Healthy Finds for Less at Aldi

I'll admit, I never really gave Aldi much of a chance until more recently. I just assumed everything there was cheap, and full of junk. And a lot of it is. But some of it isn’t. Aldi has recently added an organic line, as well as a new gluten-free line of foods. Who knew? I’m super excited to see more stores adding items with less chemicals and unnecessary ingredients. Our dollars are votes!

I try to buy organic when I can. Our bodies are so overloaded with toxins nowadays, I just feel I need to do what I can (within reason) to not add to that burden. However, the new gluten-free line, Live G-Free, is what got me in there. The kids’ recent allergy tests showed that we should probably stay away from wheat and dairy for a while, as well as a few other things. Panic started setting in. What am I going to feed them? They are typical picky-eater kids. So, I set out to find some gluten-free replacements to their favorite foods and snacks. I couldn’t believe how expensive they were!

One day I ended up at Aldi and was pleasantly surprised. Hidden amongst the typical junky foods, were decent substitutes for A LOT of the items we buy all the time…for A LOT less! Below are a few of the items I started buying at Aldi.

Note:  Prices may have changed since this post was written.


Organic Grass Fed Ground Beef - $5.99

I usually buy this from a farm cooperative, but if I run out, this is a great alternative. With the beef prices skyrocketing, this is a good price for a pound of this quality of meat.



Fruit Spread - $1.69

I typically buy something like All Fruit with no extra sugar added. This little guy fit the bill perfectly.



Organic, Unrefined, Cold-pressed Coconut Oil - $4.99

Super healthy oil.  Good price. 



El Milagro Tortilla Chips - $2.39

I normally only buy organic when it comes to anything corn because of GMOs, but if you are in a pinch and don’t have time to go to another store, these are GMO-free, and restaurant quality.



Organic Crushed or Diced Tomatoes $1.49

I prefer to buy any kind of tomato product in glass jars because the acid causes the BPA to leech from the can liner, but these will work if they are not available. Great for chili!



Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes $1.29

I also use these in my chili. That Fire Roasted part gives it a really nice flavor!



Fruit Cups - $1.69

Eating the whole fruit is WAY better, but I will get these for the occasional lunch box treat or snack. They are not organic, but neither are the ones you buy at a regular grocery store, typically. Aldi has a few varieties that are in 100% juice: peaches, tropical fruit, mandarin oranges, and pineapples. Avoid the stuff in the syrups- yuck.



Unsweetened Almond Milk – $2.49

This is the same thing as the name brands, but cheaper. This is great for protein shakes, in coffee, or in cereal. I noticed they just recently added coconut milk, too. If they get an unsweetened version, I’ll be trying that, too.


Organic Salsa $1.99

We like mild. It tastes similar to Tostitos salsa, but it’s organic and cheaper. Win-win.



Gluten-Free Coco Loco Bars - $2.49

These are gluten-free, soy-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and nut free…but not taste free, surprisingly. The kids say they taste like a brownie. These are perfect for an occasional portable treat. They also carry two other flavors.


Organic Pasta Sauce $1.79

Tastes good!



Organic Pumpkin Flax Granola Cereal - $2.79

While not as cheap as their other junk cereals, it’s organic and has good fat and protein. It’s a small box, but it’s very dense and filling. And it’s delicious.

Organic Apple Juice - $2.49

Apples are higher in pesticides, so I am glad to find it organic. We add a splash of juice to the kids water.



Brown Rice Spaghetti - $1.89

A must have if you are avoiding gluten.



Lunchmeat – Uncured, No Nitrates, No Antibiotics - $2.99

This is a pretty good price for this type of meat. Applegate lunchmeat will run you $4.99-$5.99 per package.



Dark Chocolate Morsels - $1.79

60% cacao. Same ingredients as the “better” brands. Made in a nut-free facility.


PRODUCE

Aldi will typically have a small selection of organic produce. If you buy a lot of produce every week, and you want organic, you may have to supplement somewhere else.


Organic Grape Tomatoes $2.49

We use these on salads and in my son’s lunch.



Organic Baby Carrots - $1.29

Organic Gala Apples - $4.69

Apples seem to be getting more expensive, so I was glad to see this cheaper bulk bag



Organic Raspberries - $2.39

This is a good price for organic.


Bananas - $1.54

Aldi does sometimes carry organic bananas, however, I typically buy conventional for bananas. Check out the list of the “Dirty Dozen” most pesticide-contaminated fruits and vegetables. This list will help you to determine which produce items are the most important to buy organic. Aldi does carry a decent selection of conventional produce.


Bag of Cuties (Seedless Mandarin Oranges) $4.99

These suckers are getting really expensive, too. This is not a bad price for this whole bag.


These are just a handful of the items that you can find cheaper at Aldi. There are also hundreds more commonly-used items, such as spices, baking staples, personal care products, meat, frozen foods, canned and dried beans, dairy, and even wine/beer. J While I do still need to visit Costco or Whole Foods for certain things, I can make these trips a lot less frequently now. Why not give Aldi a chance and save yourself some green?


UPDATE:
Since I wrote this post, Aldi has exploded with quadruple the amount of organic and gluten-free items!  Go check it out!!  Prices subject to change.