14 Cheap Canned Foods At Aldi You Need To Find On Your Next Shopping Trip

Canned food gets very little love in the culinary community, with many cooks looking down on it as being the inferior option to fresh and frozen. To dismiss it completely, however, overlooks the fact that it's often inexpensive, always convenient, and best of all, shelf-stable. This means you can stock up on all the canned items you wish without having to make room for them in an overcrowded fridge and then rush to use them all up before they spoil. The canned food selection at Aldi may not be quite as extensive as the ones offered by larger supermarkets, but it nonetheless includes quite a few gems.

Among our favorite Aldi canned goods are some budget-friendly basics — pantry staples that are just as good, if not better, than higher-priced products from big-name brands. There are also items that have more of a gourmet feel to them, as well as products inspired by the chain's European roots. You may not have tried all of these tinned goods, so we've included suggestions for using them in surprisingly delightful ways. At Aldi's low prices, what could it hurt to do a little experimenting?

Peaches, unlike apples or strawberries, are a very seasonal fruit, so when summer is over you're unlikely to see them in stores. Canned peaches are a year-round thing, however, and Aldi has particularly fancy jarred peaches you'll actually look forward to baking with. Sweet Harvest Gourmet Peaches come in three flavors: ginger, passion fruit, and pineapple-coconut. There are a number of delicious ways to use Aldi's popular jarred peaches, ranging from dump cakes to iced tea. One Redditor, who said, "These are amazing!" advised adding them to cottage cheese. Another admitted, "They're so dang good i've gotten like 6 jars. Plus the jars are cute to reuse."

All three varieties of Sweet Harvest Gourmet Peaches cost $2.75 for a 19.5-ounce jar.

A can of chili is convenient to have on hand since it can be folded into tortillas for a big quesadilla upgrade or stuffed into bell peppers for an easier weeknight meal. Not all canned chilis are created equal, but Aldi's low-priced offerings, which come with and without beans, are right up there with the major brands. When asked how Brookdale chili compares to Hormel, one Facebook user replied, "Other than it costs less, I haven't noticed much difference." Another added, "We use the ones without beans for hot dogs and it's great."

Brookdale Original Chili No Beans sells for $2.55 per 15-ounce can, while the same-sized tin of Brookdale Original Chili with Beans costs $2.19.

If artichokes aren't on your radar yet, add some Tuscan Garden Quartered Marinated Artichoke Hearts to your cart next time you're at Aldi. This fiber-rich vegetable elevates any dinner, and you may be surprised to find how tasty and nutritious they are. "They are great!! I use them in salads, pasta, pizza or just eat them straight out of the jar!" recommended one member of the Facebook Aldi Aisle Of Shame Community.

Purchase a 12-ounce jar of Tuscan Garden Quartered Marinated Artichoke Hearts for $2.65.

Pumpkin-based foods are an essential part of any autumn-themed spread from September up through the end of November, although pumpkin pie season might extend into December, as well. With Baker's Corner pumpkin on hand, you'll be all set to tackle a DIY pie or opt for something simpler like soup or pudding any time of year. Rest assured that this product is not inferior to the name brands. One member of the Aldi Aisle of Shame Community said that when they baked pumpkin rolls with both the Aldi product and Libby's, they preferred the taste of the dessert made with Aldi's pumpkin.

Buy a 15-ounce can of Baker's Corner Canned Pumpkin at Aldi for $1.99.

If you like garbanzo beans straight from the tin in your salad, roasted until they're crunchy for a snack, or any of the other numerous ways to use canned chickpeas for an easy meal, just think how much more you'll enjoy Aldi Greek Chickpeas with parsley and cumin. "The chickpeas are SUPER flavorful," said a Redditor who used them in a Mediterranean-style salad bowl, while another sauteed them with spinach, farro, and artichoke hearts (see above for this last-named item). A third person raved, "I just had these in a salad for the first time today and they might be my new favorite Aldi product. Seriously, I couldn't believe how good they are."

Purchase a 9.88-ounce can of Aldi Greek Chickpeas for $2.19.

The Deutsche Küche soups are the best ones Aldi has and are something you won't find elsewhere. The lentil and vegetable variety came out on top in our ranking of Aldi soups, and the Hearty Pea, Fall Harvest Vegetable, and German Bean soups are all worth checking out as well. Each tin holds two good-sized servings, so if you pick up all four soups, about $12.00 will see you set for more than a week's worth of lunches.

