8 Aldi Prepared Foods To Buy And 6 To Leave At The Store

I have been shopping at Aldi for years now. While I've fallen in love with many of the store-brand products, I'm more likely to buy the basics and make a meal myself than I am to buy the chain's prepared meals. I've seen them on shelves of the refrigerated aisle time and time again, begging me to take a night off from cooking a more from-scratch meal. Finally, the time has come to see whether the effort saved is worth the few extra dollars spent. 

In an effort to be upfront, I have tried Aldi's take-and-bake pizzas, most often on grocery nights when I don't want to cook a fresh meal after getting home. No matter what brand of prepared pizza I buy, I usually add a little extra cheese and some seasonings. I do the same with Aldi's, but I've always been impressed by the sheer amount of toppings on them. 

Today, though, is about trying some of Aldi's prepared foods I've yet to sink my teeth into. After digging into over a dozen tasty treats from the Park Street Deli, Mamma Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen, and Specially Selected brands, I'm ready to offer my humble opinion of what's worth buying and what's better off left at the store.

I've bought a few Priano brand pastas in the past, but always the shelf-stable dried options. Those are fine, but the breadcrumb-heavy filling makes them better as a side than as an actual meal. I had been eyeing the refrigerated ravioli for a long time, and I was scared to get my hopes up as I dropped them carefully into a pot of boiling water. 

Despite topping them with a homemade red pepper and asiago cream sauce, I made sure to taste the pasta on its own for a more balanced opinion. An opinion that was, undoubtedly, positive. The pasta was tender with just the right amount of chew to make it satisfying. The sweet Italian sausage was well-seasoned, juicy, and mixed with just enough cheese to hold it together and add a creamy element. 

Having finally tried one of the fresh pastas, I fear I may feel it in my wallet as I'll be purchasing these and several other flavors in the near future. As someone who makes an effort to be budget-conscious, the $6.59 cost was well worth it for enough ravioli for two.

After my experience with Mama Cozzi's pizzas, I was ready to try one of the prepared calzones I'd seen in passing. Originally I wanted the pepperoni calzone, but I was happy to discover the Philly cheesesteak version. I've always been a fan of a good shaved steak sandwich, and who makes a better one than Philadelphia? 

With little more prep than putting it on a tray and popping it into the oven for a bit, it was easier than cooking the filling and making fresh dough, so for a prepared food, it was technically successful. Unfortunately, the flavor just fell flat. While it did have a generous amount of cheese, the flavor of the steak, peppers, and onions was little more than an afterthought. For less than $3, it was a value for sure, but it just didn't satisfy.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not even less interested in trying the brand's cheese calzone. If the cheesy flavor is half as delicious as it was in the Philly, then I'm going to love it. Here, though, despite the perfectly crisp and fluffy crust, the flavor just didn't live up to the promise.

Having recently reviewed and ranked 12 frozen egg rolls across six brands, I was looking forward to trying a prepared egg roll that didn't come from the freezer. At five egg rolls for just over $4, the price was lower than at my local Chinese restaurant, and I hoped avoiding the freezer would lead to a less soggy filling than several of the frozen options. 

The difference between these and their frozen counterparts was subtle, but impossible to ignore. I think the first thing I noticed was how crispy the wraps were, without having the pasty interior that was common in freezer-based rolls. The filling, to my pleasure, was less soggy and tasted of fresh vegetables that retained some cruciferous textures. Despite being less delicious than one fresh from a restaurant, I'd still eaten three before I managed to stop myself. 

There was an unmistakable sweetness to the filling. It didn't come across as sugary, but rather like all the vegetables in the filling were naturally sweet. While I normally love adding duck sauce to an egg roll, these simply didn't need it. These cooked so quickly and were so tasty that I'll be picking them up next time I make a stir-fry at home.

Marking these as "buy" or "leave" was more difficult than expected. While I did think the price tag of $6.15 was worthwhile for a pound of cooked meat, I couldn't help feeling disappointed after really taking the time to give them a chance. After a few bites, I realized that the difficulty was due to the meat. 

The sauce had a quality that evoked nostalgia and pleasantly lingered on my tongue. I couldn't place it, but I did enjoy it nonetheless. The meat, however, was the real letdown here. There was a quality to each bite that reminded me of beef jerky. It wasn't that the meat was tough; it was dry. The sauce was sweet and savory enough to moisten each bite and provide an enjoyable flavor, but it was the sauce I went back for, not the pork, which I refuse to call burnt ends.

