Here at Savinly, we aim to buy the most affordable choice. Always.
But when it comes to baby gear? That’s not always straightforward.
Quality matters when you’re caring for tiny humans, and once you discover a product your child tolerates, why risk swapping it out?
I think every parent in our newsroom would agree they’d pay extra for a leak-free diaper or a baby food variety their child will reliably eat.
So when Aldi revealed last summer it would introduce its Little Journey baby assortment with nearly 50 items for infants through preschoolers, we wondered: Can these products hold their own?
The discount supermarket chain promised “high-quality baby feeding and changing essentials at prices that will save parents up to 50 percent on their monthly grocery bills,” reportedly compared to similar items at major national grocery retailers.
Savinly editor Marcus Lane volunteered his sons, 18-month-old Kellan and 5-year-old Jonah, to be the guinea pigs. He picked six of Aldi’s new baby items to test based on products his family already buys.
How does Little Journey measure up? Read on…
A Note on Our Process
If you know one thing about Lane, let it be this: He has no brand fidelity. Name-brand, store brand, double-coupon — whatever costs the least, he’ll grab it.
For this comparison, Lane searched Target.com and Walmart.com to find the cheapest equivalent of the Aldi item he tested.
He made one caveat: He compared Aldi’s diaper pricing against Huggies diapers and wipes at Target and Walmart, because Aldi specifically compares its diaper products to Huggies.
Six Aldi Baby Items, Evaluated by a Dad
Here are the takeaways from Lane’s trial — and the score he assigned each Aldi offering.
Diapers
Aldi: $12.49 for 82 diapers — 15 cents per diaper
Target: $54.49 for 164 diapers — 33 cents per diaper Walmart: $58.55 for 164 diapers — 36 cents per diaper
Aldi diapers arrive in smaller boxes than Huggies — Lane paid $12.49 for 82 diapers, versus packs of 164 diapers at about $56.
While the 15-cents-per-diaper rate at Aldi is compelling, Lane’s 18-month-old developed a rash. “They seemed absorbent enough, but he developed irritation on his lower back where the diaper didn’t seem to wick away sweat,” Lane said.
Lane returned the opened pack to Aldi, where customer service issued a full refund without grilling him about the cause.
Lane’s grade: C. “Inconclusive,” he said. “They performed okay, but my kid has delicate skin. Hard to blame [Aldi] for that.”
Baby Wipes
Aldi: $3.49 for 216 wipes — 1.6 cents per wipe Target: $26.99 for 1,152 wipes — 2.3 cents per wipe Walmart: $14.82 for 648 wipes — 2.3 cents per wipe
Those decimal differences add up.
You can never have too many wipes, and cheaper is usually better. Lane grabbed Aldi’s Little Journey wipes, which again come in smaller packs than Huggies Naturals but cost roughly 30% less per piece.
Lane’s grade: A. “We liked the wipes,” Lane said. “They were absorbent, gentle and fragrance-free. The packaging sealed well, so they didn’t dry out.”
Baby Wash
Aldi: $2.49 for 28 ounces — 9 cents per ounce
Target: $5.99 for 28 ounces — 21 cents per ounce
Walmart: $9.94 for 56 ounces — 18 cents per ounce
Tear-free formulas are essential at bathtime. Lane’s household typically buys Johnson & Johnson or CeraVe baby washes but was satisfied with Aldi’s baby wash. He said some other full-body washes left his children’s scalps flaky, but Aldi’s caused no issues. “It goes a long way because the formula is thick,” he remarked.
And it’s nearly half the per-ounce price of the competitors.
Lane’s grade: A
Yogurt Bites
Aldi: $1.79 per 1-ounce bag
Target: $2.69 per 1-ounce bag
Walmart: $2.68 per 1-ounce bag
Aldi’s Little Journey yogurt bites are nearly a dollar cheaper than those at big-box stores. But will a toddler actually accept them?
You sample them yourself!
“The fruit flavor was pretty good — it dissolves nicely in your mouth,” Lane said. “I tried a few, partly as a test and partly because I liked them.”
However, his toddler refused the banana-flavored yogurt bites. Lane isn’t sure why his son disliked them; he noted a strange aftertaste when he sampled that flavor. The other varieties were enjoyable, and his toddler agreed.
Lane’s grade: B-minus. The banana flavor hurt the overall rating, but the other options kept them above average.
Puffs
Aldi: $1.39 for 1.48 ounces — 94 cents per ounce
Target: $1.87 for 1.48 ounces — $1.26 per ounce
Walmart: $1.86 for 1.48 ounces — $1.26 per ounce
Puffs are the current go-to baby snack. Fortunately, keeping your kid satisfied doesn’t have to be expensive.
Lane reported his wife enjoyed the flavor of the Little Journey puffs, though his son was hesitant to try them.
Lane’s grade: A
Baby Pouches
Aldi: 79 cents for 4 ounces — 20 cents per ounce
Target: $5.29 for 16 ounces — 33 cents per ounce Walmart: $7.50 for 25.2 ounces — 30 cents per ounce
“He didn’t grimace,” Lane said about his toddler’s reaction to Aldi’s baby puree pouches, which is about as glowing a review as a baby can give. Lane’s 5-year-old also liked the fruity choices.
Lane’s grade: A
Will His Household Become Regular Aldi Baby Shoppers?
Lane’s family already frequents Aldi — it’s their usual stop for produce and eggs. But Aldi doesn’t run coupons, and Lane’s couponing approach often yields cheaper name-brand baby items elsewhere.
“But if we don’t have coupons and need something, we’d definitely pick up the wipes and wash at Aldi,” Lane said.
His brand allegiance may be gone, but at least he has another affordable option — especially for staples like wipes and soap, and for families hunting for cheap baby stuff.
Have you tried Aldi Little Journey baby products? Share your experience.
