Aldi has become one of those stores you either already love or are just starting to discover. The prices are hard to argue with, and the quality, when you know what to grab, can genuinely surprise you.
The tricky part is knowing which items are worth your time and money. So four professional chefs shared the products they reach for every single time they walk through the door.
The Chefs Who Weighed In
The panel includes Barry Miles, a culinary advisor for Cargill with extensive restaurant experience across the country. Rena Awada is the head chef and food blogger behind Healthy Fitness Meals. JD Alewine is a former sushi chef who now runs the food blog Them Bites with his wife, Maddy. And Rachel Kirk is a recipe developer with more than ten years of experience creating easy recipes for home cooks.
4 Staples the Chefs Always Buy
Emporium Selection Aged Reserve New York White Cheddar Cheese ($2.75) — Rachel Kirk calls this her go-to for charcuterie platters because it is such a crowd-pleaser. She describes it as mildly flavored, not too sharp, but with a slight bite. She also uses it as a shredded topping on soups and casseroles.
Simply Nature Organic Chicken Broth ($2.15) — Chef Rena Awada says this quietly makes everything better. She uses it as a base for soups and stews, for braising vegetables, cooking grains, and deglazing pans. She says the price for the quality makes it something you want six of in the pantry at all times.
Fresh Atlantic Salmon Portions (about $9 per pound) — Former sushi chef JD Alewine loves these for an easy, healthy dinner. They come in vacuum-sealed packages sold by weight. His approach is simple: season them and put them in the oven with a sheet pan full of vegetables.
USDA Choice Birria-Style Beef — Chef Barry Miles says this makes the popular Mexican dish accessible to home cooks without a lot of work. He calls it the kind of meal that feels restaurant-quality but fits into real life. His method is simple: toss it in the slow cooker.
3 More Finds Worth Adding to Your Cart
- Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce — The chefs agree Aldi carries this fan-favorite sauce at the best price around. If you cannot find it, they suggest Aldi’s own Specially Selected Marinara Pasta Sauce as a solid alternative at half the price.
- Dried Pasta — Aldi carries standard shapes like spaghetti and penne, but also occasionally stocks specialty finds like Specially Selected Bronze-Cut Paccheri Rigati and Fusilloni. The chefs say if you spot either of those, put them in your cart right away.
- Mama Cozzi’s Pizza Kitchen Pepperoni Deli Pizza — Any of Aldi’s frozen pizzas are a good pick, but the chefs single this one out as a repeat buy. It is great on its own or dressed up with extra toppings like onions, bacon, or broccoli.
The chefs say the best approach at Aldi is to look for items that add real flavor without much extra work. That means pasta sauces, seasoning blends, and ready-to-cook proteins.
With this list in hand, your next Aldi trip should be a little faster and a lot more delicious.