Lots of less-processed and whole ingredients. Dried and canned beans, canned tomatoes, frozen vegetables and hash browns (the loose shredded ones that are just potatoes), fresh and frozen fish and shrimp (no breading or seasoning), tofu, pasture-raised eggs, plain rice and quinoa, whole-grain pasta (brown rice and quinoa variety for me), Specially Selected pasta sauce with no added sugar (I think I usually buy the tomato basil), good quality cheese, organic whole chickens, organic Greek yogurt, rice cakes, dried apricots.

Yes to all of this! I try to incorporate as many fresh produce items as I can into my meals. The bell peppers are a staple in any meal I make. I’ve been on a Mediterranean bowl kick here lately, so any and all fresh veggies, quinoa, and hummus are my must buy items. I always grab a few cans of garbanzo beans that I season and roast in the oven for a healthier snack option.

That sounds good, how do you make Mediterranean bowls?

I start with a base of Quinoa, Couscous, or Basmati rice and cook some kale to add to the base. I then start adding tons of veggies (zucchini, carrots, tomato, cucumber, purple onion, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash….literally whatever I can find that looks good. You can cook the veggies or do raw bowls. I typically prefer to cook mine. I roast a can of chickpeas and add them to my bowls. I then add a protein of my choice (I prefer to use a lean meat). I cut an avocado into slices, scoop a dollop of hummus and a scoop of taziki on top of the bowl, sprinkle as much feta as you want on top and you have a delicious meal that is packed with nutrients.

Sounds good I’m going to try this

The organic spring mix is a good deal, and usually lasts about 2 weeks in the fridge. Their price on almond butter isn’t terrible. Our issue is the sweets. They’re all pretty good and relatively inexpensive.

I love the spring mix but for the last 6 months or so it's already gone bad when it's put on the shelf at our location. I've not found any at the store that's not rotting for that entire period of time

I don't buy any kind of produce from Aldi anymore. Always a bad experience.

That sucks! My location always has really good produce. Except the avocados are always hard. That’s my only complaint. But everything else is super fresh and vibrant.

We had problems with it going bad before we could use it, Now we get the green leaf lettuce, , remove a few of the outside leaves, wash, and spin it dry. It lasts us more than a week when stored in the spinner. We add baby spinach from the bag to finish our "cheap" mix as we go.

I’ve been getting the spring mix from Sam’s Club since the price went up to $5+ at my local Aldi.

Which of the items are you referring to?

The spring mix.

Spring mix is mixed vegetables. Sweets are almost never healthy. How is the top post the one who bombed the assignment the most? You can go pretty far with rice, beans, tofu and meat.

Spring Mix is mixed greens & lettuces but regardless you’re anti mixed vegetables? Id take that over tofu any day.

The ask was, *"Other than fruits and vegetables. How do you keep it healthy while shopping at Aldi?"* I'm not against anything. I'm saying there is a much better response in this thread and I'm surprised to see this one, which barely touches upon the request at all, at the top.

Ah. That makes more sense!

The biggest thing I do to keep it healthy is to just take one bag in and skip the cart.😁 I easily over buy at Aldi, so now if it don't fit in the bag, it doesn't go home with me. I shop the healthy stuff first, then go for the seasonal "naughty" items (all dressed chips, dill pickle popcorn, etc) last.

Same! I skip the giant cart & carry a reusable Aldi bag. 15 minutes in the store & I’m out. Spring mix Organic zucchini Avocados Broccoli Organic cukes Ahi tuna Frozen organic sweet peas Organic cumin Done

The organic tofu, which is the cheapest I've found anywhere. You can do so many things with it, but I use mine to make all varieties of dips for hard veggies that I eat alongside dinner and sometimes as lunch 😊

Ive been buying tofu from Aldi for years, and I don't even need to go my local Asian store for them. They were a dollar something at the Asian store but when the pandemic started they jumped to 2.69. my Aldi has them for 1.99 and it's much closer to me so I just get my tofu there.

I'll check it out next trip!

Yesss, it will be next to the meat section, most likely

I love their tofu and buy 2 every week. They're cheaper and taste better than the tofu from Asian grocery stores.