There was no charred flavor or smokiness from the meat itself. While I did enjoy them, I can't imagine buying them again. Especially when cooked perfectly, a good burnt end is one of the ultimate flavors of barbecue.

Pretzels are a popular snack in my home, and while bags of the salty, crunchy snacks are a staple in my cupboards, I much prefer a soft pretzel when I get a chance. Making pretzels at home isn't difficult, but it's also not a task I'm usually willing to take on. So, the thought of a decent premade soft pretzel bite was very appealing.

With only a dusting of butter, a sprinkling of included salt, and a few minutes in the oven, these magnificent pillows of perfect pretzel were ready to go. Accompanied by one of the most flavorful microwaved cheese sauces I've ever tasted, I was instantly ready to buy a few more boxes to share with friends at my next game night.

Between the fluffy bites and the visible threads of genuine cheese that slowly melted into the sauce as it microwaved, the $5 price tag was well worth skipping the massive amount of effort it would take to make these at home.

I've seen these little cups of delectables in the prepared food case often while shopping at my local Aldi. At about $2 per cup, I'd been reluctant to pick one up. That may not be much, but when $3 can buy a 48-ounce container of Sundae Shoppe ice cream from the nearby freezer section, it feels a little expensive for the tiny parfait. 

I had hoped that, upon trying it, I'd find that an amazing flavor and wonderful texture would make every penny worth it. I did not. The key lime curd was bright and sharp, but sat in a wet puddle of key lime juice that splashed oddly as I scooped up the curd and whipped cream cheese topping. The flavor wasn't bad, but there was a strangely pasty texture to the whipped layer that I couldn't get past. 

The idea of an adorable prepared dessert that I could serve to friends while looking classy shattered upon actually digging in. While it wasn't a bad experience eating this dessert, it's not one I'd spend money to have again.

Okay, hear me out. I know what I just said about the key lime version, but the mango flavor was a genuine step up in every way. I actively wanted to dislike it, or at least I expected to. I also admit there was still a slightly dry texture to the upper layer that wasn't completely pleasant, but compared to the key lime it was so much better. 

The creamy topping was very similar but had a clear and distinct mango flavor that made a huge difference to the end product. Added to that, there was a sweet mango filling that was bright, fruity, and complemented the milder, creamy element very well. Considering the bright color of the mango filling and the contrast to the pale topping, even the visual appeal was a step up from its counterpart. 

While it did still have a touch of the same textural issue as the key lime parfait, the lack of sloshing juice and the addition of mango flavor to the cream topping are enough to make this one worth trying for any fan of mango desserts.

Of all the prepared foods I picked up for this piece, I was most excited to try this one. I am a complete sucker for Asian dishes, especially those including any variety of noodles. Add to that a teriyaki or soy-based sauce, and honestly, I was ready to go. 

Texturally, the udon noodles were perfect. They were chewy with a bit of bounce, and they soaked up the sauce well. Unfortunately, the sauce had such a generic and lackluster flavor that I couldn't help but feel let down. I did like that the brand kept the noodles and teriyaki chicken separate in the package to keep the noodles from soaking up excess moisture. The cooking process was beyond simple, and the side packet of green onions to top the dish was a nice touch. 

Despite those well-handled aspects, the end product was sugary, sticky, and overall bland. For almost $9, I would rather make a chicken teriyaki dish from scratch any day.

Priced under $3, the same as the calzone, the stromboli wasn't exactly an improvement, although it's more worth picking up in my opinion. That may seem contradictory, but in this case, the actual success had to do more with the stromboli faithfully delivering on its promise.

While the Philly cheesesteak calzone came across as a cheese calzone with a hint of cheesesteak flavor, the pepperoni and cheese were the shining stars of the stromboli. Both are worth $3, but buying the stromboli results in getting exactly what you expect in the most satisfying way. With a crisp outer crust and soft doughy interior, each bite delivered cheese and spice in perfect balance. 

Even the size of the stromboli was impressive compared to any item off the value menu at a fast food restaurant. These would be great to pick up for an easy weekend lunch when you don't want to have to cook three times in one day.

I'll be honest, I may be a bit biased here. Crème brûlée is one of my all-time favorite desserts. There's something about the silky, rich, and subtle custard topped with the cracking crunch of torched sugar that makes my mouth water. For that reason, my expectations were high. 

