the price!

Ragnar Lothbrok

My main problem with Aldi (although in general I love it ) is that there's very little Quorn or Linda McCartney's food for veggies like myself. It has definitely improved over the last couple of years, but I'd say that veggies aren't really top of Aldi's priorities

Alun

Given the weather forecast for the upcoming weekend, an honourable mention must go their spatchcocked chickens ... great for the barbecue !

Digs

Alun wrote: »

Given the weather forecast for the upcoming weekend, an honourable mention must go their spatchcocked chickens ... great for the barbecue !

I saw a blogger recommend these on snapchat yest and meant to pick one up today but forgot when I was in there, baby brain!!

She was saying the pack says 45 mins in the oven but she finds it more like an hour + 10 to get it done properly. How have you found it on the bbq? Do you start it in the oven and finish it on the bbq?

Sorry for twenty questions, it looked lovely so would like to try it

Alun

I cooked it entirely on the barbecue if I remember correctly. I have a Weber kettle barbecue and make sure I keep the lid on to keep the heat in so I'm cooking it through rather than just the outside if you see what I mean. I can't honestly remember how long .. I'm a cook it until it's ready kind of guy

You could of course start it in the oven and finish on the barbecue if you want a bit more predictabiliy.

BTW they have two types a lemon and pepper one and a herb one. The lemon one is the one to go for IMO.

vicwatson

whiskeyman wrote: »

Mint ones too! Much nicer that the real thing. lovely chocolate sauce down near the cone end!
In fact, all their ice pops are amazing... especially for the price!

Mint/caramel ones are 1.39, still rockin value

Agreed on the chicken - lemon one definitely

Digs

Alun wrote: »

I cooked it entirely on the barbecue if I remember correctly. I have a Weber kettle barbecue and make sure I keep the lid on to keep the heat in so I'm cooking it through rather than just the outside if you see what I mean. I can't honestly remember how long .. I'm a cook it until it's ready kind of guy

You could of course start it in the oven and finish on the barbecue if you want a bit more predictabiliy.

BTW they have two types a lemon and pepper one and a herb one. The lemon one is the one to go for IMO.

Excellent thanks Alun! My husband is bbq King in our house and scoffed when I mentioned the oven so I'd say he'll wing it. Will try pick one up tomorrow

meeeeh

Digs wrote: »

Excellent thanks Alun! My husband is bbq King in our house and scoffed when I mentioned the oven so I'd say he'll wing it. Will try pick one up tomorrow

If you have food thermometer just check the thickest part of a tight. With a kettle BBQ I usually give it about 25 minutes per half a kilo mostly off direct heat and cover on for beer can chicken. With spatchcocked chicken it should take less but cook it on direct heat and turn it quite often to prevent burning.

Thargor

Ragnar Lothbrok wrote: »

My main problem with Aldi (although in general I love it ) is that there's very little Quorn or Linda McCartney's food for veggies like myself. It has definitely improved over the last couple of years, but I'd say that veggies aren't really top of Aldi's priorities

Talk about bringing shame on your username, you should be praising the craft beer and wild boar sausages...

Alun

So, I cooked the lemon and pepper spatchcocked chicken yesterday on the Weber kettle barbecue ... cooking time turned out to be about 55 minutes in the end. The barbecue was pretty hot to start with, and got a good colour on the skin, then flipped it, and put the lid on to continue the cooking, but took it off again towards the end to do some asparagus and sweet red peppers. Yummy

vicwatson

The mini burgers they have on special at the moment are great - 16 mini ones for €4.00, and I got mini hot dogs rolls for them to go in - very tasty with some cheese and BBQ sauce

Ragnar Lothbrok

Thargor wrote: »

Talk about bringing shame on your username, you should be praising the craft beer and wild boar sausages...

The original Ragnar was the first Vegan Viking

jd

vicwatson wrote:

The mini burgers they have on special at the moment are great - 16 mini ones for €4.00, and I got mini hot dogs rolls for them to go in - very tasty with some cheese and BBQ sauce

Are they frozen or in the fresh meat fridge?

Felix Jones is God

jd wrote: »

Are they frozen or in the fresh meat fridge?

Fresh meat, a little double pack taped together for €4.00

Thargor

Over at the steaks they have little pouches of various sauces like pepper and a couple of others for 99 cents each, havent tried them yet but I will be, seems to be new stuff in Aldi every time I go in these days.

SimonLynch

Big Eat Burgers with the Ballymore white baps (i'm sure they're less stodgy now) plus whatever toppings, bliss

vicwatson

Thargor wrote: »

Over at the steaks they have little pouches of various sauces like pepper and a couple of others for 99 cents each, havent tried them yet but I will be, seems to be new stuff in Aldi every time I go in these days.

The pepper and the mushroom ones are lovely

RhubarbCrumble

vicwatson wrote: »

The pepper and the mushroom ones are lovely

Yes, seconding the mushroom. It's the only one I've tried so far, but it was lovely.

mass_debater

I buy the goat's cheese stuffed hot peppers every time I visit, yum

jd

Lads, I was planning on trying to lose some weight :-)

DavyD_83

jd wrote: »

Lads, I was planning on trying to lose some weight :-)

They have some great workout gear for you

Alun

Thargor wrote: »

Over at the steaks they have little pouches of various sauces like pepper and a couple of others for 99 cents each, havent tried them yet but I will be, seems to be new stuff in Aldi every time I go in these days.

I tried the pepper and diane ones the other day and I found them awful. Lidl's Pepper sauce is much, much nicer.

Johnny_Fontane

Generally all the bread in aldi is really really bad, but their sourdough specially selected is fantastic. Makes incredible toast

Glen_Quagmire

Alun wrote:

I tried the pepper and diane ones the other day and I found them awful. Lidl's Pepper sauce is much, much nicer.

