I'm a solo shopper at Aldi. Here are the 16 things I always buy there while staying under budget.

Southern Grove cashews are a filling snack when I'm on the go.

Living in a city, I'm usually on the go or taking meetings at different spots. Sometimes that means sacrificing lunch at a normal time.

I love being able to take a small jar of cashews with me to grab at any point during the day when I'm not somewhere with any healthy options.

Cashews are typically quite pricey, but I can get this whole bag for under $10.

Chopped salad kits are my lunch lifesaver.

I absolutely love getting a Fresh Express chopped salad kit at Aldi for a workday lunch. I can take the whole bag with me and make a salad for both myself and a coworker with ease.

A bag costs just $3.65 and can feed two people, making it a well-priced lunch.

I cook Atlantic salmon for a nice weekend dinner.

I like taking the time to cook a couple more quality meals over the weekend, so I'll pick up some salmon, which is frequently under $10 per pound at Aldi.

I like tossing it with olive oil, lemon, and spices, then cooking it in the oven. The cost is reasonable, it's easy to make quickly, and it's delicious with some veggies.

I can usually get two or three meals out of what I buy, or I can have dinner with a friend.

VitaLife ginger shots help me kick-start my day.

I can get these ginger shots for only $2, and they help me start my day off with a nice boost. Ginger, one of the key ingredients, is said to boost immune-system function and support digestion.

These small shots taste delicious, and they fit easily in my bag if I need to take them on the go.

A weekly Italian night is a must, and the conchiglie pasta is my top choice.

This bag of pasta is one of my favorite items at Aldi, and it pairs well with so many different sauces.

At only about $2 per bag, I squeeze a lot of budget-friendly meals out of these.

I use the Happy Farms provolone to make quick sandwiches when I work from home.

One of my go-to lunches during the workweek is a ham-and-cheese sandwich. It's easy to put together quickly between meetings when I'm working from home.

Having low-cost sandwiches in my regular lunch rotation helps me stay within my monthly grocery budget.

Aldi's Italian-style bread is dreamy, especially when fresh out of the oven.

This bread from Aldi is to die for. I slice it off as I go and warm it in the oven right before eating.

It takes my sandwiches to another level and can be a tasty breakfast option with butter and jam or an essential component of the meal for pasta night.

It's a steal at less than $5 a loaf.

The Specially Selected Black Forest ham is my favorite lunch meat.

To keep my meals varied, I alternate between ham and turkey sandwiches throughout the week.

Specially Selected Black Forest ham is delicious and is also nice to have on hand if I'm feeling a grilled ham-and-cheese sandwich in the colder months.

I don't know if there's a better snack than sugar snaps.

Healthy yet tasty snacks are hard to come by. I love grabbing some sugar snaps when I need a little something in my stomach and extra nutrients in my body.

Plus, this snack is mess-free if you want to take it on the go.

Friendly Farms' Greek yogurt gets me through moments when I have no idea what to eat.

This is my go-to when my stomach is growling between lunch and dinner, and I need something healthy that actually sounds good. I eat a few scoops of this and drizzle some honey on top.

It feels like a bottomless snack because I eat this often, and yet it always seems there's more in the container.

It's definitely a great value for something that fills me up, but is a lighter choice than many other snacks.

You'll find a Mama Cozzi's pizza in my cart every Aldi trip.

The extra-large Mama Cozzi's frozen pizza is giant and generously loaded with all my favorite toppings, like pepperoni and peppers. It either gives me leftovers for days or feeds a group when I have friends over.

I definitely get a lot for my dime on this one, since a whole pie is about $8.

The Simply Nature sweet-potato chips are an essential in my cupboard.

These sweet-potato chips are lighter than normal chips and so delicious.

They've been one of my favorite Aldi snacks for years and are the perfect side to my weekday sandwiches. Sometimes when I shop, I'll grab two bags since I go through them quickly.

Grape tomatoes are among the most versatile foods I buy.

I always keep a container of grape tomatoes on hand because I use them for so many things. I'll grab them to eat with hummus, make a pasta sauce, toss them in a salad, or just eat them solo as a snack.

They make it easy for me to incorporate fresh produce into my diet.

I've found the most delicious sweet-potato fries at Aldi.

When I can find the waffle-cut sweet-potato fries from Season's Choice, I stock up. I can't believe how great these fries taste for the price — I've gotten 16-ounce bags for about $3.

I'll put these frozen fries in the oven for a quick side to a casual lunch or dinner. One bag lasts me a while.

Romaine hearts are the base for all of my salads.

I love a good salad for any meal, especially during the summer. I keep a range of salad dressings, produce, and toppings on hand so I can switch up the flavor.

Romaine gives my salads the perfect amount of texture and crunch, regardless of the type I'm making. I always have this in my fridge.

I lean on strawberries for all my favorite breakfast options.

Strawberries never go to waste in my home because I have so many things I can make with them.

I use them in my banana smoothies and overnight oats. Sometimes, I just slice up the berries and drizzle them with honey.

During the summer, I can get a 1-pound carton for about $2 or $3.

Click to keep reading Aldi diaries like this one.

This story was originally published on August 16, 2021, and most recently updated on April 3, 2026.