Vegetarian and Vegan Treats from Aldi this Christmas

Today I popped to Aldi to check out their festive offerings suitable for vegans.  There are lots of  items labelled as being suitable for vegetarians in Aldi, and with a bit of label reading you can find many of those things are accidentally vegan. From confectionery to frozen foods to alcohol to baked goods, Aldi has an extensive range. Allergens are clearly labelled in the ingredients so if it is vegetarian product made without milk or eggs, I'm happy to consider it suitable for my family.

For festive buffets, the Let's Party 60 piece Oriental Snack Selection is great value at just £3.69 and contains veggie wontons, money bags and spring rolls.

I think everything just tastes so much better when it's Christmas tree shaped!  This six pack of Christmas Tree Crumpets will make a lovely festive family breakfast for just 79p. They also do a Bake and Break Seeded Roll Christmas Tree which is £1.79. I love the idea of serving it at the table with a bowl of freshly made vegetable soup.

I loved this gift box of speciality Single Malt Whisky Jam and Marmalade. It's a great gift idea and looks very fancy. It's only £2.99, which is an excellent price. Dads and grandads would love to find this in their Christmas stocking on Christmas morning.

More Christmas Tree shaped goodies! These Lightly Salted Tortilla Chips and Salted Pretzels are great for snacking on over Christmas. The tortilla chips are 85p and the pretzels are £1.29 for a family size sharing bag. We'll enjoy munching through these while watching Christmas movies. There is also Turkey and Stuffing flavour Tortilla Chips which are vegetarian and dairy free.

The Moser Roth chocolate range looks really premium, but at £1.29 does not have a premium price tag. A number of the flavours including the single origin dark chocolate bars (62%, 70% and 80% cocoa), the orange and almond, chilli and the sea salt bars are all dairy free. Also, the Choceur Mint Waves and the Mint Creme bars are dairy free. Priced at £1.29 and 89p respectively, they are perfect as stocking fillers this Christmas. Aldi also do a dark chocolate reindeer that is dairy free, but they had all sold out. This would have been a lovely stocking filler for my vegan kids.

Another great little gift idea is the Kevin the Carrot pouch shopping bag, priced at just 99p. This reusable bag folds back into the carrot shaped case for convenience. And what can be more vegan than a carrot!

Other highlights of my shop included the Deck the Halls Picks found with the flowers in store. At just £2.09 they add some festive fun to flower arrangements or can be popped in a narrow necked vase to make a pretty addition to your festive decor. Featuring baubles, pine cones and cinnamon sticks, they are really cute!

Aldi also has a great range of fruit and vegetables in store at great prices. I particularly liked the Brussel sprout stalks for just 99p. I'll definitely be getting some of them for Christmas dinner. And I love the little crates of clementines for £2.79 for healthy Christmas snacking.

With their Specialbuys also in store, it's definitely worth checking out your local Aldi for some Christmas bargains this year!

Lacura Sun Care Range - save money without compromising on quality

The summer holidays are here at last!  We are really hoping that the sun makes some appearances over the next six weeks, especially as Aldi has invited us to join their unofficial ‘Lacura Sunseeker’s Panel’. Aldi have sent us a selection of their Lacura suncare products to see us through the whole summer and we will be sharing our experiences on social media.

Lacura has a variety of sun care products that will ensure you can enjoy your summer, safely. The Lacura brand means top quality products at great value prices, with the Lacura SPF 30 sun spray recently being revealed as the lowest costing sunspray to pass the Which? SPF testing. When it comes to protecting the kids' skin, I don't want to compromise on quality, so knowing this is really reassuring. I can save money but be confident that the range is safe and reliable. 

