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I Brought the Same Grocery List To Walmart & Aldi - Here's Who Was The Clear Winner

You'll never guess which retailer is the best value.

By Erica Loop , Edited by Amanda Machado

Updated May 10, 2026

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If the rising cost of just about everything has you feeling down, you aren't alone. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the price of "food-at-home" (a.k.a., your regular supermarket purchases) jumped by 2.4% between February 2025 and February 2026. And that means consumers are looking for easy ways to save money on groceries.

As someone who shops for a living, I have the opportunity to constantly compare prices between retailers. In my opinion, you won't find one store that is the cheapest overall. But Walmart and Aldi are my top picks for staying on budget. That's why I took the same list to both grocery chains.

Who won the Walmart versus Aldi price showdown? You'll have to keep reading to find out which store came out on top.

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

Everyday essentials

Pantry products like sugar, flour, and oil are kitchen staples that almost everyone needs. In my experience, choosing generic everyday essentials is an easy way to save money. Brand-name basics are more expensive and typically don't offer significant advantages over private-label lines.

I started my shopping trip searching for a five-pound bag of flour. Aldi was the clear winner at $2.15 (for the store's Baker's Corner brand). The same size bag costs $2.38 at Walmart. But the same wasn't true for brown sugar. A 32-ounce bag from Great Value costs $1.97, while the Baker's Corner version was $2.05. Walmart also beat Aldi's price for extra virgin olive oil. A 17-ounce bottle of Great Value EVOO costs $6.12. Aldi's Priano store brand (16.9-ounce) is priced higher, at $6.49.

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Frozen foods

From fruits and veggies to entire entrees, frozen foods offer pure convenience. And at the right store, you don't have to pay extra just to save time or energy.

When my favorite berries are out of season, the frozen option is an easy alternative. I found a 16-ounce bag of Great Value strawberries at Walmart for $2.86. Twenty-four ounces of Aldi's Season Choice frozen strawberries cost $4.75. In a price-per-ounce comparison, Walmart wins at $0.18 versus $0.20.

Cereal

I never skip the first meal of the day. Walmart and Aldi are two stores that both offer low-priced copycats of popular brand-name cereal. Instead of wasting cash on Cheerios, I snagged a 12-ounce box of Walmart's Great Value Toasted O's for $1.83. While Aldi's Millville Crispy Oats are a budget-friendly alternative to the real deal, they cost $0.16 more than Walmart's dupe.

Refrigerated finds

Cheese, milk, chicken, and deli meat are always on my grocery list. When I compared eight-ounce blocks of store-brand cheese, Walmart barely came out ahead. The big-box superstore charges $1.87, while Aldi's Happy Farms cheddar costs $1.89. I did find a bigger difference between Walmart's 2% milk ($4.68 per gallon) and Aldi's ($5.15 per gallon).

Unlike cheese and milk, chicken costs less at Aldi. I scored a value-sized family pack of boneless, skinless breasts for $2.29 per pound. Walmart's current price for the same item (from the store's Freshness Guaranteed brand) is $2.57 per pound.

Desserts

Satisfy your sweet tooth without overpaying for delicious desserts. A 48-ounce tub of Great Value Homestyle Vanilla Ice Cream cost me $2.97 at Walmart. I found the same size container at Aldi for $3.25.

Canned food

Like frozen items, canned products are cost-saving, convenient options. I compared green beans at both stores and found that Walmart had the better price ($0.76 versus $0.85). The same was true for canned corn ($0.76 versus $0.85).

Bakery

Both Walmart and Aldi are known for low-cost, high-quality baked goods. But which store is more affordable? I checked both retailers' prices and scored a better deal at Aldi ($3.85 for a 24-ounce loaf of Specially Selected Sliced Sourdough compared to $4.47 for an equivalent Marketside item at Walmart).

Beverages

If I have extra money to spend, flavored sparkling water always makes it onto my list. Walmart and Aldi both have affordable La Croix dupes, but one store is less expensive than the other. A 12-count of Aldi's PurAqua Lime Belle Vie is only $4.85. In comparison, Walmart charges $5.32 for 12 cans of Clear American Sparkling Cherry Limeaid.

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Produce

The cost of produce makes buying fresh fruit and veggies a challenge at best. But I was able to nab a three-pound bag of Gala apples at Aldi for $2.55. The same quantity cost me $2.97 at Walmart.

Even though Aldi's apples were less expensive than Walmart's, spinach was less at the big-box store ($1.97 for a 10-ounce bag from Marketside versus $1.99 for eight ounces from Little Salad Bar).

Prepared foods

Refrigerated ready-to-heat-and-eat meals make cooking a breeze. And for someone like me, who isn't a top chef, they're a game-changer. A 20-ounce container of Marketside Mac and Cheese cost me $2.97 at Walmart. Aldi sells the Park Street Deli-brand prepared macaroni (also 20 ounces) for $3.25.

Bottom line

So there you have it. The winner is Walmart. But not by a lot. Keep in mind that while my list was cheaper at Walmart, some items are actually more expensive at both stores.

Grocery shopping shouldn't break the bank. With a few smart strategies, you can save on everything from pantry products to frozen foods. That's why I like to shop at two, three, or sometimes four different retailers. And if you're looking for an easy way to make money from your haul, here's my pro tip: Use the best cash back credit cards to earn rewards on eligible purchases.

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