Hello! Welcome to episode 95 of I’d Rather Stay In. This week, we’re uncovering all of the secrets of one of our favorite weird stores: Aldi!
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Episode transcript
Megan
Welcome to I’d rather stay in with your host Megan Myers and Stephie Predmore. This week we’re chatting all things Aldi. Stay tuned.
Stephie
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Hello, hello
Unknown Speaker
Stephie
Stephie
and Megan, can we talk about Great British Bake Off for a minute?
Megan
We can we are technically a week behind by the time this airs. That’s
Stephie
fine. That means it’s even less spoilery. So we’re gonna talk about we’re gonna talk for a quick second about the current season of great British baking show. Which is season What the fuck is it nine something
Megan
Netflix says it’s nine but it’s technically not nine. It’s like right 13 Or something like that.
Stephie
Okay, so if you’re watching it, if you’re an American, and you’re watching on Netflix at season nine. If you have not started it or don’t want to hear our thoughts about it, just skip forward. But we’re going to talk about it for a minute. Okay. Everyone is really making an eye per usual I have some controversial opinions. So everyone is so fucking in love with Juergen. And I think to quote you, what did you say the other day you wanted to punch him in a smarmy little face?
Megan
Yes. And I am sure he’s not I don’t know. Like, there’s so many things.
Stephie
He’s a lovely person. I
Megan
can’t even I’m sure he’s a very nice person. Like everyone who is on bakeoff is a nice person. There are no troll monsters, right? Because it’s that’s just not the way the show is right? But just there’s something about him that I cannot put my finger on that. To me he comes across is smarmy, and no at all and I don’t know if it’s just like it’s just the way he like explains things and doesn’t seem to care about anyone else in the tent. But not like not in a mean way. He just doesn’t seem to care about the other people’s we’re and that bothers me for some reason.
Stephie
Yeah, it’s weird. And so we just watched well, you watched a few days ago last night, I watched this most recent episode as we’re recording not as this is going live, which was episode like a it was the quarterfinals. And, okay, I have I have feelings, and I thought that I’ve texted you these feelings or thoughts but I just needed to like put them out in the open. So it was the free from episode. So they did bakes that were free from dairy bakes that were vegan, and then big set, we’re gluten free.
Megan
I will note that they have not done a free from episode in a while. It’s been
Stephie
a very long time. I was yeah, it’s been it’s been quite some time. And so in the first this in the signature round, he did to make dairy free ice cream sandwiches. And he used he made macarons his cookies, but he fucked him up like royally fucked up really
Megan
badly,
Stephie
terribly that like so badly. And if anyone else had done this, because I have seen it happen. Polly Hollywood would have torn that person a new asshole about their horrible macarons like because
Megan
maimed macarons Yes. And also because he would have, he would have made a huge deal about it. Because and rightly so. Even though it was an Ice Cream Sandwich Challenge, and his ice cream was good. It is still the great British baking show. And they have literally used that excuse on other challenges. When the big part of it was not good. Right?
Stephie
They’ve been like, well, it’s about it’s a baking. This is a baking competition if you didn’t bake well enough. Also, like at this point, you’re they’ve also like yelled at people who have messed up like pretty like standard baking things. Like really far into the competition. They’ll be like, Oh, well this is a quarterfinals. Like if you’re going to be making a macaron it should be perfect. And yeah, like, like that’s the kind of thing that I would have expected him to say. And instead they were like, well, you mess them up. But I think like it might be like a whole new invention. Like, Oh no, he didn’t invent something he fucked something up. Like what? And then and then and then this is where the show almost lost me I almost just completely fell off. I just I just couldn’t I just couldn’t. The second one this the the technical, they have them doing vegan sausage rolls. He literally dropped all of his sausage rolls on the floor
Megan
and then looked at the camera and like said something into the camera while they’re still just sitting on the floor. Yes. And then he serves them to the judges.
Stephie
Yes, he picked him back up, put them back in the oven. And then they got to his and like, they just picked a random one and ate it. Yeah, no one was like, Oh, by the way, those fell on the floor. You probably shouldn’t eat them.
Megan
I have a lot of questions about this, because this is why I like the thing where like, he doesn’t seem to care about any of the other people like is he I could I forgot where his station was in this episode. So was his station in the
Stephie
far back? No, he had people behind him. I think
Megan
okay. I just feel like somebody had had to have noticed besides the crew, right, but no one said anything.
Stephie
What producer was like, those fell on the floor, but it’s fine. We’re just gonna let Paul Hollywood eat a floor sausage roll.
Megan
But also everyone else would have like felt tremendous guilt and shame and been like, I dropped my thing on the floor. I cannot I don’t 30 sausage rolls to people.
Stephie
I don’t think that I as a fellow competitor. If I had known they had like fallen on the floor. I would have been like
like, slow motion like, I don’t know, I just it was so horrifying to me. I was like watching it through my fingers. It was it was the only thing that has maybe ever been more horrifying was the time that one Gauss took the wrong well, though, there was the one gal who took the wrong cream Pat at for her trifle or whatever it was. But then there was the other gal who like, made Ian’s ice cream melt or something like she pulled some she pulled Ian’s ice cream out of the freezer. Do you remember that one?