With a selection of creams and sprays suitable for a range of ages and skin types, there is something for every family member. The range includes:

•             Lacura SPF 30 Spray 200ml - £2.79 

•             Lacura SPF15 Spray 200ml - £2.79

•             Lacura SPF15 Oil Spray 150ml - £2.99

•             Lacura SPF 30 Lotion  200ml  - £2.79

•             Lacura SPF 15 Lotion 200ml - £2.79

•             Lacura SPF30 Kids Sun Spray 200ml - £2.99

•             Lacura SPF30 Clear Spray 200ml - £3.29

•             Lacura SPF50 Clear Spray 200ml - £3.29

•             Lacura Kids water resistant SPF50 Lotion 150ml - £2.79

•             Lacura SPF 50+ Kids Spray 200ml - £2.99

•             Lacura SPF50+ Sensitive Lotion kids/adults 200ml - £2.79 

•             Lacura Aftersun Spray 200ml - £1.99

As you can see by the prices, these are a fraction of the cost of high end branded sun creams and sprays, but yet the sun spray passed the Which? testing, letting you buy with complete confidence. The savings made can go towards treating the family during the summer holidays.  Now all I need is some lovely sunshine and I can get testing these products and sharing my thoughts!

Light Up Christmas with Aldi Specialbuys

The Christmas lights in the major cities have all been switched on and Christmas markets are springing up, up and down the country. This means that the festive season is well and truly upon us. With that in mind, the Aldi Specialbuys that are coming to Aldi stores on November 17th, are perfect for getting our Christmas spirits soaring! They have an incredible range of lights and light-up decorations that will make any home look perfect for the yuletide season, available online and in store.

I received some to try out and am very impressed by the quality, the exciting designs and the price of the products. 

My favourite pieces include the Christmas Tree Snow Globe, which is battery operated with LED bulbs. The crystal-look glass tree has a multi-colour change function and a glitter snow swirl effect. It is mesmerising to watch and the kids love its sparkling, colourful display. At £4.99 it is a real bargain and would be a lovely gift idea for fans of festive frivolities.

The Christmas Light Up Globe is a lovely glass cloche on a wooden base. Inside is a bundle of battery operated LED lights that look really pretty. You can choose the plain globe or choose one which also contains mini Christmas trees, baubles or pine cones. Batteries come included so you can set it up straight from the box to bring some light into your life. At £7.99 it's a classy looking ornament.

The light up canvas wall art pictures depict a festive scene, but have a sophisticated twist having twinkling LED lights integrated into the design. At £3.99 they are a real bargain and make a lovely gift. Choose from Winter Wonderland, Stag, Santa or Festive House. They come complete with batteries and are ready to hang.

Retro, illuminated, rustic wooden buildings create a charming village scene. There are churches and houses that come with sparkly snow detail and have a soft glow of light shining from the windows. They are really cute and Christmassy and at £9.99 make an impressive display. Batteries are included.

Pathfinder lights help lead the way to your door at nighttime. Choose from Santa, Star, Tree or Ho Ho Ho designs to add some Christmas fun to your garden. They are £14.99 for four, and come with a 10m cable and timer.

Every home needs a 6 foot illuminated inflatable to celebrate Christmas! An inflatable reindeer, Santa, snowman or Christmas tree are available for indoor or temporary outdoor use. They are such fun and just £19.99. They are sure to bring a smile this Christmas.

The Christmas Candle Arch brings festive cheer to the home with its gentle candlelight-like illuminations. Santa's Sleigh, Christmas Trees, Reindeer or Decorative Hearts are available with batteries included for the great price of £9.99.

A set of three decorative presents makes a stylish ornament, featuring 48 warm, white LEDs, an eight function controller and timer. There is a choice of four colours and designs with each set costing £14.99.

Aldi have lots of sets of lights at bargain prices. The 360 LED Christmas Lights set is just £14.99 has eight functions and a timer and can be used indoors or outdoors. 50 cm strings of battery operated garland lights are a pretty way to add some light to a room. At just £3.99 they are a fun addition to your festive decor at a great price and come in a range of designs.

The range of light up decorations and Christmas lights is excellent for adding some festive flair to your house this Christmas. Remember, the products are only available while stocks last, so be quick if you want to grab a bargain.

