Fish with ties to North Korea? Horse meat lasagne? While you may think you know your
local Aldi inside and out, there are probably still a few secrets lurking around every aisle.
Want a good grocery store scandal? Just tell consumers that the beef in their favorite
frozen pasta isn't actually beef. It's horse meat. That's exactly what happened to Aldi
in 2013 when it was discovered that one of its suppliers was using horse meat in place
of beef in Today's Special frozen beef lasagne and Today's Special frozen spaghetti bolognese,
which were both sold in stores in Europe. The supplier in question,
Comigel, was replacing the beef with horse meat in varying quantities.
"Saturday the British government held an emergency meeting to discuss the horse meat crisis."
The problem didn't just affect Aldi, though. Comigel produced several different brands of
frozen foods that contained horse meat that same year. Comigel further passed
the blame to its suppliers, though, who were supposedly sourcing the horse meat
from Romania. While eating horse meat on its own isn't dangerous, the scandal did raise
concerns about the food containing veterinary drugs that could pose a health risk to humans.
Could a package of Aldi frozen fish have been secretly supporting North Korea? At one point,
that was a possibility. According to a 2017 story from the Associated Press, North Korea outsourced
workers to China, where those employees then worked in seafood processing plants. That seafood
then made its way to stores around the globe — including Aldi locations in the United States.
As a result, the AP declared, purchasing select seafood from Aldi could have helped
North Korea not only enslave its own people but also develop nuclear weapons. The money
made its way from the grocery store to those North Korean workers, who were forced to give
the majority of their wages to the North Korean government. The particular Aldi items affected,
according to the AP, included Sea Queen products — an Aldi exclusive brand that offers frozen shrimp.
All the publicity prompted a broader crackdown, with the U.S. government issuing an advisory in
2018 that banned American companies from having North Korean workers involved anywhere in their
supply chains. These days, Aldi's website lays out its policies detailing its commitment to
certain standards in its supply chains when it comes to human rights and fair labor practices.
Aldi's frozen fish selection receives rave reviews. Take,
for example, the Fremont Fish Market beer-battered filets, which boast an
obsessive fanbase. And if you have your doubts about buying frozen fish instead of fresh,
push those doubts aside. As one dietician told Well+Good, frozen fish can actually be
more nutritious than so-called fresh fish in your grocery store thanks to the rapid freezing process
that gives you all the nutrients of a truly fresh fish, just days, or even weeks, later.
"Hey, get out of here!"
The "red bag chicken," aka Aldi's Kirkwood brand breaded chicken breast filets,
boasts its own cult following within the broader Aldi fan base. There's even a
private Facebook group dedicated to just the chicken alone, with more than 25,000 members.
So what makes this Aldi frozen chicken so good? Well, according to its fans, the chicken is wildly
similar to the breaded filet that you'll find on Chick-fil-A's chicken sandwiches. That doesn't
mean that this product is only good on sandwiches, though. Fans report that, beyond pairing them
with a fluffy bun, the chicken filets are also excellent on pasta and salads or with sauces and
vegetables. Plus, on top of being versatile, the filets can also be cooked in a variety of ways,
either in an air fryer, in a pan on the stovetop, in the oven, or just in the microwave.
Move over, Chick-fil-A. The chicken chain isn't the only fast-food brand that Aldi has taken
on. The grocery store recently introduced its Oakhurst French Fries, which, by the looks of the
packaging, aren't even trying to be subtle with the bold font choices and bright red fry boxes.
However, it doesn't seem that these McDonald's copycat fries are having
quite the same success as the red bag chicken. After trying
the fries along with some Aldi chicken nuggets, one Facebook reviewer said,
"Didn't think the fries were anything great — certainly no better than regular frozen fries."
Of course, it's worth noting that a lot of what makes a french fry good
is the cooking process. A frozen fry is going to be different, texture-wise,
based on whether it's baked, fried, air fried, or cooked another way — so maybe this
new product needs just a little more at-home testing before reviewers come to a verdict.
Just like the red bag chicken may mimic what you'll find between sandwich buns at
a certain fast food chain, the ice cream in the Aldi freezer aisle can go head to
head with some of America's favorite name brands, including Ben & Jerry's and Klondike.
According to some Reddit users, the Belmont-brand chocolate brownie-infused ice cream dubbed "Make
Fudge, Not War" is every bit as good as the Ben & Jerry's equivalent. Another commenter noted that
the Aldi's Sundae Shoppe Ice Cream Bars are far superior to Klondike. Multiple users on the same
thread also mentioned just how affordable Aldi ice cream is compared to what you'll find elsewhere.
"I like ice cream a whole lot."
As anyone who follows a gluten-free diet will tell you, finding gluten-free items in most major
grocery chains can be a pain. Typically, there's not a lot of variety; however, that's not the case
at Aldi. In fact, the Aldi freezer aisle boasts a huge array of gluten-free items. Additionally,
just like the rest of the store, the freezer aisle is constantly getting new products,
including gluten-free items, so you always have something to look forward to. According to one
gluten-free shopper reporting for Insider, some of the best frozen gluten-free eats to
pick up at Aldi include the Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen cauliflower crust pizzas.
