11 Foods You Might Want To Avoid Buying At Aldi

There is a lot to love about Aldi, and die-hard fans know that many of its store-brand products aren't just more affordable than what you'll find in other stores, but they're high-quality, too. Aldi is great for many of your favorite kitchen staples, and there are plenty of underrated Aldi products and hidden gems on its shelves, too. You might just find your new favorite hot sauce, crackers, or salsa. But not everything at Aldi is an unconditional win. While there are products like an Aldi-brand ravioli that's so good it's won awards, there are others that you just might want to avoid. 

In some cases, there are better options out there. Some buys are surprisingly impractical, some are a bit of a hit-or-miss situation when it comes to freshness, and in some cases, Aldi simply failed in its attempt to create a house brand product that's just as delicious as the name brand items you can find at other stores.

Of course, food product preferences can be subjective. So, in order to come up with our list, we started with our own personal experiences with these Aldi products, then checked out what other customers were saying in various social media posts and threads. Surprisingly, we found that a lot of people were saying very similar things.

There are plenty of things that Countryside Creamery Sweet Cream Unsalted Butter is fine for. If you're using it on corn on the cob or your morning toast, this Aldi brand butter is respectable enough. However, many customers have said that when they've tried to use this butter for baking, it just doesn't cut it. Some had problems with cookies in particular, and reported that with this butter, even go-to recipes were yielding flat cookies.

In one Reddit thread concerning the product, one customer wrote: "Something changed with Aldi's unsalted butter. Everything I make with it turns out wrong, and as soon as I change butter to something else they turn out fine, any bakers noticed this?" Reddit comments agreed with the sentiment, with some users saying they'd had so many ruined baking projects by this unsalted butter that they'd stopped buying it altogether. 

Another reason for skipping Aldi's Countryside Creamery Sweet Cream Unsalted Butter is that there are better options out there, particularly if you're baking. For better baking projects, we recommend skipping right past this American butter and picking up some rich and creamy Irish Kerrygold butter. When it comes to baking projects, you don't want to compromise and pick up this lackluster Aldi product instead.

Soda is incredibly polarizing; just ask someone if Coke and Pepsi taste the same and you'll get some very passionate responses. However, if you're looking to replace your go-to brand with Aldi's Summit Cola or Summit Diet Cola, you might want to rethink that. Sure, there are some customers who like the flavor of Summit for what it is, but if you're looking for a cola that tastes like the name brands, you're not going to find it at Aldi. In addition to these house brand sodas having a different flavor profile, Aldi customers have had other complaints about its taste, stating that the Summit cola tasted overwhelmingly syrupy and had a strange aftertaste.

Although some Reddit users have come to Summit's defense, pointing out that most colas do taste different, others have mentioned an additional critique of the soda: It's not always the most reliably carbonated. Part of what makes soda so delicious is its fizz, and sadly, customers say they've found this Aldi soda to be lacking in this department. "Every single time I buy a pack of these, 3-4 of them are completely flat. Anyone else ever get this problem?" asked one Redditor in a post on the website. Responding comments revealed that this person was definitely not alone in their experience. 

Overall, people are not happy with these products. One Reddit user even called Summit's Diet Cola, "the worst generic diet cola I have ever tasted," in a post. Basically, give this one a miss.

There is plenty of speculation about the brands that are behind popular Aldi items, and Aldi's house brand Goldhen Eggs are no exception. Thanks to the address printed on each carton of these eggs, customers have traced the origin of Goldhen back to Rose Acre Farms, one of the United States' largest egg suppliers. 

Unfortunately, Rose Acre Farms has also been the subject of scrutiny. The Humane Society of the United States has accused the company of mistreating its hens and hiding this mistreatment with misleading advertisements. In 2010, Rose Acre Farms was also the subject of a scathing expose, when a video was released showing instances of cruelty, abuse, and unsanitary conditions at its farms. Additionally, in 2023, it was one of several companies ordered to pay millions after being found guilty of a conspiracy to inflate egg prices. 

Company scandals aside, when it comes to the quality of Aldi's Goldhen eggs, customers aren't happy with what they're getting either. Redditors have complained of finding broken eggs in these cartons, and eggs that are irregular in size and weight. If you do choose to pick up a carton of Aldi's Goldhen eggs — of which they offer different varieties like large and cage-free — we recommend examining them closely before purchasing them. 