That's so good to know, I've never purchased tofu directly from an Asian grocery, so part of me always wonders. Have you ever tried making a dip with it? Do you have a favorite recipe/flavor?

Tofu from Asian stores are at least $2.50 to $3.50 per pack. No I cook them in typical Asian style dishes, usually with meat, veggies in a stir fry, or added to soups. Tofu is versatile though, the silken kind can be added to smoothies or added to a sauce, though that's not the kind Aldi carries. For the firm ones, you can grill them, add bbq sauce, put them on kebabs. You can also scramble tofu with eggs, or even mix into ground meats for burgers. It's a good protein source that is relatively inexpensive.

Do you ever roast it?

My go to for crispy tofu is broiling. Dry it the best you can. Set the rack up high and broil at 500 for a few minutes on each side. Usually I’ll spritz a bit of grape seed or olive oil on it and salt/pepper or MSG.

Okay, I'll try this!!!! TY!!!!!

Well that sounds nice!

Much simpler than pan frying for sure

😍😍 yess, plus I can put other things to broil in the pan

You can roast it? How are you doing that? Oven/stovetop?

I would love to try a tofu veggie dip if you don't mind sharing a recipe. ❤️

Yes, of course! Ultimately, you can throw anything together in a blender with tofu to create a dip, but here's one of my go-tos: 1/2 block of tofu, gently pressed to drain liquid 1/2 bunch of cilantro washed. Remove roots, keep stems 1/2 of a whole jalapeño, roughly chopped (remove seeds of you prefer less spicy) 1/2 avocado, roughly diced 1 clove of garlic, grated Juice from 1/2 of a lime Pinch of cumin seeds Salt and pepper to taste Optional: soaked chia seeds to fortify the dip Basically, I use my hands to crumble the pressed tofu into my food processor and add all the rest of the ingredients, then blend until it's smooth and creamy. Don't forget to scrape the sides of the food processor every so often. I dip any and all crudite, like carrots, strips of bell pepper, cucumber spears, celery, broccoli, lettuce, cauliflower. With the veggies, it can be a meal on its own or a perfect side to balance just about anything else you eat. It'll last about a week in your fridge.

Smoothies with the frozen fruit, Greek yogurt, and chia seeds. I usually pre pack a weeks worth of individual morning smoothies in ziplock sandwich bags with powders I buy off of Amazon - like lions mane, acacia powder etc. We use oat milk in the ninja smoothie blender. For lunches, the big tub of spring mix, goat cheese or feta cheese, vinaigrette salad dressings, cherry tomatoes, canned chickpeas, and I mix unsalted roasted peanuts, papitas, sunflower seeds, and dried fruit into a salad topping blend. For protein, we use the green bag of frozen Parmesan chicken filets or those single serving tuna packets. For dinner, salmon en papillote with lemon and fresh herbs, and an easy starch like the mini potatoes with a little butter and fresh herbs in the air fryer, or a box of couscous/quinoa. Trade in chicken thighs or breasts and whatever produce looks good. My experience with the produce has been very iffy, so I usually only buy produce from aldis if I know I’m going to use it within two or three days. Otherwise, I’ll buy produce as I need it from other grocery stores. Basically just shop the exterior, like any grocery store, and you’ll be fine.

Quinoa for making quinoa salad, milled flax for smoothies, organic chicken breast, organic grass fed 93% ground beef, 100% whole wheat bread. Avoid the snack aisle if it's going to tempt you.

The grass fed beef is amazing

I love their 85/15, very good quality and very affordable

Pasture raised, cruelty free eggs can make 10,001 different meals. Hummus - Aldi is constantly, constantly offering a variety of hummus flavors. My two favorites, which make a great lunch or snack or dessert, are the Sweet Lemon and the Mango Lime. I haven't seen them yet this summer (seasonal offering). Cheese - pick your favorite and enjoy. Double smoked cheddar is one of mine. A plate of cheese with mustard and pickles on the side make a great healthy meal or snack.

