2008
A Lidl Wishlist
My shopping list, like everyone’s I suspect, is pretty repetitive.
Mostly what I buy this week is much the same as I bought last week, last month and last year. Now and again something new claims a place or we go off something and I stop buying it. But not often - it takes quite a lot to change grocery buying habits.
When I started shopping in Lidl I did maybe 40% of my shop there, now it’s closer to 80%.
It took time to become accustomed to different brands and to make changes based on new options. And there were quite a few changes - mascapone, walnuts, prawns, good dark chocolate, Parma and Prosciutto, various continental sausages and muffins, among other things, became regular rather than an occasional purchases.
But there are still some things I buy regularly and can’t get in Lidl and that I just know would be a lot cheaper if they were stocked there.
So here is my wish list - feel free to add your suggestions!
Ground Almonds
When you eat low carb - and an increasing number of people do, either all the time or occasionally - then this is your flour. I use it to bake cakes, make tarts and even make wholegrain bread. It’s horribly expensive but I buy it anyway.
I’d buy big, big bags of it, I’m not all that interested in the tiny 100g ones that are mostly all you can find and that can cost over €2 (though the ones in Dunnes are the best value at €2.59 for 200g ). Give it to me in kilos.
Full Fat Natural Yoghurt
I can never quite believe they don’t have this and keep looking. The only natural yoghurt is low fat, I want the fat please, every delicious bit of it.
A decent range of spices
What’s available in Lidl is quite limited and frankly not always up to scratch - you’d have to put a whole bottle of their ground chili into something to give it any kick, though their mixed peppercorns are good. I even have the perfect range for them to stock, Natco, which are about half the price of the Schwartz ones and in my opinion considerably better.
Cocoa Powder
They have such great chocolate, why can’t the same source provide good quality cocoa? I’d like it dark and unsweetened please.
Splenda
Before anyone starts to tell me how unhealthy this stuff is, I know, I know, I’ve read it all. But believe me sugar was killing me far quicker before I gave it up and I still want sweet things.
Frozen Pastry
Making puff pastry from scratch is quite therapeutic but it’s horribly time consuming. With a pack of the frozen stuff to hand there are pretty much instant goodies, savoury and sweet, available at any time. Yes, I know it isn’t low carb, but I do bake for other people now and then!
Macadamia Nuts
They had them once for a while. To die for. Bring them back. Brazil nuts and pecans would be nice too while you’re at it.
Anyone listening I wonder?
Tags: Shopping Basket, Shopping Habits, Wish List
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I find that the local Chinese supermarket is usually brilliant for spices and insanely cheap too. They can be good for nuts too, though I think I only got cashew nuts there the last time.
Of course, this depends on having a chinese supermarket near you… The one in Limerick on Henry St is excellent and has a huge range of stuff. I even got Mam’s Christmas present there last year - a mug with a lid on it because she’s always complaining that her tea is going cold! They can be good for woks, washing up liquid, storage containers, etc as well.
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:06 pm
You are really going to have to do a post on the low carb lifestyle sooner or later - why, benefits you’ve found, etc. - please.
On the last note - I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody was watching!
The discount stores, for me, are missing: cream cheese (light or lighter), skimmed milk and bagels. I don’t miss much else.
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:18 pm
For the ultimate frugal yoghurt, why not make your own with Lidl milk? You need a culture (other yoghurt, I used Glenisk organic) and then it perpetuates from there. Really yum! http://www.makeyourownyogurt.com/yogurt.php?step=0
Agree on the ground almonds and cocoa!
They have a sweetener, but it’s no Splenda. I think Splenda is such a new product that it will be awhile before there’s an off-brand replica!?
And yeah, pastry would be a Godsend. So bloody expensive at Tesco and a pain to make your own, especially puff! Aldi have bread dough and croissant dough which is ok as is, but divine when doctored up, would like to see Lidl compete there too!
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Margaret: Wish we had a Chinese supermarket, but we don’t. I doubt there is a big enough population in Kilkenny to justify one.
Jill: I know, you’re right, I do need to post about low carb at some point. To be honest I think it might need a whole other blog or it would be a 20,000 word post or something - I have a LOT to say about it!
Debs: You are right, I need to get it together to make my own yoghurt, it’s just being organised really isn’t it?
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:37 pm
One of the things I wish they had is a bigger selection of beans, they don’t have chickpeas or cannelini beans and use those a lot. And I totallty agree on the yogurt, I buy the low fat one if I’m in there but I always get the Glenisk if I’m in tesco as it’s so much nicer.
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Lidl do carry ground almond, but the last time it was in was before christmas - so it seems to be just a seasonal item.
