The Chicken Broth Shoppers Avoid Buying At Aldi

Aldi is known for stocking no-frills products, the best kitchen finds, and private label brands that are affordable yet delicious. However, there's one staple item that shoppers are avoiding in droves due to its unpalatable flavor: Simply Nature Organic Chicken Bone Broth. On a Reddit thread devoted to discussing its taste, this product was described as "revolting", "disgusting," and a "major fail". The original disappointed poster explained, "My meals have been exceptionally bitter. It turns out the culprit is this fowl bone broth! Do not buy!"

Meanwhile, another Redditor said, "I haven't had an issue with Aldi broths before. But this specific variety was new for me. I don't know if they burned the chicken bones before they made this batch, but I'll steer clear of this specific flavor from now on." A follow-up commenter said, "I got this once for my dog when she was sick to hydrate her and she eats any and everything and even she didn't want anything to do with it. It's truly fowl smelling and tasting I do not know why." These poor reviews are surprising given that Aldi's Simply Nature Organic Chicken Bone Broth contains only two components: organic chicken stock and organic chicken flavor.

There's no extra information on the carton of the bone broth to explain what the organic chicken flavor consists of. However, one customer inquired about the ingredients for food sensitivity reasons and posted the reply from Aldi's customer service on Reddit: "The Natural Flavor in Simply Nature Organic Chicken Bone broth, is created using a proprietary blend of ingredients. Although the exact composition cannot be disclosed, it is confirmed that it does not contain onion or garlic." Perhaps it's the lack of these aromatics that accounts for the bitter flavor and unusual smell of Aldi's bone broth?

Aldi's Simply Nature line carries a low-sodium version of chicken broth, which might be a better alternative. The ingredients in this product include an organic vegetable stock (made of carrots, onions, celery, and sea salt), turmeric, and cane sugar, suggesting it likely has a different flavor profile and richer color. 

A fat-free and reduced-sodium chicken broth is available too under the Chef's Cupboard branding, which includes yeast and caramelized onion flavor along with chicken stock, which presumably gives it a deeper umami character and aroma. While neither of these alternatives is a classic bone broth, they can be used in a similar fashion to add flavor to a tortellini soup, an Italian chicken casserole, or a quick pan sauce. Alternatively, make your own batch of bone broth by roasting the bones of a chicken carcass and boiling them with seasonings.