Steph’s Best Aldi Buys

Most people walk straight past this one, but I never do. Frozen spinach is heaps cheaper than fresh, it lasts for months in the freezer, and I’ve never had to chuck out another slimy bag from the crisper. Chuck a handful into pasta, curries, soups or pies and you’ve made it a bit more nutritious without anyone noticing.

I found these and immediately threw them in my trolley. They’re hash brown rings with onion, so it’s the best of a hash brown and an onion ring in the one thing, and they go straight into the air fryer. A fun little upgrade on your usual hash brown.

This one is helping me throw way less food in the bin. I keep a bag of the winter vegetable mix in the freezer and just tip out what I need, so nothing goes off before I get to it. Straight into soups, bakes and curries with no prep, no waste, and a few dollars saved every week.

If your kids complain about everything you put in front of them, start here. The Aldi Bubblins quick corn fritters are a favourite in our house, the bubble and squeak is an easy way to get some veg into them, and the potato gratin comes in a plain and a creamy cheese version that’s genuinely lovely. All of them go straight from the freezer to the oven or air fryer, and they’re usually a winner even with the fussiest eaters.

This is what I buy for the nights I cannot be bothered cooking. The spanakopita with a pre-prepared salad from the salad section is dinner in no time and no effort. It feeds about five people easily, so there’s usually enough for lunch the next day too.

Every household should have a packet of these tucked away for the nights that get away from you. The dumplings feed a family of four and live happily in the freezer until you need them. Whenever I cannot be bothered cooking, they’re the first thing I reach for.

When there’s no time or energy to cook, these three are where I start. One of the split chickens goes in the air fryer for about 45 to 50 minutes with a packet salad and you’re done. The pork and beef meatballs go into some passata and pasta, and the burgers just need buns, cheese and a bit of salad.

Sometimes convenience is worth every cent, and this is one I always have in the freezer. The salmon portions are individually wrapped, so when it’s just me I can grab one and pop it straight in the air fryer from frozen. No planning, no thawing, dinner sorted.

These are my nothing-in-the-fridge heroes and I always keep them in the freezer. You get the Mexican cheesy beef quesadillas and the chipotle chicken ones, and they’re both so good. Just pan fry them or whack them in the air fryer and you’ve got dinner.

If you’ve got a near-empty fridge and zero dinner plan, this is the one to grab. A packet of penne and a jar of tomato passata is a dinner base that costs next to nothing. Add whatever you’ve got, some dried herbs, fresh basil from the garden, a bit of leftover chicken, and you’ve made a proper meal.

Start with one of these and dinner is already halfway made. The meal kits are super budget friendly and everything you need is in the box, you just add some meat and veg. There’s Thai green curry, pad thai, chicken poppers and a Thai chilli basil, which is the one I’m trying tonight.

This one has saved dinner in our house more times than I can count. The beef ravioli with a jar of passata and a bunch of fresh basil will feed the whole family for very little. It’s the kind of quick win you want stashed away for a hectic night.

This one buy stretches into three family dinners. Two kilos of chicken drumsticks will do a curry with some curry paste and coconut milk, then a tray roasted with honey and soy, and the leftovers turn into wraps with a bit of salad the next day. Hard to beat for the money.

These are my go-to when it’s just the two of us and I still have to make dinner. The packs feed two, probably three, and the flavours change all the time. Right now there’s chicken pad thai, char siu pork bao buns and a sweet and sour pork you cook in the air fryer.

If this ever disappears from Aldi I’ll be devastated. The Grana Padano is one I reach for every single time I make pasta, and it’s every bit as good as the pricier stuff. A little goes a long way, so one piece lasts me ages.

Stop buying three different bags of cheese and grab this instead. It’s got mozzarella, tasty and parmesan all in the one bag, so it covers just about everything. I use it on pizza, through a pasta bake, wherever a recipe needs a good melty cheese.

Here’s what I’d grab if I only had a few dollars to spare. Aldi’s brie and camembert are incredible value and taste far more expensive than they are. Proof that good food doesn’t need a big budget.

Parents, these deserve way more attention. The yoghurt pouches for the kids have no added sugar and they’re actually delicious, so the little ones love them and I feel good about packing them. There are heaps of different flavours to keep it interesting.

These have landed a permanent place in my trolley. There are a few flavours but the chilli chips are my favourite, they’re so moreish. The little snack packs are the other one I grab, they go straight into lunchboxes and get eaten every time.

Here’s how I make lunchboxes easier without spending a fortune. The four-packs of ham, turkey and salami are so handy for filling wraps and sandwiches through the week. And the twiggy sticks are so good that if they actually make it into the lunchbox, you’re doing better than me.

This one product saves me money every single week, and it’s UHT milk. It’s inexpensive and it saves me running to the shops to top up milk, because there’s always some in the pantry. It’s great for a white sauce, and there’s every kind you could want, oat, almond, coconut, all the milks.

These two little staples work harder than anything else in my kitchen. The jar garlic and the jar ginger are always in my fridge ready to go. They add flavour to just about everything I cook and save me heaps of peeling and chopping.

If you need a dinner tonight that everyone will actually eat, start right here. A packet of taco seasoning with some ground beef, a few burritos or corn chips, and a bit of cheese, sour cream and salad, and dinner is done. It’s the one I fall back on when I need a sure thing.

If you’ve never grabbed this before, start now. The white sourdough is delicious and I keep mine in the freezer, pulling out a slice at a time so none of it goes to waste. Really good quality for what it is.

This one tastes way more expensive than it is. The Aldi Kapiti vanilla ice cream has more real vanilla than any other I’ve tried, and it’s so silky and smooth. Get on this brand next time you’re in.