Cheaper brand food, what are the hidden gems?

Kermit.de.frog · 04-04-2021 10:45PM

Sharpyshoot wrote: »

Lidl is a poor mans Aldi.

Aldi is a poor man's Tesco which in turn is a poor man's Dunnes.

04-04-2021 10:51PM

Can't stomach the food in LIDL or ALDI..
I don't know if its just me but I've tried many times to get into the lidl/aldi buzz, family & friends recommending it.
I don't trust their packing or handling tbh, meat stuck in the middle ísle sometimes, like I know people throw things back, but seems to be more so there, or not placed back by staff too often, non frozen items in the freezer, and then ends up where?
I shop in tesco, the meat is OK quality but go to the butcher mainly for that, tesco fruit is good too, dosnt last long in my house anyway!
Get my rice and spices etc in our local Asian shops, 10/20kg bags of quality rice for half the price of Dunnes & tesco.

igCorcaigh · 04-04-2021 10:54PM

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Aldi is a poor man's Tesco which in turn is a poor man's Dunnes.

Dunnes used to be the poor man's Roches Stores.
But now it's the poor man's M&S.

It has really improved the quality of its stock.
I love the flatbreads and cheeses, I go to Dunnes especially for them.

But I find them expensive for most other things.
I get my smoked coley and mackerel from Aldi, never any bones, which there can be from Dunnes.

Not a food item, but generic OTC medicines.
I hate when I see my parents buy branded Panadol or Anadin from the pharmacy.
I guess it's just the name they are familiar with, rather than paracetamol or aspirin.
At least the pharmacists now have to advise of a cheaper alternative.

Oh, does anyone now of a cheaper but just as good version of Lea & Perrins?
I've seen Aldi/Lidl versions of worc. sauce, but not tried them.

jam_mac_jam · 04-04-2021 11:01PM

Lidl greek style yogurt is very tasty and creamy and much cheaper then other shops.

I find most of their stuff is fine. People complaining about them is mostly snobbery. Oh their veg magically goes off quicker etc. Most of their stuff is good quality.

The range is obviously not great. And one thing they don't do very well is cheese. But overall it's fine.

igCorcaigh · 04-04-2021 11:05PM

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

Lidl greek style yogurt is very tasty and creamy and much cheaper then other shops.

I find most of their stuff is fine. People complaining about them is mostly snobbery. Oh their veg magically goes off quicker etc. Most of their stuff is good quality.

The range is obviously not great. And one thing they don't do very well is cheese. But overall it's fine.

Agree with you on the cheese.
Dunnes has very good cheese, and cheaper than (also very good) M&S.

igCorcaigh · 04-04-2021 11:08PM

Lidl for the nuts.

Not the salty snacky ones, but the bags of natural nuts.
Way cheaper than the health shops.

I love the roasted hazelnuts on pasta or salad.

It's a pity the sell by weight roasted almonds aren't being sold anymore.

jam_mac_jam · 04-04-2021 11:09PM

igCorcaigh wrote: »

Agree with you on the cheese.
Dunnes has very good cheese, and cheaper than (also very good) M&S.

Dunnes has got much better over the years. I usually get my cheese in Supervalu.

jam_mac_jam · 04-04-2021 11:10PM

igCorcaigh wrote: »

Lidl for the nuts.

Not the salty snacky ones, but the bags of natural nuts.
Way cheaper than the health shops.

I love the roasted hazelnuts on pasta or salad.

It's a pity the sell by weight roasted almonds aren't being sold anymore.

Forgot nuts. They are very good for plain walnuts or mixed nuts for salads.

So much cheaper.

Kermit.de.frog · 04-04-2021 11:21PM

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

I usually get my cheese in Supervalu.

ooooh look at you

"The Bucket Bouquet residence, the lady of the house speaking..."

:pac:

Vita nova · 04-04-2021 11:28PM

Lidl and Aldi jams are excellent and seem very like Folláin jams, same packaging and similar taste.

Aldi have a very decent Champagne (Monsigny) for ~€20. Also, have some nice reasonably priced organic wines, actually drinking one of their organic Pinots at the moment.

igCorcaigh · 04-04-2021 11:28PM

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

Dunnes has got much better over the years. I usually get my cheese in Supervalu.

Dunnes cheese is very good.
They do a lovely block of extra mature cheddar for €2

zeebre12 · 04-04-2021 11:30PM

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Ironically enough near the end of the tiger years when Aldi/Lidl set up shop here I remember loads of people wouldn't be seen dead in either. Now it's like a badge of honor

Lidl is actually in Ireland since 1999.

04-04-2021 11:32PM

Gunmonkey wrote: »

Aldi sometimes has a knock off Wibbly-Wobbly-Wonder ice cream, 6 in a box for about €3. Not made by HB anymore but still delish. Also got some great ice cream in Lidl during their recent "Alpine Fest": one tub black forest and another Bavarian cream and strawberries....bloody gorgeous stuff.

