If you've never shopped at Aldi, now's the time to try it out as the holidays approach.

Strapped for cash or strapped for time -- two of the hottest commodities around the holidays -- Aldi is a viable alternative.

The prices at Aldi, a German grocer with U.S. headquarters in Batavia, Ill., are low. In fact, if you're not hung up on buying national brands, prices on Aldi-brand products frequently beat the after-coupon price on similar name-brand items at the major supermarkets. Even after double coupons.

And it doesn't take long to shop at Aldi. The stores are small by U.S. supermarket standards, saving you time roaming the aisles puzzling over what brand or size of flour or sugar to purchase. There is only one brand.

And then there are the produce deals. How does a 99-cent fresh whole pineapple sound?

As a trade-off, don't expect fancy displays or service. Aldi stores operate with bare-bones staff and sell mostly store-brands stacked inside the cardboard boxes they were shipped in.

You bag your own groceries -- with your own bags -- or pay for Aldi bags. And you have to fork out a quarter for a cart. If you don't return it, you forfeit your 25 cents, though I've never seen a stray cart in an Aldi parking lot.

Also, don't expect to pay with credit. Aldi accepts cash or debit cards only. Leave your coupons at home. Aldi doesn't accept them.

This week, there are some especially good deals on produce at Aldi, including those 99-cent pineapples. Only the sweet potatoes are a better deal elsewhere.

Take a look:

Deals on Thanksgiving turkeys and all the holiday fixings dominate this week's supermarket circulars. Each of the grocery stores is trying to lure shoppers in with low-price turkeys and sales on canned fruits and vegetables, cranberries, potatoes, dinner rolls, paper plates, vanilla extract, flour, sugar and more.

Harris Teeter also has a killer deal on cereals for 25 cents each and milk for $2.97 per gallon. Lowes Foods is offering bonus gasoline rewards. Food Lion has some worthwhile BOGO deals. And Aldi is offering its $1 whole fresh pineapple along with other stellar produce deals.

Read on for all the best deals at Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods, Food Lion and Aldi.

The biggest grocery news of the weeks is, of course, the dueling Super Doubles coupon events at Harris Teeter and Lowes Foods. Each of the rival supermarket chains has dozens of great deals, including multiple free items. This is a great opportunity to stock your panty, fridge and freezer for pennies on the dollar. And it's likely to be the last big coupon events will see until 2013, if the stores follow the pattern of previous years.

Click HERE  to see an extensive list of Harris Teeter Super Double deals.

Click HERE to see an extensive list of Lowes Foods Super Double deals.

Beyond Super Doubles:

Harris Teeter has several E-Vic Specials on baking products, BOGO London Broil and a Buy 2, Get 3 Free deal on canned vegetables.

Lowes Foods has nice deals on Russet potatoes, hummus, ice cream and cabbage.

Food Lion is offering customers free rotisserie chickens when they purchase $20 in Unilever products. Food Lion also has good deals on chicken leg quarters, chicken breasts, tomatoes, Mrs. Paul's fish and Turkey Hill ice cream.

And at Aldi, there are several stellar deals on produce.

Keep reading for a round-up of this week's top grocery deals.

Updated to include unadvertised specials.

Here's a long list of freebies and good deals for Harris Teeter's Super Doubles coupon event, which will begin at 7 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31, in Triangle-area stores.

This update includes 18 freebies and many other ultra cheap deals,  along with a complete list of what coupons to use and where to find them. If it's a printable coupon, you'll find the link to that, too.

Keep in mind, the list is specifically tailored to our area, using local store prices and coupons readily available here, either through newspaper inserts, magazines or Internet printing. No sense getting frustrated looking for a deal we can't get here!

Meanwhile, if you're going to be in Charlotte over the next week, Harris Teeter stores there will be Super Tripling coupons valued at $1 or less.

(For Super Double coupon shopping tips and Harris Teeter's rules during Super Doubles, scroll to the bottom of this post.)

Now on to the freebies and good deals for Super Doubles:

This post has now been updated with unadvertised specials -- including FREE Smart Balance milk.

Here's a long list of freebies and good deals available at Lowes Foods during its surprise Super Doubles promotion, which is running simultaneously with rival Harris Teeter's event.

Super Doubles will start when stores open on Wednesday, Oct. 31, and run through Tuesday, Nov.6.

The couponing policy is similar to Harris Teeter's, with one major difference. For this promotion, Lowes Foods will be super doubling coupons up to $1.98 in value. Harris Teeter's Super Doubles event includes $2 coupons.

For a complete rundown on Lowes Foods Super Doubles policy and shopping tips on how to score the best deals, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Now on to the list of freebies and good deals:

Updated to include Aldi deals.

Here's my round-up of the grocery deals this week at Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods, Food Lion and Aldi. The sales run through Tuesday, Oct. 30.

