Eating Keto can carry a hefty price tag. Shopping at Aldi can save some you some serious cash if you know what to look for and what to avoid.
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I have made it no secret that I LOVE Aldi! It's my number one tool for getting quality food on a shoestring budget. For the majority of their products, the quality is as good as, if not better then the name brands.
Anyone following a low carb or keto diet may have felt the strain in their pocketbook. Keto diets are generally heavy in meats, full-fat cheeses, nuts and fresh produce - none of which are known for their low price tag. Plus coupons for these items are few and far between.
If you are new to Aldi, here are a few things that you need to know before you go:
- Be sure to take a quarter. In order to get a shopping cart, Aldi requires a 25 cent deposit. This eliminates the need for the store to pay workers to gather carts and also helps to ensure that the carts aren't stolen or damaged.
- Along with the quarter, take some reusable bags. Aldi does not provide bags, this is another way they cut costs and provide cheaper groceries. Don't worry, if you do forget your bags they sell them at the register for 10 cents each 🙂
- On the topic of bags - be prepared to fill them yourself. The cashier will not be bagging your groceries for you, but they do provide a bagging area.
- Expect little to no brand selection. The majority of the foods you will find in an Aldi store are in house generic. As I mentioned above the quality is almost always great, but if generic bothers you Aldi may not be your best bet.
- Produce and fresh meat quality can vary significantly from store to store. I have 2 Aldi stores within about 8 miles from my house. 1 has amazing produce and meat, the other seems to get the short end of the stick. If you try one, and it's less then ideal, consider trying another store in your area (if that's an option).
If you are short on time, be sure to check out Instacart to see if grocery delivery or pickup from Aldi is available in your area. To make shopping easier, all of the products on this list are linked to Instacart so you can easily add them to your cart!
Here are my top 20 keto-friendly foods to get at Aldi:
Nuts
Aldi has an AMAZING selection of nuts and so far I've never gotten a bad one 😉 To top it off, their prices are significantly less than conventional grocery stores.
Pork Rinds
I am not a huge pork rind eater, but I like to have them on hand for a quick snack. Aldi's pork rinds have only 2 ingredients - fried pork skin and salt. They also come in a spicy variety which is really good. Best of all, they are only .99 cents for a full-size bag! That's 50% less than the name brands!
Eggs
Eggs are a staple in many Keto diets and for good reason. One egg packs a HUGE punch and has perfect keto macros. The price of eggs will vary at Aldi, but they are always far less than my traditional grocery store. The only downside is they usually limit you to 6 dozen at a time, and with a family of 7 - 6 dozen goes fast!
Bacon
Aldi has a great selection of bacon to suit every need. They have traditional bacon, thick-cut bacon, turkey bacon, and uncured bacon - all at prices less than traditional competitors. We usually opt for uncured bacon, but they are all tasty.
Organic Avocados
Aldi avocados are my favorite. The organic variety comes in a multi-pack (usually 4-5 per pack) and they are pretty small. That may sound like a bad thing, but I love it. One of these avocados is a perfect serving size, so I can eat it all in one sitting without worrying about wasting the leftover. At my Aldi, the organic multipack is $3.99 - that is an AMAZING price here in Indiana.
Coconut Oil
Another keto staple, right? Coconut oil can be super-pricey - especially for quality oil. At Aldi, you can get organic, virgin, unrefined coconut oil for $4.99!!! Nope, that is not a typo 🙂
Butter
We go through an INSANE amount of butter here. I would put money down that we could rival Paula Dean - that's how much butter! Aldi has traditional salted and unsalted butter for $1.75 per pound and they even have their own version of Kerry Gold butter for $3.99 a pound!
Almond Flour
Almond flour is a staple in many keto diets and it's my personal favorite for making delicious keto cakes and baked goods. Aldi began selling almond flour in the last year and recently added it to their regular line-up!
Pesto
Aldi is the holy grail of low carb pesto as far as I'm concerned. Their traditional pesto comes in at 2 grams of total carbs for a 2 tbsp serving. Not only that, it tastes amazing.
