The Most Delicious Quick And Frozen Foods You Can Buy At Aldi, According To Customers

At this point, almost everyone has heard of Aldi. Born in Germany in 1961, the grocery chain has a long-standing mission of providing quality products at discount prices. In 1976, the brand opened its first U.S. location in Iowa. This makes it less surprising that it's done so well in the Midwest, proven by the fact that Chicago holds the title as the U.S. city with the most Aldi locations.

As the price of groceries rises and Americans look for more budget-friendly ways to feed themselves, Aldi has become one of the fastest-growing grocery stores in the country. With that popularity comes plenty of feedback on Reddit, Facebook groups, and forums across the internet about the best finds customers have made. So, when you're looking for frozen or premade foods to save time, energy, and effort on a meal, the best advice usually comes from those online customer communities.

Whichever site you choose, customers offer endless discussion and advice regarding just what foods from Aldi's freezer and refrigerated aisles pack the most flavor, the least work, and the best value. Personally, I began shopping at the chain about three years ago when I moved near one of its stores, and I can't imagine changing now. It may take some getting used to, but it's hard to compete with most of the brand's products when it comes to both price and quality. However, instead of searching through comments, we've done it for you. For more on our methodology, check out the end of the article, but for now, here are some of the best quick and frozen foods you can find at Aldi.

When it comes to prepared or heat-and-serve foods, Aldi's Park Street Deli brand offers a variety of pre-cooked entree options to make dinner quick and easy. Among its selection, the Hawaiian Style Chicken seems to have a particularly high number of fans. Customers on Reddit and Facebook praise the dish, and it has made its way to the top three in Tasting Table's ranking of Aldi's prepared meats. 

Park Street Deli isn't new; rather, it's been making a name for itself with Aldi shoppers for years. Even in 2022, customers on Facebook were raving about how well-made these dinners are. The Hawaiian Style Chicken, made with grilled boneless skinless chicken thighs in a teriyaki sauce with chunks of pineapple, is sold in a 1-pound portion in the store's refrigerated prepared foods section. The brand's variety makes it easy to switch up flavors without getting tired of one. "I rotate [Park Street Deli Thai Coconut Chicken] and the Hawaiian chicken," said one Redditor. "Both over rice are a good quick meal."

When it comes to an easy-to-make meal, it's hard to beat something that only needs heating up, but for most, a side or accompaniment is all but mandatory. Another Redditor said they love the Park Street Deli meals served over brown rice and quinoa with steamed broccoli, which would surely round out the protein-heavy chicken into a more substantial meal. 

Bremer, another of Aldi's in-house brands, specializes in frozen foods. Bagged or boxed frozen pasta dinners, pot pies, meatballs, or even hearty potato-based pierogi are among the brand's products. Originating in Central and Eastern Europe, pierogi are made of a flour-based dough wrapped around a filling, most often potatoes, but cheese, cabbage, sauerkraut, or even fruit versions exist. This boxed version is great, since making pierogi at home can be painstaking.

The Bremer pierogies come in the traditionally potato-filled style, with one variety combining the tuber with cheddar and another with onion. One Redditor, who boiled the frozen pierogi before a quick pan-frying, said they came out amazing. "Cooked up some caramelized onions with bacon, Polska kielbasa, sour cream, and chives. Best late-night snack I've whipped up in a long time," they wrote.

I have to say, I'm going to try this Redditor's suggestion with the box of these frozen dumplings sitting in my freezer right now. These potato pillows were one of the first frozen foods I bought from Aldi years ago, and I still make a point of keeping at least one box in the freezer. Taking only a few minutes to cook up, the frozen pierogi are filling on their own, and the simple addition of a leftover or premade protein option can help round out the dish for those itching for a little more to their meal.

When a member of the r/aldi subreddit opened a post to express their admiration for Specially Selected Smoked Gouda Macaroni and Cheese, they found a community of customers enthusiastically agreeing with their affection. "I don't usually like boxed mac and cheese but this is great! So creamy and not too salty," they wrote. The commenters made sure to advise the excited shopper that they had to make sure to try the other varieties as well. 

A good bit of advice, in my opinion, as I've tried the smoked Gouda, white cheddar and black pepper, pesto, and truffle porcini mushroom offerings the brand makes, and all were absolutely delicious. When making macaroni and cheese, especially from a box, there is something about a liquid cheese, rather than a pouch of powdered cheese, that immediately makes the product feel more real. When you open a box of the Specially Selected brand, not only do you get that liquid cheese, but you can see and smell the difference in the types of cheese and seasonings the moment the packet is opened. 

