I have not had the Aldi's (or the DD) Punkin Spice, but I got the TJ's version and like it a lot. I used to like flavored coffee, a long time ago, back when they were all like this - chopped bits of goodness mixed in with the coffee. It's quite tasty. Not like those ones where they just spray flavored aldehydes onto beans

Aldi has a German Roast (ground) Coffee which, while mild, is the genuine article. If you like e.g. Jakobs, you'll like this.

Geo

In a moment of desperation, we tried the Aldi brand canned coffee - the stuff that's supposed to compete with the likes of Folger's. Surprise! It was actually drinkable, not at all the harsh, bitter, cheap coffee I was expecting. (I usually consider cheap coffee that doesn't use the word "arabica" in the packaging to be a red flag) It's not my favorite coffee ever (we just had some Caribou that I really liked) it's certainly found a place in our everyday drinking considering the price.

It is, indeed, a milder roast - but nowhere near as mild as say, Dunkin Doughnuts coffee.

Hi- Has anybody tried the coffee in the bags at Aldi's that is supposed to be similar to Dunkin's coffee? I think it is called donut shop coffee or something similar, and it sells for $3.99 a bag. Right now I am drinking Maxwell Houses 1/2 the caffeine. I got a 31 oz. container of it for $7.99 at Domonick's last month as part of their J4U program, but the only reason I bought it was because I do not have a lot of money to spend on coffee right now. I am definately used to better. This coffee will take me at least another month to use it up, and then I might try Aldi's bagged coffee.

I like 8 o'clock half the caffeine coffee a lot better than I do Maxwell House, but it is about $16 for a large can of it right now. Thanks for the advice, Nancy

I have used the Aldi dark roast coffee from time to time and I will do so again. The small bag is 3.99. I also frequently buy nuts, dark chocolate, jar salsa, and the block cheese, and the dijon mustard, frozen fruit/veggies. I have found these to be on par with comparable national brands quality wise and consistently better prices.

The Dunkin' Donuts coffee you can buy to make at home is nothing like the Dunkin' Donuts coffee you get in the stores. I have no idea why that is. I really dislike the in-store coffee and really like the make at home stuff.

I am a regular Aldi's shopper but I have never tried the coffee of any variety. Mr KajmacJohnson and I are quite fond of pumpkin spice coffee and I did see a couple of weeks ago that Aldi was offering it but I am leery that it may taste underwhelming and not that great. I am a coffee snob. The namebrand American coffees do nothing for me and I dislike Dunkin Donuts coffee with a passion (too bitter, burnt and disgusting). Starbucks is not that much better. At home, we usually drink the Puerto Rican or other latin coffees such as Rico Rico, Bustelo, Goya, Cafe Puro, Caribe, etc. I am debating on whether to take the plunge on the Aldi's pumpkin spice but if I do I hope I like it.

I don't know about the coffee, but the pumpkin cream cheese is very nice.

NFriday wrote:Hi- Has anybody tried the coffee in the bags at Aldi's that is supposed to be similar to Dunkin's coffee?

Nancy, one of the things that's great about Aldi is their double guarantee. If you don't like it, they'll refund your money & replace it.

Several years ago I bought some meat & discovered, when I got it home, that the portion covered up by the label was not what I expected--can't remember the exact details but maybe it was a big gristly spot or something. Anyway, took it back expecting a simple refund & was pleasantly surprised when the manager handed me a refund and a new replacement package of meat.

I wish I knew about the guarantee when I bought their cheap American cheese slices. Warning: tastes like mucus.

I'm not loving my new ALDI, in Pilsen. Kind of dingy, like the ALDIs of yore. Plus, the first time I was there, a guy argued with the cashier for several minutes because she wouldn't give him a discount for buying four bags of chips.

Hi- When I was in the Aldi's in Evanston recently, this customer raised a stink because there was only one register open. It was explained to her that they only open a second register when there are more than five people waiting in line, but that was not an acceptable answer to her. That is why their prices are so low. I think that the lines at Aldi's move much faster than they do at Jewel or Dominick's. Thanks, Nancy

SuzyCreamcheese is right, the pumkin spice cream cheese is good and flavorful. I decided to go ahead and take the plunge to buy the coffee but when I got to Aldi today they were out. I thought if we hated it we could always take it back. Alas, I didn't see any. Bummer. Maybe next time.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:I wish I knew about the guarantee when I bought their cheap American cheese slices. Warning: tastes like mucus.

