11 Items That Are a Better Buy at Aldi Than Kroger

Aldi has a reputation as the cheaper grocery store, and in plenty of aisles it earns it. But when we priced a basket side by side on Oct. 25 at an Aldi and a Kroger in the Cincinnati area, not everything came out ahead. Kroger beat Aldi on several staples.

The clear winners were produce, dairy, and snacks, with Aldi's avocados, cream cheese, and cheese crackers standing out.

Before you shop, get the most out of your trips with the best Aldi hacks to save money.

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

Price: 75 cents

If guacamole is on the menu, start here. Aldi sells large avocados for 75 cents each. At the Kroger we checked, a large avocado was $2 (on sale from $2.25), and a medium one was 88 cents.

That makes Aldi's the better buy even against Kroger's smaller fruit. Avocados can arrive firm or ripe, so squeeze a few before they hit the cart.

Price: 89 cents

A 16-ounce bag of Aldi's baby peeled carrots costs 89 cents. Kroger's store-brand Cut and Peeled Baby Carrots, also 16 ounces, run $1.49.

That's 60 cents less for the same lunchbox and veggie-tray staple, or about 40% off. Over a month of snacks and dips, the difference adds up faster than you'd expect.

Price: $1.65

This one is a store brand versus name brand split. Aldi's Happy Farms cream cheese is $1.65 for an 8-ounce block, while Kroger charges $3.49 for the same size of Philadelphia.

Compare store brand to store brand, though, and it's a tie. Kroger's own cream cheese comes in a two-pack of 8-ounce blocks for $3.39, or about $1.70 each. The real savings come from skipping the name brand.

Price: $1.75

Peanut Delight is Aldi's store-brand peanut butter, and the 18-ounce jar works out to about 10 cents an ounce. Kroger's own creamy peanut butter is $2.29 for 16 ounces, or about 14 cents an ounce.

Against the national brand, the gap widens. A 16-ounce jar of Jif Creamy is $2.99 (on sale from $3.19 when we checked).

Price: $2.05 (on sale from $2.15)

Baking season is where Aldi's savings stack up. A 5-pound bag of Baker's Corner all-purpose flour was $2.05 when we checked, marked down from $2.15.

Kroger's own 5-pound all-purpose flour is $2.59, and Gold Medal is $3.99 (on sale from $4.49). Even at its regular price, Aldi's flour undercuts both.

Price: $2.75 (on sale from $2.99)

Benton's is Aldi's answer to Oreo. The 14.3-ounce pack was $2.75 when we checked, down from $2.99. Kroger's store-brand version, Kaleidos Original Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, comes in the same size at $3.29.

Store brand to store brand, Aldi wins by a small margin. The big gap is with the name brand. Oreo's 18.12-ounce family-size pack is $4.99 at Kroger (on sale from $5.29 when we checked), about 28 cents an ounce, compared with roughly 19 cents for Benton's.

Price: $2.85

Egg prices vary by type, so compare carefully. Aldi's Goldhen cage-free large brown eggs are $2.85 a dozen. Kroger's store-brand equivalent, Simple Truth Cage Free Large Brown Eggs, is $3.99 a dozen.

Aldi wins. If you only need plain white eggs, though, Kroger has the edge, as you'll see below.

Price: $3.15

Millville is Aldi's store-brand cereal line, and this one is its take on Honey Nut Cheerios. The 19.5-ounce family-size box works out to about 16 cents an ounce. Kroger sells a 15.4-ounce box of Honey Nut Cheerios for $5, or about 32 cents an ounce.

One caveat: Kroger's own Honey Nut Toasted Oats is a hair cheaper still, at $3.99 for a 27.2-ounce box, or about 15 cents an ounce.

Price: $3.19

Aldi's Countryside Creamery sweet cream butter is $3.19 for a pound of four sticks. Kroger's store-brand butter sticks are $3.59 a pound, so Aldi saves you 40 cents.

Land O'Lakes, the name brand, is $4.99 a pound at Kroger, which makes Aldi's butter $1.80 cheaper. If you're stocking up for holiday baking, buying several pounds magnifies the savings.

Price: $3.79

Savoritz is Aldi's Cheez-It stand-in. The 21-ounce family-size box of original baked cheese crackers works out to about 18 cents an ounce.

At Kroger, a 21-ounce box of Cheez-It Original is $6.49, or about 31 cents an ounce. That's a savings of $2.70, or roughly 42%, and this is a store brand versus name brand comparison.

Price: $3.85

Pure vanilla extract adds up fast during holiday baking. Aldi's Stonemill version is $3.85 for 2 fluid ounces.

At Kroger, McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract in the same size is $6.06 (on sale from $9.28 when we checked), and the store's Private Selection pure vanilla is $5.99. Aldi's is cheaper than both, even against the sale price.

Aldi isn't the cheapest on everything. Kroger's Smart Way sugar, 4 pounds, was $2.59 (marked down from $3.49), while Aldi's Baker's Corner was $3.09.

Kroger also edged Aldi on a dozen white eggs ($1.49 on sale from $2.19 versus $1.85), a 12-ounce bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips ($3.99 versus $4.05), and a 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes (89 cents on sale from $1 versus $1.09). Aldi's chocolate chips still beat Nestlé Toll House, which was $4.99 at Kroger (on sale from $5.99).

Kroger's bigger advantage is its rewards. Shoppers earn 1 point for every $1 spent on most groceries, and qualifying promotions can earn extra points. Every 100 points takes 10 cents off a gallon at a Kroger fuel center, up to $1 a gallon.

Points can also be redeemed for $1 off groceries per 100 points, up to $10 a day. They expire at the end of the month after you earn them. Aldi, by contrast, doesn't accept manufacturer coupons.

That points to a simple two-store routine: buy produce, dairy, baking staples, and snacks at Aldi, then stop at Kroger for sugar, canned tomatoes, and whatever your digital coupons have marked down.

Aldi isn't automatically the cheaper store, but it is the better buy in plenty of aisles, especially when its store brands go up against national brands. Kroger holds its own on a handful of staples and rewards loyal shoppers with points and coupons.

The smartest move is a two-store routine. Compare unit prices rather than sticker prices, since package sizes differ, and let Kroger's points offset your next fill-up. For more ideas, see how to save money on groceries.