I Was A Reluctant Aldi Shopper, But These 12 High-Quality Deals Won Me Over

My toxic trait is that I'm a teensy bit of a food snob. That's great news when I make more meals from scratch and try to choose the best produce. It's not always ideal, though, when I'm trying to save money on groceries. Over the past few years, I've watched my grocery bills skyrocket along with everyone else's, with no end in sight. 

It's not that I was shopping at ridiculously overpriced grocery stores; I used to shop at my neighborhood's standard chain supermarket. But my normal cost-cutting measures, like occasionally eating vegetarian and using digital coupons, just weren't cutting it anymore. I'm certainly not alone: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average cost of groceries has increased around 30% since February 2020, and is quickly becoming a major source of financial stress for many Americans.

After yet another budget discussion in my home about how much we were shelling out for food, I decided a few months ago that it was time to give Aldi a fair shake. I've been skeptical about the budget-minded grocery chain, but over the past couple of months, I've been won over by several high-value Aldi products. Not only are they significantly less expensive than what I purchase elsewhere, but I don't feel like I'm sacrificing taste or quality. With just these 12 items, I'm saving almost $25 per week on my grocery bills — and significantly more in the rest of my cart. 

I'm a sucker for good-quality bread, and I thought that would be one thing I was saying goodbye to when I started shopping at Aldi. I was pleasantly surprised to discover this unique loaf of sliced bread, which is dusted with everything bagel seasoning for an extra kick of flavor. My family uses this for avocado toast or as the base for flavorful sandwiches (it makes a stellar grilled cheese, for what it's worth).

I'm not sure the sourdough component is actually good enough to rank it at the top of grocery store loaves — I still wouldn't say it's bakery-level quality. But for a pre-sliced option, it has a really good chew factor to it and an appealing density. It's also just $3.29 at my local Aldi for a 24-ounce pack (prices could vary by location). The closest thing my previous supermarket has is a 17-ounce loaf of plain sliced sourdough for $5.99. Not to mention, you'll need to add the everything seasoning yourself.

Park Street Deli is the Aldi store brand behind many of its best-ranked dips and ready-to-eat meals. I knew it was one of Aldi's most popular brands, so I picked up these pickles on my first Aldi run — and I haven't stopped buying them since. They're perfectly crisp and full of fresh dill flavor, and without unnecessary additives like sugar. 

It's also hard to beat the price: This 32-ounce container sells for $3.29, while the supermarket across town is selling Claussen dill pickle chips (my personal favorite) for $5.99 for 20 ounces. I haven't tried the regular spears or the Atomic Spicy versions yet, but based on the rave reviews online, it sounds like they'll need to be next on my list.

If I needed any more proof that I'm a mom, raving online about cups of diced peaches and mandarin oranges would end the debate with a mic drop. But if you pack lunches or are trying to feed your toddler fruit on the go, you'll also appreciate the magic of these four-pack fruit cups. They're packed in 100% fruit juice — which used to be really difficult to find among budget-minded brands — and the fruit inside is high quality, without seeds or peels or other detritus you find from sloppy processing.

I've been trying to save money on these snacks for literal years now — I've bought the store brand at other supermarkets and buy in bulk at Costco. Other supermarkets don't come close to Aldi's price, which is just $2.29 for a pack of four. Even the store brand elsewhere is around $3.09, and Dole's brand is at least $3 — and that's when it's on sale. Costco can beat Aldi in price when it's running a sale, but normally, even the warehouse's price per cup is higher than at the Aldi in my area.

Aldi gets a lot of love online for its vast array of cheeses, with many loyal shoppers saying it's difficult to choose just one favorite. This shredded Parmesan isn't nearly as unique as cranberry white cheddar or roasted garlic with tomato and basil semi-soft cheese, which are both on our list of cheeses you should be buying at Aldi. Nevertheless, I picked this up as a topping for basic salads and pasta dishes, and was pleasantly surprised by the fresh Parmesan flavor. It's also just $3.09 for 5 ounces. The cheapest comparable product at the supermarket across town is $4.19 at regular price, so I'll gladly save the extra dollar.

If I'm telling the truth, the biggest qualms I had about shopping at Aldi were the quality of the meat selections (I'm still weighing those options) and whether or not the produce would be decent. I've had some trouble finding good lettuce at Aldi so far, but the rest of the produce has been surprisingly great quality — including these 3-pound bags of Pink Lady apples.

Similar to many discount and club grocery stores, Aldi sells most of its produce packaged in bunches: Peppers come in a 2- or 3-pack, oranges are pre-bagged, and so are apples. You won't find many loose options available, but if you're buying for a family, this works to your advantage. You get a great price, and as it turns out, great quality fruit too. I've been known to sing the praises of Pink Lady apples with my family in detailed text threads, and here's why: They're almost always perfectly crisp (no gag-worthy mealiness here), and they have a great blend of sweet and tart flavors that are perfect for eating fresh.

Aldi's bagged apples are also well treated, at least for the several times I've bought them. They rarely have bruises and are at an ideal ripeness. I picked these up for $3.49 — notably less than the 3-pound bags for $4.99 at my other supermarket.

