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Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
12/01/2015 10:05
This is where you can leave your feedback for the Aldi Swap January Challenge - we can't wait to hear how you got on.
6 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
12/01/2015 10:06
5 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
12/01/2015 10:06
1 post
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
12/01/2015 10:06
6 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
12/01/2015 10:06
5 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
12/01/2015 10:06
5 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
12/01/2015 10:14
I live in Ballina, Mayo. We don't have an Aldi here, so I was delighted to have an 'excuse' to head to Castlebar for my weekly shop. I've often picked up some of their weekly specials, but not a full shop. Only couple weeks ago I purchased the Humidifier.

I was under time pressure this week. My husband works shift, and I had to be back before my eldest needed to be collected from pre-school. As a result, I didn't get to browse the aisles like I'd have liked to...with two wee ones it's a mission! I always feel like a deer in headlights in a new supermarket anyway!

I'd gotten cereals, biscuits, and then came across the Super 6. Such great value. Admittedly, pears rarely make it into our house, but as they were a mere 29c, I said I'd purchase. In fact, I got five of the six, pears, onions, broccoli, potatoes and kiwis. Mayo must be on a health buzz..all the kale was gone!

I'd heard Aldi had great quality meat, and I was impressed with their selection, particularly the beef. I got the Peppered Sirloin Steaks and Minute Steaks. They look very lean. Looking forward to having them at the weekend.

My husband is on nights this week. I find it the most difficult dinner wise as he brings a dinner in with him that week. Dinners therefore have to be re-heatable and still edible!! This week we've had Shepherds Pie (x2 nights), a Chicken Casserole, and meatballs with pasta. The sauce was a mix of passata, creme fraiche and Aldi's pasta sauce. This will also do us for two nights. Thumbs up all round from himself and the kids...and my son is a fussy eater!

I also bought two sets of bounce back pillows, one of Aldi's Special Buys this week. After recently reading about the number of creatures that reside in our pillows, I don't mind changing out our pillows every six months at €4.99 a pair.

Next week, I will have more time to browse and pick up larder essentials that I can stock up on, such as spices and sauces etc.

First impressions are very good. Bon apetit and happy shopping!

Your Western Correspondent
6 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
12/01/2015 11:29
We're really enjoying taking part in the Aldi Swap January Challenge. And we're making a real effort to add in different options for family meals.

For our first week we introduced some really fun alternatives to the normal hum drum of January shopping. We created a gorgeous smoothie snack which the kids really enjoyed making with me, and absolutely loved sampling it too :)
 
At the weekend, I decided to make pancakes for the kids - we rarely have pancakes, so it was a real treat to have them. Unfortunately the kids were poorly so this treat really cheered them up - especially when I brought out a jar of Aldi Chocolate Spread. We will definitely be doing this more often.

Mum stayed healthy with a gorgeous chicken soup and gluten free bread roll, which I had for lunch. Absolutely gorgeous would definitely be my top Aldi products for this week. Brilliant for a quick and easy lunch that requires no cooking.
 
From the Aldi Super 6 on offer this week, I decided I'd use the brocolli to make a healthy chicken and brocolli pasta salad - everyone in the house loves it, and it's so quick and easy to make.
6 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
12/01/2015 12:02
I spotted the omelette maker in Aldi on Sunday, had been looking at these for a while, so thought I'd go ahead and buy it. We had omellettes and Aldi sliced brown bread for tea on Sunday evening.
The weather had been pretty bad last week so not a lot of outdoor activities, hopefully we'll do better this week. To keep the little minds occupied we made brownies (from the Aldi Brownie mix). They were super easy to make, a great way to keep the little ones entertained, and of course, the perfect treat after a hard afternoon working in the kitchen 
 
I decided this January I would try and cut down my coffee intake, this week I purchased Jasmine Green Tea and I am really enjoying it. I have always found it hard to stick to a new hot drink regime, and always slip back into having coffee, but with this tea, beause it's really nice, it's the first thing I reach for in the morning, so I'm not even missing my early morning caffeine fix which is great.
 
All week I've been making smoothies for the kids - there's a variety that they look for - some with yoghurt, some without, some with lots of banana and some without. I barely get a chance to make myself one. So this monring, for a healthy start to my Monday and with the kids gone to school, instead of having a normal breakfast I decided I would make myself a fruit smoothie of my choice (strawberries & berries along with a dash of low fat yoghurt) - it was delicious. I could really get use to this.
 
I think the omelette maker and the jasmine green tea are my top products for this week.
6 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
13/01/2015 10:38
Delicious apples from the 39c range this week were a great lunch time snack plus a great replacement for a chocolate biscuit or a loitering Roses choc that is just determined to tempt back to chocolate! 2lbs down this week has been the result of steely determination but having such lovely fruit to snack on has made me a much happier lady! Tried the coriander wraps which were a big hit with the Aldi fajita kits and also the wraps doubled up as a lovely lunchtime replacement for the normal sandwich.

