I tried 10 of Aldi’s fan-favorite foods this year, and would buy more than half of them again

Snacks like Simply Nature’s white-cheddar puffs have wowed Aldi shoppers. Paige Bennett Aldi shoppers annually vote on their favorite products, and I tried most of the 2022 winners.   Mama Cozzi’s take-and-bake pizza and Kirkwood’s chicken tenderloins were tasty dinner staples.

I’d definitely buy Specially Selected’s Greek yogurt and PurAqua’s sparkling water again. Aldi has released the results of its fourth annual “fan favorites” survey. I tried several fan-favorite Aldi products.

Paige BennettAldi first released its “fan favorites” survey in 2019, allowing shoppers to vote on their top finds from the popular budget grocery store. This year alone, almost 100,000 customers cast their votes for 13 category winners, so I decided to see if these products are really worth the hype.  I tried all of the items I could, specifically omitting the Heart to Tail dog treats and the Atlantic salmon since my partner and I don’t eat seafood.

I also couldn’t find Specially Selected’s ravioli, the “what’s for dinner” winner. From long-time classics to new favorites, here’s how the winners stacked up. Mama Cozzi’s pizza was shockingly massive and cheap.

Mama Cozzi’s five-cheese pizza was a great value for the price. Paige BennettMama Cozzi’s take-and-bake pies won for the fourth year in a row, so they were inducted into Aldi’s new “hall of fame. ” Since I don’t eat meat, I opted for a five-cheese pie, which was only available in the whopping 16-inch size.

Though I’m not complaining since it was just $5. 99.  The crust wasn’t great, but the sauce was tasty.

The crust on this Mama Cozzi pizza was a bit bland. Paige BennettDespite its size, this pizza was just OK. I didn’t love the base, which was thick, doughy, and bland.

Somehow it overpowered the cheese and sauce.  The cheese was stringy, though I enjoyed the slightly sweet taste of the sauce. The overall flavor reminded me of school-cafeteria pizza.

I would buy this again since $5. 99 is an amazing deal, but add some herbs, veggies, or spices for more flavor. It wasn’t bad, it could just use a little more pizzazz.

The pizzas with toppings might be more flavorful. I was impressed by the value of Specially Selected’s “indulgent” Greek yogurt. This tub of Specially Selected’s Greek yogurt lasted me a week.

Paige BennettThis Greek yogurt won the “get up and go” category, and a large tub that lasted me a week cost $4. 19. I was hoping to try out the honey flavor, but my local Aldi only had honey vanilla.

 I really enjoyed the texture of this yogurt. Specially Selected’s Greek yogurt was very creamy. Paige BennettI’m typically not a huge fan of the thickness of Greek yogurt, but this version wasn’t too rich.

I loved the creamier texture. The honey-vanilla flavor was also delicious. It was lightly sweet and didn’t have an overpowering, artificial vanilla taste.

I was excited to try Emporium Selection’s aged white cheddar since it’s a versatile staple. Emporium Selection’s aged white cheddar was quite cheap. Paige BennettI love making cheese boards and always include a good, aged white cheddar since it works with both sweet and savory pairings.

I’m used to shelling out $3 to $5 for a small block, but Emporium Selection’s option costs just $2. 75 for 10 ounces. I could see why it was voted “best for boards.

“Emporium Selection’s white cheddar was great on a charcuterie board. Paige BennettThis cheese was tangy but didn’t have as strong of a flavor as I expected. Though the subtle taste made it more versatile, so it paired well with savory crackers and sweet fruits.

It was also great on its own. The texture was a little crumbly, but I could still cut thin slices. Simply Nature’s organic white-cheddar puffs reminded me of being a kid again.

I haven’t eaten cheese puffs often as an adult. Paige BennettThese white-cheddar bites won the “kiddy cravings” category. I’ve eaten cheese puffs a few times as an adult and loved them as a kid, so I was curious if these organic bites would be as good as I remembered.

 This was a tasty and airy snack that would be great for munching. Simply Nature’s white-cheddar puffs are a good swap for popcorn. Paige BennettThey tasted just like I expected: a little cheesy with an airy, crispy texture.

I don’t love cheese puffs as much as I did when I was younger, but these were a fun, tasty snack. I’m not a big popcorn fan, so I like having this as an alternative. The fan-favorite yogurt was particularly recommended with fresh blueberries.

Aldi’s fresh blueberries were huge. Paige BennettSpecially Selected’s Greek yogurt also won the “dynamic duo” category alongside the chain’s fresh blueberries. A pint of blueberries costs $1.

