What $50 Buys You at Aldi vs. Walmart vs. Trader Joe’s Right Now
Let’s see how far $50 stretches in three very different grocery worlds. I put together a “challenge basket” of staples + a few treats, and compared what you get at Aldi, Walmart, and Trader Joe’s in 2025. Spoiler: the differences are real, but it also depends on what you care about (organic, brand, flavor).
(Prices are approximate — your mileage may vary depending on region, promotions, etc.)
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The Shopping List (for Comparison)
- Milk (½ gallon or so)
- Eggs (dozen)
- Bread (sandwich or artisan loaf)
- Chicken (e.g. boneless breasts)
- A pound or two of produce (e.g. bananas + broccoli)
- Cheese (shredded or block)
- Frozen side or meal
- Pantry/staple (rice, beans, pasta)
- A snack or treat
I tried to balance “everyday stuff” + “fun stuff” so you see tradeoffs.
Aldi: Lean, Mean, Value Machine
What $50 might buy you:
- Aldi’s strength is low-cost basics and private-label goods.
- You’ll get a solid bag of produce, a decent cut of chicken, a few staples, and probably sneaky treats from the “middle aisle finds.”
- For cheese, Aldi often beats Trader Joe’s by 15–30% on average.
- Their butter, milk, and staples tend to undercut Walmart on many items. In a head-to-head comparison, Aldi beat Walmart in 24 out of 29 items studied.
Downsides: fewer name-brand choices, less product variety, occasionally produce quality or selection may be spotty.
So with $50, you might get nearly the full list above, plus a little wiggle room for a treat or two.
Walmart: The Name-Brand & Bargain Mix
What $50 might buy you:
- Walmart offers tons of name-brand stuff. For those who want Cheerios, Tropicana, or brand-name chips, Walmart often edges cheaper for those than specialty chains.
- Their produce and everyday items are typically lower than Trader Joe’s. A comparison shopping report found that avocados, cucumbers, lunch meat, etc. were much cheaper at Walmart vs. Trader Joe’s.
- For frozen meals and bulk pantry, Walmart often gives more “volume per dollar.”
The tradeoff? You may sacrifice novelty, artisanal flair, or small-batch goods you might find at TJ’s.
With $50, you might cover most of the list, but your “fun treat” or premium choices might push you slightly over.
Trader Joe’s: Specialty, Curious, Premium Flavors
What $50 might buy you:
- Trader Joe’s is famous for unique items, curated snacks, fun frozen meals. But generally, it costs more per standard item.
- Their bananas are super famous — they sell bananas individually (~ $0.23 each) instead of by pound. That’s often a sweet value in the TJ world.
- Eggs are often cheaper at TJ’s than at Aldi or Walmart in comparative tests.
- But meats, produce, and pantry basics tend to be pricier at TJ’s, especially if the items are organic or specialty.
- Because of its smaller scale, you might find fewer “cheap staples” deals.
So with $50, your basket will be lighter. You might load up on fun snacks, frozen meals, a premium cheese, but you’ll likely have to skip or shrink some basics.
So, here is what I priced out based on the prices in my region. Do these numbers surprise you?
| Item | Estimated price at Aldi | Estimated price at Walmart | What you might find at TJ’s (if local) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ½ gallon milk | $2.50 | $2.60 | $3.00+ |
| Eggs (dozen) | $1.90 | $2.00 | $2.50 |
| Bread loaf | $1.50 | $1.75 | $2.50 |
| Chicken (2 lbs) | $6.00 | $6.50 | $8.00 |
| Bananas (1 lb) + broccoli | $1.20 + $1.60 = $2.80 | $1.30 + $1.70 = $3.00 | $2.00 + $2.50 = $4.50 |
| Cheese (block) | $2.80 | $3.20 | $4.00 |
| Pasta or rice | $1.20 | $1.40 | $1.80 |
| Frozen side / meal | $2.50 | $3.00 | $4.00 |
| Snack / chips or treat | $1.80 | $2.20 | $3.00 |