Just knowing that the cheese is unique to each box — rather than a repeated base with a separate seasoning packet — demonstrates a level of care in preparation that stands out to me. If I want a quick dinner done in about 10 minutes, a box of this rich macaroni and cheese does the trick every time, especially with a few simple mac and cheese additions.

The pork burnt ends from Park Street Deli, served in a smoky barbecue sauce, surprised one Redditor who enjoyed them as part of a classic breakfast alongside eggs and hash browns. Despite a commenter complaining that the picture on the box was deceiving, most agreed that the burnt ends were a worthy find. "The concept of chunks of pork belly drowned in BBQ sauce is seldom a bad idea," wrote one shopper from the Kansas City area.

Having picked these up several times, I've found that burnt ends are a great way to add protein to other simple or prepared ingredients to create an incredibly satisfying, low-effort meal. While Aldi's ready-to-bake pizzas aren't quite making the list of "most delicious" on their own, I've found that a package of these burnt ends placed on top of an Aldi cheese pizza is a great way to turn an okay pizza into an outstanding one. The sweet and smoky sauce from the burnt ends adds flavor while the pork itself heats up in time with the pizza as it bakes. 

While pizza may be my favorite base for turning these burnt ends into a quick, easy meal, customers online had other great ideas. One that caught my eye was a tater tot base topped with pork burnt ends and cheese. Simple, but oh so tempting. Facebook commenters also recommended putting them over egg noodles, with rice, or in tacos.

Packing 12 grams of protein into a serving size of just two waffles, these Breakfast Best brand waffles have customers split. While those buying them specifically for the protein mention the protein-to-calorie ratio is too low, many customers rave about the flavor. One Facebook user even said they're sweet enough without syrup and provide an extra protein boost compared to regular waffles. "I've been getting these for awhile now and suddenly my store has been out and it makes me SO SAD," another commenter wrote.

Made with whole wheat, Breakfast Best suggests topping them with fresh fruit, syrup, or a dollop of yogurt. Even Instagram fitness influencers speak highly of the breakfast treat, with one person mentioning that the flavor of the waffles reminded them of a McGriddle. Despite love for these health-conscious waffles, the brand also offers classic homestyle and Belgian-style versions, which are popular among shoppers.

Nevertheless, it's rare for a protein-based product to so drastically outshine a classic version in flavor and fandom. That alone speaks volumes when throwing them in the grocery cart, whether you are trying to add protein to your diet or not. 

There is a lot of discussion online when it comes to these hash browns. Looking much like the ones served at McDonald's, Aldi's hash browns are often considered a knockoff of the fast food chain's version. Even we here at The Takeout compared Aldi's hash browns to McDonald's.

Nonetheless, there is definitely something causing so many to flock to the flat potato patties, whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. While few customers seemed to rave about the hash browns, the sheer number of people who made a point to mention them in comments made me take notice. The crispy patties were frequently brought up whenever frozen foods came up in discussions and as a favorite complement to other meals. "Incredible buy — they complete our breakfast for dinner nights," one Redditor wrote.

What really stood out were several posts in which people seemed panicked that the hash browns had been discontinued. Reading dozens of comments and reviews, it's clear that the fan base for these breakfast sides is massive, with some even providing cooking and storage tips to help others get the most out of this simple but popular crunchy spud-based snack. I have a package in my freezer as I write, and I find that a few eggs and hash browns make for a hearty breakfast that goes from fridge to plate in less than 10 minutes.

If you're looking for fast, low-effort, flavorful, and filling meals, then look no further than the Bremer Chicken Skillets. These bagged meals, which come in several flavors, are the epitome of an easy dinner. They were one of the first frozen foods I ever purchased at Aldi, and I was happy to see that other customers were just as happy with the resulting meals as I was.

These skillets, which are a frozen mix of pasta, vegetables, a sauce, and chicken, are also simple to cook. "It's actually real good," said an excited shopper on Facebook. "All you do is put it in a skillet with butter." Other customers were quick to agree with the value of the skillets, despite several comments about the small portion of chicken to vegetables and pasta. One buyer on Reddit was particularly shocked by just how flawlessly the cooked meal matched its photo on the bag.

I'm still a huge fan of the frozen time-savers, especially the chicken Alfredo skillet. Much like other fans familiar with the Bremer skillets, I simply add a little extra protein or another portion of vegetables to a bag if I think I'll need a more filling meal. The serving size is definitely smaller than it needs to be for an adult dinner portion, but adding some leftover chicken or extra vegetables easily fixes the issue.