.

I also buy the slightly fancier cheese slices and blocks that are in the case by the meat section (Priced $2.29 for an 8 oz package) and most of those are totally underwhelming. The pepper jack and munster had very little flavor. The colby jack that comes in a block was also bland and tasteless. The only thing decent were the cheddar slices. I am not wasting my money on those again either.

But I will buy teh knockwurst and the arbiatta sauce in a jar again because those were good, falvorful and worthwhile.

Hi- About three weeks ago they had the bel gioioso Parmesan cheese as a special buy for $3.49 for a half pound container, which is at least $2 less than Dominick's or Jewel. America's Test Kitchen rated it the best domestic Parmesan cheese. I buy most of my cheese at Whole Foods. I bought a reduced fat roth kase havarti there a few days ago for only $4.99 a pound. I haven't tried it yet. I usually buy jarlberg lite cheese, which I really like, but it had gone up to $7.99 a pound, so I decided to give this other one a try.

BTW- When I was in the Aldi's in Evanston on Friday with my friend, they were out of the pumpkin spice coffee too. They normally keep it in the front of the store, near the registers, and not with the rest of the coffee. My friend buys Aldi's bulk cheese all the time, but I would rather spend a little more for really good cheese, and use less of it. I use cheese in potato leek
chowder that I make when the farmer's market is open, and I can get good leeks for less than I can at the grocery store. I only use 2 table spoons of cheese per serving of soup, and so a little but goes a long ways. Hope this helps, Nancy

I've been eyeing the fresh mozzarella - anyone know if it's worthwhile?

I purchased the fresh mozzarella several times over the summer and used it in caprese salad. I thought it was quite good, although I don't count myself as an expert in fresh mozzarella.

Also, I get the block Havarti cheese on a very regular basis. I cut off a slice or two to be eaten with crackers (also purchased at ALDI) and some fresh grapes or an apple. I just get the regular Havarti, I don't mess around with the dill flavor or other varieties that are available.

Last year ALDI had a limited run on block Stilton cheese that was excellent. Haven't seen it since and I'm praying for its return.

Buddy

I've found some varieties of coffee sold at Aldi to be very good, and some I've thought were almost undrinkable -
Here's a link to my review of the Beaumont Donut Store Coffee:
http://aldishopper.blogspot.com/2011/08/review-beaumont-donut-store-blend.html

The Beaumont Pumpkin Spice Coffee:
http://aldishopper.blogspot.com/2011/10/review-aldi-beaumont-pumpkin-spice.html

And a review of the Beaumont House Blend can be found here:
http://aldishopper.blogspot.com/2011/10/aldi-review-three-quick-hits-and-miss.html

Reviews of MANY other Aldi products can be found on the site - and new products are being added all the time. Take a look when you have a minute...
http://aldishopper.blogspot.com

JefftheAldiShopper wrote:Reviews of MANY other Aldi products can be found on the site - and new products are being added all the time. Take a look when you have a minute...
http://aldishopper.blogspot.com

An excellent website.

I would love a list that rates each individual Aldi on its quality. I was very pleased with the location in Evanston, mostly pleased with the one at California & Granville, and so far not terribly pleased at all about the one on Cermak. It just has that tinge of desperation I once associated with Aldis. Next time I plan to visit the 47th street location, which might be better. But I wonder if any of the stores on the Southside have been updated?

I've been in a couple of the brand-new Aldi's in several places in the US and they are really first-rate: well-organized, clean, well-lit, and, most importantly, well-stocked with fresh stuff.

Geo

The Aldi I went into recently on Clybourn and Wrightwood (which is the only Aldi I've ever been to) was clean, well-organized and spacious (in the sense of wide-enough, orderly aisles). It had the sense of "well-designed warehouse" rather than grocery store. I don't know if they're all like that. For some reason I always pictured Aldis as being like regular supermarkets that just happened to specialize in generic or house brands, but this wasn't that.

