Devoted grocery fans know that Aldi has plenty of delicious products, from the tried-and-true staples to hidden gems. But while there are some items that are ubiquitous favorites when it comes to the budget-friendly store, there are others that aren’t quite as well-known—or, they’re just so yummy that shoppers want to keep the products to themselves.
Aldi understands the tendency to stay hush-hush when it comes to sharing favorite finds (especially go-to items that aren’t always available), so the brand recently asked customers on Instagram to “tell us your most gate-kept item. The one thing you can’t live without,” and it’s safe to say that commenters delivered. Fortunately, there’s no gatekeeping here, but when the must-try Aldi products listed below begin selling out, we might understand why.
Aldi’s Best Products, According to Shoppers
Simply Nature Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
Allrecipes / Aldi
According to one shopper, Aldi’s Simply Nature Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce is “better than Rao’s, and less than half the price.” Another commenter echoed a similar sentiment for the pasta sauce: “My family has tried so many different brands, and our fave is the Aldi one. We can differentiate it from others just by taste.”
Specially Selected Sliced Sourdough Round
Allrecipes / Aldi
One of the most talked-about items in the comments section was Aldi’s sourdough bread. According to an Aldi employee who also shops there, the best gatekept item is “100 [percent] the sourdough,” jokingly adding that “I definitely cried this morning after I finished my last slice.”
“I concur,” responded another shopper, who added that the $3.65 loaf is “better than almost any store-bought bread, and for the price, it’s unbeatable.”
Simply Nature Organic Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Coconut Clusters
Allrecipes / Aldi
Another item with multiple mentions? Aldi’s chocolate-covered coconut bites, which are organic and gluten-free. “Chocolate coconut clusters have changed my very existence,” admitted an Aldi shopper in the comments before adding that they “cannot live without” the sweet treat.
Friendly Farms Regular Small Curd Cottage Cheese
Allrecipes / Aldi
“The cottage cheese. I refuse any other brand,” declared one shopper, who admitted that the superior dairy product might not be that unknown among shoppers. “I think the secret is out, though, because you [Aldi] are always out!”
Fremont Fish Market Jumbo Coconut Breaded Butterfly Shrimp
Allrecipes / Aldi
According to Instagram user @kayelinic, the coconut shrimp is so good you have to keep it to yourself. This frozen meal features coconut-breaded shrimp that’s perfectly crunchy, and it comes with an orange marmalade sauce for dipping. “We’ve even been gatekeeping it from our kids,” she added.
Park Street Deli Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad
Allrecipes / Aldi
While there’s plenty of snacks and sweets at Aldi to choose from when you need a post-haul car snack, for one shopper on Instagram, it’s a deli item. “Cranberry chicken salad is my reward for going grocery shopping,” they wrote. Another agreed, saying, “I buy this EVERY time and eat with the black sesame/fig crackers!”
And if you’re looking for a simple meal-prep option, Aldi also sells 4-packs of the chicken salad in single-serve portions for on-the-go eating or easy packed lunches.
Kirkwood Family Size Chicken Nuggets
Allrecipes / Aldi
The secret’s out: According to a shopper, Aldi has “chicken nuggets that taste like a knockoff of Chick-fil-A!” Someone else recommended serving the “red bag chicken with brioche buns. When I make that, my kids call it mom-fil-a.”
Emporium Selection Cranberry Cinnamon Flavored Goat Cheese Log
Allrecipes / Aldi
Another popular selection: “The charcuterie supplies,” declared one user, who stated they “are a best kept secret,” and several agreed. While some customers argued in favor of the extra sharp white cheddar cheese—which one taste-tester says is “better than Cabot”—another said, “I eat the cranberry goat cheese like I get paid to.”
Specially Selected Roasted Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Allrecipes / Aldi
Skip the name-brand salad dressing and keep veggies simple with Aldi’s garlic vinaigrette—and maybe buy a few bottles. “We have a big salad for dinner every Wednesday, and that is our favorite dressing EVER!” shared one user. “It’s been hit or miss at our store lately…we stock up whenever we find it.”
Bake Shop Kitchen Sink Cookies
Allrecipes / Aldi
“I’ll never gate-keep them, but the Kitchen Sink Cookies changed my life,” wrote one commenter who was kind enough to let us in on this sweet treat. Aldi’s Kitchen Sink Cookies sound like the perfect combination of desserts, with chocolate chunks, coconut flakes, pretzels, peanut butter chips, and white confectionery chunks packed into a peanut butter cookie.