Some lovely dinners were made this week. In particular I gave the wild Alaskan salmon from the freezer a go. Made a delicious salmon Alaska curry which was enjoyed by all the family! Also tried a new recipe for a spicy chicken dish with rice! Yum! Plus low on the calorie count as mum and dad are trying to reduce those Christmas waist lines!

We are moving house next month so availed of some of the special buys! We got some of the lovely potted herb plants which will not only make our kitchen look lovely but help enhance our meals too. I also bought from the special buy this week some really cute trainers for my daughter! Bought a slightly bigger size for spring time as they are too cute for her to be bouncing in muddy puddles!!
 
Unfortunately we have had poorly kids this weekend so have not ventured out but the savings made on this week’s shop will definitely go towards a family day out later this week once the kids are back to normal!
6 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
15/01/2015 12:41
So week 1 of happy January has started in the Carty household, with four children under six, a husband and the dog to feed it was going to be a challenge. Himself is quite the food snob and I was a little concerned that he would insist I went back to our usually grocery shop, however this did not happen! I even managed to satisfy my biscuit addiction!

I found shopping in Aldi so easy and I love the super 6 this week particularly the conference pears which got turned into the most delicious pear and almond tart for when I visited friends on Friday! Even if I do say so myself it was delicious and so easy to make!
 

With four children, three of whom are every fussy eaters I found dinnertime surprisingly easy, Aldi’s meat is fantastic. The ham I bought lasted two days with traditional ham, veg and baby potatoes (from the super 6) for dinner one night and the following night I used the remainder of the ham with mushrooms to make a yummy carbonara ….clean plates all round!

My special buy this week was a new throw for the couch which at €10 was a bargain!

The children loved having movie night with Aldi Marshmallows and huge bags of microwave popcorn. Plus with the money we saved I got to bring them all to their favourite play café on a rainy Friday afternoon.

So all in all a very happy first week of January, I am already doing up my meal plans for next week can’t wait … right I am off to try out Duck a l’orange until next week!
5 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
15/01/2015 14:33
We’re nearly weeks into the New Year. January is a long month if you get paid monthly, some people may have almost 7 weeks between paydays. So January is the perfect time for me to take the Aldi Swap Challenge and hopefully save more than a few pennies.

It’s all about getting organised and healthy this month and from the moment I step inside my local Aldi shop in Nutgrove I feel inspired. The Super-6 fruit and vegetables instantly catch my eye... all priced at 29c! What is there not to love?! I hastily popped the delicious looking red and green apples, mushrooms, salad potatoes and scallions. I continued through the store and was so impressed with the variety and the quality of the products... Why had I not ventured to this food haven before I wondered whilst filling the trolley to the brim. When I got to the cash register I was mentally justifying the anticipated total thinking of all the dinners, lunches and breakfasts this single shop would cover. Well I could have been knocked down with a feather - the bill was considerable less that my normal weekly shopping bill would be and I had definitely more fresh fruit and vegetables than I would usually buy. What a pleasant and most welcome surprise! Looks like this Aldi Swap Challenge is going to more fun and rewarding than I could have imagined!
 
Dinner prep time... Pan fried fillet steak with sautéed mushrooms & onions served with mini roast potatoes and a potato and scallion mash. Served with a sublime Rioja Reserva from Aldi's considerable wine range - absolute find at €8.99.

After only one week I can see the savings and am absolutely thrilled. I also feel healthier. But the best thing about this Aldi Swap Challenge for me so far is that I am delighted to see my often fussy wee eaters devouring fruit and vegetables they previously wouldn't even taste. Win win win!
5 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
16/01/2015 13:10
From my initial expedition into Aldi last week I have been popping in on an almost daily basis. It is on my way home from work and the easy and free parking make it so convenient to quickly pick up the many items that are often forgotten on the weekly shopping list.
 
I am continually amazed at the value of the Super Six offers and am almost addicted to stocking up every time I'm in! Nothing is going to waste and my family and I have happily replaced the Christmas sugar consumption with fruit. The Super-6 this week are broccoli, curly kale, pears, kiwi, potatoes and large onions, all priced at 29c. Part of the Super-6 meat offers this week is the Angus steak mince for only €3. The weather has turned extra wintery and I can almost taste the hearty cottage pie whilst still in the meat aisle.

What better accompaniment than super food Curly Kale? Delicious and so healthy with lots of veggies in the pie. Highly recommend!
 
During my big shop this week I decided to push the challenge even further and see if I could do all my grocery shopping for a week for under €50! Hmmm had my doubts but I do love a challenge. I bought a number of the €3 Super-6 meat offers; Angus steak mince, steak pieces and pork loin chops, the salmon fillets, sea bass fillets and the duck breasts.
 
Since watching The Restaurant last week, I have been really excited about trying the duck dish Alan Shatter cooked. Armed with the shopping list I downloaded from the Aldi website, I easily located all the ingredients. Looking forward to cooking this on Sat and trying the Merlot Tom Doorley recommended.
 
Earlier this week Aldi had a number of pretty storage containers which have already made my medicine cabinet a nicer place. Keeping a close eye on the website for upcoming Special Buys...Thursday next week the Vax Steam Mop for €49.99 has caught my attention for sure as they are the cleaning appliance that everybody is talking about.
 
