I replaced some of my family’s favorite groceries with Aldi products. I’m saving money, and they only noticed one change.

Thanks to rising prices and two growing kids, I recently started shopping at Aldi to help cut down on grocery costs.

The budget grocer has its quirks — like requiring a quarter to use a shopping cart — but overall, I’ve been very happy with Aldi’s offerings.

Last month, I decided to buy Aldi versions of my family’s favorite grocery products, and it worked out better than I could’ve hoped.

I saved money, especially since I usually buy multiples of these items every week. Oh, and the best part: My kids only noticed one change.

Prices may vary by location.

Happy Farms New York sharp cheddar cheese is our new go-to.

I used to pay about $2.90 for an 8-ounce block of Cabot New York extra sharp cheddar. Now, I buy an 8-ounce block of Happy Farms New York sharp cheddar for about $2.10 at Aldi.

We’ve found that this cheese melts nicely and has the sharp cheddar taste we love. Whether it was eaten with crackers or added to a grilled cheese, no one seemed to notice the difference.

We’ve officially swapped Barilla for Reggano pasta.

I used to pay about $2.20 for a 1-pound box of Barilla rotini at my local supermarket. At Aldi, however, the same-size box of Reggano-brand rotini costs just under $1.

In my opinion, dry staples like pasta and rice are a good place to swap in generic brands. I served the Aldi rotini with marinara sauce and my kids gobbled it up.

My family and I love the Lunch Buddies applesauce pouches.

I pack an applesauce pouch in my kids’ lunchboxes every day — and sometimes eat them myself when I’m on the go. So, we go through them quickly.

I used to buy a 4-pack of GoGo Squeez pouches for about $3.60, but now, I buy a 12-pack of Lunch Buddies pouches for about $6.30, which saves me about $0.37 per pouch.

My kids have been eating GoGo Squeez applesauce pouches since they were babies, so I was surprised they didn’t notice the new brand.

Simply Nature’s organic seeded bread tasted tasted amazing.

I used to buy a 20.5-ounce loaf of Dave’s Killer Bread thin-sliced organic bread for just under $6. Now, I get a 20.4-ounce loaf of Simply Nature organic seeded bread for about $3.30, which feels like a real steal.

Even my picky 6-year-old loves it (seeds and all). It’s thinly sliced, which is perfect for the kids, and I like that it has a decent amount of protein and fiber.

Friendly Farms yogurt drinks are a great breakfast option.

On mornings when we’re scrambling to get to school and work on time, these drinkable yogurts are a quick and nutritious breakfast. I usually buy at least a dozen bottles at a time.

I used to pay just under $2 for a 7-ounce bottle of Chobani’s yogurt drink. Now, I pay about $1.50 for the same-size bottle of the Friendly Farms version at Aldi.

The Millville protein pancake mix is super versatile.

My family and I love the versatility of Millville’s protein pancake mix. We think it’s great for pancakes, waffles, and muffins.

A 20-ounce box of Millville protein pancake mix costs about $3.80, whereas the 18-ounce box of Kodiak Cakes protein pancake mix I used to buy cost about $6.40. So, I save about $0.17 per ounce.

The only item my kids weren’t sold on was Clancy’s pita chips.

My family is used to Stacy’s pita chips (about $4.60 for a 7-ounce bag). In our experience, they hold up well with thick dips like hummus and salsa, and have the perfect amount of salt.

However, we decided to try the cheaper 7-ounce bag of Clancy’s pita chips for about $2.20. I thought they tasted pretty good and were thin and crispy.

However, my kids preferred the heartier crunch of the Stacy’s brand.

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