Megan
I don’t remember that. But there was one last season where one of the girls in the very it was like maybe the first episode she like accidentally ran into somebody. Yes. Like
Stephie
do you remember that? Because the the ball judge Matt was like, you were just you were looking at me. And you were just so enamored of my beauty that I made. Oh my god, the cakes and it was it like it made her stop crying and it made her laugh. I think a lot of other problems with Matt but well, he’s not my favorite host but that that was a that was a funny moment that like did cheer her up. But yes, I just I was so horrified by the fact that he like fed them like floor sausage rolls. And no one said nobody said anything. And it. It was like I don’t know. I just I’m obsessed. I watched it 24 hours ago and I’m still shook.
Megan
Yeah, also, like the big the bigger floor is carpeted. Right. And his feet had just previously been there. Yeah. And you know, it’s not, it’s not clean. Imagine, like I in my in my brain. I’m like concocting this story where like, Crystal noticed or something and like she didn’t know what to do. So she told no. And then no had to be the one to be like, if he doesn’t say anything, we can’t do anything about it like, like, is that the rule if they don’t Fess up? Like what? No, I need like a Watch What Happens Live situation and I think they have some sort of they have a show in England that they have after the episode. But I don’t know if it’s live after airing. Or if it’s like they tape it.
Stephie
I just I need more like I need vegans. I need to know no offense to vegans, but I mean, the floor is where vegan sausage rolls probably belong. However, not if you’re gonna feed them to Paul Hollywood.
Megan
I mean, he probably deserves floor sausages sometimes. I mean, but
Stephie
to say that is that is true.
Megan
So but also and then. I don’t know. And then at the end of the chat at the end of that challenge that they always do like they’re like where everyone is. Or not that one. It was like they did the showstopper. And you’re going again like they were like in love with how his cake looks and I thought it looks super sloppy.
Stephie
Yeah it was by him it was
Megan
fine whatever but like that was not a showstopper cake it was specially
Stephie
it was haired fine maybe yeah, episode one
Megan
right but also like you’re comparing it to like Crystelle had beautiful piping has gorgeous rip Chigs his cake was checked for can eautiful charges color. Yes and like you have your gun with like his melted frosting and like his poop blob. dollops and they’re like, this cake is beautiful, like no, it is not beautiful. It was it was not. And then and then after they’ve judged all of those cakes, where they like the taste of Jergens but you Cepheus was like gluey because it was gluten free. And his is the only one that tasted terrible, apparently. Right. But like they were like, Oh, well, you know, I think I think I Juergen. He said the top there. And I’m like, no. How, how? How could he possibly be in the top?
Stephie
I don’t understand.
Megan
I was I was so angry.
Stephie
I was really annoyed. So I mean, I was I was glad Chigs got sir Baker because I get to look at him for at least one more week. Yeah, I don’t know. It was annoying. So if anyone else was just as annoyed, please tell. Tell us if you love your gun. We don’t want to hear it. I’m kidding. You can you can still
Megan
hear I just I need you to tell me why?
Stephie
I actually cuz I don’t see it. Why I don’t see it. Like, I’m sure he’s fine. He’s whatever
Megan
is fine. I was a technical BAKER He has I don’t see any creativity.
Stephie
I don’t I don’t know flair. He also like I don’t know, he’s like, I don’t know, you. You don’t have a problem with like when they lack a sense of humility. And, like, a couple seasons ago when Steph won, I think she was I can’t remember how many seasons ago that was. And she won star Baker like 50 to 57 times. And like the hosts would come over and they’d be like, Well, you’ve gotten star Baker how many times and she be like, No, don’t talk about it. Like, no, like, I could still mess up like whatever and then, but like with Juergen, they’ll be like, Oh, you’ve won sir Baker. How many times he’s like, sorry. I’m like, Go Go fuck yourself here again. I don’t like him. That’s That’s it. That’s my opinion. So I just needed to I just needed to discuss on a public forum that I don’t get it. And you’re again, I’m sorry if you ever hear this. But I’m sure you’re a fine person. But I didn’t care for you on show goodbye
Megan
Oh, that’s just what is what goes
Stephie
through our brains. This is literally just like, all of that pass through my brain in like 30 seconds. So if
Megan
you’re not the only one like no, I got on Twitter after the end of after I’ve watched the whole episode and people were outraged. Oh, that makes me feel so. Yeah, no, everyone was like, Excuse me. I mean, a lot of them still love your gun, but they were like he did what now?
Stephie
Okay, that makes you feel better. I’m glad I’m not the only one that was like what the fuck? No, you’re not alone. So glad so glad Twitter can be there for me even though I never use it.
Megan
Well, yeah. So we are actually here today to talk about
Stephie
Aldi Yeah, imagine that we actually have a real topic to talk about other than my qualms with the Great British Bake Off. So Aldi is the weird store. And you guys really loved when we talked about Costco a couple months ago. And so we thought that we would talk about Aldi because we love that strange little store. And if you’ve never shopped at Aldi before, it’s nice to have some tips and tricks when you go in.
Megan
It is tangentially related because Aldi is a German company so there you go,
Stephie
Oh Ha ha ha I’m also Aldi is owned by the same parent company as Trader Joe’s. I don’t know that that has always been the case. But because Aldi used to kind of suck like my family’s been shopping at Aldi since I was little back when we were like poor and that’s why we shopped there because it was dirt cheap. But it is it is still very cheap, but it has since like the quality of the stuff in the store has improved significantly. From when I was a little kid. So
Megan
I think that’s partially just because grocery stores in general have gotten a lot better.