On the one hand, the idea to put crisp shards of melted sugar into a small packet that you add to the top of the custard after opening was brilliant. While you can't hit it with a spoon and watch it shatter, the flavor and texture I'm such a fan of were perfectly preserved in each bite. What I couldn't forgive was the custard.

The creamy vanilla custard left a pasty and unpleasant texture on my tongue. The chalky texture of cornstarch, or some other thickening agent, was an affront to this classic dessert. The flavor was good, but even instant pudding has a cleaner texture.

Much like I was most looking forward to the udon, I was most cautious of this Thai chicken dish. While the use of chicken thighs left me hopeful the chicken wouldn't be dry, I was very unsure what to expect from the sauce. I was especially wary when confronted by the vivid bright orange color of the sauce, which there was enough of to almost turn this into chicken soup. 

Regardless of my reservations, I was pleasantly surprised to find one of the best prepared chicken dishes I've ever picked up from a grocery store. Seriously, this sauce was both incredibly flavorful and packed with spices, while still mild and creamy in an inviting way. Its traffic-cone orange color became an afterthought as my fork dove back in repeatedly for the most tender and moist chicken I've ever pulled out of a microwave. 

At just $7, this coconut chicken would be great over fresh basmati rice with some steamed cauliflower for a dinner I would happily purchase at least once a week. Of all the foods here, I have a feeling my fridge will be seeing this most often.  

Manicotti is one of those dishes I never really see in real life. Even from a household where Italian flavors and red sauce were on the menu multiple times a week, I can't think of many times I've come across these little cheese-stuffed tubes of pasta. After making a quick sauce of roasted tomatoes, red wine, and garlic, I topped the pasta and popped it into the oven. 

I was happy to see that the pasta was well made and thick enough to absorb the juices of the sauce without becoming soggy. The problem arose with the bland filling. The taste was fine, but drastically under-seasoned. Despite the light green color and flecks of spinach, the flavor of the leafy vegetable was all but imagined. Even the cheese tasted of plain ricotta. 

If I were judging the dish with the sauce, it would probably feel more worthwhile. Considering it costs just under $6, however, I would rather spend the extra dollar on another bag of the Priano sausage ravioli every time. 

It's not often I have chicken salad. It's not that I don't enjoy it, but rather it's not something I think to make often. When I do, it's usually in the form of a sandwich from a nearby sandwich shop. Recently, though, I came across the idea of using tortillas, and this seemed like the perfect chance. 

I will say there was a bit more dressing than I usually look for, but both the texture and flavor were better than I expected. I love a sweet twist to my chicken salad, so the cranberries were more than welcome. The crunch from the celery and almonds was satisfying in exactly the way they needed to be. 

At only $5 for enough chicken salad to feed two or three people dinner, I would definitely consider the price-to-flavor ratio worthwhile. 

My husband is a very big fan of eggs for breakfast. As much as I'd rather have pancakes, for him it's not breakfast without eggs. For that reason, I often go out of my way to find different ways of cooking eggs so it doesn't feel so monotonous. Nonetheless, I'm rarely ready to put a quiche together first thing in the morning.

I'm loath to make pie dough on the fly, and while the filling couldn't be easier in most cases, the overall prep time and effort of making a quiche steer me away from doing so. However, for about $10 this quiche is enough to feed at least four people for breakfast, and it tasted as good as any I've had before. Making quiche yourself isn't difficult if you nail the dairy-to-cream ratio, but it's not much cheaper either. I rarely pick up egg-based dishes at the store, especially when it's so easy to cook almost any style of egg with nothing but a microwave, but I'd have no problem buying one of these again.

Prepared foods can save time and energy, but to be worth it, they have to strike the right balance of price, flavor, and effort. Homemade is almost always better, but in many cases buying all the ingredients you need can be more expensive than just buying something premade. Frozen foods, I felt, didn't quite count as prepared. 

A prepared food should be ready to eat, or ready to eat after adding heat or lightly mixing. All the foods I chose for this piece could, theoretically, be opened and eaten as is directly from the store. Yes, adding heat makes them better, but they are as close to being ready to eat as they can be, unlike frozen options. 

Once chosen, each food was judged on flavor, ingredient quality, and texture. I also considered the cost relative to the price of fresh ingredients and the energy required to make them from scratch.