Aldi's English Muffins Being Good For A Year Has Reddit All Shook Up

Taking care of our health goes beyond adding fruits to our mornings, greens to our lunch, and reducing sugar consumption. Yes, these tips can be helpful, but for healthier meals, we need to take care of food at all stages. Making sure we are washing and storing food properly is one step, and checking on expiration dates before eating is another. 

Some foods speak for themselves. For example, cheese may start to smell like ammonia or chlorine when it's not safe to eat anymore (via Healthline). More cautious people would decide just to throw food away if it is expired. However, with bread things can be different. Sometimes the bread is okay to eat after the expiration date if we keep it in a cool spot and it doesn't have signs of mold (via Healthline). But, how extended should this date be?

One Redditor was highly concerned upon finding out that some English muffins purchased at Aldi were good for a year. The Redditor posted a picture of the frozen goods, worried they might be reading it wrong, and wondered if it was actually safe to eat. Normally, freezing bread is a great way of storing and preserving bread, but the Reddit thread led everyone to one discovery: The ingredients that keep these muffins intact may not be the best, health-wise. 

Some commenters guessed "preservatives" and "chemicals" as answers to the poster's query about why the muffins weren't moldy after a year — and they were right. Another commenter researched and confirmed that Aldi's frozen English muffins contain artificial preservatives known as calcium propionate and potassium sorbate.

Some users shared the feeling of being "creeped out" after seeing their food without signs of mold after weeks or even months. As one commenter said, "So much of that pre-packaged stuff has a lot of additives, dough conditioners, etc." This is why some recommend never buying white bread, as some studies have linked calcium propionate to migraines (via National Library of Medicine). However, the FDA declared that it is generally safe to use potassium sorbate for food preservation "when used in accordance to with good manufacturing or feeding practice."

If you buy frozen goods to facilitate meal prep, there are some alternatives. One Reddit user suggested: "I would steer you toward either going with a name brand, or buying Simply Nature by Aldi bread." Others suggested making bread at home or shopping at an artisan bakery. If this is too time-consuming or expensive, keep the store-bought English muffins and make healthier choices in the rest of your diet — if that's your goal. It's all about balance!