Stephie
I mean, hard to say could be so
Megan
I do remember going when I was a kid as well and it was like it was it was more I don’t know if it was new at the time but it was like everything’s on the floor what has happened? Yeah, there were
Stephie
a lot of floor there were a lot of like giant bags of cereal like the, you know, the off brand giant bags of cereal. Um, but anyway, regardless of when it happened, they are owned by the same parent company as Trader Joe’s. So while they are very different stores and they have different things and different price points, and like all of that stuff, occasionally, you will find things Aldi that are like the Aldi version of Trader Joe things. For example, we recently went to Aldi and they had the maple leaf sandwich cookies that are basically the same ones that they have seasonally at Trader Joe’s. So sometimes you’ll find things like that. But we just thought we would kind of walk you through an Aldi experience. So to start, don’t forget your quarter,
Megan
because you’re going to use a quarter you can’t get a cart.
Stephie
Yep, so you have to put it a quarter to get your cart. That’s it You keep your Aldi quarter in your car, by the way
Megan
I do I have an Aldi quarter in both of our cars. Yep, just in case you happen to go to Aldi, you never know. You don’t want to be without that quarter and you have to love then I’ve tried to do it with just a bag and then you have to like carry the bag through the store. And you always end up grabbing more things than you think you’re going to get. It’s horrible ways.
Stephie
Yes.
Megan
It is an interesting concept, because I assume it does cut down on people not returning their carts and then having errant carts all over the place. Because they’re like locked into place.
Stephie
Yeah, I’ve heard that. It’s like a I’ve, I’ve heard that it’s like a cost saving measure.
Megan
So that you because you don’t have to pay someone to go get them. Well, that
Stephie
too. It’s like a whole there’s like a whole they don’t take the carts. People return their own cards so that they can get their quarterback and they don’t just leave them. Someone does have to gather them up. Yeah, I think that there’s like a whole I think there’s a whole like cost saving reasoning behind it. But bring here quarter so you can get your cart.
Megan
Also bring your bags because they do not give you bags, they do not give you a bag so
Stephie
you can purchase bags there. You can also much like Costco, when you get through the checkout, they’ll have like empty boxes and stuff. So you could pop stuff in your boxes. But when you check out they just like throw the shit in the cart. And then you bag it or box it up yourself. So putting some bags or grab some boxes, because otherwise you’re just going to be lugging things out to your car. Throwing them in your trunk and then when you get home you’re like well shit. asked me how I know about this.
Megan
Doll and loosey goosey.
Stephie
It’s fine. I’ve done it a few times.
Megan
We we actually have three all these here. And we went to the newest one it’s only been open two to three weeks now.
Stephie
It’s very new and very shiny and very fancy.
Megan
I definitely feel like I could tell a difference. Yeah, it’s
Stephie
this field. I mean this is fancy It’s an oldie can be no all the really fancy but this one was very new and shiny. And we went at this time of year and we’re doing this episode now because there’s actually a lot of great holiday shopping that you can do all day. So they’re like just in terms of staples. They actually have a lot of great staples that you can pick up there just lots of they had whole last turkeys the end like not like off brand they haven’t like butterball they have butterball turkeys. You can get some of your produce and you can get some of like your canned goods or anything like that stock all that kind of stuff that’s those are all things some some of the baking goods, like those are all things that you could stock up on at Aldi, but they also have a lot of specialty things. And that’s kind of what we’re going to focus on a little bit in this episode.
Megan
Yeah, they obviously because our German company have a lot of German type things so like, especially not right now per se but when it gets closer to Christmas, they’ll have a lot of German Christmas cookies like molasses cookies and Pfeffer news and stolen loads and all sorts of things like that. They also have a special German week that’s just tons of German food. In the store, yes. Um, so all of those things are really good. They always have really good selection of chocolate bars like for stockings and things like that. For Thanksgiving right now, they have some really interesting end cap areas like right now they have basically a charcuterie board and cap where like all these like I see what’s going on here like
Stephie
Yeah, so the cheese selection, like the specialty cheeses is are actually year round really solid. But especially around the holidays, they have some really good specialty cheeses. So between like the cheese section and then the little like charcuterie board sort of end cap where you can get your crackers and your salami and all of the various accoutrements for your whatever you like to put with your charcuterie. You can do your whole snack board right there.
Megan
Yeah, I really appreciated that. It was all right there. Like even like olives and things like that was just right, right there. Speaking of cheeses, though, like we got, we got some we got lots of cheeses. Yeah. One of the ones that I’m really excited about that I know is good. Is that cranberry cheddar one.
Stephie
Oh my gosh, I love it so much. They have it pretty much every year. It’s a white cheddar and it’s got cranberries in it. Oh my God, it is so good.
Megan
Just so so good. I also got one that is kind of a knockoff of the barely buzz cheese from I think it’s beehive Creamery it’s it’s a really good cheese company that I love but it’s like a coffee rubbed style cheese. It’s also delicious. They also have pretty good goat cheeses they have a good variety of flavors or plain Yeah. Yeah, they also sometimes they have Cabot which is really exciting to me, because it’s not always easy to find cabinet. No, I
Stephie
think they even had like this time, I think it was like a habanero or something. So it’s not even just like the basic Cabot. Sometimes it’s the fancy flavors. So it’s always worth just sort of taking a peek in the cheese section to see what they’ve got. Because it changes a lot, but there’s almost always something pretty good there. I mean, we we’ve gotten crew year there and like it’s a good price.
