15 Gotta-Have-It Aldi Foods That Can Save You Money

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If you're looking for a grocery store guaranteed to save you money versus your local go-to supermarket, Aldi is what you're looking for. This is especially true if you currently use any of the nation's most expensive grocery stores, including Whole Foods Market, Publix, and Acme Markets, among others. While most Aldi foods are affordable, not all of them are fantastic — a few of the worst products they stock include the Simply Nature Hearts of Palm Angel Hair Pasta and the Black Angus Choice Petite Sirloin, which just isn't worth buying. But what about the best foods? The ones that are both affordable and exceptionally delicious?

After testing, researching, and ranking numerous Aldi products for Daily Meal, I have the chance to share with you 16 gotta-have-it foods that can save you money without sacrificing price. Beyond my experience with Aldi here, I'm uniquely suited to this task thanks to an extensive background in the food industry, where I cross-trained in hot foods and baking.

To provide you with the best recommendations, I considered each food's taste and pricing. The pricing was directly compared to that of my local grocery store, ShopRite, in Vineland, New Jersey. Keep in mind that exact pricing can vary from one location to another. Now, without further ado, let's get into them.

The Breakfast Best Original Sausage Patties cost $8.99 at my local Aldi for 18 patties, which (in my experience) can last a standard family of four between four and seven days with regular eating. The price per unit is about 28 cents, which is the same as similar products at my local ShopRite. However, there are two reasons why I think these are the better choice.

First and most importantly, these sausage patties are better tasting than the name-brand options sold at ShopRite. They have a deep umami pork profile balanced and mellowed by added turkey. They're well-seasoned and produce less grease than competitors. I've found these to be great on their own as a breakfast side or as part of a breakfast sandwich with egg, cheese, and homemade buttermilk biscuits.

Second, you can buy these sausage patties in bulk, which I think is nice. I'm always a fan of buying my food this way when possible because it's often cheaper. While these may have the same price per unit, buying larger amounts means fewer trips to the grocery store, which can mean less gas costs — and it can result in time savings, too. You could even purchase two of these packs because they stay well in the freezer, in my experience.

Since meat is so expensive, it's a great place to save money when you know which specific Aldi products are worthwhile. While there are some meats you should avoid buying at Aldi, like the lowest-ranked ground meat in a recent taste test, this 80/20 ground beef isn't one of them.  In my experience, this ground beef is just as good (if not better) than other options I've had. It breaks apart well during cooking, browns nicely, and has a robust umami flavor. I've used it in pasta sauce, meatloaf, and beef gravy with great success.

The price per pound of Aldi's ground meat is $4.59, whereas a similar product is $5.44 per pound at ShopRite. A pack of between two and three pounds will run you around $10 to $15 and is enough for two meals if you want to split it. If you do want to split it, I highly recommend investing in a high-quality vacuum sealer like the one by Potane. This will help prevent freezer burn and food spoilage during storage.

Nature Sweet Cherub Tomatoes aren't an Aldi-specific food, but it's one you'll find in the produce department most of the time. When you do, make sure to snag a container (or two) because it's the exact same product you'll find in other stores. The only difference is that, at $2.75, these snacking tomatoes are about $1.50 cheaper than what I've paid at my local ShopRite. I've personally used this cost difference as an excuse to get two packs instead of one. Girl math tells me it's basically like buying one and getting one half off, which is a deal I can't pass up.

This is the brand of tomatoes I purchase anytime I can't get Jersey Tomatoes from the local farmer's market. They're sweet and perfectly bite-sized, making them an excellent snack — I can't tell you how many times I've stood at my fridge and grabbed a few because I was hungry but didn't want to make anything. They're also excellent in salads and cook well in stir-fries and loaded scrambled egg dishes.

As someone who has baked countless croissants at home and in commercial bakeries, I've become very picky with store-bought options. So, when I recommend these Specially Selected All Butter Croissants, know it's because they're among the very best store-bought croissants I've ever had — and my whole family enjoys them, too. The best part is they're only $4.09 for a six-pack and work out to be about 34 cents an ounce. At ShopRite, a similar product costs more than double that, at 71 cents an ounce.