Greek yogurt is a staple in my household, mostly because my kids love dairy but struggle to eat enough protein. Greek yogurt cups make us all happy. I love that Aldi sells a few flavors of whole milk versions, since whole milk is generally recommended for young children. It can often be difficult to find, however, since the population of people who eat Greek yogurt and want whole milk options is likely somewhat small. My Aldi currently has key lime and toasted coconut vanilla flavors in these 4-packs, both of which are favorites in my household. (That said, Aldi also sells several more flavors of non-fat flavored Greek yogurts as well.)

These yogurt packs are also easier on the wallet than most Greek yogurts I've found, especially in the past year. Brands like Chobani are selling 4-packs for $4.99 in my area, and it's difficult to find cheaper options unless you purchase large tubs. Those are staples in my house, too, but they normally only come in a vanilla flavor. The Aldi version sells for $2.65 locally, a mere 66 cents per cup.

Honey mustard snacks disappear quickly from my pantry, but I don't buy them often because of the usual price tag. Savoritz lets us have our cake (snacks) and eat them, too. These pretzel-cracker mashups aren't a perfect replication of the sourdough pretzel bits you'll find from brands like Snyder's, but the seasoning is spot-on for the slightly sweet, tangy, salty flavor you want from honey mustard products.

These have a terrific crunch and are very addictive. They're also just $2.99 per box at my local Aldi, which is a huge win compared to the $4.79 I'd pay for a similar product elsewhere. And, if honey mustard isn't your thing, we've also plowed through a number of Savoritz products, like the club crackers and duped Thin Wheats, which also get our stamp of approval — at much lower price tags than you'll see for other national brands.

Chocolate was one of the grocery items likely to increase in price in recent months, and boy, has it ever. Chocolate chips are at a premium, Valentine's candy is likely to cost a literal mint, and chocolate bars are now typically on my must-skip items when I'm browsing through the aisles. Not so with Aldi's dark chocolate. 

I tried one of these sea salt chocolate bars years ago, and was instantly impressed with the quality and flavor. It's smooth, never grainy, and perfectly balances sweet, bitter, and salty flavors with the addition of the sea salt. When I began shopping at Aldi in recent months, one of my first thoughts was that I could add this guilt-free to my cart whenever I wanted to. 

Each of the bars sells for $2.85 in my area, which is an absolute steal considering Ghirardelli bars of a smaller size are selling for $6.29 right now. Moser Roth's bars even include five individually-wrapped segments inside the packaging, which means you aren't crumpling foil pieces every time you want to treat yourself. It's the little things, you know?

Much like the apples on this list, Hass avocados from Aldi are a very straightforward comparison to other grocers. Two things make them stand out. First, since I began shopping at Aldi a few months ago, I've only seen avocados with the "Avocados from Mexico" stickers on them. I must have fallen hook, line, and sinker for the advertising campaigns during the Super Bowl, because I absolutely associate the brand with high-quality avocados. 

That said, the marketing campaigns hold up, because I've consistently been rewarded with creamy, smooth avocados from Aldi. I select unripe ones from the bin that still have the stem intact, then put them in a paper bag on my counter for two to three days. They're perfect every time. The second thing is the price. I don't know what kind of magic Aldi's supply chain managers are working to get avocados so cheaply, but I will happily snag each avocado for just 55 cents, thank you very much. They sell for $1.50 at other grocery stores near me, so I'll gladly take the savings for the same piece of produce.

If you have young children in the house, you know that on-the-go pouches of fruit and veggies can serve as valuable currency. Unfortunately, they also require a lot of currency to obtain in the first place. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Aldi's selection of baby and toddler foods is small but mighty. The Little Journey baby food purees are particularly clutch. Each pouch is just $0.89 and contains all-organic ingredients in a BPA-free container. Both of those factors, plus the price, make me feel like a gold medalist in the Keeping My Child Fed and Happy Olympics. That's especially true when you consider that the cheapest organic purees I can find elsewhere sell for $1.59. When you buy at least five pouches per week, that's a savings of $3.50 without any extra effort.

My newest pouch-devourer is not a fan of banana (why?!), so the selection of flavors at Aldi is basically halved in my case. That said, I'm still able to get several varieties each week for those moments when feeding the screaming baby will solve all of the world's current problems. These purees didn't make our original list of the best Aldi foods under $3, but if you have tiny ones at home, they absolutely should.

Cheddar cheese is a pretty basic staple in my house, literally any way you slice it. I buy the blocks. We get the bags of shredded cheddar — regularly. And, we stock up on these sandwich slices frequently, too. I've been really happy with the overall quality and flavor of each one. That's especially true for the sandwich slices, which are a great thickness and have a fresh, cheesy flavor. Is this cheese anything to get overly excited about? No. But it's consistently around $1.49, about 50 cents cheaper than the store brand options at other grocery stores near me, so I'll take it.

Aldi has a surprising number of tasty pasta products through its Priano line, including this fresh tortellini in the deli section. The flavor is delicious thanks to the blend of ricotta, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses. The pasta is also tender — just make sure you don't overcook it, since fresh pasta really doesn't need more than a couple of minutes to be ready to eat. Talk about a weeknight dinner champion. Each 9-ounce container is just $2.59, which is a steal compared to the $5.99 I pay elsewhere for refrigerated pasta. I can't vouch for every Priano product (yet), but I've also been very happy with the shelf-stable potato gnocchi I've picked up occasionally.