The Cooked Shrimp Options You'll Find When Shopping At Aldi
The bad news is that the price of groceries is high, and possibly still rising. The good news, however, is that Aldi, the bargain-busting chain from Germany, is also growing in the U.S., including more than 400 new stores in recent years. Known for their no-frills staples and convincing copycats, Aldi is the place to go to get cheap chicken stock, knockoff Kind Bars, and even multiple types of cooked shrimp at a reasonable price.
Just because you're on a budget doesn't mean you have to skip out on serving shrimp, because Aldi has some solid deals in the frozen section. Whether you're looking to fill out a shrimp cocktail platter for a party, or just looking to get a deal on shellfish for a weeknight shrimp boil, it's definitely worth the time to stop at Aldi to see their offerings, even if it means finding a quarter for the shopping cart.
Medium, large, and jumbo shrimp
One of the things that Aldi does really well is low prices on staples, like their Kirkwood Breaded Chicken Filets (aka "Red Bag Chicken"), Simply Nature Grass Fed Beef, and Countryside Creamery Pure Irish Butter. If you're a shrimp eater, you should also be checking out their frozen fish section, because they have 12-oz. bags of medium, large, and jumbo-cooked shrimp priced between $5 and $8 depending on the size.
According to the store's website, most of their unseasoned bags of shrimp are imported and packaged under their house label, Fremont Fish Market, but they also carry medium-cooked shrimp from Sea Queen. The store claims that all of their seafood is sustainably sourced "from responsibly managed fisheries and farms," so while it's not clear where they are imported from, Aldi's shrimp passes their measure of sustainability.
In addition to the bags of cooked shrimp, you can also get a 1-lb. ring of cooked shrimp, also from the Fremont Fish Market label, for $8.79 (depending on where you live). This packaging is a party no-brainer; just let the fish thaw in the fridge, then pop the top off and serve with some cocktail sauce.
Red shrimp, seasoned skewers
If you want to elevate your shrimp spread a little bit, for a few dollars more at $10.99 you can get a 16-oz. bag of trendy Fremont Fish Market Argentine Red Shrimp. One Redditor swears that they're a solid dupe for lobster.
"Dice them up, mix in some mayo, grill a buttered New England style top split hot dog bun, maybe an iceberg lettuce leaf and a touch of Old Bay seasoning (optional) and you couldn't tell it was actually shrimp. I call it a mock lobster roll," said MacTechG4.
Aldi also carries a couple of different varieties of Fremont Fish Market flavored cooked shrimp that's been pre-skewered, which makes dinner almost effortless. You can choose from three types of 8-oz. packages including Citrus Herb, Salted Butter & Garlic, and Chipotle Sea Salt.
Shrimp is by far America's favorite seafood. In fact, we don't eat it by the piece, we eat it by the pound — as much as four pounds per year, according to the South Florida Reporter. You can combat some of the high cost of groceries and still keep plenty of shrimp on the menu by stocking up at Aldi. Plus, you can take a spin down the Aisle of Shame while you're there.