Can you really keep baby happy and healthy with cheap Aldi diapers?
As mom’s we have all done it. Tried to save a few dollars by purchasing the store brand of something, only to take it home and find out that it sucks. Terribly. I remember one time I bought the generic Oreos because they were $2 cheaper a package. When I got home and my husband and daughter saw them, you would have thought that the world had ended. Nobody would eat them, and the next day my husband went and bought the real deal, full price and all.
On the other hand, every once in a while you discover a gem in the generic section. For example, our local grocery store has their store brand of barbeque sauce that is better than any other kind. AND it’s less than a dollar for a bottle. SCORE! When I first heard about generic Aldi’s diapers, I was thinking they would be more like the generic Oreos, but I was shocked to find out that they really are pretty decent diapers! There are a few issues with them, but nothing that the big brand diapers don’t have complaints of too.
Do Aldi Diapers Meet Your Diaper Needs?
If you have babies, or children that used to be babies, you know the importance of a good diaper. They need to have no funky diaper smell to them, prevent leaks and rashes, stay dry through the night (if you are lucky enough to have a baby that sleeps through the night!), stay closed, and be cheap. Sounds impossible right? Well Aldi’s Little Journey diapers pretty much meet all of those standards, which is awesome.
No Smell
If you don’t know what smell I am referring to, then you must not use Pampers diapers. It’s this cheap baby powder like smell that doesn’t remind you of a clean baby the way that actual baby powder does. I don’t notice the same smell from Huggies diapers or from the Little Journey diapers. And being pregnant right now, I smell EVERYTHING.
The Little Journey diapers do not have that smell to them that drives me crazy. They don’t really smell like anything at all, which is fantastic!
No Leaks
A diaper is made for keeping stuff inside, right? That is it’s one true purpose. So a diaper that leaks is a failure. Diapers can leak for many reasons. It can be too full, loose fitting at the top or around the legs. Little Journey diapers claim that they have 12 hours of no leaks. And is it true? Well, to be honest, I wouldn’t know because I don’t go 12 hours without changing a diaper. But they don’t leak during a normal day of diaper changes, including naps.
Many people complain that these diapers are too thin and that they have more of a plastic/papery feel to them than other diapers. I don’t think that there is really a problem with that as long as they work. For those babies that have leaks in the name brand diapers, you will probably still have a problem with leaks in these as well. If you are lucky like me though and don’t have a problem with leaks normally, then the Little Journey diapers are fully functional and impressive.
No Rash
Diaper rashes. We’ve all had experience with them. There is nothing worse than changing a diaper on a little one with a rash. The Aldi’s diapers are infused with Vitamin E and Aloe to help protect the skin. However, because they are thinner, they don’t seem to pull the urine away from your baby’s bottom like other diapers. Also, they aren’t as soft as Pampers Swaddlers.
If you are using these diapers, I would just suggest changing your baby’s diaper pretty often. Also, if they already have a rash, I would definitely use a barrier rash cream with every diaper change and I would probably use something that does pull the pee away from the body, like Huggies or Pampers. (A little lesson from a nurse. Pee and poop have enzymes in them that break down skin. If they are left against the skin, you get a diaper rash. If the pee isn’t being pulled away from the skin and into the absorbent part of the diaper, then it is easier to get a rash in a shorter amount of time.)
Stay Dry Through the Night
I am very lucky to have a 19 month old that sleeps like a champ through the night, which is around 11 hours. Normally he wears Huggies through the night. Probably once or twice a week he does have some leakage around the diaper, but it is very minimal. There will only be a tiny amount on his pajamas, not even enough to have to change the sheets.
I would not suggest using the Aldi’s Little Journey diapers overnight because of the fact that they are thinner and they don’t pull the urine away as much. If the brand name diapers leak for me, then I don’t think that the Aldi’s brand would be any better. Also, I don’t like going that long not changing his diaper if the pee is just sitting against his skin.
Stay Closed
Picture this: Your baby is playing in the living room. You get up for a minute or two and came back to him diaper-less and poop in his hands. If you haven’t actually seen it in real life, it’s coming eventually. The Little Journey diapers do stay closed and they have a stretchable waist as well as side panels that stretch to close perfectly around your baby’s tummy. The sticky part is actually sticky and won’t open up when they are playing or running around.
