I shopped for my holiday groceries at Aldi and Trader Joe's.
Joe Opaleski
I'm a loyal Aldi shopper, but I wanted to see how its holiday groceries compared to Trader Joe's.
I found plenty of sweet treats and snacks at both stores, and Aldi's prices were great.
However, when it came to a festive atmosphere, Trader Joe's blew it out of the water.
Every winter, Aldi and Trader Joe's roll out an array of seasonal groceries that get shoppers (myself included) excited for the season.
Aldi is usually my go-to grocery store, but I love stocking up on festive snacks and treats, so I decided to visit both to compare their prices, variety, and overall atmosphere.
Although both chains had seasonal items on display, only one truly delivered the holiday spirit.
The Aldi Finds section was packed with holiday treats.
I tend to avoid the pricier Aldi Finds, but I can't help it around the holidays.
Joe Opaleski
The Aldi Finds section of the store has a variety of specialty items year-round, and it didn't disappoint this holiday season.
The section was filled with everything from desserts and snacks to holiday-themed party favors.
One standout was the gingerbread kit, a classic activity during the holidays. Priced at $8.50, it included prebaked gingerbread, icing, and assorted candies for decorating.
Trader Joe's sprinkled holiday cheer throughout the store.
There wasn't one section of seasonal products at Trader Joe's; they were spread out.
Joe Opaleski
Unlike Aldi, Trader Joe's didn't confine its seasonal items to one section. Festive snacks and treats were scattered throughout the store, adding little pops of cheer as I walked the aisles.
However, each item was clearly marked as a holiday special, so they were still easy to find.
I saw that Trader Joe's had its own take on a gingerbread-house kit. It was similarly priced at $9.
I spotted panettone, the Italian holiday cake, at Aldi.
Panettone screams Christmas.
Joe Opaleski
If you're looking for a classic Italian treat this holiday season, Aldi has a 26.5-ounce panettone for $6.
The store had a chocolate-chip panettone as well as a more traditional version of the cake with dried fruit.
Luckily, Trader Joe's had the classic Italian dessert, too.
I could only find panettone with dried fruit at Trader Joe's.
Joe Opaleski
Trader Joe's had a traditional panettone for sale through its Trader Giotto's line.
The 26.5-ounce cake was a dollar more here at $7, and I only saw one flavor option.
There was no shortage of cheerful snacks at Aldi.
I've never tried peppermint-flavored popcorn.
Joe Opaleski
Both stores offered unique seasonal snacks, but Aldi's peppermint kettle corn caught my eye.
I'd never seen this flavor before, so I was definitely interested in trying it out, especially since the big bag was only $4.
Trader Joe's also stepped up its snack game.
I thought the cranberry granola had a nice festive twist.
I liked the festive twist of the $4 spiced cranberry granola. It was refreshing to see a less common holiday flavor profile.
Aldi's holiday-themed beverages were affordable.
There were dairy and nondairy festive creamers.
Joe Opaleski
When it came to beverages, Aldi impressed me with its range of holiday-themed coffee creamers.
I saw peppermint-bark creamer for $2.70, and the almond-milk-based peppermint-mocha creamer was the same price.
Trader Joe's options, on the other hand, seemed a little more fun.
I could see the festive hot cocoa being a fun stocking stuffer.
Joe Opaleski
Over at Trader Joe's, the standout festive drink was its hot-cocoa polar bear.
The $2.50 chocolate bear melts into warm milk to make a tasty mug of cocoa. I think these kinds of items make great stocking stuffers or smaller gifts, especially for families with kids.
Overall, I think Trader Joe's brought the most cheer.
In addition to festive products, there were also a lot of things that would make great gifts.
Joe Opaleski
If you're looking to save money on holiday treats, Aldi might be a safer bet. It had a nice variety, and its prices were pretty great — I expected as much from the budget grocer.
However, if you want an overall festive shopping experience, I suggest heading to Trader Joe's. The store really impressed me with its range of unique seasonal offerings.
I'll likely be back to both stores as the season unfolds, but for now, Trader Joe's put me in the Christmas spirit just a bit more.