Although I enjoy eating these alone or as a side for meals, my favorite thing is to stuff other foods inside of these croissants to create soft, flaky sandwiches. Use eggs and bacon to make a breakfast sandwich or heat up some apple pie filling to create an exceptionally decadent, sweet dessert sandwich. For something truly mouthwatering, consider upgrading your canned apple pie filling by augmenting it with molasses and thickening it with some cornstarch. Trust me, the extra steps are well worth it.

At $3.95, this product is at a similar price point to Italian loaves available at my New Jersey ShopRite. However, none of the Italian breads I've tasted from ShopRite hold a candle to this one. This Specially Selected Italian Loaf was the best-ranked Aldi bread in a recent taste test, and with great reason. It's the very best store-bought Italian bread I've ever eaten, hands down, and my family enjoys it so much I can't keep it stocked in the house.

I like to make sandwiches with this Italian bread because it has a nice thickness and a dense crust that's flavorful rather than dry. One of my favorite options with this bread is to layer Italian meats, provolone cheese, and thin tomato slices after spreading a mayo and mustard combination. However, my children love when I use this to make grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, and I love how nicely it toasts.

This Specially Selected Slow Cooked Baked Potato Soup comes in a single-serving container, similar to the Panera Bread soups you can find in some supermarkets. A container costs $2.99, which is about four dollars cheaper than similar options at ShopRite. This soup, paired with a few slices of the crusty Italian bread on this list, makes a convenient, easy lunch that's also super affordable at less than $5 a serving.

If you're on the fence about trying this Specially Selected product, you should know it was ranked as the best Aldi soup in a recent taste test. The soup overall is hearty and creamy, with a thick, flavorful base. Generously interspersed chunks of potato and bacon add textural interest while making the soup more filling. I do recommend adding a tiny bit of salt and pepper to help deepen the flavor profile, but that's a personal preference and you may like it just fine without.

Aldi is well-known for having several copycat products that taste like the real thing, and these can be a great way to save money without sacrificing quality. And, if you're a hot sauce fan, you'll want to grab Aldi Burman's Hot Sauce because it's a Frank's RedHot copycat. Your taste buds won't be able to tell the difference, but your wallet will. At $1.65, this Burman's Hot Sauce is only about a quarter the price of the real deal.

Burman's features a perfect balance of flavor and spice, unlike some other hot sauce brands that just burn without any notable taste. There are hints of citrus and butter, with light sweet notes and a distinctly acidic kick. You can use this anywhere you'd use any other hot sauce, but I especially like the flavor profile for homemade buffalo chicken dip alongside shredded chicken, cream cheese, and blue cheese dressing.

Season's Choice Has Brown Patties make breakfast easier by providing a delicious, filling starch in just a few minutes. An earthy potato flavor dominates, with the lightest hints of oil that largely cooks out during microwaving or oven-baking (if you prefer). This is nice since a dominant oil taste ruins many other frozen hash brown patty options for me. Since these aren't well seasoned, I do recommend adding some salt and pepper before cooking, at a minimum. Personally, I also add garlic powder, onion powder, and a very light sprinkle of paprika.

At $5.49, this is about two dollars cheaper than comparable options at my local ShopRite. Since this is convenient, versatile, and tastes the same as name-brand options, you'll definitely want to add it to your grocery list. Consider making a hash brown casserole by layering these along the bottom of a casserole dish and seasoning. Add crumbled sausage, fresh spinach, diced tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and whisked raw egg over top before baking.

If you're not familiar with prosciutto, it's dry-cured ham that's popularly used in Italian cuisine and sometimes even eaten by itself. And, it's my personal expensive treat when I'm craving something salty. I say expensive because at ShopRite, a small portion of this is over six dollars. However, this Appleton Farms Prosciutto is about two dollars less at $4.39. Plus, it's minimally processed, with no artificial ingredients and made with only two ingredients — pork meat and sea salt.

I personally eat a slice of this meat alone, or maybe with a few pieces of sliced cheese. But, you should be warned that it's very salty and each serving (about 1.5 pieces) contains 22% of your daily sodium. So, this isn't a good choice for anyone who needs to watch their salt intake. The salt isn't as defined when you use prosciutto in a dish like pasta salad or make a sandwich with it.

If you're looking for something to pair those Season's Choice Hash Browns with, this is your answer. Another quick, microwavable breakfast option, the Breakfast Best Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Croissants are only $5.99 — and this makes them a little less than half the price of similar options at ShopRite. They have a perfectly balanced flavor profile consisting of savory sausage, dense egg, rich cheese, and a starchy croissant with heavy buttery notes.

