Have an Aldi in your neighborhood yet? With around 2,300 stores throughout the United States, the European grocery chain has become a familiar household name, known for great food and even better prices.
If you have a large household like I do, grocery shopping can be a weekly challenge to find food that everyone likes and doesn’t break the bank. And these days, even many shoppers with smaller households are struggling to keep up with rising grocery prices.
With its own brands, Aldi has quite a few items that are as better than some of the nationally recognized brands we all know and already love — or that are equally good as national brands but with a better price.
Following just a few of my favorite groceries from Aldi brands. Prices mentioned are from my local stores.
What are Aldi’s store brands?
More than 90% of products sold at Aldi are from store brands, also referred to as private labels. This enables the grocer to “provide the same high-quality product without passing on all of the hidden costs associated with the national brands, such as marketing and advertising,” Aldi says.
The Aldi brands covered in this article include:
- Elevation, a line of protein bars and powders
- Benton’s, a line of snack foods
- Savoritz, a line of crackers
- Simms, a line of meat products
- Priano, a line of sauces
- L’oven Fresh, a line of baked goods
- Little Journey, a line of baby products
What if you don’t like Aldi’s store brands?
You need not worry about not liking a new food from an Aldi brand. With the retailer’s Twice as Nice return policy, you can try out Aldi-brand food products and get both a replacement and a refund if you don’t enjoy them. So trying out these products is completely risk-free.
If you don’t know where to start, check out the following Aldi products. I have found them to be at least as good as brand-name equivalents — if not also cheaper.
1. Elevation Only bars
If you’re looking for a great snack or a quick energy bar, you’ve got to try the Elevation Only bars. Similar to Kind bars, these nut-based bars are available in three different flavors, all with dark chocolate. They’re well priced at less than 50 cents each at my local Aldi store, not to mention being gluten-free. These bars have low sodium, no trans fat and 4-8 grams of protein.
2. Benton’s Cookie Thins
Got a sweet tooth but no time to bake a Key lime pie? Try Benton’s Cookie Thins in Key lime. They’re a favorite of my household.
Similar to the Thinsters brand of cookie thins, Benton’s Cookie Thins are made without artificial flavors, high-fructose corn syrup or other hydrogenated oils. Benton’s crunchy cookies are just under $3 a bag and packed with flavor. They’re available in other flavors, too. Just be careful, you might eat the whole bag — no judgment!
3. Savoritz Saltine Crackers
Who doesn’t love a good saltine cracker? At less than $2 a box, the Savoritz brand of saltines is a perfect complement to your favorite soup, or as a quick snack with peanut butter or a slice of cheese. With a touch of salt like the nationally recognized Nabisco brand, these crackers are crunchy and light.
4. Benton’s Mini Bear Grahams
Teddy bear-shaped graham crackers like Nabisco’s Teddy Grahams are a favorite among preschoolers and teenagers alike. Whether you like the chocolate or honey variety, Aldi’s version — Benton’s Mini Bear Grahams — is well priced. And you get 12 snack packs in each box, with 8 grams of whole grain per serving. You can also pack these in the kids’ lunches without worrying about nut allergies or high-fructose corn syrup.
5. Simms Teriyaki Beef Jerky
With two teenage sons at home, keeping snacks on hand is no small feat for me. Although beef jerky does have a high salt content, it’s a high-protein food. Aldi sells multiple flavors under its Simms brand. Priced at right over $3 a bag, they’re slightly cheaper than national brands like Jack Link’s. The Simms teriyaki-flavored jerky does have 8 grams of total sugar per serving but is made with all natural ingredients and provides 10 grams of protein per serving.
6. Priano Genovese Pesto sauce
Who doesn’t like pasta with a good red sauce? However, if pesto is your favorite, then try the Priano Genovese Pesto sauce. It’s priced at under $2 a jar, while Barilla and Classico equivalents are priced at over $3 in my area. Made with pine nuts and cashews, this pesto does have quite a bit of sodium but it’s comparable to the amount of sodium in the other brands’ products. Try some with your favorite pasta or loaf of French bread.
7. L’oven Fresh Honey Wheat Bread
If you love bread as much as my kids do, you’ll love the options available at Aldi. Be sure to try the Honey Wheat Bread from Aldi’s L’oven Fresh brand, which appears to be modeled after the Nature’s Own brand’s Honey Wheat product. Made without high-fructose corn syrup, it’s priced at just over $1 a loaf.
If you are allergic to wheat, this might not be the best option for you. However, Aldi bread brands offer gluten-free as well as keto-friendly options to satisfy every bread craving in your household.
8. L’oven Fresh Swirl breads
If you like cinnamon and raisins, you’ll want to try the Swirl breads from L’oven Fresh, which are similar to the Pepperidge Farm version. Each loaf is under $4 and has more than 15 slices. Try toasting a slice and using your favorite butter or cream cheese spread.
9. Little Journey Baby Lotion
Why pay several dollars more for a brand-name equivalent when the Baby Lotion from Aldi’s Little Journey brand is perfect for little ones — or perhaps anyone — with sensitive skin in need of extra moisture? Free of parabens, fragrances and phthalates, this colloidal oatmeal lotion leaves tender skin with a soft, soothing feel. It has even earned the Good Housekeeping Seal.
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