The Reason Aldi Shoppers Love Its Froot Loops Copycat

The mass appeal of Aldi is definitely thanks to their discount prices, but that's not the only reason people love the offbeat bargain retailer. Aldi's regular customers will tell you, however, that while the low prices may have gotten them through the door in the first place, they keep coming back because there are certain items at Aldi that are better than anywhere else — especially products that accommodate dietary restrictions like vegan and gluten-free products. Take for example their version of Fruit Loops, aka Millville Fruit Rounds. Fans say that the discount loops are better than the originals, and they appreciate the added bonus that they don't contain any artificial colors.

If you're looking for all the bells and whistles on your box of Fruit Loops, or any other house-brand cereal for that matter, Aldi isn't the place. They're known for their no-frills approach (be sure to bring a quarter to get a grocery cart, and bring your own bags), and the limited-time-only deals found in "the aisle of shame." What they lack in marketing and packaging, however, fans say they more than make up for in taste and quality.

While Aldi's fruit-flavored rings haven't spawned their own fan appreciation page like Kirkwood brand frozen breaded chicken filets — known to fans as simply "red bag chicken" — they certainly have a lot of devotees all around the internet. Not only do they taste great, they don't have any food colorings that some customers prefer to avoid in their diet. It's believed by many people that artificial food colorings can aggravate symptoms in children with behavioral problems like ADHD. Because of this, products in the EU, where Aldi is headquartered, are required to display warning labels on products that contain synthetic dyes. There have also been some studies to try and find a link between artificial colors and conditions like organ damage, cancer and birth defects. The US FDA, however, deems that the synthetic dyes available in products on American shelves are safe to eat.

According to their website, Aldi decided to remove synthetic colors, MSG, and partially hydrogenated oils from all of their products in 2015 based on customer feedback. Their statement on synthetic colors reads, "While certified synthetic colors are considered safe for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), we're responding to customers' interest in using plant-based color ingredients, such as beet juice, paprika and turmeric."

Aldi shoppers frequently rave just as much about the taste of Millville Fruit Rounds as they do the natural colors, as the cereal is often served to kids. On Reddit's "Aldi-brand Froot Loops Appreciation" thread in r/aldi, bargain breakfast lovers rave about the flavor, the natural coloring, and of course the price.

The original poster, @lancerguy14, said, "They taste so much better than Kellogg's version. Goodness." And @Mary_Jayni added, "I second the fruit loops. As a mom of six, I love that there are no artificial colors. Kudos Aldi!"

On the Instagram page @theamazingaldi, one poster said, "I will make a pit stop at Aldi for the $1.49 cereal that has no dyes!! Regular stores are between $4-6 with all the coloring." And another said, "This has made my daughter so happy that she can have the 'fun cereal' like her siblings! She has night terrors from food dyes."

Some customers feel that it's not enough to remove just the dyes, however, and think that the company should not make anything with seed oils like canola. It's unknown if Aldi will decide to remove seed oils from their products in the future, however, in the meantime, their crunchy breakfast fruit rounds are definitely one of the store's biggest fan favorites and there's no sign that they'll be discontinued any time soon.