Does your Aldi have a "milk guy"? At our Aldi, every now and then, I see this one man who has two grocery carts with him, both filled to the brim, upper and lower compartment, with gallons of milk. He's not making cheese, I don't think, because he usually has both 2% and whole milk varieties.

Saint Pizza wrote:Does your Aldi have a "milk guy"? At our Aldi, every now and then, I see this one man who has two grocery carts with him, both filled to the brim, upper and lower compartment, with gallons of milk. He's not making cheese, I don't think, because he usually has both 2% and whole milk varieties.

You can often get milk at Aldi for less than dealing with a wholesaler if you are a small food shop owner.

If you want to see unbelievable, there is a dairy store in NW Washington state, three miles from the Canadian border. When Iw as there last year, it was NOT uncommon to see customers buying 50-100 GALLONS at a time. And they all had British Columbia tags.

Jeez Joe, I don't know how those BCers got back into the country: a one-day visit to the US qualifies you (officially) for NO tax-free, altho' the BorderGuard will give you under $50. So when I go to the Aldi in Plattsburgh, I always have to take it easy, and stay under $50. You get asked every time "What did you buy?" If you're willing to take a chance and lie, I suppose you can. But I never do.

Of course, you can buy an *awful* lot of Aldi chocolate for $50.

Geo

Saint Pizza, our Aldi's has a 'milk guy" and he pays with a Link card too! Then he goes to the Drunkin Doughtnuts and unloads them all....gotta love the guts of the guy!

Hi- Does anybody ever buy the spices they sell at Aldi's for 99 cents? I was wondering if they are any good. On rare occasion, I will stop in at the Spice House, and get a few things. There spices are excellent, and I especially love their combination of spices they sell for mulled cider. I am selective about what spices I buy there though, because you are forced to buy more at one time, than I can use up within a year. I can use up a bag of their chili powder in six months, but it would take me forever to use up a small bag of their cayenne. I end up getting the majority of my spices in bulk at whole foods. Are Aldi's spices any where near as good as what I can get at whole foods?

I just got a bottle of organic cinnamon for free at Dominick's yesterday, thanks to the J4U program there, but no way would I have bought it there at the regular price. The bottle is normally $6.99 there. Thanks, Nancy

The Italian spice mix is pretty top notch. We use it all the time and it makes many of our food quite tasty. I am not much of a salt person, so I always try to utilize different kinds of spices. The basil and oregano by themselves are also pretty decent. I can't say whether they are as good as Whole Foods because I am not familiar with WF but they are definately just as good if not better than brand names like McCormick and a lot less in price as well.

I finally got a chance to try the fresh mozzarella - not bad at all! Sadly, the pumpkin cream cheese was either sold out or a thing of the past.

I really wish I could convince my husband that Aldi milk won't kill him. He drinks a ton of milk, and it really adds up since it's all organic.

Hi- I got a gallon of milk yesterday at Dominick's yesterday as part of their J4U program for $1.77 a gallon, but if your husband won't even drink Aldi's milk, which is advertised as being bgh free, I am sure he won't go any where near Dominick's store brand milk, which is not guaranteed to be bgh free.

Will he drink oberweis milk, which is close to being organic, and which I personally think is better than any of the organic milk out there? I love oberweis milk, and I would drink it all the time, but right now my budget will not allow it. If you go to one of the oberweis stores, the milk is cheaper than it is every where else. I know that organic milk starts at $5.99 a gallon, although trader Joes might have it cheaper. Hope this helps, Nancy

Geo wrote:Jeez Joe, I don't know how those BCers got back into the country: a one-day visit to the US qualifies you (officially) for NO tax-free, altho' the BorderGuard will give you under $50. So when I go to the Aldi in Plattsburgh, I always have to take it easy, and stay under $50. You get asked every time "What did you buy?" If you're willing to take a chance and lie, I suppose you can. But I never do.

Of course, you can buy an *awful* lot of Aldi chocolate for $50.

Geo

Isn't it per person? They had the whole family along.