Here is a price list of the products that will be available to buy from November 17th:

Lights

360 Icicle £19.99

240 Net Lights £19.99

480 LED Cluster Lights £16.99

360 LED Christmas Lights £14.99

Christmas Pathfinder Lights £14.99

24 Giant Icicle Lights £14.99

10m Rope Light £11.99

Twig Lights £9.99

100 Faceted Cone Lights £9.99

Berry Lights £9.99

Decorative Garland Lights £3.99

Battery Operated Lights £3.99

50 LED Outdoor Lightchain £3.99

Decorations

6ft Christmas Inflatable £19.99

Set Of 3 Parcels £14.99

Christmas Village Scene £9.99

Christmas Candle Arch £9.99

Light Up Christmas Characters £7.99

Holly Effect Topiary Ball £7.99

Christmas Light Up Globe £7.99

Christmas Novelty Snowglobe £4.99

LED Christmas Canvas £3.99

Dancing Flame Candle £3.99

2m Tinsel £0.89

  

Sockets

Remote Controlled Sockets £17.99

Outdoor Socket With Dawn Sensor £12.99

See more details on the Specialbuys at aldi.co.uk.

Home Baking with Aldi Specialbuys

With Easter just around the corner, Aldi’s Family Home Baking range has everything bakers need to cook up a whole host of treats for the family, from a retro designed Classic Food Mixer (£34.99) in cream, red or duck egg blue, to fun baking sets designed for little budding bakers including cookie cutters, mixing bowl and icing set (£12.99).

Aldi sent me some items from their home baking range, which will be in stores from March 6th, and they are really fantastic.

An accurate set of scales is an important kitchen tool when it comes to home baking. Aldi have Digital Kitchen Scales (£6.99) in flat, bowl or jug styles and are available in a range of colours. I received the jug scale, which has a 1 litre capacity, for measuring both liquids and solids. It has an LCD reading and is perfect for weighing flour, oil, water or milk with ease.

The Crofton 5 pack of Premium Pantry Containers (£14.99) is the perfect set for sorting out cupboards. The see through, square and rectangular jars make it easy to organise rice, pasta, cereals or nuts. The lids are lockable for an airtight seal to keep food fresher for longer. They are practical, stackable and make it easy to see exactly what is in your cupboard at a glance.

These ceramic Measuring Cups and Spoons (£7.99) are as cute as they are functional. They make measuring ingredients easy and also look great on display. They come in the following sizes: 1/4 cup / 60ml, 1/3 cup / 80ml, 1/2 cup / 125ml, 1 cup / 250ml, 1/4 TSP / 1.25ml, 1/2 TBSP / 2.5ml, 1 TSP / 5ml and 1 TBSP / 15ml. They are a great original gift idea for mums if you are looking for a very last minute Mother's Day gift!

For home made Easter goodies, Aldi have some excellently priced chocolate moulds. Made from quality silicone, you simply pour in melted chocolate and once it's set, you'll have some cool 3D egg lollies or 3D bunny or egg models.

I was particularly impressed with the lolly mould set, which consists of two 5 x lolly moulds and ten plastic lolly sticks (£2.99). Great fun for making with the kids this Easter.

I love the bamboo handled silicone spoons (£2.19), which come in a variety of colours and a floral design. They have a real country kitchen vibe and are lovely to use. The corner spoon is designed to get into the edges of cookware making it great for scraping out batter. They are a large size, sturdy and perfect for homebaking.

When it comes to kitchen linens, Aldi always has great quality products at really excellent prices. The 3 pack of tea towels (£2.99) are made of thick, soft, durable 100% cotton. The blue floral design is really attractive.

Aldi’s Family Home Baking range is in store 6th March and available while stocks last. But be quick; with Aldi Specialbuys, once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Product List

Classic Food Mixer £34.99

Premium Pantry Containers £14.99

Children's Baking Set £12.99

Ceramic Mixing Bowl Assortment £7.99

Ceramic Novelty Measuring Cups and Spoons Set £7.99

Digital Kitchen Scales £6.99

Cake Container £4.99

Pastry Board £4.99

Double Oven Glove / Apron £2.99

Easter Chocolate Moulds £2.99

Printed Tea Towels, 3 Pack £2.99

Silicone & Bamboo Kitchen Utensils £2.19

Cake Pan Assortment £1.99 

Find the Aldi Specialbuys online at www.aldi.co.uk.

Shortbread Biscuit Recipe

This is a super easy recipe for shortbread, which can be made using baking ingredients from Aldi. This will make them really cheap to make as the flour is just 45p for 1.5kg, the icing sugar is just 65p for 500g and the butter is 82p for a 250g block.

