I Tested the Viral Aldi Method to Slash My Grocery Bill in Half—But Here’s Why I Won’t Do It Again!

In the past 10 days, the ‘Aldi Method’ has taken social media by storm. The TikTok search is brimming with tutorial videos that have garnered millions of views, showcasing how to implement it, what to purchase, and parents across the nation are enthusiastically discussing how ‘underrated’ this hack is.

It’s quite straightforward—just adhere to a five, four, three, two, one rule. And yes, feel free to use that classic Manfred Mann song from the 1960s to help you remember it.

Julie Cook with the groceries she purchased to test the trend on her familyCredit: Chris Balcombe The mother of two tried the method for five days and shares her verdictCredit: Chris Balcombe

The method is simple: visit Aldi and buy five portions of vegetables, four types of fruit, three sources of protein, two grains, and one sweet treat during your shopping trip.

As a mother of a family of four, my weekly grocery bill often exceeds £120. With ‘Aldi Method’ shoppers claiming it has reduced their spending by half or more, I had nothing to lose.

The idea behind this method is to encourage cooking from scratch, steering clear of the high costs associated with pre-packaged meals and snacks.

But does it really work for a typical family?

DAY 1: THE REALITY OF RATIONING

Breakfast usually consists of cereal or an egg, but today it was just toast.

“Bread is all we have,” I told my kids, Alex, 16, and Adriana, 11.

They looked at me as if I had just seen a unicorn. “What, no cereal?” Adriana exclaimed.

They have lunch at school, so when they returned home, I prepared a cottage pie using half the minced beef, an onion, two chopped carrots, some of the potatoes for mash, and a bit of tomato puree I had in the cupboard.

The meal was a hit, and they asked for seconds.

Afterwards, they usually crave something sweet, but I explained the Aldi method and how sweet treats were limited this week to just one pack of six mousses.

Alex enjoys fruit, so he was content, but Adriana has a sweet tooth. “Can’t I have a mousse?” she pleaded.

“Once they’re gone, they’re gone,” I replied.

My husband Cornel, 44, a musician, was satisfied with the cottage pie and fruit.

When I mentioned this strategy could save us hundreds, possibly thousands, a year, he became even more enthusiastic. So far, so good.

DAY 2: COOKERY COMPLAINTS

After another breakfast of, you guessed it, toast, my kids set off for school with bananas as extras.

Normally, I’d cook something from scratch one day and, if there were no leftovers, prepare something simple like frozen chicken in breadcrumbs the next day—but those were off-limits this week.

Besides, I still had half a pack of minced beef to use, which was labeled to be consumed within 24 hours of opening.

I made a bolognese sauce with the mince and served it with the pasta shells I had bought. Typically, the kids love this dish.

But Adriana groaned: “We had mince last night.”

I responded, “Well, I need to use it up.”

I felt quite frustrated. The ingratitude!

My husband seemed fine, while Alex, bless him, is 16 and enjoys all food—though he did ask if there would be something “different tomorrow.”

They ate their meals with reluctance, and I tempted both with one of the sweet treats. “When they’re gone . . .” I started.

“Yes, when they’re gone, they’re gone!” Adriana retorted before heading upstairs with hers.

I secretly took my mousse and decided to eat it before anyone else could raid the fridge late at night.