- Shopping at Aldi not only saves a lot of money but you can find underrated items.
- Aldi has items that are just as good, if not better, than big-name brands, and cost less.
- Favorites include fresh berries, cheeses, peanut butter cups, stuffed olives and more.
If grocery shopping were a sport, I would be an Olympian. It’s something we all do to feed ourselves, but I’ve also done it professionally for over a decade. Sourcing the right proteins, perfect-looking produce, hard-to-find spices and obscure pasta shapes are the events I medal in. And the store aisles of the grocery and big-box stores I peruse are my arenas.
Since I’m such a grocery-shopping pro, people often ask me how to save money as grocery prices keep rising. Everyone has felt the impact. And my confident reply is that Aldi is typically my saving grace. Besides enormous savings on our monthly grocery bill, the store’s aisles are filled with underrated items. Here are 10 that I always buy, which include berries, cheese, chips, condiments and more. Read on to learn why these are my favorites.
1. Berries
Courtesy of Aldi
When you have kids, everyone warns you about the cost of everything from diapers to college, but no one, and I mean no one, warns you about the cost of berries. My kids go through clamshells a week of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. Aldi is the spot to get these to save some money for their actual college accounts.
2. Happy Farms Cream Cheese
Courtesy of Aldi
My motto? Never leave Aldi without two bricks of cream cheese. Since I live in a bagel-obsessed house, we go through a few bricks quickly. Not to mention, it’s always great to have on hand for dips and desserts. Coming in at around $1.65 for 8 ounces, this delicious spread costs a fraction of the bigger cream cheese name brand, without sacrificing any of the texture and taste.
3. Emporium Selection Manchego Cheese
Courtesy of Aldi
Manchego is my favorite cheese for a grazing board, adding depth, style and texture to your board. Manchego is nutty, fruity and sweet, which plays nicely in combination with stronger, stinkier flavors. Plus, it’s a Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) product, which means it’s made from milk from Manchega sheep in certain provinces of Spain. This one is highly underrated, particularly for the price.
4. Simply Nature Organic Colby Jack Cheese
Courtesy of Aldi
I buy mostly organic dairy, and there’s no better place to stock up than Aldi. This is my son’s favorite “yellow cheese,” my go-to for all things lunch box. It also melts perfectly into casseroles and quesadillas.
5. L’oven Fresh Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Courtesy of Aldi
The internet is what piqued my interest in Hawaiian rolls. I don’t know what took me so long, but now I’m hooked on this sweet and fluffy bread. I love the viral videos of baked pull-apart sandwiches that are easy to execute and serve. One of my go-to weeknight meals is these split in half, topped with whatever deli meats and cheeses I have lying around, brushed with a little garlic butter and baked. Easy dinner is served!
6. Choceur Peanut Butter Cups
Courtesy of Aldi
I’m throwing this one in as my husband’s pick (he has a sweeter tooth than me), but everyone under my roof agrees these are the best peanut butter cups you can buy. The milky chocolate coating paired with a sweet-and-salty filling can for sure take down the bigger-name brand alternative.
7. Clancy’s Sea Salt & Vinegar Kettle Chips
Courtesy of Aldi
These signature Aldi-brand chips are my go-tos. They are sturdy, hold up when scooping your favorite chip dip and have the perfect texture for crunchifying your favorite sandwiches. They taste the same as the gold standard of kettle chips, Cape Cod, for a fraction of the price.
8. Tabasco Pepper Sauce
Courtesy of Aldi
Everyone knows this hot sauce reigns supreme; there’s nothing underrated about it, except that it’s cheaper at Aldi than anywhere else. So stock up.
9. Specially Selected Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives
Courtesy of Aldi
My girlfriends and I usually find ourselves at a local steakhouse to enjoy drinks with blue cheese-stuffed olives, but these are so good, they’re reason enough to dust off the shaker to DIY and have a girls’ night in. I also love adding these flavor-packed bites to grazing boards.
10. Tuscan Garden Banana Peppers
Courtesy of Aldi
As a self-proclaimed antipasto queen, I always have two to three jars of these in my pantry. They’re presliced into rings and add the perfect level of acidity and spice to salads, dressings, sandwiches and beyond.
The Bottom Line
Aldi is known for being a time-saving and money-saving grocery store, but there are some items you might have overlooked while shopping in their well-stocked aisles. These include strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, which make great kid-friendly snacks. Additionally, you’ll find a variety of cheeses that are perfect for adding to recipes or to enjoy for snacking. You’ll also discover excellent condiments, such as hot sauce and olives, that can be quite costly at a regular grocery store. Don’t pass these items by on your next Aldi trip!