Megan
Yeah, they usually also have I did not see any this time. But I think when it gets close to Christmas, they have some really crazy cheese flavors. And I cannot remember any of them right now. But I know a couple years ago, I saw some really really odd cheese flavors that if you are an adventurous eater, Aldi is the place to go for that
Stephie
kind of it actually really is. Yeah, it’s like the things that you’ll find there around the holidays are surprising and not actually just the winter holidays. My mom had found really good like leg of lamb roasts at Aldi around Easter time.
Megan
So those are hard to find anywhere they’re very hard to find.
Stephie
And they were like a really nice and a great price. Like I think she bought a few of them because she put some in the freezer. And then because we used to always make lamb at Easter. So you know, various holidays, I’m sure probably around St. Patrick’s Day, I’m sure you could get your corned beef there. So it’s worth checking out just to see what they have.
Megan
Yeah, and the other thing that I appreciate about that is that like I love wandering a grocery store and finding stuff like that. But the thing about Aldi is that it’s such a small store, you don’t have to wander very far. You don’t have to wander very far. And also you’re not going to be in the store for like three hours just like perusing. Right, right. You know, like your husband has been at the store. I go into Woodman’s hanging out. We have genuine hours later comes out.
Stephie
Yes, we’ve genuinely lost my husband for hours at a time in Woodman’s and Wisconsin, but that’s not going to happen at an all day so
Megan
get like 10 all these inside of a woodman’s.
Stephie
It’s so true. It’s so true. They also so they have good holiday things and then they do have some questionable they do have some questionable holiday items. Currently, they have green bean casserole pizza.
Megan
Yeah, I don’t. I mean, maybe it’s okay. It did not look as bad as I thought it would when I heard about it. I will say we still
Stephie
are not eager to try it.
Megan
Oh, see. So now so I’m also like perusing the All the website while we talk and they have a sweet cranberry stuffing flavored goat cheese. They did not have that one or their stat on that. Yeah, they I mean, that’s the thing, they change the stuff so quickly you like literally have to go every week if you want to see all the crazy thing. So if
Stephie
you’re at Aldi and you see something and it sounds interesting, usually because I’m not I mean is again, it’s a little like Trader Joe’s in that way, like, especially if it’s a seasonal item, but sometimes the kind of evergreen not seasonal stuff, too. Like, if you see it, by it, try not to fall too madly in love with it, because you may or may not be able to find it again. Like it might just be like a fluke that you found it to begin with. But yeah, if it sounds interesting, go ahead and buy it. I mean, it’s an all day, so it’s probably not going to cost you a whole lot anyway.
Megan
Right? It’s true. Um,
Stephie
so they also have this like, magic aisle. That, uh, I think like people actually have like a term for it, or they think there’s a name for it, but I don’t remember what it is. But it is this magic aisle of like non food items. It’s like special random household shit. It is.
Megan
I don’t know what it’s like this. All these deals or something? I don’t know. I don’t know.
Stephie
But it is always just random household shit. And like, I mean, it is such a random assortment of things. We went last week, and Megan got a really lovely little Christmas cactus.
Megan
It is beautiful. And it was blooming crazily at the store. And it looks still looks really nice. It was like
Stephie
what five bucks? It was five bucks. Yeah, it was a delight. Um, they also had clear those like clear hard plastic like fridge slash storage container things. If you follow the home edit, it’s very they’re very similar to like the containers that they always make people store shit in the fridge in. And those were like a pretty good price. They had a bunch of different ones, all different shapes and sizes and stuff for your very various storage needs. They also had some seasonal like doormats and candle lights.
Megan
Yeah. And like they had you know, like tableware and stuff for Thanksgiving and ate a rice cooker.
Stephie
Yeah. Yeah, it’s a very funny little aisle. So that is always worth perusing because you literally never know what you’re gonna find.
Megan
It’s true. I’m kind of kicking myself that I did not I don’t need a new doormat, to be honest, but I was like, a Christmas doormat. Right? Like
Stephie
it’s very cute.
Megan
I have drawers
Stephie
I have feet that need wiping. It’s cute. Yeah, you’ll probably find some stuff that both stuff you need and stuff. You definitely don’t need it. Yeah, I mean, I was really close to buying the rice cooker and I definitely don’t have anywhere to put a rice cooker. So you know,
Megan
true as you do, so it makes like 20 cups of rice. So I mean it’s a lot of rice. It’s a lot of rice. Maybe maybe a smaller rice cooker.
Unknown Speaker
Yes, okay probably.
Stephie
Thank you Megan for reiterating why I did not buy the rice cooker even though it was very tempting.
Megan
I mean, you are talking to the person who wants to get a second instant pot because I need a small one to make rice in
Stephie
instead of might you know a small rice cooker she’ll just buy small instant but it’s fine. I mean,
Megan
because I would want to buy like a nice rice cooker. That’s the problem and it’d be way more expensive anyway.
Stephie
And then we just should about the one at Aldi to begin with Okay, so you could buy rice cookers at Aldi apparently and along with your $5 Christmas cactus and your storage bins. Um they also have a really great wine selection, which is
Megan
they do I was kind of surprised. We have noted before that we do not know a lot about wine or beer. We know what we like to drink. But I was surprised about the variety. Yeah, like I think when you go to Trader Joe’s and get wine like it doesn’t feel like there’s a lot of variety. It seems like it just feels like they have a lot of like a couple of things. Yeah. But it seemed like all they had lots of different things and they even had like special stuff special Typically for Thanksgiving slash Christmas like they had What is that stuff like that German glue wine?