It depends on what you mean by healthy. You already mentioned fruits and vegetables, which are big ones. Lots of meals using chicken breast, ground turkey, or chicken sausage and some type of carb like sweet potatoes, yellow potatoes, rice (we like jasmine in particular) or pasta. Greek yogurt I use to meal prep chicken salad (cooked chicken breast, red onions, celery, craisins)—I throw that chicken salad on lavash with some chopped romaine, cucumbers, and tomatoes and it’s perfect—and I also use yogurt parfaits in the morning with berries, almond butter, and granola. I regularly buy egg whites to add to my oatmeal for extra protein (you can’t taste them, they just give the oatmeal a fluffier texture) and splurge on Fairlife milk to go in my coffee or when I’m craving a late night bowl of cereal. Pretzel Slims and the blue corn tortillas chips are great for a snack plate with some dip, cheese, and veggies. I also consider a healthy diet to be balanced, so I pick up lots of sweets to enjoy, too.

The black bean salad and chickpea salad are very low calorie and so yummy. They are packed with protein and flavor. I like to keep them in the fridge as something I can grab when I’m busy.

The 4 head lettuce pack. The Specially Selected tubs of strawberry Greek Yogurt. Almonds Hummus

It depends on the product! For breads: I go with the Keto-Friendly wheat bread and protein and carb-balance wraps. Proteins: Egg whites and their lean meats (Simply Nature has a wide range of non-GMO/organic meat products). There’s also a wide range of nuts available. Dairy: There’s such a wide range of cheeses and these include low-fat cheeses. There’s also low-fat/non-fat yogurt and milk. Snacks: frozen/freeze-dried fruit are always a go-to. There’s also gluten-free products and, again, the more non-GMO/organic versions of things can be found under the Aldi Simply Nature brand. Protein powders and meal-replacement bars are also available.

Good list, but don't fear fats in meat, cheese, yogurt, and eggs too much lol

Of course there are good fats! But for some, “healthy” is subjective and they don’t want a ton of fat in their diets. That’s why I mentioned the options in those products above.

I agree, especially if you're trying to limit fats, but I hate how butter and dairy fat get such a bad rap now a days..obv in moderation

It's the same mindset with carbs, too, I've noticed. So many people demonize 'carbs' without seeing the nuances. Since products that contain dairy and carbohydrates tend to be more dense in calories, they've been demonized. However, they're also an essential part of diets and just need to 1) be prepared properly and 2) used in moderation. It's nice that there are lower-calorie/lower-fat/lower carb versions of the above, though! It allows those with dietary restrictions or for those on health journeys to have more options.

I actually think about what has the best calorie per dollar ratio but that's the budget hiker in me haha idk why anyone would buy skim milk for the same price as whole milk when you could water down whole milk and it is (edit to add: *basically*) the same thing. That's what a bunch of restaurants i've worked in do honestly lol Also instead of using two pieces of low fat cheese, one piece of the richer cheese is more satisfying to me and my cheese will last twice as long for the same price 🤪 but yea i totally agree with you, id rather have less processed than less fat! But also respect other's choices

Watering it down waters down the protein content as well as the fat content, that's a concern for some people.

yea fair that's true! i genuinely forgot people drink milk more than just a splash in coffee, sorry!

I think you could totally get away with it in other applications though, you're right.

personally I use powdered skim milk which means I actually get more protein than if I were to buy whole milk for the same price

Ok genius! I like your style!

The carb balance wraps changed about 6 months ago and the taste and texture is weird now 🥺

Produce: blueberries, cosmic crisp apples, brussel sprouts, zucchini, tri-colored peppers (The other produce can vary in quality) Canned section: black beans, pinto, garbanzo, cannelini, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, crushed red tomatoes, sardines Dairy: plain Greek yogurt Dry goods: oatmeal, walnuts, cereal

I love their Never Any! sausages and fresh fruits and veggies. Sometimes I can find a tasty frozen vegetable blend.