Priano, Aldi's in-house brand for all things pasta, provides a variety of pastas and sauces perfect for a quick, easy meal. In addition, the brand's Italian deli meats, such as prosciutto and salami, can be found in the deli section of most locations. There are several brands of pasta and sauce available on Aldi's shelves, but shoppers are more vocal about their love of Priano's products than any other. 

Even those with self-proclaimed high standards for pesto have been seduced by Priano's jarred version of a classically fresh and light Italian sauce, which is a perfect way to top the brand's gourmet ravioli. Priano offers a rotating lineup of refrigerated fresh pasta ready in as little as four minutes. With options like pumpkin and sage ravioli, sausage tortellini, spinach and cheese manicotti, or even lobster ravioli. Just keep your eye out to see what seasonal offerings are in the cooler. Reddit users were quick to show their confidence in the premade pastas. "I haven't been disappointed in any of the fresh Priano pastas," said one user. 

I found little comment on Priano's shelf-stable pastas, but I find they require a longer cook time in order to fully hydrate. Nonetheless, in little more than the time it takes to boil water, dinner can be cooked, sauced, and on a plate after a long day by using nothing other than a few products from this one brand.

One of the best ways to make dinner quick — but maintain quality — is to have your food marinated and skewered on a stick before it even makes it into your fridge. Whether you plan to cook them on the grill, in the oven, or in a pan, Aldi's chicken and shrimp skewers are an easy way to skip the prep work that makes cooking take so long. Personally, I love to put them over rice with some steamed broccoli for a perfect one-bowl meal. 

I pick up a pack of the sweet chili lime chicken skewers at least once or twice a month, and was quite jealous to find one Redditor gloating after they found three packages marked down to half off. Proteins feel like they're getting more expensive daily, and buying pre-cut, marinated meat has to prove itself worth it. While the price is higher than plain boneless skinless chicken breast, these skewers are still reasonable enough to be a smart buy, especially when you add in the value of time that you aren't spending cutting and marinating chicken from scratch.

While I'm not much of a seafood person, customers love the shrimp skewers just as much. One person even went so far as to say they could eat theirs as shrimp tacos every day. "I'm obsessed with the shrimp skewers," they posted. They weren't alone. By pairing the skewers with some premade sides, dinner can be ready in about 15 minutes.

Chicken strips, which are basically higher-quality chicken nuggets, cook quickly, are easy to add flavor to, and can be combined with a salad or simple side to create a filling meal with little effort. There are many brands out there, but Aldi customers are clearly impressed by the quality of the Kirkwood brand chicken strips. Available in plain, buffalo, and honey-battered, this product is a shopper favorite.

When it comes to a no-nonsense dinner, my usual thought is to toss something in the air fryer and combine it with an uncomplicated side. For some, that means making a chicken strip sandwich, though I'm more likely to throw a few strips over a salad to offset the fried, carb-heavy chicken with something brighter and more contrasting. The plain and buffalo strips are great for this, since they have such a crunchy breaded texture and can almost act as croutons. 

Conversely, the honey-battered strips have a lighter, less crunchy coating, which is more like batter than breading. That doesn't stop passionate shoppers from standing by this popular version of the Kirkwood chicken. Personally, I've had all three, and while the buffalo ones are a bit spicier than I normally go for, all three are perfect for an effortless meal that takes little prep time while getting the job done.

Despite shopping at the German retailer for years, I knew I would need help to balance any bias that had developed due to personal preferences and favorite flavors. Considering the regularly rotating stock and offerings when shopping there, I expected to find many highly rated products online that I may not have tried myself. Thankfully, shoppers can be particularly vocal about their love of the store and the must-buy Aldi items within.

What we looked for were low-effort, quick-to-prepare foods. The focus was on frozen meals that just need to be heated in the oven or on the stove, but any option that required little preparation and cooking time was on the table. Online communities like Reddit's r/aldi or r/aldifinds were a great springboard to see the most loved and hated opinions on everything Aldi-related. When combined with Facebook groups like Aldi Finds and Special Buys, it wasn't hard to see which products customers got excited about through their comments, upvotes, and anecdotes. 

Whether you're throwing together a few simple, ready-to-go ingredients, turning something frozen into something hot, or cooking something mundane and adding new flavors to elevate it, Aldi customers have found many options for mouthwatering meals. Using personal experience and the massive online customer base, we narrowed down a list of the most delicious quick and frozen eats you can buy at Aldi.