The short version
- Build the cart around protein, calcium-rich foods, vegetables and whole grains.
- Store-brand staples are usually the best value.
- Canned fish, beans and frozen vegetables keep the bill and the waste down.
- Plain yogurt, unsalted nuts and fruit cover most snacks.
- Read the label for added sugar and sodium before a product goes in the cart.
Why Lidl
Lidl's parent company, Schwarz Group, is the largest food retailer in Europe, and Lidl also operates stores on the US East Coast.1 Lidl is known for its in-store bakery and its fruit and vegetable section at the entrance. Fill the cart with produce first and pass the bakery last.
Protein supports the muscle that declines from the menopause transition onward, calcium needs rise to 1,200 mg a day at 51, and fatty fish supplies omega-3 fats and vitamin D.2,3,4
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Store brands to look for
Like Aldi, Lidl sells mostly its own brands. In Europe, Milbona is its dairy brand and Vemondo is its plant-based range. Names vary by country. Ranges change by location and season, so treat names as a guide and read the label on the shelf.
Your Lidl cart
| Food | What to pick | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Plain yogurt, skyr or quark | Dairy case. Skyr and quark are thick, high-protein cultured dairy foods. | Protein and calcium |
| Eggs and cottage cheese | Store brand | Protein |
| Fresh or frozen salmon, mackerel, cod | Fish chiller or freezer | Protein, omega-3 and vitamin D |
| Chicken and turkey | Fresh packs | Protein |
| Canned sardines, mackerel, tuna | Store brand | Protein, omega-3, calcium from sardines |
| Canned or jarred chickpeas, beans, lentils | Store brand | Protein and fiber |
| Seasonal vegetables | Whatever is on the weekly offer | Fiber |
| Berries, apples, citrus | Fresh or frozen | Fiber |
| Rolled oats and whole-grain rye or seeded bread | Choose dense, seeded loaves | Fiber and magnesium |
| Nuts and seeds | Large bags of almonds, walnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds | Healthy fats and magnesium |
| Extra-virgin olive oil | Store brand | Main cooking fat |
| Tofu, hummus, feta | Chilled section | Protein and calcium |
Healthy snacks at Lidl
- Skyr or plain yogurt with fruit
- A small handful of unsalted nuts
- Rye crispbread with cottage cheese
- Vegetable sticks with hummus
- Fruit
What to skip
- Pastries from the bakery as a daily habit
- Processed meats and sausages
- The weekly non-food aisle
Shopping tips for Lidl
- Check the weekly produce offers and plan two dinners around them.
- Use the store app for digital coupons where available.
- Buy frozen fish to keep costs down and avoid waste.
Five label checks that work in any store
- Yogurt: choose plain. Flavored tubs often carry a lot of added sugar. Add your own fruit.
- Canned fish and beans: pick fish packed in water or olive oil and beans with no salt added, or rinse them.
- Bread, pasta and cereal: the first ingredient should be a whole grain.
- Nut butter: the ingredient list should be nuts, and perhaps salt.
- Percent Daily Value: 5% or less of a nutrient per serving is low and 20% or more is high. Aim low for sodium, saturated fat and added sugars, and high for fiber, calcium and vitamin D.5
Cook what you bought
These recipes use the cart above: Greek yogurt bowl, tuna and white bean salad, baked salmon with roast vegetables and chickpea and spinach curry. The full week is in the 7-day meal plan, and the complete aisle-by-aisle list is in the menopause grocery list.
Common questions
What are skyr and quark?
Both are thick cultured dairy foods common in European stores. They are high in protein and usually low in fat. Choose plain versions and add your own fruit.
Is Lidl bread healthy?
It depends on the loaf. Dense whole-grain, rye and seeded breads offer more fiber than white rolls and pastries. Check that a whole grain is the first ingredient.
References
- RetailDetail. Why Lidl and Aldi continue to dominate the European food retail sector. https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/food/why-lidl-and-aldi-continue-dominate-european-food-retail-sector/
- Bauer J, Biolo G, Cederholm T, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013;14(8):542-559. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23867520/
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Calcium: fact sheet for consumers. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-Consumer/
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Omega-3 fatty acids: fact sheet for consumers. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-Consumer/
- US Food and Drug Administration. How to understand and use the Nutrition Facts label. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label
Every health claim above links to its source. Before publication the article was read and approved by Claudia Muresian, health psychologist, fitness coach and healthy nutrition specialist. It is general information and cannot take your personal history into account, so use it to prepare for a conversation with your own clinician.
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