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:33 pm
I didn’t notice it then, but that’s good. It means they can stock it, they just need to know people want it. It’s one of those things probably not that many people buy regularly, but those who do would pass three other supermarkets to buy it at a decent price. Maybe it’ll become a year round thing.
August 23rd, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Longtime lurker first time poster but this post hit so many chords with me I had to reply.
1.Frozen pastry: I agree I looked for frozen pastry in Lidl and Aldi only yesterday as the bacon pieces are soo good in quiche.
2. Baking products are also so hard to come buy, they really only stock them seasonally alright.
3.The other thing that someone else has pointed out is the tinned pulses, chickpeas were something I looked for the other day to no avail too.
I am really trying to cut back what I have to buy in Tesco or Dunnes and have the luxury of Aldi, Lidl, Tesco and Dunnes within 4 minutes drive of my house despite living in a small town and all on the way to the other so no reason not to pop in to one if you can’t get to the other.
I am really going to miss the pineapple offer when it ends too!
Currently my tesco shop is glenisk yogurt, baking products like chocolate chips, baking powder, Robinsons apple and pear (have developed a longing for this lately), Kallo stock cubes (I know I should make my own stock) and cosmetics. That black and amber tesco thing is WRECKING my head…it hides everything and sugar is in three different places in the shop, argh.
August 24th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
There were small(150g)tubs of organic (3.5% fat) in the Cork Street, Dublin 8, branch today. 45c, I think.
August 25th, 2008 at 10:14 am
If you’re keen on a sugarless lifestyle, xylitol is worth a look. It can be used in the same way as sugar but isn’t processed like sugar - and b/c it’s natural, isn’t linked to cancers & nasties.
The only caveat is that eating loads and loads of it will have an (ahem) laxative effect. But you’d have to eat an awful lot to do that.
I buy it in health food shops but Asian shops sometimes have it too.
August 25th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Interesting blog - and interesting media reactions!
Re. artificial sweetener, Lidl do one called Cologran, available both in tablet and powder form. One thing I wish they’d stock is Fairtrade rice, Cappuccino and ground coffee, all of which they stock in Germany. But they do stock a number of Fairtrade products in Ireland - the instant coffee and cane sugar are particularly good, as is the chocolate … cheers …
August 25th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
They use to stock black peppercorn flavoured crisps in our local Lidl but havent seen them there in a long time, wondering are they gone from all stores, I know I could do without them but they were lovely!!!
September 1st, 2008 at 9:42 am
I’ve got to admit, I’m responding cos I hope Lidl are checking out your blog! I’d love to see an ordinary olive oil. They stock two extra virgin oils, and a variety of vegetable oils, but no ordinary olive oil. Also, they do a great baking parchment, but only occasionally for specials, I’d love to see that be a standard item.
September 1st, 2008 at 7:09 pm
I find Lidl very good for salami, cold meats etc. Vegetables are ok - however I had to bring back two packed corgettes purchases on Thursady - brought back Friday. They should do 1 litre packs of milk for couples. Their frozen shrimps are ok - salmon a bit tasteless - fish in general not bad.. My biggest gripe is the meat! The beef is really tough. Even the mince is like diced twine. By the way I`m considered to be a very good cook - so dont say its how I cook it. I put aside my prejudice and got some turkey breast on Thursday last….. never again.
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Hi Kate,
Congratulations on a fantastic website. Very informative and nice to know I’m not the only Lidl shopper out there!
I’m also a bit of a foodie and have been shopping in Lidl/Aldi for years. I could never understand the snobbery surrounding these stores. A friend of mine lived in Germany for over 10 years and said that the quality of produce in Lidl and Aldi is generally very high because German consumers expect very high standards. I suspect that Lidl snobs are people who don’t understand quality and/or can’t cook and only feel secure when a product is branded and marketed at them!
Again, great site and I look forward to checking in frequently in future, Noel
November 9th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Just a note that my local Lidl in Baldoyle has ground almonds at the moment for 1.99 for 200g. Tesco has Shamrock for 4.14 and even Tesco’s own brand is 2.69. They are probably only in for christmas so it is time to stock up now!!
November 19th, 2008 at 12:29 am
Thanks Bernadine- a bargain indeed, I bought about a dozen packs!
October 13th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Hello,
I am actually a deputy store manager for a Lidl in North Wales. Tomorrow my district manager is holding a meeting with all the local store managers and has asked us to bring ONE idea each of a new line we should stock… needless to say I will be printing off this blog and ALL your comments. This should hopefully help you (and myself :p) being heard and hopefully we’ll see these items being stocked in Lidl in the near future!