Here's What You Should Buy On Your First Trip To Aldi

Aldi opened its first American store nearly 50 years ago. In recent years, Aldi has continued to gain a steady following of dedicated shoppers in the United States, growing its presence at an impressive rate. The brand almost doubled the number of its stores in the 11 years between 2011 and 2022.

Aldi's reputation for selling quality products at low prices is no doubt the cause for this growth. Value for money has become especially important in recent years as Americans have struggled economically due to high inflation. As economic pressures remain high, and Aldi continues to undercut other grocery stores like Walmart, many Americans are turning to the store to save money on their groceries. 

However, visiting Aldi for the first time can be disorienting. Unlike many other American grocery stores, Aldi's stores are more sparse, the products are piled high, and are often left in the cardboard boxes they were shipped in. What's more, the vast majority of items sold in Aldi are private label; you will very rarely find name brands in the aisles. However, the quality and affordability of what's on the shelves more than makes up for the initial shock. Among this brilliant selection there are a few products which stand out from the rest. Keep your eye out for the following items on your first visit to Aldi and you can be sure of securing a fantastic range of groceries for a very reasonable price.

While ready meals are often celebrated at Aldi, the grocery store also offers a range of quality store cupboard essentials. Chief among these is Simply Nature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Voted the best pantry staple" by Aldi shoppers, this organic olive oil performs well as both a cooking medium and as the base for marinades and salad dressings. 

Not only does it add a fresh, peppery flavor, but extra virgin olive oil also has a myriad of health benefits as Diana Domenica Bruno, an olive oil expert explained to Foodiamo: "According to many studies, there appear to be several beneficial qualities of EVOO, including anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar controlling, and cholesterol-lowering components that, used regularly, can help combat diabetes, cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis, among other conditions. Another very recent study showed promising benefits in the fight against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease."

This particular olive oil is also certified by the North American Olive Oil Association. Oil that has achieved this certification must meet the standards set by the International Olive Council. As such, the EVOO sold by Aldi has "not undergone any treatment other than washing, decantation, centrifugation and filtration." The oil also includes an oleic acid volume of less than 0.8 grams per 100 grams. In other words, its integrity and quality is guaranteed.

Knowing whether the food you are purchasing is sustainable or not has become increasingly difficult given the abundance of sustainable certifications, claims, and badges. This is especially true when it comes to seafood. Not only is there an abundance of different certifications brands can boast, but often the brand's adherence to the required standards is not checked by the certifying body. The upshot of all this? Not all fish that are labeled as sustainable actually are.

That being said, Aldi's seafood is thought to be relatively sustainable when compared to other, similarly priced, grocery stores. For example, Greenpeace awarded Aldi an overall sustainability score of 67%. By comparison, the highest scorer of all grocery stores, Whole Foods, only achieved a score of 75%. On the other hand, Aldi's key competitors, including Kroger and Walmart, scored 45% and 55% respectively.

Aldi's Fresh Atlantic Salmon was voted "Catch of the Day" fan favorite by shoppers. The fish is Best Aquaculture Practices certified. This means it follows a set of practices that minimize the harmful impacts of fish farming on the environment. As such, this salmon is a cheap, relatively sustainable source of seafood that consumers clearly love.

When it comes to alcoholic beverages, Aldi is typically celebrated for its wine. However, the supermarket also offers world class beer. A prime example is Wernesgrüner Pilsner, a light beer stocked by Aldi that was awarded an exceptional score of 92 out of 100 by the Beverage Tasting Institute. The beer is of such a high quality that it even excited cicerone Eric Sadovnick, who told Thrillist, "It's a really impressive beer, and I think it stands up to dozens if not most of the international pilsners that have flooded the global market from Germany." He added, "the malt and hops are so well balanced. It's true to type with a nice long finish and a depth of flavor. The aroma carries over to the flavor. It's an excellent beer to not get too fussy about and drink on its own or pair with light-bodied cured or raw cuisine."

Wernesgrüner Pilsner is the highest rated beer in Aldi's portfolio and should be top of the list for any beer-inclined shopper frequenting the store. A pack of four 19-ounce cans is sold for around $6 offering incredible value for money. By comparison, a six-pack of a name brand pilsner that received a similar score from the Beverage Tasting Institute costs close to double that.

LaCroix took America by storm, nearly tripling its seltzer sales between 2009 and 2015. Of course, other brands have entered the market to compete with LaCroix's popularity – both big-name beverage companies and smaller niche brands have their own versions.

As one of the few named brands found inside Aldi, LaCroix offers new shoppers a taste of the familiar. The 12-packs come in popular flavors such as Key Lime and Razz-Cranberry. The grocery store has also gained a reputation for selling LaCroix at a competitive price, with the occasional special offer dropping the price to incredible lows.

Being Aldi, a private label alternative is sold in the form of PurAqua Belle Vie sparkling water. Offered in similar flavors, Belle Vie is a decent, cheaper alternative to LaCroix. As one Aldi shopper explained on Reddit, "At half the price of LaCroix, I think they are pretty good. I've only tried lime and grapefruit. I actually like the Belle Vie grapefruit a little better than Lacroix. The lime doesn't taste like much to me." However, it's clear LaCroix offers the most flavor of any seltzer stocked in Aldi. As a named brand at a good price, buying LaCroix in Aldi is a worthwhile choice.

Mochi-covered ice cream has been having a moment in the United States in recent years. One of the brands behind this sudden fame is My/Mochi, which is available in stores around the United States. With numerous flavors including horchata, mint chocolate chip, and cookies and cream, the small snacks – as low as 80 calorie per piece — have had great success. As Chief Marketing Officer Brigette Wolf explained, "My/Mochi has been at the forefront of making mochi accessible, fun, and easy for people to experience through its expansive ice cream offering, and now we have the runway to do so much more [...] I'm excited to really unlock the magic of mochi and bring this unique product to more people in more places."

One of these places is Aldi where you can find My/Mochi ice cream in an assortment of flavors. As one of the few named brands available in Aldi stores, My/Mochi are among the best desserts available on the shelves. And if this isn't reason enough to add them to your shopping cart, their fun textures and flavors should be.

Another product voted an Aldi fan favorite is the Specially Selected range of ready-made ravioli. This product is offered in two flavors, Classic Five Cheese or Spinach and Mozzarella. These delicious pasta products can be easily transformed into a meal by cooking and serving in a broth. As Erica Mouch, RDN explained to Livestrong, "If you want a one-dish meal, you can cook fresh or frozen ravioli in broth. Cooking it in a sauce has the potential to make the sauce more gummy. When it comes to ​ravioli en brodo​ (ravioli in broth), the extra starch isn't a negative." Another idea is to toss the ravioli in pesto and serving alongside a side salad.

Different flavors of Specially Selected ravioli, such as shrimp and crab, are often available in the frozen section of the grocery store. The variety of options, along with the product's robust flavor and short preparation time makes Specially Selected Ravioli the perfect weeknight meal. Add it to your shopping basket and thank yourself when that hectic Wednesday rolls around.