I went to Aldi with a $20 budget, and I still can't believe how many groceries I got for 2 people

With my $20 bill in hand, I started my grocery trip by visiting the produce section and picking out a bag of spinach for $1.49.

I use prewashed spinach as a base for salads and an additive for banana protein smoothies.

Having a bag in the veggie drawer of my fridge is an absolute must, but I'm frequently reupping my supply because it doesn't keep for very long.

Next, I grabbed a two-pack of yellow squash for $1.35.

I love eating roasted squash with just olive oil and salt. But this time, I used it for my mother's squash-casserole recipe with lots of sour cream and breadcrumbs.

Green grapes are another one of my favorites from the produce aisle.

A bag cost me $2.35, which is a bit higher than the other produce I picked out. But I couldn't resist snacking on them throughout the day.

I figured it was time for some protein. But before perusing the meat section, I grabbed a bag of Millville Oats dark-chocolate granola for $2.59.

With 20 grams of protein per serving, I usually opt for a bowl of this with milk in the morning instead of cooking eggs and bacon.

I get enough protein for breakfast, and there's minimal cleanup, which comes in handy when I'm rushing to sign into work.

When dinner comes around, chicken is my protein of choice.

I found 1 pound of Perdue ground chicken for $3.42, which I thought was a steal considering it will likely last us two meals.

I could use it in my recipes for Asian noodles or spicy tacos.

Since our household does some serious snacking, I went back to find cheese and crackers.

Cabot's Vermont cheddar was on sale for $2.49, so I added that to my haul and planned to eat it as a snack with crackers or as an additive to tacos.

Crackers were also on sale. I grabbed a box of Savoritz garlic and chive pita crackers for $2.15.

The $5-dollar cracker and cheese combo was a great option to have with wine as an after-dinner treat or to snack on in between meals.

Finally, I nabbed five cups of Friendly Farms' Greek yogurt for $0.59 each.

These protein-packed cups are great by themselves, with honey, or as a base for granola in the morning.

I usually buy plain Greek yogurt to eat with granola or to use as a replacement for sour cream. But this trip, I went for the flavored versions because I couldn't resist.

I chose three toasted coconut vanilla and one Key-lime pie.

My shopping spree probably won't last our household very long on its own, but the haul was more than enough to supplement what we already had in our fridge and pantry.

The total, before tax, was $18.20, so I even came in under budget.

I intended for this trip to be a means of staving off an even bigger run later on, so I considered it an overall success.