My GV ratings:
Corn chips, sub par.
Yogurt, sub par.
Aspartame sweetener, equal to the name brand.
Instant coffee, may be military surplus from WWII C rations.
I really can’t get over how incredibly cheaper Aldi is than name brands, or even Walmart or Target brands. Chips are around a dollar, compared to $3-4 anywhere else. Canned food, bread, fruit and veg, cheese, most things are at least half the price and I think there’s been 2 things I’ve bought that I’d never buy again (Priano breaded veal cutlets, which is a specialty item, and the regular crinkle cut french fries).
How is everyone NOT shopping here? The only reason I can think of is that there are less choices, which I kind of like, and that the locations in the city are a little gross. The two locations I frequent, in first ring Minneapolis suburbs, are really nice. And you can even get fancier items, as long as you’re flexible. I’ve gotten brie, Greek yogurt, kiefer, butter lettuce and capicola at a significant discount.
It also depends on the chain and the product. Some items, especially staples, are basically parity products, which means that they’re essentially the same no matter which brand you buy. Butter, oil, milk, flour, meats, and so forth fall into this category. There may be slight differences but not enough to justify spending more on a name brand unless I have a coupon or some other incentive. (I do buy Over the Moon or Skim Plus milk, though, because it doesn’t taste like blue water.)
Other products, like cereal, are more variable and depend on the chain. Among my local chains, I rate Wegman’s store brand higher than Giant’s. The quality of both are good, but Wegman’s labels are more specific so I know what I’m buying without having to scrutinize the ingredients. Giant’s stuff is also pretty good. Weis-brand products? Forget it. (I also don’t like the local Weis for other reasons.) And some of Wegman’s products are fantastic, but some are so-so and some aren’t worth it. Same for Giant.
The upshot is that it’s a matter of personal preference and a lot of trial-and-error. Some things are worth it, and some aren’t.
Some people are totally horrified at the though of ever being cheap. They won’t even buy their name brand stuff at Walmart.
Others may see Aldi’s as too good to be true. Still others may not look at prices. It took me a while to catch on to them.
About 90% of our shopping is done at Aldis and the additional 10% is at Walmart or the dollar stores. Only specialized items like liquor and updoc are purchased at other outlets.
So… about average, then?