Aldi Run!

I went on a major price-checking expedition to Aldi today, and I'm just going to say it:  Aldi is awesome.  When I need something basic for cooking and don't have the time or energy to find sales or coupons or drive all the way to Meijer (which is also pretty amazing, by the way) to get it, I just go to Aldi, where a good deal is almost guaranteed to be had.  My mom, who has to keep three high school- and college-age boys from starving to death, loves Aldi.  My mother-in-law, who knows what words like prosciutto and quinoa mean, loves Aldi.  I love Aldi.  You should love Aldi.  And don't start whining about how you have to bring your own bags or use a quarter to get a shopping cart.  Those cloth bags can carry more bottles of Riesling and balls of cheese than a wimpy plastic bag any day.  And the excitement of finding a stray cart and getting a free quarter out of the deal is beyond compare (okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration).

Anyway, since I spent all that time writing down prices for random products (without buying a single item, I might add), I thought I might as well list them here.  Actually, I'm planning on setting up a permanent page where I can list the best prices I find on various foods that aren't regularly available at the co-op; I suppose this is as good a place as any to begin.  So here you have it.  Some of the things were on sale, and some of them are seasonal.  And since I was mostly trying to get ideas for an upcoming Christmas party, my list is a little heavy on the cheese and crackers.  Just look at all that awesomeness.

Apple cider, 1 gal.:  $2.99 (seasonal)
Avocados:  $.49 (sale)
Biscuits, 30 oz. (four cans):  $1.99
Biscuits (jumbo), 16 oz.:  $1.29
Bouillon cubes, 3.25 oz.:  $1.49 (seasonal)
Bread crumbs (plain or Italian), 15 oz.:  $.89 (seasonal?)
Butter (salted or unsalted), 1 lb.:  $1.89 (sale)
"Butter" spread (tub), 15 oz.:  $.99
Cheese ball, 10 oz.:  $2.29 (seasonal)
Cheese, blue, feta, or Gorgonzola crumbles, 5 oz.:  $1.99
Cheese, Brie, 8 oz.:  $2.99
Cheese, goat (log), 4 oz.:  $1.99
Cheese, mozzarella (fresh log), 8 oz.:  $2.69
Cheese, Parmesan or Parmesan-Romano (not the fresh kind), 8 oz.:  $2.39
Cheese, ricotta, 15 oz.:  $1.69
Cheese spread, 14 oz.:  $2.99 (seasonal)
Cheese, Swiss (block/chunk), 8 oz.:  $1.99
Chicken, boneless skinless thighs or breasts (frozen), 3 lb.:  $5.99
Chocolate chips (semisweet, mini, milk, etc.), 12 oz.:  $1.69
Chocolate flavored syrup, 24 oz.:  $1.39
Clementines, 5 lb.:  $3.99
Cooking spray:  $1.29
Crackers ("Cheez Its"), 9 oz.:  $1.29
Crackers (fancy/party assortment), 13 oz.:  2.49
Crackers ("Triscuits"), 9.5 oz.:  $1.39
Crackers ("Wheatables"), 9-10 oz.:  $1.29
Cranberries, fresh, 12 oz.:  $.49 (seasonal; sale)
Crescent roll dough, 8 oz.:  $.99
Honey, 24 oz.:  $4.49
Hummus, 8 oz.:  $1.69
Hummus, party quartet (four flavors), 20 oz.:  $3.99 (seasonal)
Olive oil (virgin), 16.9 oz.:  $2.99
Olives, canned (large), 6 oz.:  $.99
Pepperoni, 8 oz.:  $1.99
Phyllo shells (mini), 12 count:  $1.49 (special buy)
Pita chips (various flavors), 9 oz.:  $1.99
Pumpkin, canned, 15 oz.:  $.99 (seasonal)
Rice, Uncle Ben's long grain & wild, 6 oz.:  $1.79 (special buy)
Sausages, cocktail, 14 oz.:  $2.49
Shrimp, medium cooked (frozen), 1 lb.:  $3.99
Shrimp, medium raw (frozen), 1 lb.:  $4.99
Tortellini (refrigerated), 9 oz.:  $1.69
Vegetables, Asian stir fry (frozen), 37 oz.:  $3.49