6 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
21/01/2015 14:53
A great week! Lovely choice of fruit and veggies that we hadn't had in a while!

Lots of kale!! So yummy and so good for you! Juicy pears and we swapped the usual spuds and tried Aldi's sweet potato! So delicious! They will be on the menu again this week!

Bought a roasting tray which doubles up as a steamer which I'm very much looking forward to using.

Cooked a full irish breakfast on Saturday morning from Aldi's range of sausages and bacon. Great way to start the weekend a naughty but nice treat. The kids loved the sausages!

I also tried a lovely granary bread - think its by Lynch's! Absolutely gorgeous! That will be in the trolley again this week. Really soft and fresh
5 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
21/01/2015 16:50
So this trip to Aldi was sans the children. Less of the quick scanning, bit more time to browse the aisles. A holiday for me these days!

I picked up the usual suspects of bread, bread rolls, biscuits and coffee. I also got some ready made pancakes, which are going down a storm with the kids and himself.

There was only three of the super six available the day I was in, onions, potatoes and the curly kale. I had to google how to cook the kale...I've not perfected it, but I'll be definitely getting it again.

I stocked up on our fruit, getting apples, bananas and grapes. We were meant to have family visiting on Sunday, so I decided to get sandwich fillers for lunch...coleslaw, sliced peppered chicken, pepperoni, salads etc, followed by a slow cooked ham joint that evening. However, the frosty conditions put paid to their travels, so we've been indulging in hearty lunches all week!

I also got chicken pieces, chicken breasts, the peppered steaks (again), and this week I went for the Angus Steaks. All I've heard about the quality of Aldi's steaks are true from what we've experienced. Very lean, tender and very tasty. Himself would be more of a steak either than me, and he was very impressed. That will be a regular purchase in our house. The ham was slow cooked in brown sugar, and was very tender.

We also had a chicken korma on Friday night...our own version of the take away! I got the korma sauce, naan bread and basmati rice...was delicious and quick to rustle up. Well I assume it was, himself had it ready when I came back from squash. It was followed by (when the kids had gone to bed), a bottle of the Pinot And some 70% dark chocolate. I find dark chocolate gives me the fix I need, but you've enough after a few squares.

In terms of special buys, I bought their mats. One for indoors and a rubber one for outside the back door. I'd been meaning to pick one up for ages now, but never got round to it, so was delighted when I saw they were coming in to Aldi. I've my eye on a ceramic casserole dish in there. I'm not sure whether to get the wide or deep one, but they're great value and are lovely looking pieces. We are doing up the girls room, it's somehow become an owl theme, and there was a lovely owl cushion in Aldi this week...sure I couldn't leave it behind!

Our middle child is much less fussy when it comes to food than our eldest, so I picked up some mini pizzas for the kids, though I knew it would only be her that ate it. Once a week they pick what they want for dinner...it's always either fish fingers or meatballs..always. This week it was fish fingers. I put on a pizza aswell and split it between them. I thought Rian had ate his, but he'd just given all his pieces to Fiadh...

I still can't seem to get used to the amount of milk I need, so many litres were purchased. Yoghurts seem to disappear from the fridge. I picked up the lemon curd and raspberry ones for himself, and loaded up on the kiddie ones, which is still never enough.

All good reports from all five consumers in this house. Gonna do some cook book surfing this week now to get some inspiration to get me out of my 6-7 meal repitoire.
6 posts
Feedback for Aldi Swap January Challenge
23/01/2015 12:26
So week 2 of happy January and off I popped to Aldi with the two boys. They are 3 and 1 and I have to say it’s not as stressful shopping with them as it normally is, I found shopping in Aldi so easy, and the staff are really friendly and so good with the kids. Anyhow I digress this week I decided to detox so found a great recipe using ginger, cucumber, lemons, limes and water keep it in the fridge and drink it throughout the day, delicious! This cost me the grand total of 3 euro for the week and I felt fab after it!

Busy week this week as the kids are all back to various after school activities, the girls have discovered two new obsessions, the yogurt and orange mini rice cakes and 12 fromage fraise for €1.49 we went through 24 this week for only €3. My eldest informed me that I must buy them every week! The super 6 this week were great with pears, broccoli, onions, kiwis and potatoes on offer all for 29c. My kids have never tried kiwi and two of them loved them, it’s a great w ay to introduce new foods to the children without the fear of the cost if they don’t like it! I tried my hand at making my own lasagne with homemade chips this week it cost me half the price (at only €4.34) using Aldi products and fed the whole family with some left over for himself’s lunch the next day(he did have to fight the six year old for it though!). I also used the broccoli and salmon fillets to make a delicious salmon and broccoli pie! Full tummies all round!

The special buys were really good this week, I got a new mat for the front door and also decided to try my hand at crochet, with the wool on offer for €5 for a 200g ball I didn’t mind too much if my newest hobby wasn’t a success! However I found that I loved it and the girls have a new blanket for their dolls!

Well Happy shopping everyone, I’m off on the school run and then a quick pop into Aldi to pick up some milk and more yogurts! Until next week x

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