Aldi's gluten-free products boast their own following. There are plenty of
social media accounts keeping followers updated on the best gluten-free eats,
new gluten-free products to come, and more.
Some of Aldi's past frozen delights haven't received the same fanfare and love as others,
but they're still plenty unique. Such is the case with Aldi's frozen sushi.
Introduced in 2021, Aldi's frozen sushi came in multiple varieties,
like a spicy crab roll and a Philadelphia roll. All you had to do was thaw the sushi and then
serve. The Adventures in Aldi Instagram account posted about the offerings at the time and,
as expected, reviews were mixed. Some said they absolutely loved the frozen sushi,
while others complained that the frozen rice's texture just wasn't up to par.
This product is an example of how just because you can do something doesn't mean
you should. While you can safely freeze and store sushi for up to three months,
freezing sushi rolls often negatively affects the texture. Ingredients like
rice and nori paper just don't hold up well under frozen conditions.
"Anyone want sushi?"
If you've been an Aldi fan for a while, then you are likely well aware that the
store rotates its products regularly and is constantly introducing new items while
discontinuing others. Although this is a great thing if you're always on the
hunt for the latest and greatest grocery items, it can be devastating if you fall
in love with one particular product that ends up on the chopping block.
The good news? While Aldi probably won't halt this method of keeping inventory fresh anytime soon,
there is a telltale sign that your favorite freezer items are going away soon. Just look
at the product's shelf tag and search for a handwritten "D." If so, that means that the
Aldi item is being discontinued, giving you a clue that it's time to stockpile. That said,
there's no clear indicator of how much supply the store has left,
so you may possibly still have a while to stock up … but do you really want to take your chances?
Shopping the Aldi freezer aisle is a decision you can feel good about because it is very
environmentally friendly. In 2019 — as the brand reported in a press release — Aldi was
recognized for its leadership in making grocery refrigeration more sustainable. At that time,
many of its stores had achieved GreenChill certification, which recognizes that a store meets
Environmental Protection Agency criteria for types of refrigerants used and a reduction in emissions.
But environmentally smart refrigeration isn't the only way that Aldi stores help the planet.
In 2018, the brand's solar production prevented the release of carbon dioxide
emissions that were the equivalent of driving a car cross-country more than
12,000 times. Aldi is also expected to become the first major U.S. store to eliminate plastic
grocery bags entirely, which will remove more than 4 tons of plastic from circulation each year.
Decisions like these have made Aldi among the most sustainable grocery stores in the country.
"Yeah, I'm really excited."
Walk into an Aldi store, and your immediate thought might be that the
layout is a bit wonky. However, it turns out that there's a good reason why every
aisle is where it's at. Unlike some grocery stores that formulate their layouts based on
what will make you spend the most money, Aldi puts its customers' needs first.
As an Aldi spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia, its stores place canned items right up front so
that they go in your cart first. Meanwhile, softer items are located toward the back of
the store. This means you're not throwing canned goods on top of your bread or produce in a way
that leaves you with a squashed loaf or bruised fruit. And the freezer and fridge aisles are
last for multiple reasons: one, it keeps all your cold stuff together in the cart and, two,
it means your frozen and refrigerated items spend less time at room temperature while you shop.
Yes, there are plenty of healthy foods that you can pick up at Aldi. But there are also
some really unhealthy frozen foods at this grocery chain that you probably shouldn't
buy if you're watching your fat, sodium, or carb intake. Unfortunately, some of these frozen foods
are masked as healthy ones. Take, for example, the Whole & Simple Turkey Sausage & Spinach
Omelet Breakfast Bites. With 13 grams of protein per serving, they may sound healthy,
but a closer look shows that these omelet breakfast bites contain 360 milligrams of
sodium for just two mini pies. That's more than 10% of your recommended daily sodium intake.
Even frozen items that you know are best enjoyed in moderation might shock you with their contents.
One slice of the Belmont Cheesecake, for example, contains 100% of your recommended
daily amount of sugar, as well as more than half your recommended saturated fat intake for the day.
You may have never realized that Aldi was a German company,
and understandably so. The chain doesn't particularly feel like it belongs to any
one country. Plus you can find Aldi locations all over the globe. However,
if you take a closer look at the freezer aisle, you may be able to detect those German roots.
Aldi offers a whole line of German and German-inspired foods under its store brand,
Deutsche Kuche. Products feature a crest and a photo of a German castle,
so they're pretty easy to identify in the store. In the freezer aisle particularly,
you can find items like breaded pork tenderloins and Bavarian soft pretzels.
Need more German eats? Some Aldi locations host "German weeks" seasonally, during which they offer
deals on a wide variety of German foods, including those frozen soft pretzels and schnitzel.
If you're still not convinced that all the hype over Aldi's frozen foods is worth it, maybe you'll
take a professional chef's word for it. For an Insider article, a private chef sampled 15
of Aldi's frozen meals and decided that she would buy and eat the majority of them again. The chef's
favorites included the Priano stuffed shells, which she noted were high-quality and a steal.
Other surprising favorites? Aldi's frozen mussels, which the chef noted
made enjoying mussels at home easy; the Specially Selected shrimp and scallops;
and the frozen orange chicken, which she said was a suitable substitute for takeout.