Savannah Born
I’ve been a diehard Aldi shopper ever since I got my own credit card. It checks almost every box for budget-conscious individuals like me.
As such, you’ll never find me at ritzy grocery stores like Fresh Thyme or Erewhon. Knowing I can get similar items for a fraction of the price at Aldi makes shopping anywhere else feel wasteful.
The only things I shun more than high-end grocery stores are delivery services like Instacart, Amazon Fresh, and Shipt. Though many swear by them, I never believed they’d be a good enough value for me when I could just drive to Aldi.
But when a (perceived) flat tire left me marooned at home, I was forced to partake in my personal nightmare: ordering groceries online.
Amazon caught my eye with its new Grocery line featuring hundreds of items for under $5.
Savannah Born
As I began researching where to order groceries, I found many had inflated in-store prices, sky-high delivery fees, limited selections, or even membership requirements.
I felt discouraged until I stumbled upon Amazon’s new Grocery line of budget-friendly offerings. I found hundreds of items from the label for under $100 listed alongside name-brand staples.
I had to do a double-take once I filled my cart. My order came out just $6.79 more than a comparable haul would’ve been at Aldi … and I didn’t even leave my apartment.
First, I was surprised by the quality of the Amazon produce.
Savannah Born
I always sift through stores’ produce sections to pick the “best” of everything, so I didn’t expect Amazon to deliver on the quality front — especially with berries.
However, my $0.99 raspberries were juicy, and the bananas were ripe, unlike the green bananas available at Aldi.
My $1.48 fruit haul would have been $2.97 at Aldi.
The fresh veggies gave Amazon another leg up.
Savannah Born
The veggies delivered to me from Amazon appeared to be in much better condition than many of the ones I found in store at my local Aldi.
My spinach arrived wilt-free, and my romaine was perfectly crisp. The only exception is the spaghetti squash, which looked similar to the ones I saw at Aldi.
Amazon has fixed produce prices.
Savannah Born
Although Amazon lists prices by weight, produce costs are predetermined.
I weighed each item upon arrival and discovered that I overpaid for the tomato and underpaid for the onion and bananas.
For example, Amazon’s organic Roma tomatoes were listed at $0.47 a pound, about half the price of Aldi’s conventional ones. However, due to fixed prices, I paid $0.75 for a 3.6-ounce tomato from Amazon that would’ve been $0.21 at Aldi.
Since I underpaid for two other items, the prices sort of evened themselves out. I still enjoy the predictability of fixed prices, even though it’s not as accurate as weighing items in-store at Aldi.
For me, Amazon’s produce section wins in terms of quality and variety.
Savannah Born
I’m a creature of habit and look for similar produce each week, but Amazon has a much larger selection that isn’t limited to seasonal availability or physical shelf space.
I also found more single-unit options at Amazon than at Aldi, allowing me to buy only what I need and prevent food waste.
Aldi still has the best deal on Greek yogurt I’ve ever found.
Savannah Born
At $3.19 for a 32-ounce tub, Aldi’s Friendly Farms nonfat Greek yogurt’s value is hard to beat.
Amazon only had Greek yogurt from big-name brands like Chobani, Stonyfield, and Oikos, which I typically skip unless they’re on sale for the sake of frugality.
After trying the cheapest alternative I could find on Amazon — a variety from Whole Foods’ 365 brand — I prefer Aldi’s version. It was smoother and tasted less sour, plus it cost $1.30 less.
Between Aldi’s Greek yogurt and Amazon’s brand-name butter, dairy was a fairly even playing field.
Savannah Born
At the time I shopped, butter from Land O’Lakes cost me the same as sticks from Amazon Grocery, so I chose to order the former. Aldi’s generic butter was the same price as both, $3.49, which levels the playing field.
Shredded cheese prices were identical, too.
Amazon’s selection of frozen veggies is a game changer.
Savannah Born
Both retailers have top-notch frozen veggies that microwave in minutes (which I love), but Amazon’s were cheaper.
Cauliflower rice was only $1.15, compared to $1.49 at Aldi. Both bags are 12 ounces, yet Amazon’s seemed to provide me with more volume when cooked. I use cauliflower rice to bulk up stir-fries and skillet dishes, so volume is key.
California veggie blends are another must-have in my freezer, and they were $0.89 on Amazon — but $1.15 at Aldi.
Eggs were way cheaper at Aldi, but I usually just buy egg whites.
Savannah Born
On Amazon, the cheapest carton of a dozen eggs I could find cost $4.19.
At Aldi, a carton was only $1.96 — an absolute steal, especially since I only use eggs for baking and don’t like to spend too much on them.
On the other hand, egg whites are a staple in my diet, and they were only $0.70 more from Amazon Grocery. Given that a carton lasts me two weeks, I’m not that worried about the price discrepancy.
Aldi had more affordable bread and bagels … for now.
Savannah Born
I’ve been buying Aldi’s $2 six-packs of L’Oven Fresh cinnamon bagels for years. I find the quality of the private label’s offerings is in line with what I’d get from bigger-name brands like Thomas.
At the time I ordered, Amazon didn’t have its own bread or bagels, leaving only pricier name brands. However, I did see “not yet released” six-packs of Amazon Grocery bagels listed for $1.99. I look forward to trying them once they’re available.
Until then, I’ll continue shopping for bagels and bread at Aldi.
Name-brand cereal, however, seems to be quite a bargain on Amazon.
Savannah Born
I spent $1.96 on a 12-ounce box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch on Amazon. Aldi sold the same box for $3.16.
That’s 16 cents an ounce at Amazon compared to a whopping 26 cents an ounce at Aldi.
Regular and grass-fed ground beef were less expensive at Aldi.
Savannah Born
I buy ground beef often because I make tacos, chili, or spaghetti at least once a week. Luckily, both Amazon and Aldi sell it.
The 80% lean/20% fat beef I purchased cost about $1.34 less at Aldi, though I preferred Amazon’s convenient 1-pound packaging.
However, Aldi takes the cake for grass-fed beef, offering a pound for less than Amazon’s non-grass-fed variety.
Overall, Amazon’s grocery delivery is a good option for Prime members.
Savannah Born
A Prime membership costs me $139 a year, but I get free shipping on all orders over $25, including grocery orders. I use my account for everything, from buying homewares to streaming movies, so I would pay for the membership regardless.
Non-Prime members can shop for same-day grocery delivery — if they’re willing to pay a $12.99 fee that could potentially cancel out any meaningful savings.
All things considered, I’m switching to shopping primarily on Amazon — but I’ll still grab a few things at Aldi.
Savannah Born
My $59.64 Amazon cart came to $52.85 at Aldi.
The few bucks I would’ve saved in Aldi, I would’ve paid for with my time. Convenience is a major factor, especially as a busy professional who drives 15 minutes each way to the nearest Aldi.
Between free shipping, which saves me gas money, and competitive prices, Amazon just feels like the more cost-effective option.
Still, I can’t pass up Aldi’s Greek yogurt, bagels, egg whites, and grass-fed ground beef — or the chaotic aisles that somehow feel like home — so I’ll make the trek once or twice a month.
But from here on out, I’ll be grabbing all my other groceries from Amazon, adding products from its new budget-friendly line to my cart whenever possible.
My groceries from Amazon arrived neatly on my doorstep, in peak condition, and in just a few hours. It felt like a life hack.
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