Easily Replicate A McDonald's Quarter Pounder With Nothing But Aldi Products
Introduced in the 1970s, the idea behind McDonald's Quarter Pounder is simple: If a customer wants a hamburger that's bigger than what they would expect, they'd order one with a 4-ounce beef patty. Today, the Quarter Pounder stands as one of McDonald's most recognizable menu items, right up there alongside its famous shoestring fries, the Big Mac, and the Happy Meal. In 2018 alone, McDonald's had sold over 40 million Quarter Pounders, testifying to the incredible popularity of the beloved burger.
But, even if you're a big fan of the Quarter Pounder, you probably don't want to take time out of your day to drive to your local McDonald's just to order the burger. Besides, you don't want to keep shelling out money to the Golden Arches all the time, especially with inflation and rising food prices. What you want would be a way to prepare that famous Quarter Pounder (or at least make something that's as close to it as possible) in the comfort of your own home. Fortunately, there are plenty of copycat recipes that proudly claim that they can provide the steps to produce a pretty good Quarter Pounder — although, your main problem would then be ingredients. You don't want to spend a bundle of money just to make something you could get with fries and a drink for only a few bucks. That's why you may want to visit your local Aldi store and stock up on some key items.
The buns are the key ingredient you'll need at Aldi
The main reason Aldi is the place to look for your ingredients is simple: they're cheap. Of course, you needn't worry that just because of the prices you'll be getting something of low quality. Indeed, as one TikTok user explains, you'll find that these Quarter Pounder ingredients will be just what you're looking for.
Per fitness influencer Bec Hardgrave, you should look for a package of "Specially Selected Sliced Brioche Burger Buns" first and foremost, as these are stated to taste almost exactly like the types of buns McDonald's uses. The other ingredients, such as lean ground beef, pickles, smoked cheddar cheese, and onions, can also be purchased at Aldi, though Hardgrave doesn't give too many specifics on any special brands. Once you've assembled all the items, Hardgrave instructs viewers to take 100 grams (or about 3.5 ounces) of lean beef, press it down flat in your pan, and top it with the cheddar cheese to let it melt. After cooking the burger, top it with lettuce, pickles, chopped onions, ketchup, and mustard.
Hardgrave also has a similar recipe for making the Big Mac as well, which uses the same type of brioche buns as directed in her recipe for the Quarter Pounder. In the event you may be unable to find them, you can substitute them with other types you can find at your Aldi.
Aldi once had a McDonald's-inspired menu
If you were told that there's no connection between Aldi and McDonald's, you probably wouldn't question it. After all, the only link you know is that you can make a Quarter Pounder out of Aldi products. However, Aldi actually has its own version of McDonald's menu items, inspired by the Big Mac, hash browns, and McNuggets.
In 2022, Aldi UK announced it was releasing a "McDonald's-inspired menu," consisting of "copycat" items based on popular McDonald's products. These include a box of chicken nuggets, hash browns, and something called the "Big Stack" burger, which consists of a hamburger with three buns, two beef patties, cheese, and lettuce — very similar to the classic Big Mac. Even the store's boxes bear a striking resemblance to the take-out containers you'd usually get at McDonald's. Aldi's even boasted that its options were actually cheaper compared to the already low price point of the fast food chain.
Rebecca Lockwood and Sophie Finnegan of ChronicleLive tried Aldi's selections for themselves and seemed pleasantly surprised by them. While they did admit that McDonald's couldn't be beaten, with only Aldi's hash browns beating out McDonald's classic potato patties, Aldi's choices were very good for what they were worth. If you wanted to save money or get something as close to McDonald's as possible in your own home, Aldi's groceries would be a good choice.