Smart shopping

Updated 23 March 2026

What to buy at each supermarket

A category-by-category guide to where each item is cheapest: ALDI, Coles, Woolworths, or Harris Farm.

Quick reference: best supermarket by category

Category	Best choice	Why
Milk, butter, cheese, eggs	ALDI	Consistently 15-25% cheaper
Bread and flour	ALDI	Cheapest staples
Rice, pasta, sugar, oil	ALDI	15-25% less than Coles/Woolies
Frozen vegetables, fish, chips	ALDI	Lowest prices, good quality
Tinned tomatoes, beans, tuna	ALDI	Cheapest, reliable quality
Coffee (instant and ground)	ALDI	Significantly cheaper
Cleaning products, laundry, dishwashing	ALDI	Best prices on essentials
Nappies and baby wipes	ALDI	Cheapest option
Chocolate and snacks	ALDI	Better quality, cheaper price
Fresh produce (Sydney only)	Harris Farm	Often fresher, cheaper, imperfect range
Weekly meat specials	Coles or Woolworths	Check catalogue, rotate weekly
Branded products not at ALDI	Coles or Woolworths	Full range, online options
Specialty/international foods	Coles or Woolworths	Wider selection

Buy at ALDI: the core list

ALDI is where you'll get the best prices on everyday staples. Their own-brand products are cheaper than Coles and Woolworths, often with the same or better quality.

Dairy and eggs: Milk, butter, cheese, and eggs are consistently 15-25% cheaper at ALDI. If you only visit one supermarket for these, make it ALDI.

Pantry basics: Rice, pasta, flour, sugar, and cooking oil cost 15-25% less. Buy in bulk here: a 2kg flour bag or 5L oil container is the best value.

Frozen goods: Frozen vegetables, frozen chips, and frozen fish are cheaper and good quality. You're not missing out by skipping fresh when frozen costs less and lasts longer.

Tinned goods: Tinned tomatoes, beans, and tuna are ALDI's most reliable winners. Stock up here.

Coffee: Both instant and ground coffee are significantly cheaper at ALDI than the majors. A win if you drink daily.

Chocolate and snacks: Better quality chocolate (Lindt, Ferrero) and snacks at lower prices than Coles or Woolworths.

Cleaning and laundry: Dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent, and cleaning products are cheapest at ALDI. These don't require brand loyalty.

Nappies and baby wipes: If you have young children, ALDI's own-brand nappies and wipes are significantly cheaper. Quality is solid.

Buy at Coles or Woolworths: when they make sense

The major supermarkets have their place. They're not always the cheapest, but they offer things ALDI doesn't.

Branded products: If you only buy a specific brand of yoghurt, cereal, or sauce, it might only be at Coles or Woolworths. Check prices before assuming they're more expensive: some branded items are competitively priced.

Weekly meat specials: Both chains rotate beef, chicken, and pork specials weekly. Check the catalogue or app before you shop. This week's special at Woolies might be next week's at Coles. Buy when your preferred cut is on sale, then freeze.

Choice and variety: Need 10 types of yoghurt instead of 3? Want to choose between five pasta brands? The majors win. ALDI keeps selection lean to keep prices low.

Online and delivery: ALDI has limited online presence in most areas. Coles and Woolworths deliver everywhere and offer click-and-collect. If you need delivery, you're shopping here.

Late-night shopping: Many ALDI stores have limited hours. Coles and Woolworths open later and on weekends more reliably.

Specialty and international foods: Asian sauces, Indian spices, Greek yoghurt, or niche items are easier to find at Coles or Woolworths. Plan a single run rather than hunting across stores.

Buy at Harris Farm (Sydney only): produce and imperfect picks

If you're in Sydney, Harris Farm is worth a detour for fresh produce and their famous Imperfect Picks range.

Fresh fruit and vegetables: Often cheaper and fresher than Coles and Woolworths. The quality is visibly better, and the price reflects good buying power.

Imperfect Picks (30-50% off): Bruised apples, odd-shaped carrots, and surplus stock at heavy discounts. If you're cooking or making juice, imperfect is perfect. Savings are real.

Deli meats and cheese: Premium quality at fair prices. Their deli counter offers better range than Coles or Woolworths at comparable or lower cost.

Bulk bins: Nuts, dried fruit, and grains from self-serve bins. Buy exactly what you need, pay less than packaged versions at other stores.

Never buy at the supermarket: the price trap

Some categories are trapped in supermarket pricing. Specialist shops beat them by multiples.

Spices: Asian or Indian grocery stores sell spices for 5-10 times less than supermarket pricing. A bottle at the supermarket is 5-10 dollars. The same at an Asian grocer is 50 cents to a dollar. Worth the trip.

Bulk rice: Supermarkets price rice by the 500g-2kg pack. Asian grocers sell 10kg bags for a third of the per-kilogram cost. If you eat rice regularly, this is a no-brainer.

Fresh herbs: Growing your own basil, mint, or parsley at home costs 3-4 dollars for a plant and lasts for months. A supermarket punnet of fresh herbs costs 2-4 dollars and lasts a week. Buy the plant.

The split shop: strategic routine

Most families save the most by split shopping: ALDI for staples (60% of the shop), weekly specials at Coles or Woolworths (30%), and specialty items elsewhere (10%).

This saves 20-30% compared to shopping one store for everything, and takes no more time than a single shop because you're being intentional.

The catch: you need to check prices and specials. That's where Pinch comes in.