Aldi Products That Were Practically Made For School Lunches

If you can hear the "Jaws" music of mornings filled with "Saved by the Bell" marathons, cold coffee, and rushing your kid out the door coming closer and closer, you know there are some things you must do to prepare for the school year. First, you must ensure you've got the school supplies covered. Second, and most importantly, you need to get your fridge and school lunch packing ready. And we're here to tell you one of the best places to get delicious, good-for-them, and easy-for-you school lunch eats is Aldi.

Yes, the art of the Aldi's find is alive and well not only during the holidays but for the school season. Of course, the beloved grocer has the usual lunchbox suspects, but there are also some not-so-secret and unsuspecting products on Aldi's shelves that, even though not marketed as back-to-school finds on the brand's website, may just be the pièce de résistance your kiddo's lunch box needs. Today, we're going to save you the trouble of stumbling through the halls of this beloved retailer by rounding up the Aldi finds you need to pack unbelievable lunches this school year. We assessed these findings based on fan opinion and health benefits and discussed their price points (which vary by state and are accurate as of August 2023). Mozzarella sticks, apple juice, hummus, and mini bagels fuel your kid's brain year-round with these must-have lunchbox treats.

If chicken salad really isn't your kid's thing, but they can't get enough of Chick-fil-A's grilled chicken nuggets, here's another easy-as-pie chicken entrée idea for their lunchbox. Aldi's ready-made Lunch Meats Grilled Chicken Strips are basically the poultry equivalent of sliced lunch meat. Coming in two varieties — original and spicy southwest (which also features some grilled rib meat) — these chicken strips are only 100 calories per ½ container serving. They are pre-cooked and ready for lunch box munchin'.

Like the chicken salad cups, these chicken strips aren't one-trick poultry. They can be utilized to make several different main courses. You can throw them on a salad, roll them into a chicken wrap, or make them the base for a chicken sandwich. Costing $4.75 for two servings, the Lunch Meats Grilled Chicken Strips is on the pricier side of Aldi's lunchbox eats spectrum. However, given that it comes with no prep required and is 97% fat-free, we think it's well worth the price.

What is a lunchbox without apple juice? We're here to ensure your kiddo will never know the answer to this heart-wrenching question. Simply Nature Variety Pack Applesauce Squeezies are like apple juice boxes but upgraded. These squeezable treats come in a box of 12 with three different flavors, apple, apple banana, and apple strawberry, and essentially taste like apple juice. And there's nothing artificial about these drinkable bad boys.

Simply Nature's squeezies are made with 100% real fruit and have no preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, GMOs, or artificial flavors. And they're also dairy and nut-free, making them an allergy-friendly drink option. At 50 calories for the full-blooded apple flavor, 60 calories for apple strawberry, and 70 calories for apple banana strawberry, you'll be getting all 12 squeezies for $6.95. And while we recommend the variety pack, if your kiddo has a favorite flavor Aldi also sells each individual flavor in 12 packs of their own. Plus, when fall goes into full swing, you can get your kid in the spirit of the season by trying out Simply Nature's apple cinnamon flavor.

There is nothing more fun than including school-themed treats in your kiddo's lunch. And Benton's, which also makes knockoff Girl Scout cookies and Oreos and is pretty much just Aldi's go-to for all things cookie-related, sells a sweet that will have your little one singing their ABCs. Benton's Mini Alphabet Cookies are alphabet-shaped short-bread cookies that are not only school-snack certified (seriously, it even says so on the packaging) but nut-allergy friendly. They are also high fructose corn syrup-free. Like the best lunchbox finds, these ABC, 123 desserts are sold in individual pouches, making them another no-assembly required school lunch essential.

And while they are available on Amazon, a pack of 12, 120 calorie servings will cost you $10.32 at the online retailer. Meanwhile, at Aldi, you'll pay less than half the price. Yep, at $3.09 for the same amount, it's safe to say you'll be stretching your dollar pretty far. If your kiddo enjoys Benton's alphabet cookies, you may also want to invest in the brand's mini individually chocolate chip cookies, animal-shaped birthday cookies, and iced oatmeal cookies to keep your kids' school lunch dessert rotation fresh, fun, and budget-friendly.

