The Aldi Cheese You Seriously Need To Add To Your Shopping Cart

Every February, a selection of commercial products are given their flowers thanks to 40,000 consumer votes. The Product of the Year Award is a tribute to quality and innovation, and honorees span a number of major categories from snacks and drinks to breads and desserts. Aldi products are no stranger to this annual list (look no further than the store's Priano line of ravioli, which is so good it nabbed a 2024 award), and in 2023, one such prize went to one of the store's specialty cheese groups — the Emporium Selection assortment of block feta cheeses, which are exclusive to Aldi. 

If you've ever wondered what exactly feta cheese is, this product gives you a clear sense, thanks to the fact that it isn't loaded with filler or unpleasant additives. Its taste is tangy and salty, its texture is creamy and rich, and it's easy to crumble up for your favorite salads or gyro recipes. It even comes in two distinctive varieties to choose between — or just grab them both, which at the competitive price point, should be no problem at all.

The ingredient lists of Emporium Selection fetas are reassuringly brief, and the traditional variant features nothing more than pasteurized milk, salt, cheese culture, and enzymes – the absolute basics of the cheese-making process. For the second flavor — an herbaceous, extra umami-packed tomato and basil option — the only additions are dried versions of this fruit and herb combo.

The package proclaims another entry in the pro column: The milk used in the creation of this cheese is from cows not treated with rBST. This genetically engineered hormone is designed to promote milk production in the animals, and while it is FDA-approved, some consumers prefer to avoid this treatment on account of potential links to breast cancer, according to some research.

Other feta cheese products,  particularly the crumbled kind, may include natamycin and cellulose. The former is a preservative and antifungal. The latter is an anti-caking agent that can be made from wood pulp or even the lint from cotton – which doesn't sound especially delicious, and can also be tough for sensitive digestive systems. Neither of those additives are present in these blocks, so all you taste is pure, cheesy goodness.

At $3.65 for an 8-ounce package (you don't have to pay a single penny more for the tomato basil option), both of these fetas are more than a dollar less than other major brands (and will even set you back less per ounce than Aldi Emporium Selection feta crumbles). The affordability factor means you can get creative and not worry about a pricey restock. 

Pair either flavor of this tasty feta with your favorite Aldi Priano pasta like bronze-cut linguini for a creamy, tangy dish that will be a total crowd-pleaser. You can also crumble your block and toss it into a cranberry-feta salad, or alternately, top a garlicky gyro burger with a creamy slice of this stuff.

If feta in general isn't your thing, you can always get your hands on other Aldi Emporium Selection offerings like blue cheese crumbles, asiago, or gruyère. Knowing that Aldi has award-winning chops when it comes to cheese, you'll probably be a satisfied customer no matter what style you prefer best.