Decorate with Dairyfine chocolate which is 85p for a 200g bar or sprinkle with caster sugar at just 95p a bag.

They are perfect for Christmas and can be made using Christmas cookie cutters for a festive treat.

Shortbread Biscuits

Makes: 24 biscuits

Ingredients:

325g The Pantry plain flour

225g Greenvale lightly salted butter

110g The Pantry icing sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Either in a food processor or by hand, mix the ingredients together until you have smooth dough.

Roll out the dough to about 5mm, and cut into shapes.

Bake on a prepared baking tray for about 10 mins until lightly golden.

Allow to cool then transfer to a cooling rack.

Sprinkle with caster sugar or drizzle over melted chocolate.

Find all of Aldi's recipes at www.aldi.co.uk.

Christmas Party Food from Aldi

Whether you are having a big Christmas party or a more intimate family affair, Aldi can save you lots of money when it comes to feeding your guests.

The Let's Party range and the Specially Selected frozen party food range offer some great choices including some good vegetarian options, perfect for a buffet. The 60 piece Indian Snack Selection is great value at just £3.99 and includes onion bhajis, vegetable pakoras and samosas. For £1.99 you can choose 24 mozarella sticks, 26 cheese and jalapeno bites or 10 hand crafted vegetable Gyozas. The vegetable spring rolls are just 99p a pack. 

There are lots of frozen dessert items in the ranges including chocolate dessert shots, macarons and cheesecake. You can make a really impressive Christmas buffet with ease.

Other great party snacks include the Jumbo Dry Roasted peanuts £1.99, Tortilla Chips 62p, Christmas Tree Pretzels £1.49 and the Mince Pies £1.15. The Specially Selected Milk Chocolate Brazils are just £1.85, which is a great price when compared to branded packs. Dairyfine Chocolate bars are just 85p each and the Moser Roth range is excellent value and great quality. The Aldi After Dinner Mint Thins are just 67p and will make the perfect ending to a meal. You get so much more for your money at Aldi.

The Aldi range of confectionery, biscuits and snacks is really extensive and caters for all tastes and budgets. There are so many Christmassy choices available.

To raise a glass to the season, Aldi offer some superb value drinks at a fraction of the price of the big brands. Church's Ginger Wine is £2.99, Ballycastle Irish Country Cream is £3.75 and the Peach Schnapps and Cocobay Coconut Liquer are just £4.79 each. These savings really do add up and allow you to enjoy a great party for less.

Aldi have some incredible buys in the fruit and vegetable aisle - carrots, potatoes and broccoli were just 29p a pack today. Christmas dinner really doesn't have to cost a fortune!

I really enjoyed buying some Christmas party items from Aldi and was very impressed with the value for money, the extensive ranges and the quality. I am looking forward to sampling all the food and drink over Christmas with my family!

Spooky Halloween Recipes - Melon Monster Face and Eyeball Spaghetti

Aldi has some great Specialbuys for Halloween this year. They also have some fantastic Halloween recipes that will make some devilishly delicious meals, snacks, drinks and desserts for your little monsters! All the ingredients are available in store at Aldi's great prices, so you can impress your guests for less.

Here are my favourite two recipes from the collection that I have made. Both recipes were pretty straightforward and the family loved them. The end results were quite impressive and the Melon Monster Face would make a fantastic centre piece for a Halloween party table.

I've included the prices for the ingredients bought from Aldi (prices correct as of 28/10/2015).

Melon Monster Face

Ingredients:

1 Watermelon £1.99

4 ripe Plums 59p pack

4 Satsumas 99p pack

4 Funsize Eating Apples 59p pack

Method:

Cut the top off the watermelon.

Carefully scoop out all the flesh, cut into small chunks and remove the pips.

Cut a large mouth and some eyes into the side of the watermelon.

Core and chop the apples.

Peel and segment the satsumas.

Halve the plums, remove the stones and chop.

Mix the watermelon chunks, plums, apples and satsumas together – put into the watermelon, with some pouring out of the mouth onto a plate.

