Over the past few years, I’ve evaluated hundreds of high-quality products as a judge for the Specialty Foods Association, a membership-based organization for people involved in the specialty foods industry.
Although I’ve had some seriously high-end bites, I can still appreciate the great, affordable groceries sold at retailers like Aldi.
Here are a few of my favorite things to buy at the budget grocer.
Specially Selected artisan French baguettes are great to have on hand.
Aldi’s bread selection spans the better part of an aisle, but the Specially Selected extra-long parbaked French baguette stands out.
Give it 10 minutes in a 400-degree oven, and it emerges with a crusty exterior and a doughy interior. When I don’t feel like heating up the oven, I break the bread into halves and bake it in my countertop toaster oven.
I like the French baguettes for their versatility because you can cut them lengthwise to build sandwiches, slice them on the bias for crostini, or use them to make your own garlic bread.
Each Specially Selected baguette is about $2.
The Emporium Selection Champagne cheese has a unique flavor profile.
Aldi carries a respectable range of cheeses, like bakeable brie, halloumi-style “fries,” and Gruyere from Switzerland. The chain also sells seasonal offerings, from Emporium Selection balsamic-onion to black-truffle cheddar.
One of my favorites has been the Emporium Selection Champagne cheddar. The English cheese has the pleasant aroma that many brands of Champagne have, and I can even taste the bubbly in it.
I also like the novelty of Champagne-infused cheddar because it reminds me of how the pricey beverage pairs well with humble snacks like potato chips.
For under $5, it’s a lively addition to any cheese plate.
Spice up cheese boards or toast with the Specially Selected fruit spreads.
Aldi sells Specially Selected fruit spreads year-round, though some flavors are seasonal.
These work well with cheese boards, on toast, and in baked goods. I like the seasonal sour-cherry flavor, which is sweeter than it is tart.
This one is imported from Germany, and I look for European-imported products since I notice they tend to be made with ingredients I can recognize.
The Specially Selected cheese crisps pack flavor and crunch.
Layered like buttery puff pastry and baked twice to a firm, gratifying crunch, the Specially Selected cheese crisps with Asiago and cheddar are the ultimate nibble.
Loaded with cheesy flavor, they make a fine companion to a pre-dinner cocktail or a bowl of tomato soup. The crisps are made with real flour, butter, and cheese, along with rosemary extract, which helps preserve freshness.
These seasonal bites are typically stacked in the artisan cracker section in the wintertime.
Baker’s Corner sweetened condensed milk makes velvety coffee drinks and desserts.
I keep sweetened condensed milk in the house for when I have a hankering for Vietnamese iced coffee. It’s simply milk and sugar with more than half of the liquid evaporated, but it adds a creamy texture and stability to desserts like Key lime pie or tres leches cake.
Aldi sells a few different types of sweetened condensed milk. Baker’s Corner, one of its house brands, sells a 14-ounce can for under $2.
Once it’s opened, I transfer the leftover sweetened condensed milk into another container to keep in the fridge for up to a month.
The Simply Nature organic multigrain tortilla chips can be part of a filling snack or side.
The Simply Nature organic multigrain tortilla chips are great with salsa if you want a filling snack or side.
The corn-flour tortilla chips are surprisingly hearty and flecked with flax and other seeds.
An 8-¼-ounce bag of chips costs around $2.
I like that Simply Nature thick-and-chunky salsa is loaded with vegetables.
The Simply Nature thick and chunky salsa contains visible pieces of chopped tomato, peppers, onion, and garlic. I’ve tried the medium-level heat, and much to my delight, it was hotter than I expected.
In the past, I’ve been able to snag a 16-ounce jar of salsa for $2.15.
Simply Nature chia seeds are useful for vegan cooking and baking.
I think the Simply Nature chia seeds, which are high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, are a great addition to almost any diet.
When soaked in liquid for at least 20 minutes, chia seeds develop a gelatinous coating that makes them easy to turn into puddings.
I use them to replace eggs in vegan recipes: A tablespoon of chia seeds in 3 tablespoons of water is equal to one egg.
They also work as a binder for ground, plant-based proteins and baking recipes.
Pueblo Lindo dried beans are a good pantry staple.
At Aldi, I’ll grab a bag or two of whatever dried beans I find. On this trip, I grabbed Pueblo Lindo black beans.
High in fiber and protein and free of fat and sodium, dried beans can be used in a variety of recipes. I buy the dried kind since canned beans may have added salt.
I always check dried beans for pebbles or other detritus and rinse them well. To rehydrate, I do a quick soak: bring them to a boil, cover, remove from heat, let them sit for an hour, and drain.
I snagged some organic Bartlett pears from Aldi’s produce section.
Aldi’s produce aisle is always worth looking through for a regional specialty or sale. This time, I found a 2-pound sack of organic Northwest US Bartlett pears.
The pears looked like autumn in a bowl on my kitchen table, waiting to be eaten in salads or as dessert.
The sack of pears cost me under $5.
Baby portabella mushrooms can be turned into a tasty side dish.
Aldi sometimes has great mushrooms available, too.
On this trip, I picked up an 8-ounce box of locally grown baby portabella mushrooms.
I used the mushrooms to make one of my favorite side dishes by slicing them and stir-frying them with a dash of oil, soy sauce, and honey until the liquid reduced to a glaze.
The baby portabella mushrooms cost me less than $2.
Keep reading Aldi diaries like this one.
This story was originally published in 2023 and most recently updated on April 16, 2026.
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The post I’m a culinary judge who shops at Aldi. Here are 11 things I’ve bought and loved. appeared first on Business Insider.