Haven't tried the aldi pepper sauce but I second the lidl sauce being top quality

Zelda247

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

Generally all the bread in aldi is really really bad, but their sourdough specially selected is fantastic. Makes incredible toast

I have to agree the bread is very poor indeed.

SteM

Their Ballymore white bloomer bread is lovely imo.

We also tried their spicy bean burgers for a change last week and they were very nice. Never that gone on veggie food.

Dubl07

From the Tesco thread:

ellejay wrote: »

However, I have noticed that the blue dragon stir in sauces, in the sachet's have gone from .79 to 1.09.
I used to buy about 4 a month but now buy the aldi version for .69

Anyone else tried Aldi's stir in sauces?

RhubarbCrumble

Dubl07 wrote: »

From the Tesco thread:


Anyone else tried Aldi's stir in sauces?

Yes, I've tried the hoi-sin and the sweet n sour. Both fine.

lassykk

SteM wrote: »

Their Ballymore white bloomer bread is lovely imo.

We also tried their spicy bean burgers for a change last week and they were very nice. Never that gone on veggie food.

Are the bean burgers in the freezer?

SteM

lassykk wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Yes, in the freezer section. Can't remember if they're with the vegetables or the burgers though.

Zascar

Does anyone else think the rice in Aldi and Lidy are terrible? Even after washing for ages its still quite stodgy. I bought uncle bens the other day and the difference is amazing

Going Strong

I usually stick (Hah!) with Tilda or something. I had a similar issue with Tesco own brand basmati rice as it was all clumped together even though I'd rinsed it before cooking.

vicwatson

The basmati rice from both ALDI and Lidl is really good imo

Here's how I do it

Rinse it under cold water to wash off starch, I use a sieve
Put it into boiling water
Stir
Turn heat down to 6 or equivalent
Let it simmer for 7/8 mins tops
Pour off water through the sieve
Pour boiling water over the rice to get rid of remaining starch

It comes out light and fluffy

HamsterFace

I just buy the green box of brown rice from Lidl and think it's great

Keane2baMused

The red box long grain rice from aldi comes out perfect! No mushiness and tastes great.

The lidl one (blue box) has been a complete disaster any time I have gotten it though

SarahMollie

Going Strong wrote: »

I usually stick (Hah!) with Tilda or something. I had a similar issue with Tesco own brand basmati rice as it was all clumped together even though I'd rinsed it before cooking.

I'm the same, I'm quite specific with Tilda, its one of the few things where I won't buy own brand.

One tip is to look out for offers in tesco etc and stock up as its regularly reduced, or if there is an Asian shop near you, they typically sell it in big bags and it works out much cheaper.

Zelda247

SarahMollie wrote: »

I'm the same, I'm quite specific with Tilda, its one of the few things where I won't buy own brand.

One tip is to look out for offers in tesco etc and stock up as its regularly reduced, or if there is an Asian shop near you, they typically sell it in big bags and it works out much cheaper.

I agree I stick with Tilda.

whiskeyman

I've used Tilda, Aldi and Lidl basmati rice in the past and have noticed no difference when cooking with them.
Just rinse well and sometimes I often soak the rice first for around 30mins.

meeeeh

I don't like Uncle Ben. Tilda would be the rice I usually use. I tried Lidl basmati in Tilda knock off packaging and thought it was good. Aldi's doesn't seem great to me but I would use any of them before Uncle Ben's.

ellejay

Zascar wrote: »

Does anyone else think the rice in Aldi and Lidy are terrible? Even after washing for ages its still quite stodgy. I bought uncle bens the other day and the difference is amazing

I've bought both the aldi and lidl basmati rice and they're lovely.
I rinse the rice well under cold water first.
Then boil in pot of water with a drop of oil.

I have noticed that the rice is ready about 3 minutes before the time stated on the packet.

Mrs Fox

Zascar wrote: »

Does anyone else think the rice in Aldi and Lidy are terrible? Even after washing for ages its still quite stodgy. I bought uncle bens the other day and the difference is amazing

I love Lidl's basmati in maroon packaging. I wouldn't go near uncle bens. My rice-water ratio is always 1:1.5. Perfect all the time.

catho_monster

Keane2baMused wrote: »

the lidl one (blue box) has been a complete disaster any time I have gotten it though

I cook the blue box now in a le creuset (with a lid) in the oven, one cup rice, two cups stock. Comes out almost risottoy. It's so nice I crave it...

BuffyBot

Thargor wrote: »

On my list too thanks, too many sauces and spreads on the go atm

Aldi have a new specially selected sourdough loaf sliced in a bag aswell, a nice change from sliced pan. Makes high quality toast in the morning like the kind you get with scrambled eggs in good cafes and its only 95 cent.

Tried this (finally) today..sourdough as I know it, not really. Nice bread (especially when toasted)..yes.

meeeeh

Moser Roth almonds in chocolate and coated with cocoa. I hope they are one of their one off specials because they are way too addictive to be in stock constantly.

leahyl

meeeeh wrote: »

Moser Roth almonds in chocolate and coated with cocoa. I hope they are one of their one off specials because they are way too addictive to be in stock constantly.

Interesting -they sound nice - so are they in the middle sections of Aldi where all the special stuff is?

meeeeh

leahyl wrote: »

Interesting -they sound nice - so are they in the middle sections of Aldi where all the special stuff is?

Yes my local store has them besides other food specials. They are in round box and called 'Luxury Cocoa Dusted Almonds'. I can't find the image.

BuffyBot

Tried their lemon sorbet (one of three varieties) - pretty good, nicely refreshing