Reddit Says This Grocery Chain's Produce Is The Worst

Even if your groceries are incredibly cheap, if they go bad before you get to eat them, you've wasted your money. That's the conundrum some Aldi shoppers are facing, sounding off on Reddit as they deal with the pull of low prices and the push of bad produce. Not every location seems to have this problem, but the ones that do are driving commenters to reconsider their devotion to the grocery chain, which is constantly finding new ways to increase efficiency at the register and keep prices down.

Redditors are over it. "I'm sick of poring over produce in-store only to have whatever good-looking tomatoes, avocados, cottage cheese, or strawberries I buy in-store begin to mold the next day," complains u/Zealot_TKO. Commenters responded with their own horror stories of mold and inedible produce. Many said they shop elsewhere for their produce and go to Aldi for everything else.

It doesn't seem to be everywhere, however. In another Reddit thread, some bragged about living near an Aldi where produce doesn't go bad as fast. One employee of the supermarket, u/Ok_Explanation_5838, even had some advice for shoppers, saying, "We throw [away] produce (and meat) twice a day, so if you want the best quality, try going right at opening or between 12 and 2 p.m." Whether that's all Aldis or just the one is unclear.

So, why do some locations of Aldi have bad produce? According to Aldi's website, "To provide the freshest produce possible, Aldi teams up with top growers throughout the U.S., including local growers." If Aldi is sourcing some of its produce from nearby farms, it sounds like the quality may depend on the location.

However, on Reddit, people have found that the inventory can vary store to store, even within a region. Elsewhere on r/aldi, commenters noticed this trend's connection to the economic status of the neighborhood the store was in. The wealthier the neighborhood, the nicer the store. According to u/MIPasties, "The one in the rich neighborhood is spacious ... and stocks a lot more organic food and other interesting items."

If you live near an Aldi with a less-than-stellar produce reputation, you can always buy frozen fruits and veggies. Frozen produce is just as healthy as fresh, as it is often allowed to ripen on the plant rather than in transit. This also means it usually tastes great. Members of the Reddit crowd agree. As u/Professional-You1175 said of Aldi's frozen berries, "The frozen organic strawberries and blueberries are the best I've ever eaten, ever."