Stephie
Oh Uh huh whatever I
Megan
can’t I don’t know how it’s pronounced I know we don’t um for
Stephie
sure it’s today
Megan
but Gore tell you about how much we love all the
Stephie
love all day so balances it out
Megan
right but they did have a good selection of wine and the way that at least this Aldi had it displayed it was it made it It made it seem nicer even
Stephie
Yeah, you know when I first started like when they went Aldi first started carrying wine because it wasn’t that long ago that they started carrying wine and beer. And I feel like a lot of it was winking owl which is basically the Aldi version of two Buck Chuck. And, but and they still have Winky now, but they really branched out and have a lot of a lot more options now. That are, I mean, when I say like higher priced, I mean they’re like $5 instead of $2. Right. So you know, it’s still not an investment piece, but it’s slightly better I guess there Prosecco is actually really good. Ask me how I know. And yeah, cuz I do feel like, I don’t know, like I said, like you said, going to Trader Joe’s and buying wine. Like I feel like a lot of it is like two buck chuck or like a couple maybe like a couple other options most of the time, but I feel like all these was all he has always got at least as good as or better wind selection than what I usually see at Trader Joe’s. Yeah. So also, once upon a time they had blueberry wine, and it’s really good. If you mix it with Prosecco. Sometimes you can get really drunk on it. That’s all I’ve got there. Okay.
Megan
They also have beer, and cider and things like that, which reminded me of one delightful thing about all day.
Stephie
I know what you’re gonna see that
Megan
they just kind of like, they changed the name of products and the packaging so that they’re reminiscent of but really different from the name brands, which I
Stephie
love. It is delightful. Like you can always tell like they’ve done just enough. So there are no like copyright trademark infringement situations happening. But you still know what it’s supposed to be. So they had a cider it was supposed to be is their version of angry orchard? And what do they call it was like,
Megan
I don’t know. It’s like furious apple or something like yeah, I don’t remember
Stephie
it was like furious Grove or something like that. And it was like very, but and the, the label was very reminiscent of the increase orchard label and packaging. It was honestly hilarious. And I want to be the person that really does the the names and the packaging. Like who gets that job. I think that would be a great a great job very entertaining.
Megan
Like, you know that there’s some IP lawyer that that works for all day. That’s like, Okay, so the calculation with the algorithm is that it has to be this percentage different, right? And then you know that they have a picture of the original product. And then there’s and then they’re like running it through an algorithm system to figure out what percentage different it is. And when you hit the magic number. It’s good,
Stephie
right? Like it’s it is honestly wild. It’s so good
Megan
cereal ones especially are like blatant, like so close. It’s straight up like that as a box of Cheerios.
Stephie
Right? That is a box of corn checks versus rice checks. Like yeah, it’s honestly amazing. So love it. Just take it take a pay attention to the labels. Next time you’re all day and really
Megan
peruse so good. It’s so
Stephie
amazing. So there’s lots of great holiday stuff. There’s lots of great seasonal stuff. Apparently. If you go early enough in the season, like we’re too late now, but apparently if you go early enough in the season, they usually have really good advent calendars.
Megan
They do they have lots of Advent Calendars. Not just like the chocolate ones, but they have wine advent calendars. They have cheese advent calendars. I believe they also have a coffee and that calendar which is like 4k cups. But they have a lot. I have gotten the cheese advent calendar before my friend sent one to me or she sends a bunch to me actually because her store had them. And we I think We had our Aldi had just opened or something and it was the only Aldi in Texas so people like lost their friggin minds. It was right by my house, but it was the only one. Oh my gosh. So she sent me cheese, everyone calendars. And I will say the concept of the cheese admin calendar was amazing. Because it was like one ounce of cheese every day. Right? But the only problem is that they just like rotated for cheeses. Yeah, it was like, it was like a DOM Cree err Havarti and like a white cheddar and I’m like, okay, but like,
Stephie
if it makes you feel any better. I saw on one of my Facebook groups that somebody had gotten one cheese advent calendar, I think at Meijer or something this year, and they posted they were like, I’m really excited about this, but I am a little bummed because it’s just the same nine cheeses just like rotated.
Megan
It’s I mean, it’s more than the women that Aldi had that is more than that one at
Stephie
all. But it would be better if it was 24 different cheeses.
Megan
It is hard to get 24 different cheeses that are small you would definitely would have to I mean, I guess it wouldn’t be hard for a grocery store. Now that I think about it, but yeah, I was expecting like we were just talking about that cranberry cheddar like that would have been delightful to find.
Stephie
So exciting. So go early next year see if you can find yourself a really cool advent calendar apparently they have
Megan
apparently people who are like Aldi advocates they find out the day that it’s been released ahead of time and they go like that like people will line up in the morning to get the wine Eben calendar so
Stephie
still like Aldi version of the re done ladies it is I mean
Megan
they don’t resell it but
Stephie
not that we know that she
Megan
is great but like who are you going to resell look on eBay calendar.
Stephie
eBay is full of weird shit Megan that is true.
Megan
Okay, stand corrected
Stephie
Okay, so there’s lots of so definitely look for all the holiday stuff if you’re planning on doing like any snack boards or anything like that, check out your Aldi because there’s tons of that stuff. If you still have any if you’re listening to this like as we’re dropping it you still have any last minute things to grab for Thanksgiving you might check your Aldi but definitely for like Christmas and baking and all that kind of stuff. But there are some things that we just like always pick up from Aldi that are just household kitchen, pantry staples, that we thought we would share some of our favorite Aldi finds.
