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Aldi is one of my favorite places for grocery shopping all year. In the summer months, when my budget is stretched thin with extra costs of childcare, summer camps, and family vacations, I rely on Aldi even more. Why should I pay more at the big chain grocers when I can zip in and out of Aldi? It’s a discount grocer that’s small in size but big in value.
This summer, in addition to picking up all of my essential Aldi groceries, I’m adding a few “little luxuries” to my cart. Little luxuries are what we at The Kitchn like to call those “nice to have” items that don’t always make it onto our weekly grocery list. Especially at Aldi, it doesn’t cost a lot of money to add a tasty bite of joy to my shopping trip.
Here are three little luxuries that I’m picking up this month to get me in the mood for summer — and the best part is that each one is less than $3.
3 Cheap Aldi Groceries You Should Pick Up for Summer
Credit: Patty Catalano
1. Benton’s Lemon Cookie Thins, $2.39 for 4 ounces
Lemon desserts are delicious any time of year, and they taste especially good in the summertime. Once you try Benton’s Lemon Cookie Thins, you’ll be ruined for all other cookies. These treats have the best crispy-crunchy texture I’ve tasted in a store-bought cookie, and the flavor is bright and lemony. (I bought three bags!)
Besides eating them as is, try serving them with homemade whipped cream and seasonal berries or use them in place of graham crackers or chocolate cookies in lemon icebox cake or lemon fluff. These cookies are also available in a Key lime flavor.
Credit: Patty Catalano
2. Clancy’s Avocado Oil Sea Salt Kettle Cooked Potato Chips, $2.99 for 5 ounces
The amount of snacks consumed in my house increases exponentially once summer hits. We’re always tucking a package of chips into our bag on our way out the door. How else are we expected to survive hours of sun and pool fun?
Aldi has an entire aisle stocked with chips, but Clancy’s Avocado Oil Sea Salt Kettle Cooked Potato Chips are my new go-to. These chips have a crunch that you can only get in a well-made kettle-cooked chip. They have a delicious potato flavor and are well-seasoned with sea salt. They’ll be the perfect partner to serve with all of the poolside sandwiches and summery dips I see in my future.
Credit: Patty Catalano
3. Organic Cold-Pressed Strawberry Lemonade, $2.49 for 15.2 ounces
I did a double-take at the refrigerated section of Aldi when I saw bottles of organic cold-pressed lemonade and strawberry lemonade. The bottles have the minimal-branding look of a beverage sold at a high-end grocery store or farmers market, and an ingredient list to match. The lemonade is made with water, lemon juice, and cane sugar, while the strawberry lemonade variety also contains strawberry purée.
The juice tastes fresh, bright, and fruit-forward, thanks to the cold-press processing. A 15.2-fluid ounce bottle costs just $2.49, which is a fraction of what I’d expect to pay for a summer beverage that tastes as good as this.
What Aldi little luxuries are you buying for summer? Tell us about it in the comments below.
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