Finally cracked the $2.50 per meal mark with store brand lentils

I did a 3 month experiment tracking every dinner cost from my local Aldi in Columbus. Store brand lentils came out to $0.22 per serving compared to $0.48 for the Goya brand. After 90 days I saved about $78 total with zero difference in taste or texture. Anyone else found a specific store brand item that absolutely crushes the name brand on value?

2 comments

2 Comments

rubyschmidt5d ago

Oh man, that's a solid experiment! I think the real hidden savings with store brands isn't just the lentils themselves, it's how you can use the money you save to buy a few extra ingredients that make the lentils way better. Like I always grab a bag of frozen onions and a jar of generic curry powder at Aldi too, and for like a buck fifty total I can turn those plain lentils into something that actually tastes exciting. Most people just compare the price of the base item but forget that saving a little on everything lets you level up the whole meal.

barbaraw475d ago

Last time I did this with generic black beans and a bag of frozen bell peppers from Aldi, I threw in some smoked paprika and garlic powder I had kicking around, and it tasted like something from a restaurant. The whole meal cost me maybe four bucks and fed me for three days. People sleep on how far a couple of cheap extras can take a boring staple.