Megan
Yeah, so number one for me is the french toast sticks. They sell two different kinds. They sell regular they sell cinnamon, they are clearly hits among the general populace because they often just don’t have them. Not that they aren’t. It’s not that they stopped carrying them. They’re just always out. So
Stephie
to see them, you see them show sticks. And again,
Megan
they’re I mean, they’re super cheap and my kids freaking love them.
Stephie
What care they’re like french toast sticks. Honestly.
Megan
It’s weird because my kids are like, okay with French toast. They love french toast sticks.
Stephie
You know what, though? I think that’s just a thing. Like my, my grown ass father is the same way. Like, he will not turn out a piece of French toast. But you put the man around some french toast sticks, he loses his mind.
Megan
It’s just me. It must be like the surface area of like the crispness to the custard Enos.
Stephie
It must be no, there’s something about him.
Megan
I don’t know. It’s a quick and easy breakfast that my kids don’t complain about, which is always a bonus.
Stephie
We also are huge fans of the fake goldfish crackers. Now. There’s a couple different kinds. Let me walk you through them. So there are the cheddar turtles, which are good. But what you really want are the cheddar penguins. There’s something about the penguins. I don’t know what it is. I honestly cannot tell you why they are so different. I don’t know if it’s because the penguins are like a little bit thinner and crisper. I don’t know if they’re if they have like a slightly different flavor into them. They’re the same company like the bags look really similar, but the penguins are infinitely better than actual real goldfish. Like they are so good.
Megan
I think we should have bought both of them and we should have done a taste test.
Stephie
I forgot to look and see if they had the penguins because honestly, we’ve been out of penguins for a while. And the last couple times I’ve been there I’ve only been able to find the turtles which again, they’re fine but the turtles are more Can two goldfish which I’m not going to turn down a goldfish and neither will my toddler. Let’s be extremely clear. But the penguins man the penguins are where it’s at.
Megan
I wonder if it’s like the difference between a cheetah and an extra toasty cheese it?
Stephie
Oh yeah, I don’t know you right like there’s just there’s just something you’re like it’s the same cracker but there’s just something a little extra special about it.
Megan
I feel like we’re gonna have to take one for science here we
Stephie
gosh darn. What a hardship I have to do a taste test. So that’s my like, that’s my personal opinion about the Aldi brand of goldfish.
Megan
Good to know. One other thing that we really love is flavored dips. I’m a dip person. Oh yeah. 100% I must be my Midwest upbringing. But I love a dip. And Aldi has some good ones.
Stephie
Yeah, they’ve got like hummus if you’re like a hummus person. And they, they’re they usually have like a, like a hummus sampler and it’s got four different types. It’s got like garlic, red pepper, regular and like jalapeno hummus all together. So if you’re having a party, that’s a great one to buy because it’s got a little something for everyone. But they’ve got all kinds of dips.
Megan
Yeah, we got a Mexicali dip. This last time it was actually a pretty good head of like kick
Stephie
to say I tried it. Yeah, so we got a little kick to it. I was I was I needed some water there.
Megan
They also have like a crab Rangoon damp. They’ll have the sometimes they’ll have a bacon onion dip. usually have like the standard like a ranch and dill kind of veggie dips, but they have like lots of different things they might even have. I didn’t see this last time but I think I’ve seen before that they’ve had a buffalo chicken dip.
Stephie
I think I think they might have had like a street corn like a Mexican street corn.
Megan
Oh yeah, they did.
Stephie
So lots of those. And they carry Well, I can’t say if this is a nationwide Aldi thing or if it’s just a regional thing, but our Aldi carries the good tortilla chips, which are the Elma logro tortilla chips. Yes, so you can get your really good tortilla chips with your yummy dips.
Megan
It’s the way that I was. I was very happy to see el milagro chips here because they’re based in Austin, or at least they used to be and we used to buy them all the time because Bob used to work for a company that was like a block away from the actual like factory. Yes. And whenever we would have a party he would just walk over there and then like this gigantic bag.
Stephie
Oh, they’re so good. They’re the best. Um, I also love to stock up stock up on freeze dried fruit. Oh my God, that’s really hard to say. Without sounding like you’re a tongue twister. So we never really did like the like baby puffs and stuff when Edie was little one of our acquaintances blogger friends, she actually think I got this from her that like freeze dried fruit, especially like freeze dried strawberries are great. And so that’s kind of what we started ed on and she fucking loves freeze dried fruit. And it can get a little expensive depending on where you’re buying it but it’s a really good price at Aldi and so I always stock up on bags of freeze dried strawberries, and Alex and I like to snack on them too.