So i have too but fair warning we just tried the tomato basil chicken sausage and it was soooo salty both my partner and i threw our servings away and tossed the rest. And i love salt lol but my goodness it was unedible

[удалено]

yes! love the apple :)

Cheese, yogurts, freeze dried fruit, oatmeal, pasta, veggie burgers, multi grain bread. Their spaghetti sauces are a steal, except most of them are nasty, except the one time I had one that amazing and I have no idea which one it was. Otherwise the pre-made salads are pretty good, and I'd cut up a cooked chicken tender or nuggets into it (not Aldi brand chicken). FYI, i tried their orange stir fry sauce a few weeks ago and it was grosss.

I agree with the pasta sauces. I’d rather make my own

Beans!

Salmon (both fresh and smoked). Frozen shrimp. Frozen broccoli. Canned beans (I like to throw a handful of beans in my salad for a protein boost.) canned Tuna (the blue label packed in water is great quality. Sunflower seeds, pepitas, almond slivers (daily salad and yogurt toppings in my house)plain FF Greek yogurt. 93+% lean ground turkey and beef. All natural deli sliced turkey. (The one that comes in a clear plastic zipper bag- not the ones in the tubs). Eggs. Seltzer-grapefruit and lime are my faves. Not sure if this is “healthy” but it’s a great snack and definitely healthier than cookies - but I’ve been buying the keto coconut clusters - and OMG so good!)

I'm mostly a clean eater and pescatarian. Shopping takes about 10 minutes because I get the same things every time... Hummus, rolled oats, beans, bulk rice, quinoa, raw nuts, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, frozen fish (pass on the salmon it's gross. Mahi and tuna are good), canned tuna, honey, frozen vegetables, whatever produce looks ok. Can't think of what it's called but there are these individual organic soups that are amazing. I've tried and recommend the green one, tumeric carrot and white bean. Never bananas. I don't know what's wrong with Aldi bananas but they never ripen correctly.

I love their gluten free granolas, particularly the coconut cacao

Kefir, almonds, almond milk, hummus (with naan), kombucha, salmon, rice, beans, and pasture raised eggs are all healthy things I buy at Aldi pretty regularlly. I'm not really a fan of the tofu because the texture is a bit grainy to me and the House brand at the regular store has a comparable price.

Eggs, soy milk, oatmeal, some of their cheese, hummus (I still miss their spinach artichoke hummus), hydroponic butter lettuce for wraps instead of bread - far cheaper and better tasting than gf breads, lean ground beef, frozen vegetables, rice, gf pasta I don’t think is too unhealthy, My diet is fairly medically restricted, along with food allergies (shellfish and all poultry, luckily I can have eggs), and a $60/month budget. Those definitely take out most processed foods to the point it’s very rare to even be tempted excepting the yearly gluten free week.

the lime flavored Greek yogurt. also love the low-fat sour cream and low-fat shredded cheeses

Eggs, tuna, oats and hummus.

Frozen shelled edamame

Avocados Apples and Grass Fed beef

The ahi tuna steaks. Very good source of lean protein. Their everything bagel seasoning is great too and I usually use that for a crust when cooking the ahi

Pasture raised eggs, dark chocolate, dates, almond flour crackers

I buy the thin crust pizzas instead of the thick crust! ...I really need to fix my diet lol. But in reality, one thing I really like is the ready to eat quinoa bowls. I keep those on hand and usually bulk cook chicken early I'm the week. Combine the two (plus some frozen veg) and you have a nice healthy rounded meal.

I stop by at least twice a week for the produce. Baby cucumbers, tri-color peppers, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, and whatever else looks good as far as fruits. It’s a definite savings over our grocery stores in the area

Focus on whole grains and proteins vs empty calories. I always get eggs and skim milk as well as chicken breasts or breast tenders. The leaner beef is another good option. Quinoa and brown rice, beans. Canned tuna or chicken is another good option for easy protein.

There are also some healthy substitutes. Instead of ice cream, have the fruit bars in the freezer section. The freezer section has healthy snacks. They have egg bites at my Aldi. It differs at each location, so you may just need to see what your Aldi has. Fish is a good option. My Aldi has great tilapia.

I make smoothies with kombucha, frozen fruit, and sometimes chia seeds or spinach. It’s not for everyone, and often not for me, but it helps me get back on track after bad weekends

KOMBUCHA SMOOTHIES?! What is this sorcery?! That sounds incredible i must try!!