Eyeball Spaghetti 

Ingredients:

400g Cucina Italian Spaghetti 49p

1 x 500g Jar Cucina Pasta Sauce 69p

1 x pack mixed peppers 89p

1 x 200g pack Lyttos Greek Feta  99p

1 x pack cherry tomatoes 99p

A few basil leaves 29p pack

Method:

Cut a thin slice off the top of each tomato, with a small teaspoon scoop out some of the centre, push a cube of feta cheese into the hole shaping into a round – repeat with the rest of the tomatoes.

Make pupils using basil.

Cook the spaghetti as per the instructions on the packet.

Chop the peppers into small pieces, add them to the pasta sauce in a saucepan and heat through.

Drain the pasta, serve with the sauce.

Divide between 4 bowls and pop a pair of tomato eyes on top.

Halloween Fun with Aldi Specialbuys

We love Halloween here Inside the Wendy House! So we are very excited to be testing out a range of goodies available from Aldi this October. As ever, the Aldi products are great value for money meaning you can enjoy Halloween without worrying too much about going over budget.

Spooky dressing up costumes such as witches, vampires and skeletons are just £3.99. Perfect for parties, fancy dress discos or Trick or Treating. A Halloween tutu set with skirt and wand is just £1.99 and Halloween boppers, to add a scary twist to any outfit, are just £1.79.

When it comes to parties, Aldi has a superb range of tableware starting at just 89p. 12 packs of paper plates, bowls, napkins, cups and loot bags come in two spooky designs and will make any party table look the part. The Boo and Trick or Treat designs are both very appealing and colourful. Quality serving bowls and drinkware are also available, and will be sure to impress your guests. Metal Trick or Treat buckets are just £1.79 and come in four designs. Filled with sweets and treats, they will make a lovely party favour or table decoration.

Decorating the house is easy with Aldi's range of Halloween themed novelties. LED tea light holders and battery operated lights will add an eerie ambiance to the house. The LED tea lights come with batteries included and the flickering light looks lovely. Spider's webs, gel stickers, dancing skeletons and inflatable characters will help set a spooky scene. To surprise Trick or Treaters, Aldi have some fiendishly fun door knockers and musical door bells that will interact with anyone who comes to your door. At £6.99 they are great value and very cool. The kids will love them and they turn your home into a proper haunted house.

When it's bedtime, the Halloween fun doesn't have to end. Aldi has a range of brilliant kids' bedwear for just £3.99. Your little monster will be able to snuggle up in a choice of two designs of pyjamas. Freddy received the glow in the dark Booo! pj's with a friendly ghost design on the front, green cuffs and spooky eyes on the trouser legs.  A spooky DVD before bed might be fun for little ones and a selection are available in Aldi at just £3.99. This would make a fabulous family fright night in!

Aldi also stock lots of great value confectionery ready for any trick or treaters who come knocking, plus they have everything needed to host a spooktacular party: food, soft drinks and alcohol, all at low prices.

These are the Halloween Specialbuy products available in store while stocks last:

Halloween Inflatable Characters £12.99

Dancing Skeleton £7.99

Halloween Serving Dishes £6.99

Musical Door Knockers/Bells £6.99

Children's Dressing Up Set £3.99

Children’s Halloween Pyjamas £3.99

Halloween Battery Operated Lights £3.99

Halloween Berry Lights £3.99

Halloween DVDs £3.99

Halloween Drinkware £2.99

Girl's Halloween Tutu Set £1.99

Children’s Halloween Boppers £1.79

Led Tealight Holders £1.79

Trick Or Treat Tins £1.79

Pumpkin Carving Kit £1.49

Children's Halloween Tights £1.29

Assorted Partyware  £0.89

Halloween Gel Stickers  £0.89

Halloween Spiders Web  £0.89

From costumes to tableware to decorations to DVDs to character inflatables, Aldi has got Halloween covered! Aldi's Halloween Specialbuys will be hitting stores on October 1st and will be available while stocks last, so make sure you don't miss out.

Father's Day at Aldi and What Fred Said about his Dad!

This Father's Day, Aldi is a one stop shop for buying what you need to make a special day for your dad. From buying ingredients to cook dad's favourite food to buying gifts that he will love. Here are some ideas for what to buy him this Father's Day.