Megan
They’re really good. I was babysitting that last weekend and I gave her a couple and I had a couple myself and yes, I was surprised how delicious they
Stephie
are. They’re actually really good like sometimes if I have a bowl of cereal and I like don’t have any bananas or something to put on them I’ll just like throw some freeze dried strawberries on my cereal just make it a little more exciting than just like a bowl of Cheerios. So yeah, love that because they’re a better price. I also really like just their toddler baby snacks in general like said like they do have like the leg puffs kind of things and the yogurt melts and stuff like that which are sometimes nice to have on hand. Especially if you’re on the go. But we though what I really like are the puree pouches like the fruit veggie puree pouches. We always like to keep those because those are easy to throw in the diaper bag and give to her and I don’t have to feel weird about what I’m feeding or whatever. And they’re really great price at Aldi so and they’ve got pretty good flavors. So those are those are some things I also have heard. I have some friends that have used aldi diapers and they liked the Aldi diapers I have not tried them I cannot speak to them personally but I have some friends that have used them and have liked them so use that information as you will Hot Tips Hot Tips straight from the baby aisle
Megan
oh one thing that I also really like about all day that is not necessarily about all the itself but it’s more about my son is that he loves going to Aldi Wait which one Mac’s the little one the eight year olds I took him to one not the new one but one of the older ones before it before the new one opened. And he was so excited about like everything in the store he wanted to buy every single thing for this precious by the time we made it to like the freezer aisle they had some sort of like cheese cake thing that was special for fall or whatever. And he was like we should get this and that’s like we’re not gonna eat this. He was just like, but look how good it looks. I mean, here’s the good thing you can do it it’s
Stephie
a good thing about doing that at a store like Aldi is that you could fill up your whole cart and it will still or not spend much money
Megan
oh I mean we’ve got so much food Max and I brought bought so much food on that at that trip I felt like it was a lot a lot a lot of food and it was like $50
Stephie
Yeah I so occasionally because I do have to Instacart account and I will occasionally depending on the day and weather and I just feel like I can venture out with the toddler I will order things off Instacart as the only downside of ordering from Aldi for Instacart is that like there’s a because there’s like a Instacart like limit in order like minimum in order to get the free delivery or whatever. And I feel like I have to order half of the store at Aldi at the minimum like I just have to like stock up on so many
Megan
but also if you do Instacart with all day then you don’t get all of these amazing seasonal items. Yes that is true if they’re there that’s true
Stephie
yeah cuz they don’t list them they like really don’t list them online so it is worth going into the store if you’re able to do so because then you can find all the cool seasonal stuff and just the weird all the the weird Aldi aisle.
Megan
One other thing I forgot to mention that I got the previous trip was maple syrup.
Stephie
Oh yeah,
Megan
we got there a lot of maple syrup at my house but they had a like a special bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. This is very good. It’s good price point too for maple syrup. Feel like I buy a lot of maple syrup. i We actually I had just bought some when we went to the Madison farmers market but I was also like I need this flavored maple syrup. Amy why not? They do also have some good sausages. Yeah, good ones bear with us like a cheddar bacon one that was pretty good. And I have heard good things about their coffee though I have never purchased it. Which is like Trader Joe’s like a lot of people really like Trader Joe’s coffee. So yeah, I think maybe the coffee is like vaguely German any coffee is not German, but
Stephie
it could be made by the same company. Oh, the other thing I knew I took a picture of something to remember that they had it so on the fancy like snack board charcuterie and cap they had in which these these are like expensive crackers if you get them anywhere else. But they have those like fancy artists and crisp crackers. So the flavors that they had when we were there were fig and black sesame and then raisin Rosemary pumpkin. And they’re kind of similar to some that some seasonal ones that you can get at Trader Joe’s but I’ve also I have occasionally found like crackers like that at like HyVee and stuff and they’re not cheap at other stores. So stuff like that is worth watching out for because you’re definitely going to get a better price on it at Aldi then you are pretty much anywhere. Anywhere else that you’re gonna find it.
Megan
Yeah, that actually reminded me that I also took a picture. Remember, and they’re frozen food section right now and I’m assuming probably through the holidays because they are like little tiny appetizers that are perfect for entertaining. Like little puff pastry tart things. Oh yeah. So They had a couple of different flavors. They had a caramelized onion and Gouda, one, which sounded awesome. And then the other one was cranberry with feta cheese. And they’re just like little puff pastry squares with the stuff on them and you throw them in the oven. But they, they sounded amazing. And they weren’t expensive either. So like if you I know that all those pre made appetizer, things can really start to get expensive. Which gets you’re sacrificing either your time or your money, whichever. Which, one more. Right. But usually the ones you buy are crazy expensive. Especially with flavors like that you don’t get at like a hyvee, right? So exactly. You just never know what you’re gonna find there.
Stephie
That’s a treasure trove. Always, always a surprise, always a treasure trove
Megan
feel like it makes it sound like we love all grocery stores. Because we’re like, oh, Costco. Oh,
Stephie
we do? Pretty much all grocery stores are actually pretty accurate. I remember one time. My husband and my dad and I had traveled to Brooklyn for my cousin’s wedding. And we were just like, wandering around Brooklyn, the app that afternoon before the wedding, and we like wandered past this really cool little grocery store. And all sudden I were like, Oh, I’m crushing store. Like went in there. We’re just poking around. And my dad, like got bored with us and bought a snack and like wait at first sight. He was like, You guys are so weird. And we’re like, but it’s a really cool grocery store.
Megan
One time when we went back to Minnesota for Christmas, I can’t remember what the main reasoning was. But I was like, Oh, we have to go to buy earlier so you can get some stuff. And because I would like very specifically as like we need Minnesota Wild Rice. Yeah. Just like went to the grocery store and like wandered around, looking for things. But I used to always, especially when I worked for Whole Foods. Like I would go to the grocery store and be like what local thing can I bring home? Yeah, so totally early. Clearly, we know what we’re talking about with all day.
Stephie
We are grocery store experts. So what we do
Megan
that experts with words. No, no.
Stephie
Link was weird.
What’s bringing us joy?
Megan
So all day brings us joy grocery stores bring us joy. But what else is bringing you joy this week? Stephie.