89, which is far cheaper than the $3 to $4 I pay for half a pint at my usual grocery store. This combination may be a new breakfast staple of mine. I could even enjoy this combo of blueberries and Greek yogurt as dessert.

Paige BennettThese blueberries were huge. Their natural sweetness went well with the creamy, slightly sweet Greek yogurt, so this is a duo I’ll be eating way more often as a breakfast, snack, or even wholesome dessert. Giambellino’s peach Bellini would make a sweet, affordable sparkling cocktail for brunch.

Giambellino’s peach Bellini is ready to drink. Paige BennettAldi is well-known for its affordable alcohol selection, and I couldn’t wait to drink this $5. 99 bottle of peach Bellini, the winner of the “clink and drink” category.

It’s made with wine and peach juice, though it comes in other intriguing flavors like mango and strawberry.  Even though it could’ve been more bubbly, this beverage was very refreshing. Giambellino’s peach Bellini was quite sweet.

Paige BennettFor a low-cost bubbly beverage, this tasted pretty good. It was only 8% alcohol, but I could still detect a bit of wine. The peach flavor was good but quite sweet, so I wouldn’t drink too much to avoid a sugar headache.

This definitely fizzed upon opening but didn’t have a lot of bubbles once I was drinking it. I wish it was more carbonated, but it was still refreshing on a hot, summer day. Shoppers deemed the fresh strawberries this year’s “produce pick,” but my store’s selection was disappointing.

I was able to find a pack of Driscoll’s strawberries without mold. Paige BennettMy local Aldi sells Driscoll’s strawberries (which are available at many grocery chains) for the impressive price of $1. 89.

But they were stored in the center of an aisle rather than in a chilled section, and it was hard for me to find a package that didn’t have bad, soft strawberries, which wasn’t a great first impression. Fortunately, I found a container that still felt chilled from storage and wasn’t rotten, but I still made sure to thoroughly wash the berries.  Despite my first impression, these berries were delicious.

Driscoll’s strawberries are also a great price at Aldi. Paige BennettThe berries were soft, sweet, and juicy. I enjoyed them alone, with the aged white cheddar on a cheese board, and even as a garnish for the peach Bellini.

The price was great, but I’ll be extra cautious and still look out for overly soft or moldy berries in the future. I was excited to try PurAqua’s hydrating and flavored sparkling water. I bought the berry flavor of PurAqua’s sparkling water.

Paige BennettSparkling water is my latest obsession, so I’m always trying out new flavors from different stores and brands. Aldi sells both cans and bottles of PurAqua’s sparkling water, but the latter won the “hydration station” category this year. Though the website highlights black-cherry, key-lime, peach, and strawberry options, I found grapefruit, lime, and berry flavors at my Aldi and opted for berry.

Each liter cost me $0. 85, plus a $0. 10 bottle deposit.

  I’d happily stock up on this wonderfully fizzy option. PurAqua’s sparkling water was impressively carbonated. Paige BennettThis was impressively bubbly for sparkling water in a plastic bottle, and I liked the strong berry flavor.

The fizz continued and even tickled my nose long after I poured a glass. Simply Nature’s organic extra-virgin olive oil was deemed the top “pantry staple. “The price is what makes Simply Nature’s olive oil stand out.

Paige BennettI’m not particularly picky about olive oil, but I was impressed by the $4. 39 price tag on this nearly 17-ounce, organic bottle. I typically spend $6 to $7 on the same amount of basic EVOO.

 The olive oil tasted like I imagined it would. I dipped some focaccia in Simply Nature’s olive oil. Paige BennettThe flavor was pretty standard.

I tasted it on its own, plus dipped some focaccia in it, which was a great combo, but the price is what makes this option such a winner. Kirkwood’s fresh chicken tenderloins offered a lot of bang for our buck. I bought this pack of Kirkwood’s chicken tenderloins for less than $7.

Paige BennettI don’t eat meat, but my partner, Matt, does, so I enlisted his help in reviewing the “meating your needs” winner. I was impressed that there were so many fresh tenderloins in the pack for only $6. 81 — this was the most expensive item I bought.

 These tenders even tasted great with simple seasoning. My partner made multiple meals using this single pack of Kirkwood’s chicken tenderloins. Paige BennettMatt was able to make multiple meals with this single pack.

He seasoned the tenderloins with salt and pepper, and it took only a few minutes to sear both sides and cook them. The texture was tender and moist, and the pieces achieved a nice crust when cooked in a cast-iron pan. They tasted good on their own, but he also enjoyed them with barbecue sauce and on a sandwich.

  Read the original article on Insider.