We get it. Sometimes, you just want a quick and easy dinner after spending all that time grocery shopping and putting everything away, and the Mama Cozzi's Take & Bake Pizzas at Aldi are pretty tempting. There are a number of different options available — including a Supreme Deli Pizza, a Pepperoni Pizza, and a Sausage Deli Pizza — all made by this Aldi brand. However, we're here to tell you to skip this line for a few reasons, beginning with a consistent lack of toppings and flavor.

In entire threads devoted to discussing Aldi's frozen pizzas, many Reddit users state that they need more toppings, cheese, and seasoning. A really good ready-to-bake pizza shouldn't need help like these do. One person summed up the state of one of Aldi's lacking frozen pizzas like this: "It's edible if you jazz it up yourself with seasonings," they posted on the website. Additionally, customers said that these pizzas could be better for what they cost. One Reddit user observed: "Their frozen pizzas are the worst. They always sound so good but I have never not been disappointed." 

Bottom line? Just start from scratch. Our favorite pizza dough is super simple to make. It takes just a few ingredients and comes together in a flash. And, if you prepare it before you go shopping, you'll be ready to make some homemade pizzas with that dough when you get home. Just pick up individual toppings, meats, cheeses, and sauces while you're shopping, and you'll end up with something much more satisfying.

Aldi sells bags of Mission Mini Avocados. While buying a bag of mini avocados might seem like a good idea, with this product, that might not be the case. Head over to Reddit, and it seems like there are some big problems with Aldi's avocados. For example, many customers say that they rot before they ripen. Some customers report cutting into Aldi avocados to find them rotten on the inside. Others result to returning the bags to the store when they are unsatisfied. The good news is many Aldi customers have received refunds, but that doesn't help when you're looking forward to some Taco Tuesday guacamole.

While you should probably avoid buying Aldi's Mission Mini Avocado bags, it might be best to always avoid buying avocados in bulk. Why? Because the chances of them all ripening at the same time are slim. Whether you're looking for avocados for a week of avocado toast or enough to make a spicy and sweet batch of honey guacamole, you're better off purchasing individual avocados.

Aldi has been lauded for a lot of things, but according to what many customers have to say on Reddit, produce continues to be a problem. That's particularly true of its packages of berries, and complaints about less-than-fresh fruit are common. Customers seem to agree that Aldi's berries are often over-ripe or under-ripe, and in some cases, that might mean they're unusable. Strawberries, for instance, don't continue to ripen after they're picked, so if they're packaged under-ripe, you're out of luck.

Reddit is full of customers complaining about moldy fruit as well, with one person writing: "I regularly see moldy blackberries on the store shelves at my Aldi. And by regularly, I mean like there is ALWAYS one type of berry that is moldy being sold on the shelves." Others comment on the incredibly short shelf life they've found Aldi berries to have, while some suggest that it depends on location and turnover. While that makes sense, you might be better off just not taking the chance.

These issues come with an additional hurdle specific to berry packaging: Unlike loose produce, you're not going to be able to see if there is mold or crushed berries in the center of a container of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries. Because of this, we recommend not buying these products at Aldi.

It turns out that if you've picked up some bananas at Aldi and found yourself having to throw them away before they ripen, you're not alone. In one Reddit thread, a customer volunteered: "Bananas from Aldi are a no in our household," explaining that this was because they would always go rotten in a matter of days. "Those bananas are a crime," another added in a comment. And these two customers were not alone in their complaints about Aldi's bananas.

In other threads, Aldi shoppers posted photos of rotting and moldy bananas that didn't ripen and instead went straight to spoiled. In fact, bananas at Aldi have a reputation for being so bad that some customers suggested they're not handled properly on their journey to the store. Interestingly, one Redditor (who claimed to be an Aldi employee) responded to these theories and explained that temperature fluctuations during transit and storage were often the source of banana quality problems.

Additionally, customers have often complain of there being many fruit flies in some Aldi stores. And since fruit flies tend to be more attracted to certain fruits — like bananas — when you take home some Aldi bananas, you could be inviting a fruit fly infestation into your home. While fruit flies are not an issue specific to Aldi, given the other banana complaints, we wouldn't get this fruit from Aldi.