Hint: If your baby is prone to taking their diaper off, keep underwear on over it and pants. I know if may sound like an obvious plan, but I had to learn that one the hard way.
Great Price
Diapers add up so very quickly. Especially is baby gets a rash or is eating and growing a lot, you may go through up to 10 diapers per day! So let’s do some quick diaper math. Let’s say you currently spend $0.25 cents per diaper and buy a pack of 104 big brand diapers. You use 9 diapers a day, so you are spending $2.25 a day. That adds up to roughly $67.50 a month. Then you go buy yourself a pack of 96 Aldi diapers and pay only $0.13 per diaper. For 9 diapers, your cost is $1.17 a day and $35.10 a month. In a year, that adds up to almost $389 in savings. If you have multiple children in diapers, saving that much is awesome!
Currently, I use Amazon and subscribe monthly to diapers. I have enough items that I subscribe to each month so that I can get a discount, plus it is delivered to my house and I don’t have to go anywhere to get them. I also don’t have to watch the sales for when they are cheaper. Even with the discount that I get, the Aldi’s diapers are half the price of Pampers and Huggies. Although the number of diapers that they sell in a package are less than other brands, the price per diaper is half the cost.
More About Aldi Diapers
If you don’t know what Aldi’s is, you must live under a rock. Seriously. This grocery chain that originated in Germany has been in the United States since 1976 and has close to 2,000 stores nationwide. They have a no-frills shopping experience which includes no grocery bags, only a few people working, and require you to pay a refundable quarter in order to use a buggy. Their prices are amazing and they have many generic products, some good and some bad. But their generic diapers, called Little Journey diapers, are something to rave about.
The Little Journey diapers, just like the big brands ,come in sizes Newborn all the way up to size 6. They also have training pants size 3t to 4t. The regular packs vary in count from 23 to 50 per package depending on the size while the club packs range from 60 to 96 per package. The diapers seem similar to Luvs and Target’s Up and Up brand, although they are even cheaper.
The Least You Can Do is Try Them
Aldi’s has a fabulous return policy. If you buy the diapers and don’t like them, you can return them to the store. The store’s website says:
A replacement or refund will be offered for non-food ALDI find items, alcohol, national brands, or non-quality related issues.
(On a side not, who returns alcohol? I have tried their cheap wine there before and it should come with an individual packet of Tylenol for the headache it will cause the next morning.)
Overall Recommendation for Aldi Diapers
I like the Little Journey diapers for certain uses. I don’t think you should use them for the following:
- Newborns (I would use the Pampers Swaddlers because they are softer and because their skin is so sensitive at that age)
- Babies with sensitive skin or current rashes
- Overnight (I would stick with a thicker diaper. They also make Huggies Overnightsfor babies that pee a lot.)
For diapers that work better in these situations, check out our best diaper article.
Aldi diapers are best for the following:
- During the day when you change their diaper frequently
- For babies with normal skin and no rash
Using big brand diapers and Aldi diapers might be a little inconvenient. But consider the savings if you use one brand name diaper overnight and then use Aldi diapers for daytime.
FAQ’s
How much do diapers cost?
Although the price range varies by brand and model (even by week) average cost for a diaper is $0.20 or 5 for a dollar. The bigger the diaper, the greater the per-diaper cost, of course. See the diaper cost calculator.
Are Aldi diapers hypoallergenic?
Yes, Aldi’s Little Journey diapers are hypoallergenic.
How many diapers will a newborn use?
On average, about 10 diapers per day, 70 per week, 300 per month.
How do you determine diaper fit?
First, check the weight ranges given on diaper packages and buy the size that most nearly matches your child’s weight (erring on the larger diaper if your child is on the margin). The installed diaper should rise to just below the umbilical cord or belly button. There should be some give in the elastic around the legs and waist; still the diaper should fit snugly to avoid leaks. If you see red marks around your child’s waist or legs, the diaper is almost certainly too small.
Are pull ups more absorbent than diapers?
No guarantees here, but they should be similar in absorbability, since they are made of the same materials. The primary difference is a more flexible fit around the waist, to allow your child to pull the diaper up and down for potty training.
What’s a good overnight diaper?
There are several good options, but Huggies OverNites, Pampers Pure, Pampers Baby Dry, and Pampers Overnight Swaddlers are three good name-brand options.