Among the highlights at Harris Teeter: 67-cent Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread, 74-cent Ball Park hotdogs, cheap frozen pizza deals, a wide variety of apples for 99 cents per pound and nice deals on chicken leg quarters, ground beef and shrimp.

Among the highlights at Lowes Foods: Free Yoplait Simplait yogurt, cheap Pillsbury biscuits, several bonus gasoline rewards deals, cheap frozen pizza deals, a good deal on Arm & Hammer laundry detergent and nice deals on London Broil, Lowes Foods bacon and Tribe Hummus.

Among the highlights at Food Lion: cheap prices on Del Monte canned tomatoes and Old El Paso seasoning packets and some nice produce deals, including green peppers for 50 cents, cucumbers for 69 cents and a 3-lb. bag of Gala apples for $2.50.

And among the highlights at Aldi: 99-cent pineapples and pumpkins for $2.89!

Keep reading for a long list of the very best of this week's deals along with coupon match-ups and good deals that don't require any coupons at all. I've added Sunday's Kroger deals to the bottom of the list for easier comparison.

Please add your best deals in the comments section below.

It's a great week for deals at the grocery stores. Take a look.

Among the highlights at Harris Teeter: free Colgate toothpaste and Yoplait Simplait, 7-cent bologna, 10-cent hot dogs, 50-cent Greek yogurt, $1 pizza dough, $1 per pound, split chicken breasts, $1.25 cantaloupe, six E-Vic Specials and a General Mills promotion that shaves $5 instantly off your order.

Among the highlights at Lowes Foods: 30-cent Yoplait yogurt, 97-cent per pound split chicken breasts, $2 All laundry detergent, Gold Medal flour for $2.50, a new set of in-store coupons and double fuel rewards.

Among the highlights at Food Lion: 50-cent green peppers, 69-cent cucumbers, $1 Ragu pasta sauce, $1.12 Cabot cheese, three pounds of Gala apples for $2.50 and a General Mills promotion that shaves $5 instantly off your order.

And finally, at Aldi, you'll find some fantastic produce deals.

Keep reading for a long list of the very best of this week's deals at Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods, Food Lion at Aldi.

Please add your best deals in the comments section below.

Among the highlights of this week's grocery deals in the Triangle:

*Aldi has several fantastic produce buys, including three pounds of pears for $1.49.

*Food Lion has BOGO sales on Ronzoni pasta and Frito Lay 20-count snack sacks that would be handy for school lunches. And both products have coupon match-ups to make the deals even sweeter.

*Lowes Foods has a "Buy 10, Get $5 off" sale on Kraft foods, along with its continuing in-store coupon sale. Match those deals up with manufacturer coupons and cake frosting is free again this week, and cake and brownie mixes are just 25 cents each.

*Harris Teeter has a seafood sale, a Boar's Head deli promotion, a Kraft Foods promotion, a General Mills promotion and several "Buy 2, Get 3 Free" sales. Among the deals: Progresso soups for just 26 cents a can and Old El Paso taco shells for 15 cents per package.

Keep reading for all the best deals at Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods, Food Lion and Aldi. I've also added Sunday's Kroger deals to the bottom of the post for easier comparison.

It's a BOGO kind of week at the grocery stores with all three supermarkets offering some pretty enticing Buy One, Get One Free deals.

Also noteworthy:

*Harris Teeter has several Buy 2, Get 3 Free offers, milk for just $2.77 per gallon, free cereals, free taco seasoning and 9-cent Dove chocolate.

*Lowes Foods has a slew of 97-cent produce bargains, a gasoline rewards promo, free cookie mixes, 15-cent cereal, and a P&G promo that will earn you a pink cookware set in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

*Food Lion has some stellar produce bargains along with the same offer of free pink cookware with a $30 P&G purchase.

*And at Aldi, you'll find pineapple for $1.19 each and cantaloupe for $1.29 each as well as other great produce deals.

Keep reading for all the best deals at Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods, Food Lion and Aldi. I've also added Sunday's Kroger deals to the bottom of the post for easier comparison.

Jump in and add any deals you've found. That way we can all save more.

Cheap produce prices are the big news in Triangle grocery stores this week. You can pick up everything from grapes and seasonal apples and pears to mushrooms and carrots -- all for less than $1 per pound.

Milk, eggs and chicken are also bargain priced this week. Milk is just $2.88 per gallon at Lowes Foods and eggs are 99 cents a dozen at Harris Teeter. Chicken fryers are 69 cents per pound at Harris Teeter and chicken leg quarters are just 59 cents per pound at Food Lion.

In short, it's a great week to stock up on the basics.

Keep reading for a list of the top deals at Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods, Food Lion and Aldi, including lots of coupon matchups. I've added Sunday's Kroger deals to the bottom of the post for easier comparison.

Please add any deals you find in the comments section. That way, we can all save more.