I Brought the Same Grocery List to Aldi & Save A Lot - Here's Who Was The Clear Winner

Some grocery stores make shopping an experience for aficionados, with colorful and pleasing aesthetic environments. And I love that! It has its time and place. But then there are the budget outlets that prioritize one thing above all else: having the lowest prices.

Enter our competitors. Most savvy shoppers know they can save money at Aldi, but what about Save A Lot? Could this low-frills grocery chain contender give the almighty Aldi a run for its money?

I headed into bargain bin territory to find out which one had the best deals on the basic foods and essentials on my list.

Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.

Fresh produce

Winner: Aldi

While I did find green onions at Save A Lot for $0.99 a bunch, as well as a special on pineapple ($0.99 each!), Aldi fared better with produce heavyweights like yellow onions and avocados.

Bananas were also $0.49 per pound at Aldi and $0.64 per pound at Save A Lot. Comparing literal apples to apples, Cosmic Crisps were $2.79 per pound at Save A Lot and $3.85 per 2 pounds at Aldi.

Meat and poultry

Winner: Tie

The competition was real in the meat section! Save A Lot won for chicken drumsticks at $0.79 per pound (vs. $1.79), boneless pork chops at $2.79 per pound (vs. $3.99), and beef top round steak at $7.99 per pound (vs. $8.69).

But Aldi won for 80/20 ground beef at $5.29 per pound (vs. $5.99), boneless chicken breasts at $2.29 per pound (vs. $4.49), and chicken tenders at $3.99 per pound (vs. $4.49).

Pantry staples

Winner: Aldi

This was a close one, but Aldi swept the category. Baker's Corner all-purpose flour (5 lbs) cost $2.40, while Baker's Corner granulated sugar (4 lbs) cost $3.09 at Aldi. The Ginger Evans counterparts at Save A Lot cost $2.49 and $3.49, respectively.

A 48-ounce container of Carlini vegetable oil was $3.85 at Aldi, while the Medeiros vegetable oil was $3.99 at Save A Lot.

Dry pasta and rice

Winner: Save A Lot

You may be able to get long grain white rice for cheaper at Aldi (by $0.26 per ounce), but I found that pasta in general is slightly cheaper at Save A Lot.

A box of macaroni and cheese is $0.59 at Save A Lot while it's $0.65 at Aldi. And dried spaghetti is $0.99 for a 16-ounce box at Save A Lot but $2.09 for a 32-ounce box at Aldi. So Save A Lot squeaked by for my favorite carb-forward foods.

Canned goods

Winner: Tie

Canned tuna in oil costs $1.09 for a 5-ounce can at both stores. Canned beans (black, pinto, etc.) are $1.59 for 15-ounce cans at Save A Lot versus $0.95 at Aldi.

Meanwhile, canned chili with or without beans is $1.99 for a 15-ounce can at Save A Lot, vs. $2.19 at Aldi. But Campbell's soups are $1.45 at Aldi vs. two for $3 at Save A Lot. So I called it a draw!

Milk, eggs, and butter

Winner: Aldi

Save A Lot beat Aldi by a fraction of a cent for large eggs, but the Aldi savings won out when you consider the other items in this category. A gallon of whole milk cost me $2.69 at Save A Lot against Aldi's $3.85, although prices fluctuate.

Four sticks of salted sweet cream butter cost $3.09 at Aldi, while Save A Lot charges $3.29. The gap was biggest for plain Greek yogurt, which is $2.79 at Aldi for 32 ounces vs. $3.99 at Save A Lot.

Cleaning products

Winner: Save A Lot

Save A Lot has the clear edge on cleaning products, even though Aldi carries a cheaper dish soap. 1 gallon of Fabuloso is $8.49 at Save A Lot, while a 56-ounce bottle at Aldi runs $5.39.

Awesome laundry detergent runs $2.19 for a 64-ounce bottle at Save A Lot, while Aldi's Tandil laundry detergent is $6.05 for a 100-ounce container. And Optim bleach runs $4.99 for a 121-ounce jug at Save A Lot vs. Aldi's 24-ounce container of Tandil bleach, $6.45.

Caffeinated beverages

Winner: Aldi

To be fair, this category was neck and neck, but I'm giving it to Aldi. 12-packs of Coke products are $9.29 at both places, but fans of Red Bull will save a smidge more at Aldi, as 12-ounce cans cost $3.12. I paid $3.29 at Save A Lot.

If you prefer caffeine directly from the bean, ground coffee costs the same at both Aldi and Save A Lot, $0.52 per ounce.

Health and hygiene

Winner: Save A Lot

Aldi may beat Save A Lot by $0.04 for a stick of Secret Deodorant, but the latter comes out on top for Aim toothpaste at $1.29 for a 5.5-ounce tube. Crest whitening toothpaste is $4.55 at Aldi.

Save A Lot also had a great deal on VO5 shampoo, as I got two 15-ounce bottles for $3. Aldi competes with Pantene shampoo for $6.35 for a 12-ounce bottle. Plus, I only spent $1.29 for a 16.9-ounce bottle of Lucky mouthwash at Save A Lot. A 33.8-ounce bottle of Crest Oral Rinse is $5.49 at Aldi.

Frozen seafood

Winner: Aldi

Healthy and high in protein, medium raw shrimp cost $0.58 per ounce at Aldi vs. $0.67 at Save A Lot. Cooked shrimp are $6.59 per 12-ounce bag at Aldi vs. $8.49 at Save A Lot. That's significant.

A 32-ounce bag of tilapia fillets is $9.75 at Aldi, but $11.29 at Save A Lot. And while I did find cheaper cod fillets at Save A Lot, it wasn't enough to offset the previous savings.

Bottom line

While it wasn't a total knockout, overall Aldi clearly has lower prices on the basics than Save A Lot based on my practical shopping list. You'll save money on groceries at either place compared to fancier supermarkets, but a little more at your neighborhood Aldi.

Bear in mind, however, that many Save A Lot stores are essentially franchises that cater to the needs of their local community, so you might find better prices on other items. I'd be interested to see how a different list adds up.

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