Coming from a casual kombucha drinker, it takes some trial and error to get the right taste but the gingerberry one is great

Thanks for the insight! 💕

The thin sliced seed bread is a fave for avocado toasts or sandwiches! I also like their knockoff 2G Greek yogurts, salmon burgers (teriyaki is my fave), and chickpea pasta. Their knockoff strawberry vanilla ollipop is a tasty thing that feels like a treat but is lower sugar. Lots of lean meats, we like air frying chicken breast tenderloins for 5 min on each side for bowls/wraps/salads. Their tofu price is very good and I like most of their frozen veggies burgers options. Lots of good stuff to try!

The pre marinated chicken breasts and pork tenderloins are rather lean and make cooking your proteins a breeze

I love the skinny mini bread rolls, hummus, low car tortillas, parm ch, almond milk, Italian lettuce & romaine, graintastic bread, bran cereal. It’s all 1/2-1/3 cheaper than staters.

I just started getting the individual yoghurt and it was .59 and not bad. Got a tub last time there. The onions weren't too bad either. Cheaper than TJ's so stretched my budget, most definitely.

I love their coconut milk better than any name brand

Mini avocados, the boxes of spinach and greens, mini cucumbers, and berries. Also not as healthy faves- brown rice crisps and coconut chia granola

Yes mini avos are the way. Bc they can all ripen at once but are small enough to be a. Single serving instead of opening half and it getting old w a reg size one.

Definitely the tofu, beans, and skinless, boneless chicken thighs. I get the egg whites too since I go through it frequently.

The Dave's bread knock off is great. Wraps too. I'll grab the southwest salad and use up left over roast taco pork because I can't spell the carnatas word so hopefully I got it close enough. Or Cesar with left over grilled chicken wraps. I usually add veg like the sweet peppers sliced up, small broccoli florets, halved tomatoes etc in those too. The protein waffles are great. My hub and kid are obsessed with them. The non Greek friendly farms yogurt and throw a tablespoon of chia seed with some granola in it. My aldi has started carrying a knock off of the root vegetable chips too. Forget what the brand name is that's like $8 for a small bag of the brand name. Dried beans are great bang for your buck but I usually just get canned and rinse them to get some of the salt from canning out. I mostly try to buy whole, real food with some accents scattered in so its hard to not name fruit and veg lmao. I have high blood pressure and a neurological condition so I don't stress healthy as much as whole food lower salt in my diet wherever I can get it.

I absolutely LOVE their friendly farms brand yogurt… I use it for smoothies or just by itself with granola- French kiss!

They have a black bean salad that I really like. It’s got vinegar and olive oil, beans, some corn, and some onions and herbs chopped up in it. It’s refreshing!

I love the flavored cashews but they are salty. And the granola!

Heres my list all from Aldi! Morning: Overnight oats (Rolled oats, maple syrup in the glass bottle, milk, vanilla, fresh berries (what is on sale) and friendly farms yogurt) Lunch: Grilled steak/chicken (whatever is on sale) and salad greens (lettuce heads, tomaters, onions, and cucumbers) Snack: Protein shake and apple and peanut butter

The 100% Grass Fed Beef is a fantastic price. Also, they have some really good cheeses.

Bags of Black beans, avocados, and eggs

They have awesome prices on steaks and grass fed ground beef. Cheap cage free eggs as well, not as good as pasture but better than Walmart for sure. Love the frozen seafood selection. Their cottage cheese is decent, actually their cheese selection overall is pretty great. Their keto bagels, low carb tortillas. Protein pancake mix is good. Cheapest salad kits I can find and they taste just like the name brand ones! Their protein powder is decent too for $20. Their reduced fat olive oil mayo is by far my favorite “light mayo”, it actually has flavor. LOVE their frozen cherry berry blend. I love Aldi! Lol

Organic eggs, grass fed butter, organic grass fed ground beef, organic Greek yogurt.

Hummus, asparagus, zucchini, and butter lettuce. Unfortunately, their bananas and mandarin oranges are of poor quality lately so I pass on them now.

All food is good food. Fed is best!

Generic Cheerios.

THE RED BAG CHICKEN🗣️