Aldi Polar Bear bars. Basically Icebergers. Identical.

goat2 · 04-04-2021 11:38PM

Where do Lidl get their potatoes, I don't like them, tried them, but never again

04-04-2021 11:41PM

For those who are too lazy to make their own curry sauces from scratch, Aldi specially selected butter chicken or korma cooking sauces. With the spices in the lid.

Very tasty.

Forge83 · 04-04-2021 11:42PM

Aldi Frozen shredded chicken is really good. Most of their chips are really good and cheap.
My favourite are their ham trimmings in the sandwich meat aisle. Big chunks of ham for less than €2.

KungPao · 04-04-2021 11:46PM

Deleted User wrote: »

For those who are too lazy to make their own curry sauces from scratch, Aldi specially selected butter chicken or korma cooking sauces. With the spices in the lid.

Very tasty.

"too lazy"?

Isn't it like alchemy? So many ingredients, so much dicking around, and it still tastes terrible.

Curry paste all the way.

freshpopcorn · 04-04-2021 11:53PM

goat2 wrote: »

Where do Lidl get their potatoes, I don't like them, tried them, but never again

What type of potatoes did you get?

Kermit.de.frog · 04-04-2021 11:53PM

zeebre12 wrote: »

Lidl is actually in Ireland since 1999.

Go away with your facts.

igCorcaigh · 04-04-2021 11:55PM

goat2 wrote: »

Where do Lidl get their potatoes, I don't like them, tried them, but never again

I don't know.
I like their organic white potatoes though.

I see they are now selling Italian new potatoes, haven't tried them yet. They seem a little pricey, maybe they are good?

jam_mac_jam · 04-04-2021 11:55PM

Lidl have lovely stuffed peppers with soft cheese in their salad section. And sun blushed tomatoes. Both lovely in salads and about one fifty. I always get loads of the peppers when I'm there.

igCorcaigh · 05-04-2021 12:02AM

Indian shops for the herbs and spices, big bags and relatively cheap.
They do some great snacky roast nuts and legumes too.

I've even been given green chillies for free.

goat2 · 05-04-2021 12:03AM

freshpopcorn wrote: »

What type of potatoes did you get?

I tried a couple varities, and all not nice

jam_mac_jam · 05-04-2021 12:12AM

igCorcaigh wrote: »

Indian shops for the herbs and spices, big bags and relatively cheap.
They do some great snacky roast nuts and legumes too.

I've even been given green chillies for free.

Absolutely brilliant if you made dahl or giant bags of dried chickpeas. Their chickpeas are half the price.

Also very good for large bags of rice if you eat a goof bit of rice can be worth buying in bulk. Basmati is half the price as small packs in the supermarket.

05-04-2021 12:14AM

KungPao wrote: »

"too lazy"?

Isn't it like alchemy? So many ingredients, so much dicking around, and it still tastes terrible.

Curry paste all the way.

I count myself amongst those who are "too lazy" to make curry sauce from scratch!

igCorcaigh · 05-04-2021 12:19AM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I count myself amongst those who are "too lazy" to make curry sauce from scratch!

Right behind you.
I'm sh1te at making curries.

I get all the fancy ingredients, and it ends up like muck!
I can't cook

KungPao · 05-04-2021 12:21AM

Deleted User wrote: »

I count myself amongst those who are "too lazy" to make curry sauce from scratch!

I tried making it once from a recipe from a Chinese chef... boiling this, frying that, then strain the other, and mash it all up...mad stuff.

Goldfish Brand paste from Tesco, easy work!

igCorcaigh · 05-04-2021 12:22AM

Forge83 wrote: »

Aldi Frozen shredded chicken is really good. Most of their chips are really good and cheap.

What? I have to look out for this.
I bought cooked/steamed chicken in the English market (down here) recently but it was horrible.

Derrick Rose · 05-04-2021 12:38AM

Lidl roasted salted pistachios are the best and cheapest available in Ireland. Tesco Finest British Chunky Oven Chips are the nicest oven chips on the market. Lidl boil in the bag long grain rice, in the blue box, is on par with uncle ben's but much cheaper.

MyStubbleItches · 05-04-2021 01:19AM

KungPao wrote: »

I tried making it once from a recipe from a Chinese chef... boiling this, frying that, then strain the other, and mash it all up...mad stuff.

Goldfish Brand paste from Tesco, easy work!

For curry, look no further than Green Saffron. Based in cork. My friends and I get an order from them every so often to spread the delivery cost. Unbelievably good curries. Rogan Josh my favourite. Just follow the recipe on the website - he knows what he’s doing. He has a stall at a farmers market in cork that has queues for whatever he’s cooking on the day.

Cheaper brand food, what are the hidden gems?

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