I'm a private chef and mom of 2 who shops at Lidl. Here are 15 things I always buy there.

Heavy cream is always in my fridge. I add it to the expected, like coffee, as well as the unconventional, such as meatballs or lean beef for juicy burgers.

My jaw dropped a few weeks ago when I had to purchase heavy cream elsewhere and saw how high the prices for it can be.

On a weekly basis, I marvel at the number of eggs we go through for breakfast.

Typically under $1 per dozen, the eggs are so affordable that I'm not afraid to stock up.

I cannot call my children picky eaters, but they are particular. However, these breakfast biscuits have been in both our pantry and backpacks for years.

Lidl's version is only $2.79 — cheaper than the $4 per box I was used to shelling out for the name brand.

My husband and I like to have these after our "grown-up dinners," which happen after the kids got to bed and we can have uninterrupted conversation and great food cooked together.

A dinner followed by an indulgent, yet pre-portioned treat that requires zero prep is my idea of romance.

Eggs serve as weekday breakfasts in my house, but on weekend mornings when we have a little longer to linger, these maple sausages are the ideal side of protein next to pancakes, waffles, or French toast.

Pure vanilla extract enhances so much more than just cakes and cookies.

My husband adds it to his epic Sunday French toast and I love to put a capful in homemade whipped cream.

The extract can also make any smoothie taste a touch more decadent without added sugar.

In my years of cooking, I've learned several foods are consistently either a big yay or a hard pass.

Mushrooms, raw onions, and tomatoes top that list, along with two personal loves of mine: olives and tuna.

Proceed with caution on the sweet-spicy tuna pouches if you're iffy on hot stuff — there are two whole chili peppers in each pouch.

I've been a tater-tot aficionado since my elementary-school cafeteria days, and these are hands-down the best.

They make the perfect side to everything from sloppy Joes to special-occasion seafood dinners. I serve tater tots with lobster and I am not ashamed.

Nothing says "Happy Valentine's Day" like a heart-shaped blob of ketchup and Lidl tots, I'm telling you.

Our quarantine sourdough starter might not have survived to tell the tale, but I still bake bread on a regular basis.

With yeast at this price point, it's so much more economical to rock my own artisan loaf rather than buy one.

This versatile gem is always tucked in my freezer for quick but classy appetizers and desserts or even to top chicken pot pie in a pinch.

It's $2 cheaper than the name brand, making it the perfect ingredient to bring dishes together in a flash.

My husband is an everyday long commuter, working all over Virginia and Washington, DC, so stopping for coffee isn't always convenient.

Where a regular energy drink costs a few bucks, these little uppers save time and money and are only 85 cents each.

As a pickle lover, these are a must for me. And, as a wine lover, these nicely round out simple charcuterie boards.

As a mom, finding something that perfectly fits into that little bento-box compartment of my kids' lunch boxes is priceless.

As the self-proclaimed queen of condiments, my fridge doors are mildly embarrassing — I have a shelf completely devoted to mustard.

Lidl's whole-grain and Dijon varieties are imported from France and are fantastic.

There are few things that I love more than happy hour, but Lidl's chili-pepper cashews consistently make it into my spreads of pre-dinner goodies.

They're so flavorful that you only need to eat a few, which means a bag of these ends up lasting a lot longer than other varieties of nuts in our pantry.

I have purchased a lot of non-food items — including a portable electric fireplace, toys, winter coats, and an air fryer — from Lidl and I regret nothing.

I also couldn't resist buying this super-soft rug on the day my youngest and I went shopping.

Marked as $14.99, I was already on board, but when it rang up at $9.99, I knew it was destiny.

Click to keep reading Lidl diaries like this one.