Stephie
I’m so this this last week, we have our gift guide episode go live. And my mom’s best friend always listens to the podcast, usually the day that it drops. And she texted me. And she said that we should check out thistle farms. The website is thistlefarms.org. And it’s really cool. It’s based out of Nashville where she is and it is providing support for women survivors of incarceration, and addiction and like through a residential program and then they also make these like candles and stuff like that. So it’s just really cool because it’s very similar kind of similar to the program that you were talking about with labyrinth made goods that’s here out of the YWCA. But yeah, they have like a whole shop on their website of some really cool handmade items. So that was a really cool website to check out today.
Megan
That’s awesome. I found lots of cool stuff there. So I really appreciate her Sharon that way I
Stephie
could very easily spend way too much money there. So my bank account might not have a lot of joy about it, but I do what’s what’s bringing you joy Megan?
Megan
We have a new washing machine. Oh, we are supposed to have a new washer and dryer but the dryer was damaged so we don’t have the dryer yet
Stephie
like and it was damaged. No, it
Megan
was damaged at some point in the warehouse but they like brought it to show us how damaged it was so like to prove that they weren’t lying for one thing, but also like it was more damage than he originally thought because I think maybe they were like we’ll show it to you and then probably if you want it
Stephie
oh like well oh, there’s a dent in the side. Do you still want it? We’ll give it to you right off kind of situation.
Megan
Right. But it’s actually like, way more damage like I thought like the front part apparently is coming off.
Stephie
Yeah. That’s not really that’s not really what a new dryer.
Megan
Yes. But so we have the new washer. It’s very exciting. It is a top loader.
Stephie
I love a top loader.
Megan
and it has a removable agitator,
Stephie
very fancy big kids stuff. Yeah, this
Megan
is like a big thing because there aren’t that many that make removable agitators. But I recently I don’t know where my husband learned about this, but he apparently like knew he wanted it. But I recently had learned about them from go clean CO which is an amazing cleaning Instagram company. I mean, it’s a company but like, it’s they have a crazy Instagram account where they just clean stuff and give you cleaning advice, and I love it. Um, but so they have been talking about washing machines and how front loaders are disgusting. And everyone should really have a top load.
Stephie
Yeah, I can’t wait to get a new get a top loader when we get a new one someday. Yeah, so So I would bet you so much money that next time we were at your house, our husbands end up in your laundry room with Bob showing Alex, your new washing machine. And then Alex comes home. And we’ll like casually mentioned how we should get a top loading machine with a removable agitator.
Megan
I mean, I will say I mean, it probably will happen. I do think that it is smaller than the one that you have. Because you have a pretty big one.
Stephie
Yeah, it’s enormous. It was also it was we inherited our set from our parents. Although I think they look bigger than they are because they have like the drawer bases that they set up on. Yeah, that’s true. So I think I think maybe they just look bigger than they are but ours, like, it’s not very well balanced. And it dances all around the washes, which always makes me feel like the ceiling is gonna cave in. But it’s fine. Everything is fine.
Megan
It’s great. We we did do a test load today. And it was it was shaking a little bit. But that’s probably because it’s new. And it needs to be like calibrated. Yeah. And also, the first thing we did with it was wash sheets.
Stephie
Oh yeah, that’ll do it.
Megan
Um, but it was kind of funny because we went to the the appliance store, and then I like had to go around sticking my arm into all of the washing machines to see if I could reach the bottom
Stephie
reach the socks, that will invariably end up in the bottom corner.
Megan
Because that was my main reason, at first like originally was about not getting a top loader is that I have short arms. And so it would be very difficult for me to do the laundry. If I cannot reach the bottom without a stool. But we tested it, it’s fine. So that is my like adulting excitement situation, because it’s also partially my fault, because when we moved, I was like, well, there’s a washer and dryer at the house. So we can just leave the ones that we have here. And we’ll just use the ones that are already at the house. But the ones that we had in our old house were much better. So it was a tragic error
Stephie
that you had it your old house, if I remember correctly. They’re the ones that like saying the annoying song that lasted 300 hours when the load was done. Did these does this new one.
Megan
Oh, no. These don’t know as good as a different brand. They don’t do that. Whirlpool is not about that. Apparently it’s not there’s no digital readout. It’s like a dial situation like, Oh, you got it. Oh, yeah. So it’s a lot cheaper. But those ones like, had way more settings and everything. And it was kind of funny when we were at the appliance store because the guy was like, Yeah, you probably don’t need like this kind with this setting, because no one actually uses that. So like probably don’t need to spend the extra like $300 a cost for this dumb setting that no one uses and I was like, I like you guy
Stephie
cooling. Like your honesty with me.
Megan
You don’t seem to care if you sell some washers and dryers but you’re you’re here with me. You’re on this journey.
Stephie
Shadid Well, that is exciting. That is some very adulty exciting things.
Megan
Yeah, you know, you’re a certain age when you’re like very excited about your washer and dryer.
Stephie
I mean, you know you’re certain age when you’re jealous over your friends new washer and dryer. So
Next week’s episode
Megan
true. True. There you go. You guys, we have had thoughts about holidays before, but you need to be ready for this one. Because next week, we’re going to talk about Christmas. And I’m pretty sure we’re gonna ruin Santa.
Stephie
Yeah, this is probably one that you should not listen to around your young kids who still believe in Santa I’m just gonna tell you right now. Until then, you can leave us a review on Apple podcasts and listen to us on your favorite platform. You can also follow us on social media at IRSIpodcast or send us an email at idratherstayinpodcast@gmail.com We’d love to hear from you
Megan
bye
Transcribed by https://otter.ai