mitch living the dream in NYC

This post is sponsored by ALDI but all opinions are my own. As always, thank you so, so much for supporting the partnerships that keep Kelly in the City up and running!

Mitch here!

As any parent can attest, a solo trip to the grocery store is like an exotic vacation. It’s quiet there, nobody is crying, and as an added bonus, they have all my favorite snacks. Granted, I typically have to sprint through the store like I’m on “Supermarket Sweep”.  But a good grocery store sesh can make my week. And today I’d like to let you in on a related secret that’s changed my life.

I’m an ALDI nerd. (It’s a thing. There’s a Facebook group.) It’s the only place I shop, and honestly, it’s turned into an obsession. I read the circular first thing every Wednesday morning. I know the cashiers by name and they know me by the bags under my eyes. What I’m trying to say is that I always carry a quarter. You know: just in case.

When people ask me why I’m so obsessed with ALDI–and they do because I bring it up far too often–I tell them to imagine a place that sells everything you could possibly need at a higher quality than other stores and for a third of the price. Even better, this place actually exists and there’s probably one a few miles from your place. The store is ALDI, and I’m just getting started, my friends!

Not to break down the fourth wall or anything, but as far as brand partnerships go, ALDI has always been my dream. (Yes, for my wife’s blog. 😂) So when the company reached out (😮) and invited us to New York City (my second favorite place behind ALDI!) to do cool ALDI stuff, I nearly had a heart attack. I’ve had some big moments in my life: proposing, marriage, the birth of two amazing girls… but this really took the cake.

So what was going on in New York, you ask? Over 50 of the ALDI Little Journey baby essentials have earned the Good Housekeeping Seal and it’s a very big deal. Unlike most publications that merely review products, the Good Housekeeping Institute actually offers a limited warranty on all the stuff they recommend and they’ve been doing so for over 100 years. In short, they will literally refund, repair or replace any defective product with the seal within two years of purchase. That’s just nuts!

And as you might expect, the Good Housekeeping Institute doesn’t just hand out the seal willy nilly. Each product up for consideration is tested by a team of super-smart scientists in a huge skyscraper overlooking Central Park. It’s the most impressive office space I’ve ever seen, and everything is so… legit. (Kelly said it was a scene right out of “The Devil Wears Prada,” except everyone was super friendly.) Good Housekeeping does it right!

We were invited in to see exactly how the Little Journey products were tested, and to learn something that I’ve known for a long time: that ALDI products are the best value on the market. A few examples:

  • Little Journey Diapers & Training Pants: When the Good Housekeeping scientists showed us the results for testing them, they literally laughed out loud at what an incredible value ALDI provides. These diapers and nighttime “big girl” diapers (which we use for Lucy and Emma) straight up beat the quality of most national brands and were at least half the price than all of ’em. They feature “Ultra Dry Fit Protection,” which locks in wetness and either matches or outperforms the leading national brands. There’s also this fantastic “wetness indicator,” which is super helpful in the morning for Emma. If there’s no blue line, she shouts, “I HAVE DRY TRAINING PANTS!” It’s adorable, and it ups her confidence and motivation with potty training. And since Lucy can’t tell us when she’s wet, the indicator helps us keep her dry!
  • Little Journey Wipes: I think most parents would agree that after carrying around wipes for a couple years that it’d be difficult to go back to life without them. I mean, what are you barbarians without kids doing out there? What happens when your hands get sticky?! Anyway, ALDI wipes are my personal favorite. I find them to be durable, absorbent and, most importantly, they are inexpensive enough for me to have a pack in every drawer in the house. I buy them like the world is ending. This way I’m never without a wipe when emergencies arise, and they arise often. Our girls both have sensitive Irish skin, but because these wipes are hypoallergenic, fragrance- and alcohol-free, we’ve had zero issues! They also contain aloe and vitamin E to soothe tender skin.
  • Little Journey non-GMO Infant Baby Formula: Kelly and I think of ALDI as a public service. Other companies charge an arm and a leg for baby stuff because they’ve “got you.” And raising a child can be extremely taxing on a family’s finances! Especially when it comes to formula. At ALDI, though, my grocery bills are cut in half, and the formula is a steal compared to other brands’ stuff. It was also approved by our pediatrician, and both girls have thrived on it. The best part? All ALDI formulas are non-GMO and don’t contain artificial growth hormones.

In addition to all the cool science stuff, we had a great time in New York! We played a “guess that price” game and I’m such an ALDI loyalist that I successfully guessed 8/10 prices to the freakin’ penny. (Kelly was a little embarrassed about this, but whatever. 💁🏻‍♂️) We ate a delicious meal made from entirely ALDI ingredients and drank fantastic ALDI wine, I might add. But most importantly, I saw first-hand just how dedicated their “people” take their jobs of developing the products that we use with our children. I made the decision when Emma was born to buy her supplies at ALDI, and I can tell you that I’ve never been more confident in that decision. The Good Housekeeping Seal is simply the cherry on top and affirmation that I made the right choice!

I could go on about ALDI all day. As a matter of fact, I’m already in the middle of two follow-up blog posts which’ll go into more detail about my favorite ALDI finds. Stay tuned! But in the meantime, I’d love to hear about your own ALDI experiences below. And as always…

Mitch. OUT!

little journey
baby products in NYC, a dream!
Baby items in NYC, Mitch and kelly were there
Good Housekeeping sign
a table and silverware
flowes
kids toys in NYC
cheers to the dream in NYC
Mitch living the dream in NYC
Mitch and Kelly eating in NYC
Mitch loves dessert in NYC
the Trip to New York included baby products
an NYC baby product event
Infant formulas
baby gear
Mitch's Dream Trip to New York left him all smiles
Baby items
Mitch and Kelly, NYC
an NYC skyscraper