Aldi stock a great range of alcoholic drinks in store including ales, beers, lager, cider, spirits and wines, which represent excellent value. Whatever your dad's favourite tipple, you will find a selection of drinks, many of which are award winners.  Ian would love the gold medal winning Highland Black 8 year old Scotch Whisky, which is just £12.99 for a 70cl bottle. Or perhaps a selection of the bottled beers and ales, which start at just 90p a bottle.

Aldi are passionate about producing top quality chocolate made from the finest ingredients. The Moser Roth range has a selection of bars of chocolate, truffles and chocolate assortments. This includes a range of award-winning 125g bars - each bar combining the finest smooth dark chocolate with an intriguing flavour. Choose from Mint, Chilli or Orange and Almond at £1.19 each.

Aldi's Specialbuys this week include some ideal gifts that would make excellent Father's Day gifts to suit a range of budgets:

Specialbuys available from 18th June

Fire Pit £19.99

The easy way to enjoy crackling flames outdoors.  This firepit is made using robust black powder-coated steel with folding legs for easy storage. It includes a mesh cover, log grate and tool. A lovely addition to the garden on summer evenings.

810W Hammer Drill  £14.99

Ideal for drilling wood, metal, plastic and concrete, this hammer drill is good for DIY loving dads.

It includes adjustable side handle and depth stop.

Fruit and Vegetable Plants £2.99 each

Growing your own is easy with these established plants in big 4 litre pots. Choose from 8 varieties. Any dad who enjoys gardening will love to nurture these plants and harvest their crops.

***

Just for fun,  Aldi have come up with a list of questions for kids to answer about their dads. I asked 6 year old Freddy the following questions about his dad!


What Fred Said about his Dad for Father's Day:

1.       What makes your dad happy?

I do!

2.       What is the funniest thing about your dad?

He tells jokes.

3.       What is something your dad always says to you?

I love you.

4.       What is your dad really good at?

Looking after me.

5.       What does your dad do as a job?

He pays for things. (?? He is actually a data centre engineer!)

6.       What is your dad’s worst habit?

Going to work because I don't like being without you.

7.       What is your dad’s favourite tea?

Pizza.

8.       What would you like to say to your dad?

I love you.

9.       What are you going to do with your dad on Father’s day?

I can't say because it's a surprise!

10.     Why are you proud of your dad?

I don't know but I am.

Aldi Outdoor Living Specialbuys - get your garden ready for summer!

The recent sunny weather has inspired me to want to get my garden summer ready. We love hosting garden parties, especially as Freddy has a birthday in July and we celebrate our anniversary in May.

Aldi are helping me get my garden ready for outdoor living with its range of incredible Specialbuys that can be bought in store from tomorrow.  With a range of brilliant items starting at just £1.49, gardens will benefit from everything from outdoor furniture, barbecue equipment, outdoor dining accessories, decorative baskets, planters and even a fabulous gazebo.

A gazebo is the centrepiece of any garden party providing shelter or shade to party guests. Having an outdoor 'room' allows you to decorate it to suit your party theme, and put out food without worrying about it blowing away or being attacked by every passing insect! It is a great investment and if looked after will last for years. Aldi gives a 3 year warranty on its gazebo so you can buy in confidence.

Aldi's pop-up gazebo is easy to assemble with a foldable height-adjustable frame, powder-coated aluminium legs and polyester cover. It has an air vent in the roof and comes in its own carry bag. It is 3 x 3 x 2.6m making it a good size for families. It is just £59.99, which is a great price.  You can buy an optional set of side panels for £12.99, which has one zip up panel and a panel with a built in window to allow you to have a fully enclosed gazebo, rather than an open one.

To make your garden look pretty, Aldi will be selling a variety of plant pots. There are some cute animal shaped planters, some decorative free standing ones, faux stone pots, terracotta pots and wooden troughs available. I love the rattan effect planters, which come in cubical or conical designs. They come with an inner planter and prices start at just £9.99 for the cube and £17.99 for the tall version. You just simply add plants!

You can get a cast iron plant pot caddy so you can move heavy planters (up to 100kg) with ease. The decorative, wheeled caddy means it is easy to move pots to a convenient location during garden parties or barbecues. At just £7.99 they are a great solution to heavy lifting.