Heart-healthy and full of fiber, you can't go wrong with hummus. And you also can't go wrong with Aldi's Park Street Hummus Mini Cups. These mini individually packaged cups will prevent you from having to endure trying to divide a large container of hummus into resealable bags for your kiddo's lunch and give your budding student some extra calcium and potassium.

Priced at $4.19 a pop, these individually packaged hummus cups come in 6 packs — if you were wondering, Sabaro's version of the same product costs $5.99. So, as with many of the Aldi Finds on this list, you are getting a deal here. There's a classic version for those who love that signature hummus taste and a red pepper flavor for any kiddos who like it hot. Bots clock in at 140 calories a serving. These little cups are perfect to pair with crackers or vegetables. If your kid can't get enough of these simple yet effective lunchbox sides, you may also want to look into Aldi's individually packed guacamole for more nonstop, easy lunchtime dipping action.

Do we dare say the PB&J sandwich as we know it may soon be replaced? We do because Aldi's famed Simply Nature Peanut Butter & Jelly Bites are just that good. These are perhaps Aldi's most sacred and, admittedly, hard-to-get lunchbox snacks. And here are the reasons for not only why these PB&J bites are often out of stock but why they are worth the hassle of looking for.

First, Aldi's PB&J bites are a bit like a peanut butter cracker filled with jelly instead of PB. A lethal and tasty flavor duo, according to Aldi shoppers. Secondly, while these individually packaged, throw-it-in-the-lunch-box and forget-it treats are on the pricier side (they sell at $4.99 per six 110-calorie servings), they are certified non-GMO, gluten-free, and kosher. A twist on an old favorite, Simply Nature Peanut Butter & Jelly Bites are a fun treat your kiddo will look forward to finding in their lunch box each day — if you can beat out the other parents and find it on Aldi's snack shelf.

While some kids are born loving to chomp down on leafy greens, others may need a bit more encouragement to get in their daily dose of veg. And if you're worried that vegetables may not be eaten if you're not there to supervise lunchtime, Simply Nature Kids' bites are here to save the day by making eating veggies fun.

This Aldi find turns broccoli, sweet potato, and spinach/kale into edible teddy bears, dinosaurs, and stars. The broccoli bites come in at 130 calories per 5-piece serving, the sweet potato for 160, and the spinach/kale bites for 170. These happy lil' veggies are all non-GMO certified, and the broccoli and sweet potato bites boast being made of only 7 and 9 ingredients, respectively. Plus, both the broccoli and spinach bites are gluten-free friendly. 

Every flavor costs $5.35 per 5-serving package. However, one thing to remember is that these fun-shaped vegetable bites require more prep than many other items on this list. As it is a freezer section product, it needs to be baked for at least nine minutes before it can go from oven to lunchbox. However, the delicious flavor and texture will make your kids eat their vegetables with or without you.

Is your kid religiously against sandwiches, wraps, chicken tenders, and just generally anything you could easily throw into a lunch box? Here's an Aldi find that was mom-with-a-picky-eating-kid certified on an Aldi Facebook recipe group: mini bagels. Here us out here.

Currently, the store is carrying three mini-bagel varieties. Aldi offers the classic cinnamon raisin and plain flavors, which both clock in at 350 calories in a 3-bagel serving and cost $3.85 per 12-bagel bag. However, the store also sells the coconut-pineapple-infused mini version of its famed Hawaiian bagels, which come out at 130 calories a bagel and cost $2.85 for the same number of servings. And every variety can be dressed in several ways to create delicious and easy lunchbox entrée.

You can, of course, opt to spread these tiny bagels with your kid's favorite flavor of cream cheese or try spreading them with hummus or avocado spread. However, the same Facebook mom who suggested this Aldi's find swears by combining mini cinnamon raisin bagels with PB&J dips. What we are getting at here is you are very likely to find a combo that your kid will eat.