I'll Never Buy This Aldi Popcorn Again (The Flavors Taste Dusty And Stale)

Aldi is the place where I buy almost all of my household's snacks — which, admittedly, is a lot because I keep a full shelf in my pantry stocked for my household. From pre-packed bakery treats to my favorite Emporium Selection cheeses and everything between, Aldi has what I like to keep stocked. Perhaps the only thing I don't get at the private label retailer are my Activia Yogurts, as I prefer the name brand option to the choices available at Aldi. That being said, while most of my experiences with Aldi's snack selection have been positive, there have been some unfortunately bad experiences, too. But none have been quite so terrible as when I tried Clancy's Popcorn and Kettle Corn varieties.

Since I've had other Clancy's products that I really liked, I wanted to give their various popcorn flavors a fair chance. After all, popcorn is also one of my household's favorite snacks. But, after giving the brand three separate chances that included four different flavors, I can safely say I'll never buy this Aldi popcorn again.

For the fullest disclosure, I've tried two standard flavors and two holiday treat varieties from Clancy's. During the holidays, I tried the Dark Drizzle Kettle Corn and Peppermint Flavored Kettle Corn. For standard flavors, I've sampled the White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn and Movie Theater Microwavable Popcorn. Every flavor I've tried tastes stale and dusty, as though they've been left sitting on a shelf somewhere before being bagged for consumption. It's a far cry from their potato chips, which I've always thought were fantastic.

The only popcorn that's even remotely close to being palatable is the Clancy's White Cheddar Cheese, and even that one is barely mediocre. Although I was able to finish my serving when tasting that one, I would never choose to purposefully eat it again. Unfortunately, this criticism even applies to the Clancy's Movie Theater Microwavable Popcorn, which is admittedly slightly better than the bagged options, but it's still bad. All of the brand's popcorn flavors are truly disappointing, and I don't recommend wasting your time on any of them.

Although I have only harsh criticisms about the popcorn they offer, I don't have any real issue with the Clancy's brand itself. In fact, I've enjoyed many great experiences with their potato chips, corn chips, pretzels, and other snacks.

If you're looking for a better experience with this Aldi brand, I have a few suggestions for products I've found especially fantastic. For starters, the Sea Salt Pita Chips have a delicious, starchy, salty flavor profile that comes with a satisfying crunch when you bite into them. I love pairing these with homemade tzatziki sauce or hummus.

The Original Fried Pork Rinds are as good as any name-brand option, while their Hot and Spicy Pork Rinds option is also fine — I prefer the original, but would definitely eat the spicy version again. For potato chips, I'm especially fond of their Ridged Cheddar and Sour Cream or Hint of Lime Tortilla Chips. The Pub Style Seasoned Pretzels and Cheese Puffs are also well worth trying.