Aldi Vs Trader Joe's: Get A Week's Worth Of Groceries For Less At This Chain

Grocery budgeting in 2026 is no joke. The prices of goods are rising by the day, and shoppers can expect even higher prices in 2026, especially for staples like meat, eggs, chocolate, and sweets. As such, many shoppers are foregoing the expensive grocery stores of yesteryear in favor of more affordable options, namely Trader Joe's and Aldi. These two stores specifically offer shoppers great deals on items for several reasons. Neither chain really markets or advertises much, and they keep a limited number of SKUs in stock — mostly private-label items. 

While both Trader Joe's and Aldi are more affordable than larger chains, which stock name brands, store brands, and everything in between, if you want to get cheaper groceries overall, pay your local Aldi a visit. Its prices are one of the things it does better than Trader Joe's, because it focuses more on staples than on trends. You may not be able to find wacky items, like mango-flavored sandwich cookies or pancake bread, at Aldi, but you will find more reliable prices on everyday staples, from organic products and condiments to produce.

To decide which chain offers the better deal on groceries, we compared a few items—mostly staples —since Aldi lacks the same whimsy as Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's hash browns are $2.99 for a pack of 10, while a pack of 20 sells at Aldi for $5.49 — making the latter more affordable. A 40-ounce jar of creamy peanut butter at Aldi is $4.35 ($0.11 per ounce). At Trader Joe's, you can expect to pay $2.49 for 16 ounces (around $0.16 per ounce). Of course, you're going to need to buy some bread for those peanut butter sandwiches. Aldi wins easily on this front: 20 ounces of its sliced white bread costs $1.65, while Trader Joe's charges $2.49 for 22 ounces — still making it more expensive per ounce. 

Of course, that's not to say Aldi does everything cheaper; a 20-ounce jar of organic tomato ketchup at Aldi, for example, is $2.39 ($0.12 per ounce), while a 24-ounce jar at Trader Joe's is $2.49 ($0.10 per ounce). Trader Joe's sliced sourdough is also more than $0.30 cheaper than Aldi's Specially Selected. However, overall, Aldi has lower prices for staple items. If you are shopping for trendy frozen meals or cheap wine, though, Trader Joe's might be worthy of a visit, even if you end up paying slightly more for staple items.