For green fingered gardeners, Aldi have a range of obelisks, arches (£9.99) and willow trellises (from £4.99) that can be used to landscape your garden, encouraging climbing plants to grow up them to create a beautiful display. Hanging baskets and brackets are available for gardeners to create colourful, floral displays, perfect for smaller gardens.  Aldi will also have some plants in store to help get the gardening started, this includes herbs, Cordyline and alpines.

This six piece furniture set is just £54.99 and includes table, four chairs and a parasol. Perfect for some alfresco dining this summer.

You can grab an outdoor living bargain instore at Aldi from April 30th. Take a look at Aldi Specialbuys online and remember they are only available for a limited time.

Outdoor Living – in store 30.04.15

Pop Up Gazebo -£59.99

6 Piece Furniture Set -£54.99

Bistro Set -£34.99

Early Fun Swing -£29.00

Reclining Sun Lounger -£25.00

Rattan Effect Planter -£17.99

Decorative Flower Planter -£14.99

Gazebo Side Panels - £12.99

Wooden Planter/Trough -£10.99

Rattan Effect Cubed Planter - £9.99

Garden Arch -£9.99

Garden Obelisk - £9.99

Garden Screening - £8.99

Cast Iron Plant Pot Caddy - £7.99

Sandhurst Planter, 38cm - £6.99

Rattan Effect Animal Planters - £5.99

Italian Terracotta Pot - £4.99

Willow Trellis - £4.99

Farmyard Animals - £3.99

Food Storage Containers - £2.99

12" Traditional Hanging Basket - £2.49

Fairy Pot Stick - £1.99

Hanging Basket Bracket - £1.99

Terracotta Plant Pot Feet - £1.79

Hanging Basket Coco Liners - £1.49

Aldi sent me a selection of their Specialbuys to try out this summer.

Save money on baby essentials at Aldi's Baby and Toddler Event

Having a baby or a toddler does not come cheap!  The seemingly never ending need for baby wipes, nappies and other baby related paraphernalia can really add up, but thanks to Aldi's Baby and Toddler event, parents can save  money on a whole host of essentials.

On January 29th, Aldi stores will be selling a great range of baby and toddler items, all at low prices. 

Mamia is Aldi's award winning baby range that is available in store everyday.  Their nappies and wipes are much cheaper than the big brands on the market, but perform every bit as well.  Mamia also sell a range of 100% organic baby food at great prices.  Saving money on baby essentials does not mean having to compromise on quality when you choose Mamia. 

During the Baby Event there are some specialbuys on a range of baby essentials and equipment in store.  You can pick up a twelve pack of sensitive baby wipes, each containing 64 wipes for the special price of £5.99 making them less than 50p a pack!  And remember, Mamia wipes have won awards for their quality, so this is a great buy that will keep baby clean for weeks.  I still use baby wipes for when we are on the go, for mopping up messy hands and faces, for make-up removal and even for cleaning my leather sofa!

Other bargains include bath toys, baby bottles, cups, socks, tights, blankets, towels, clothing, bibs, dummies and toiletries (including top branded products such as Sudocrem 125g pot for £2 and Calpol 100ml bottle for £1.99). Many everyday essentials are available at low prices.

Other specialbuys include:

Hauck buggy for £22.99

Lindam stairgates for £14.99

Mamia Comfort Baby Monitor for £19.99

Avent Electric Steam Steriliser for £19.99

Mini baby food blender for £8.99

There are also some absolutely gorgeous Very Hungry Caterpillar gift sets available for just £14.99, each set containing different products such as a money box, photo frame or tableware. They would make great gifts for new babies, christenings or birthdays.

Specialbuys are available from January 29th while stocks last.

Revamp Your Kitchen with Aldi Kitchenware Special Buys

If you want to give your kitchen a new lease of life, be sure to pop over to Aldi this week for their Kitchen Special Buys.  With a range of fabulous small appliances that will inspire you to cook up some new recipes to tasteful kitchen accessories that will look fantastic on any worktop, Aldi have some excellent value buys in store now.

I was lucky enough to receive some items from the range to try out.  I received a stylish 4 slice toaster in mint green along with some useful storage caddies.