The convenience here is even better than the price, in my opinion. These are a lifesaver on those mornings when everyone is running late to school or work. I hate the idea of sending everyone out for their days without a warm breakfast, so these are the perfect compromise. Since the hash browns I suggest also microwave quickly, it's easy to heat those up at the same time — place both the hash browns and sandwiches in coffee filters or paper towels to make them extra portable without the mess. 

The Little Salad Bar Italian Salad mix is made with romaine lettuce and radicchio. At $1.89, this is the exact same thing as name-brand salad mixes at about half the price. Honestly, I don't know what to say other than the earthy lettuce is fresh and delicious, offering a super easy way to throw together a supper side. It's also a healthy quick option with zero grams of saturated fat.

My suggestion is to upgrade this salad mix with your favorite toppings. For an affordable upgraded salad experience, consider pairing this with other gotta-have-it Aldi foods like Nature Sweet Cherub Tomatoes and the Appleton Farms Prosciutto — cut the tomatoes in halves or quarters and thinly slice the meat. Other topping ideas not on this list could include your favorite candied nuts with fresh sliced strawberries, or ground meat generously seasoned with your favorite spices.

Looking for an affordable filler snack for your children's school lunches? Or maybe a small something you can keep in your purse or briefcase for those times you're hungry without time or access to a real meal? In either case, these Lunch Buddies Assorted Fruit Flavor Snacks are exactly what you're looking for — and even better, they're astoundingly affordable. You get 50 packs for $8.99, which comes out to only about 18 cents a pack. At ShopRite, a similar name-brand option is 32 cents a pack.

These are comparatively healthier than some alternatives. Lunch Buddies makes them with real fruit juice and no artificial flavors. The gummies are free of peanuts, saturated fat, gluten, and sodium. Oh, and they're absolutely delicious, which is the most important thing, of course. These fruit snacks feature a robust fruity flavor profile that embodies the raspberry, orange, strawberry, green apple, and grape highlighted on the box. A soft, chewy texture offers a nice give when you bite paired with a medium mouthfeel.

Here is another product that is the exact same thing as what you'll find at your local supermarket, but cheaper. At Aldi, the Bob Evans Pork Sausage Links cost $5.66, but at ShopRite, the exact same product in the exact same size is two dollars more expensive. Choosing the cheaper of the two options is a no-brainer.

While I'm not as big a fan of the Bob Evans Pork Sausage Patties, I think these links are fantastic. They are a bit greasy, but if you lay them on a plate lined with napkins after cooking, this helps considerably. You can also pat the tops if need be, although I never personally feel like that's necessary. These sausages have a light savory meatiness accented with heavy seasonings and the faintest surprising buttery hints. When grilled or pan-fried, they develop a complementing char overlay that really pulls the other flavors together.

Fremont Fish Market has some Aldi frozen shrimp options that are basically restaurant quality, and it's my opinion that these Jumbo Cooked Shrimp rank among those. For me, the best parts are that these are pre-cooked and super versatile. Being pre-cooked means they take less time, making them perfect for when I want shrimp but I'm in a hurry. Plus, they're plain and unseasoned, so you can add whatever spices you want and use them in a wide array of dishes. I've personally used them in pasta dishes, sandwiches, and in sauce over rice with great results. My favorite seasonings for these shrimp are Old Bay and Cajun. 

Shrimp can be really expensive, which is why I don't indulge as much as I'd like. However, these are only $6.85 a bag, which is literally ten to 20 dollars cheaper than similar products at ShopRite. These savings means that I can indulge more often without breaking the bank.

I couldn't find anything exactly the same as this Priano Genoa Salami and Provolone Cheese Tray at ShopRite. All their options were different sizes or products, making it challenging to properly compare. However, I found party trays and sandwich filling trays ranging from about $15 and up. While the sizes may be dissimilar, the fact that you can get such a small serving for such a low cost at Aldi is the real boon here. This small salami and cheese tray costs $3.19 and is enough for two sandwiches.

My favorite way to use this tray is for my own personal lunch between work projects. I take the Italian bread recommended on this list and spread mayo and mustard with a dash of salt and pepper. Then I add my toppings from this tray plus a few thin slices of tomato and some fresh greens. I definitely recommend you try it.