All of these soups, including the Deutsche Küche Lentil Vegetable Soup, come in a 28-ounce can priced at $2.99.

Many of Aldi's private label products are dupes of name brands, with some being even better than the original. One such item is Casa Mamita Canned Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, a product that Facebook Aldi Aisle of Shame Community members compare quite favorably to Ro-Tel. Some find it to be nearly identical, while others feel that it's an improvement. Among the latter is a commenter who said, "I actually prefer Aldi diced tomatoes and chilis over Rotel." They added that the Aldi product is a bit spicier and that it doesn't have the tinny flavor that the name brand sometimes has.

Purchase a 10-ounce can of Casa Mamita Canned Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies at Aldi for $1.09.

A lot of recipes default to jarred marinara, but I'm going to let you in on a little secret, straight from my Italian great aunt: Homemade is super easy if you start with a can of crushed tomatoes. And no, they don't need to be pricey San Marzanos, either. Instead, my go-to is Aldi's Happy Harvest Crushed Tomatoes. I'm hardly alone in my high regard for the product, as the Facebook Aldi Aisle of Shame Community seems to share it. "Very good! That's all I use for my sauce," agreed one cook.

Buy a 28-ounce can of Happy Harvest Crushed Tomatoes at Aldi for $1.65.

If you've been eating sardines to maximize your protein intake, switch things up with a can of Northern Catch Smoked Oysters. They come highly recommended on the r/CannedSardines subreddit. "I love these," one user said. Here's how another described them: "Firm, with a nice smokey flavor." You can eat them on their own or with crackers, as they did, or use them to bring a briny burst to seafood tacos.

Purchase a 3-ounce can of Northern Catch Smoked Oysters at Aldi for $1.89.

Canned fruit cocktail may be an old-timey ingredient, but it didn't phase out of existence once the Jell-O salad era was over. Sweet Harvest Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup is Aldi's version, and it's actually a great deal of fun to experiment with. I once poured a can over a baked chicken, and it came out great, but an even better way to use it might be to level up your whiskey cocktail with both fruit and syrup. It could also be added to brandy for an extra-fruity spin on a Wisconsin-style old fashioned.

Buy a 15.25-ounce can of Sweet Harvest Fruit Cocktail in Heavy Syrup at Aldi for $1.75.

Fresh tomatoes in wintertime can be flavorless, but Aldi's Tuscan Garden Mediterranean Blend Sun-Dried Tomatoes taste great every day of the year. A member of the r/aldi subreddit recommended them highly and loves using them in a pasta salad with chickpeas, fresh vegetables, feta cheese, and vinaigrette dressing. (All bought at Aldi, of course). A helpful hint on where to find them: They're not with the canned tomatoes but are over by the salad dressing and olives.

Purchase an 8-ounce jar of Tuscan Garden Mediterranean Blend Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Aldi for $4.39.

Basic baked beans can be bland, overly sweet, and boring, but this is not the case with Dakota's Pride Blazin' Bacon Pinto Beans. "... these are amazing! A little kick and such good texture," said one Aldi Aisle of Shame Community member. Another begged, "Aldi please DO NOT STOP CARRYING THEM. EXCELLENT BEANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Buy a 15.5-ounce can of Dakota's Pride Blazin' Bacon Pinto Beans at Aldi for $1.75.

Brookdale Ready to Eat Chicken Salad with Crackers, Northern Catch Ready to Eat Tuna Salad with Crackers, and Fit and Active Fat Free Tuna Salad with Wheat Crackers are nearly identical products from three different Aldi brands. Each includes a small can of salad, a tiny plastic spoon for eating, and a stack of crackers to accompany it. One member of the Aldi Aisle of Shame Community characterized them this way: "Quick and easy, and pretty tasty!" Someone else opined, "Better than the national brand, I think." These all make for an affordable light lunch or a healthy grab-and-go snack.

No matter the variety, each 3.5-ounce package from Aldi costs $1.75.

Aldi's fresh salmon is a fan favorite that can be cooked in many different ways, but its canned version of the same fish is also quite popular and versatile. Wild-caught Alaskan pink salmon from the Northern Catch brand (which may also be labeled as Fremont) can be swapped for tuna in seafood salad sandwiches or used to make delicious and affordable "crab cakes." One satisfied shopper in the Aldi Aisle of Shame Community said that they have been cooking with the product years. "I use it and like it .... good price too," added another.

Purchase a 14.75-ounce can of Northern Catch Pink Salmon at Aldi for $4.29.