It's time to wade into another love-hate area of the grocery department: Aldi's meat section. One of the biggest complaints about Aldi's meat area is that there aren't as many discounts offered there as in other sections of the store, so many customers say you're much better off waiting for sales at other retailers. As one Redditor explained: "I don't even bother to check their meat section since it's consistently higher." Echoing this sentiment, many other Reddit users posted that they've found better deals at local butcher shops.

Some say the meat is fine, as far as quality goes. However, others are quick to add that they actively avoided the meat after some bad experiences. It's entirely possible that meat selection, price, and freshness may vary with each Aldi location. However, many people seem to consistently take issue with Aldi's pre-marinated meats.

Many say Aldi's pre-marinated meats are overwhelmingly salty. Customers have even gone as far as scraping and rinsing off the marinade in an attempt to save the meat, but the flavor was still too much. With so many interesting meat marinades that you can make at home, you're better off putting your own together and skipping Aldi's meats and pre-marinated meats entirely.

When we knew that it was time to talk about Aldi products that shouldn't find their way into your shopping cart, one of the first that came to mind was Aldi's house-brand Simply Nature Organic Chicken Bone Broth. There were many complaints regarding this product's taste online. Shoppers said it had a lacking chicken flavor and that it tasted burnt and bitter. 

Reddit is full of customers who were incredibly disappointed by this product. "Gave a carton a sip and it was so bitter and disgusting," one wrote. "Is that normal? Does it get better if I add stuff to it?" they added. While some say that it's acceptable if you mask the taste of it with something, others said that when they used it in chicken soup, the entire pot became inedible. 

Other Redditors helpfully pointed out how easy it is to make your own instead, and we agree with this recommendation. Here's the thing: There are just a few steps you can take to make your own unbeatable bone broth. And there are a couple of things we love about making your own, including the fact that it's a great way to make the most out of your roast chicken leftovers. Also, making your own is pretty much guaranteed to be better than whatever it is that Aldi's doing with this product.

Lobster mac and cheese is a great option for a side dish or an entire meal. It might be tempting to try to take a shortcut with Aldi's house-brand Specially Selected Lobster Mac & Cheese, but unfortunately, you definitely shouldn't. Not only can we personally attest to the fact that this is less-than-stellar, but reviews are pretty much in agreement.

Common complaints about this product include its overwhelmingly fishy taste: One customer took to Facebook to say that not only did they throw it away, but they added: "The fishy smell and taste was terrible. My husband went to brush his teeth immediately after." Others chimed in to agree, and here's the thing: Getting anyone to agree about anything on the internet is a bit like herding cats. However, it seems like Aldi's lobster mac and cheese has unified this part of social media. 

Redditors also take issue with this product. While some call it the worst version of a tuna casserole you can imagine, another got hilariously descriptive: "Imagine making mac and cheese but only using cooked fish water to boil the noodles and then putting breadcrumbs on top which just absorb the fish juice. It's revolting," one person explained on Reddit. Yikes.

When it comes to cereals, it doesn't get much more straightforward than Cheerios. That might make it seem like there is no way that Aldi could mess up Millville Crispy Oats — the company's version of the cereal — but it turns out that it's entirely possible for them to go terribly wrong. When we tried Crispy Oats, we found them to be pretty bland — and we're not the only ones who've had complaints.

The general consensus is that not only do they "taste like packing material," as described by one Redditor, but that there is no way to make them better. Pouring any kind of milk on them takes them almost immediately from packing material to mushy packing material, and it turns out that yes, it can get worse. Another customer volunteered in a comment: "Their 'Cheerios' are the only Aldi food that I've put directly in the trash," while another said that, when it came time to name the most-hated Aldi products, this was their go-to.

Add in the fact that there are just so many better options out there, and this one is a definite miss. You're going to want to start off your day with something good. In other words, don't compromise with this Aldi product.

Aldi is lauded for its amazing house-brand products and incredible deals, so determining what customers should avoid buying was a little more difficult than making recommendations on what they should. After starting with our personal experiences as Aldi shoppers, we headed to social media for additional research. We sifted through countless Reddit and Facebook posts to find out what products other customers recommended avoiding, what their experiences with those products were, and why they had given up on these particular Aldi buys.