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RachyWoo

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There's a lot of Aldi items that taste far better than branded. People who work in food banks would rather people bought the cheaper items simply because you can get more. The recipients don't care what the label says, they're just extremely grateful that there are people who are prepared to spend a bit of their own money to make sure they don't starve. If there is a branded item, then lovely, but if not they don't care. It's all food and edible.
 
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Bumblebee

Chatty Member
moved to a separate thread.

I can’t criticise her for the food bank ‘challenge’ as whatever it is that she brought it will make a difference and they did buy a lot.

Yes I think maybe as they were on offer I would have brought 20-30 shower gels and smaller packs of nappies. But lots of people make that mistake of buying the big packs. Food banks usually like smaller packs as they can give to more people and don’t have to split packs. Eg I’m sure they would split the nappies and not just give one huge pack to one family.

But I also have to say I hate this but unbranded and value packs for the food bank. Yes you might be able to buy more if you are buying to a budget but think of the person receiving it. It’s like saying they don’t deserve branded goods.

Imagine how depressing it can be to open empty cupboards and the few items you have are value beans etc. I don’t begrudge people buying branded for food banks.
I have a part time job in a supermarket and it’s depressing to see our food bank bins filled with Aldi or value food especially when we are a ‘nice’ supermarket and people that shop there do so a lot because it wouldn’t be done to be seen in Aldi/Asda.
 
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disneys

VIP Member
I shop around. I love Aldi so much they do some incredible items (I love their nappies and also their halloumi fries are delicious) I also like Tesco and Waitrose (and M&S!!) but I hardly ever buy branded anywhere I go tbh I think own brand stuff is often a lot better
 
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Greysanatomyfan

Chatty Member
I can’t criticise her for the food bank ‘challenge’ as whatever it is that she brought it will make a difference and they did buy a lot.

Yes I think maybe as they were on offer I would have brought 20-30 shower gels and smaller packs of nappies. But lots of people make that mistake of buying the big packs. Food banks usually like smaller packs as they can give to more people and don’t have to split packs. Eg I’m sure they would split the nappies and not just give one huge pack to one family.

But I also have to say I hate this but unbranded and value packs for the food bank. Yes you might be able to buy more if you are buying to a budget but think of the person receiving it. It’s like saying they don’t deserve branded goods.

Imagine how depressing it can be to open empty cupboards and the few items you have are value beans etc. I don’t begrudge people buying branded for food banks.
I have a part time job in a supermarket and it’s depressing to see our food bank bins filled with Aldi or value food especially when we are a ‘nice’ supermarket and people that shop there do so a lot because it wouldn’t be done to be seen in Aldi/Asda.
Aldi food is perfectly fine I do my weekly shop there and far cheaper than tesco etc and I’m all for helping others but when I’m on a budget myself I will pick up cheaper items for the food bank because even cheaper items are better than having nothing in the cupboards I wouldn’t pickup say branded coffee if I was buying a cheaper one for myself if that makes sense
 
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EllaAziza

Member
I shop at Aldi as well. I do buy branded from the supermarket I work in but even with my discount it’s too expensive to do a full week shop.

My point was the condescending way people talk about giving to a good bank and giving unbranded food and being as good as anything else. Well no it’s not. When I have a choice I’d much rather buy branded beans, condiments and cereal. But some months I don’t have a choice and it’s all Aldi own brand which yes is fine but if I could choose I’d choose branded with a few exceptions.

You also missed my point re those holier than thow who shop at Waitrose with trolleys full of premium brands and think they are mother Theresa for buying a couple of tins of value beans or packets of value pasta for the food bank!
I'm definitely not holier than thou but I do some of my shopping at Waitrose as I like their essential baked beans only £1 for 4 big cans. I like their own brand yogurts too. I also know the right time to go for reducing items. 😂
 
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Bumblebee

Chatty Member
I shop at Aldi as well. I do buy branded from the supermarket I work in but even with my discount it’s too expensive to do a full week shop.

My point was the condescending way people talk about giving to a good bank and giving unbranded food and being as good as anything else. Well no it’s not. When I have a choice I’d much rather buy branded beans, condiments and cereal. But some months I don’t have a choice and it’s all Aldi own brand which yes is fine but if I could choose I’d choose branded with a few exceptions.

You also missed my point re those holier than thow who shop at Waitrose with trolleys full of premium brands and think they are mother Theresa for buying a couple of tins of value beans or packets of value pasta for the food bank!
 
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StephenTJackson

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Quite often supermarket own brand products will be exactly the same as the branded versions, made in the same factory, to the same recipe and just put in different packets. Not always, but I think more often than many of us realise. Cereals, tinned foods, things like that, plenty will be produced in the same factory and just labelled differently. There is no shame in having a cupboard of Aldi/Lidl food, there is a reason they are so popular these days, the food quality is good.
 
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Greysanatomyfan

Chatty Member
Same here, although we quite like Branston Bean. Heinz spaghetti and beans were much better years ago, now I don't like them! I like Aldi, but not for everything. I love their bakery, their curry sauces, their ciders and wine and their cheesy garlic bread omg!
I’ve never tried their cheesy garlic bread I’ll need to pick some up when I’m doing my next shop 😊
 
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Greysanatomyfan

Chatty Member
I shop around. I love Aldi so much they do some incredible items (I love their nappies and also their halloumi fries are delicious) I also like Tesco and Waitrose (and M&S!!) but I hardly ever buy branded anywhere I go tbh I think own brand stuff is often a lot better
same here I actually prefer own brand spaghetti to heinz I think heinz is far to watery 🤷🏻‍♀️ I never do a weekly shop in Tesco but I managed to save £25 off my Christmas shop with a voucher code so I was happy with that I was going to Aldi & Asda next week for my shop but apart from a few bits I’ll only need to go to Iceland and all in I’ve saved about £30 so tesco for me this one shop was cheaper than splitting it between Aldi and Asda so it’s definitely a good thing to shop around there’s always deals etc to be had 😁
 
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coconochanel

VIP Member
Same here, although we quite like Branston Bean. Heinz spaghetti and beans were much better years ago, now I don't like them! I like Aldi, but not for everything. I love their bakery, their curry sauces, their ciders and wine and their cheesy garlic bread omg!
I like Aldi but I find you cant get everything there and end up going to another shop to finish your shopping which can be a pain. The only branded tinned food I buy is Heinz beans Ive tried the cheaper versions but I just don't like the taste.

I shop around. I love Aldi so much they do some incredible items (I love their nappies and also their halloumi fries are delicious) I also like Tesco and Waitrose (and M&S!!) but I hardly ever buy branded anywhere I go tbh I think own brand stuff is often a lot better
I also shop around but I don't do a food shop in Lidl ( I do buy my Always in there as that's the cheapest ive found them) cant stand the place. I once bought a pack of apple pies and when I opened them they were mouldy.
 

catmiaow111

VIP Member
same here I actually prefer own brand spaghetti to heinz I think heinz is far to watery 🤷🏻‍♀️ I never do a weekly shop in Tesco but I managed to save £25 off my Christmas shop with a voucher code so I was happy with that I was going to Aldi & Asda next week for my shop but apart from a few bits I’ll only need to go to Iceland and all in I’ve saved about £30 so tesco for me this one shop was cheaper than splitting it between Aldi and Asda so it’s definitely a good thing to shop around there’s always deals etc to be had 😁
Same here, although we quite like Branston Bean. Heinz spaghetti and beans were much better years ago, now I don't like them! I like Aldi, but not for everything. I love their bakery, their curry sauces, their ciders and wine and their cheesy garlic bread omg!