Aldi Is Finally Dropping Its Own Line Of Cheap Ready-Made Meals To Feed The Whole Fam: Here's What's On The Menu

Convenience food is the new version of takeout, and Aldi has finally dropped its own heat-and-eat line featuring global flavors. In a recent press release, the discount grocer announced that starting in October customers will be able to get their hands on five types of single-serving meals under $8 and two family-size meals under $15. They'll be in the refrigerated section (these aren't TV dinners, folks), and Aldi has many types of eating preferences in mind.

The single meals include Beef Bolognese Spaghetti, Beef Brisket with White Mac & Cheese, Butter Chicken & Rice, Chicken Burrito Bowl, and Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. The two family-sized meals will be a Chicken and Bacon Mac n' Cheese and a Meat Lovers Pizza Bake. Not every Aldi store will get these right away: The press release states the rollout will begin in October at select stores, and by January 2027 all Aldi locations should have them stocked. For those of you who like to max out your protein intake (which, let's be honest, high-protein foods are all the rage these days), the company says, "Single-serve ready-made meals provide at least 30 grams of protein with some up to 46 grams of protein per serving, while family-size options provide at least 16 grams of protein with some up to 22 grams of protein per serving."

If there's one grocery store chain we think of when it comes to a wide variety of convenience meals, it's Trader Joe's. It has a diverse selection of frozen pastas as well as Asian favorites like Indian food, Korean food, and more. Not to mention its widely popular Mandarin Chicken, which we swear is the closest thing you can get to takeout from your freezer. Unlike Trader Joe's, Aldi's selection is going to be all fresh (Trader Joe's has a mix of refrigerated and frozen meals). 

That being said, Trader Joe's has Aldi's fledgling lineup beat in terms of sheer selection, and we can't leave Costco out of the conversation either. Costco has a ton of heat-and-eat products in its refrigerated section, and you can just as easily get packaged meals from other parts of the grocery section (albeit in bulk quantities). In the face of well-established competition, Aldi is starting off with a strong foot on price. As seasoned Aldi shoppers, we can confidently tell you that the cost is Aldi's main draw. Don't be surprised when you see Aldi's new meals popping up all over your social media feed soon, since these days convenience is the name of the game.