I am really impressed with the toaster (a matching kettle is also available).  The retro look is really cool and it is covered by the Aldi 3 year warranty.  I have missed having a four slice toaster, so I am delighted to get one back in my kitchen.  It has all the functionality you need including a very useful high lift facility and self centring guide. It has six time settings, a reheat, cancel and defrost button. It cooks toast really evenly and doing four slices at once, has sped up my morning toast making routine!

The toaster and kettle come in four colours, red, black, mint green and cream, to match any decor.  At £19.99 for the toaster and £17.99 for the kettle, this is a great value way to add some colour and style to your kitchen.

I also really like the Storage Caddy Set, which is a great buy if you want to organise shelves and cupboards.  They are great for holding spice bottles, cake baking ingredients or other little items, keeping them altogether.  They fit into the bottom shelf of my kitchen cabinet and make things so much tidier!  Also really useful for make-up and toiletry storage or for the kids' stationery.  At just £2.49 for two medium or three small containers, they are a great value storage solution.

Aldi are also selling an excellent value juicer at £39.99 and a smoothie maker for £14.99, so if you are planning a healthy eating regime they would be very useful.  The Russell Hobbs pressure cooker is a great buy for anyone wanting to make quick family meals at just £22.99.  It comes with a 10 year guarantee and has a 4l capacity. And the Halogen oven at just £24.99 could revolutionise the way you cook and uses much less energy than a conventional oven.

Here is a list of all the Specialbuys, but remember they are only available while stocks last!

Lock & Seal Storage Containers:   £1.79

Soft Grip Bowl:   £1.99

Can opener:  £1.99

Kitchen Brush Set:  £1.99

Premium Tableware:  £1.99

Storage Caddy Set:  £2.49

Meal Planner and Recipe File:  £2.99

Printed Tea Towels – 3 Pack:  £2.99

Madras Mat: £3.99

Pasta, Biscuits and Utensil Holder : £5.49 each

Small Pan Selection:  £5.99 each

Single Pan Selection:  £7.99 each

Tea Time Accessories:  £7.99 each

24cm Ceramic Coated Fry:  £9.99

Tea/Coffee/Sugar Canisters:   £9.99 set

Omelette Maker:   £12.99

Compact Food Processor:  £13.99

Smoothie Maker:  £14.99

Bread Bin: £17.99

Bullet Kettle:  £17.99

Family Grill:  £19.99

4 Slice Toaster:  £19.99

4L Russell Hobbs Pressure Cooker : £22.99

Halogen Oven:   £24.99

Contemporary Kitchen Mixer Tap : £29.99

Juice Extractor:   £39.99

A Festive Gingerbread House for Christmas

Aldi sells enough gingerbread houses to measure the height of 20 London Shards!

Aldi’s bestselling gingerbread house has seen impressive sales since it launched in store for the festive season.  The 14cm tall house comes ready built and comes with a large tube of royal icing and all the sweets and candies needed to transform it into a beautiful, festive centrepiece!

Aldi has sold enough gingerbread houses to measure 6,370 metres, which is the equivalent of 20 London Shard’s – the tallest building in the UK – or  425 double-decker buses, 66 Big Ben’s, 40 Blackpool Tower’s or 1,158 Giraffes!

That is a lot of gingerbread houses!

We were sent one and were really impressed with it.  Freddy and Ella had some festive fun together decorating it. Having it ready constructed made it such an easy project and the end result was very good.  At just £4.89 it is a great buy, taking all the hard work out of making a gingerbread house for Christmas.

To celebrate their festive food sales, Aldi erected a giant replica of the Aldi gingerbread house in Manchester’s city centre, standing over 9 ft. tall, 10 ft. wide and 16 ft. deep.  A ‘Mrs Claus’ and jolly team of Aldi elves were on hand to welcome Christmas shoppers with a taster of some seasonal Aldi Christmas treats too – including gingerbread men.

Joint Managing Director for Corporate Buying at Aldi, Tony Baines, said: 

“We hope our giant replica of the gingerbread house kit brought some festive fun in the midst of one of the busiest shopping days in the lead up to Christmas and that our Aldi elves inspired shoppers to discover and enjoy all that Aldi has to offer.”

For more information about Aldi’s Christmas range, please visit www.aldi.co.uk.