Zero Carb Bread
You read that right! Aldi is the first major grocer to offer a generic zero carb bread (at least to my knowledge). Aldi tested this item as a temporary product, but due to the overwhelming response, they will be bringing it back as a regular product.
As of now, it's still a little hard to find and I am sad to say that I haven't been able to get my hands on a loaf yet 🙁 Click the link below to see if it is currently available at your store.
Specialty Cheeses
In addition to standard cheeses, Aldi carries lots of gourmet cheeses that haven't let me down yet. My favorite is the pesto marinated fresh mozzarella, but they also have great feta and brie. They are always adding new and seasonal varieties as well.
Heavy Whipping Cream
Heavy whipping cream can cost a small fortune at many grocery stores and I use it daily in my coffee, plus to make many of my favorite recipes.
At Aldi, you can get a pint of heavy whipping cream for just $1.79!
Soybean Pasta
Aldi offers several varieties of Soybean pasta which average about 7g of net carbs for a pretty large serving. The taste reminds me of whole-grain pasta and with a price tag of just $3.19 - it's quickly become one of my favorite pasta substitutes.
Ghee
If you are dairy-free then you need Ghee in your life! Aldi now carries ghee by the jar for $7.15
Sparkling Water
If you are a fan of LaCroix then you will love Aldi's Vie unsweetened sparkling water.
Frozen Riced Cauliflower
Riced cauliflower is a staple in our house and buying this frozen cauliflower from Aldi saves me so much time and money.
Broccoli or Cauliflower Bake
These premade side dishes are available in both broccoli or cauliflower varieties and both have just 5 net carbs per serving making them a great addition to any meal!
Panino Tray
These are my kid's favorite snacks, and they are also great to take to parties.
Meat sticks, Jerky, Biltong
Aldi has a great selection of low carb jerky, beef sticks, and even biltong!
So there you have it! I hope that I convinced you to give Aldi a try! Obviously the price and selection will vary from region to region, but I think that anyone can save money at Aldi. If you go, let me know what you think and if you find any other good deals!
Let me know your favorite Aldi finds and what I may have missed down in the comments 🙂
Very helpful article! Now I will return the favor (under Things You Should Pass On #5 Stevia): "I don't NOW about you..."?? No as in huh-uh. It's KNOW. No is the opposite of yes. Now means immediately, right now. Know deals with what's in your mind.
Thanks so much! I definitely do know the difference between know vs Now, but I must have overlooked it 🙈 I will get it corrected asap!
Are you serious with this comment?! Obviously she just mistyped the word ‘know’ by leaving off the K. And p.s., you were hardly doing her a favor! [insert dramatic eye roll here.]
I agree. I seriously get angry with people who correct grammar. Give me a break! 😂
That darn spell check does not KNOW the difference. wink wink
Thank you for the excellent tips! I'm making an Aldi's list now. As for Madam grammar checker...maybe a lesson in manners for her. Oh well...bless her heart...ahem,.
yu are a very ungreateful human being. If you nitpick everyon in your lifr like that, id be amazed if you had any real friends.
just a suggestion, before you say anything (in real life or online) ask yourself 3 questions.
1. Does this NEED to be said.
2.Does this NEED to be said by ME.
3.Does this NEED to be said by ME , NOW.
if the answer to any of the above is NO, skip saying it. move on, and take pride in becoming a less toxic human being.
Lol! I luv this comment!
...to the author, I LOVE YOUR ARTICLE! So helpful! Thank you!
No need to be a jerk. The article was very nicely written. One typo, and you're wanting to correct it? Get a life! Maybe get out of your basement and stop trolling on the internet for things to complain about. People like you are just too ignorant to breathe the same air I breathe!
It was a typo, Karen. You definitely weren't returning the favor with that snarky comment. 🙄
Thanks for the list! I've never shopped at Aldi. I'm headed there NOW though!
My aldi cream cheese is only 1c and their ranch is also only 1c compared to even name brands 🙂
I'm Jealous!!! I may need to recheck my store!
The cream cheese I got last week was only 1 total carb per serving! I have become really impressed with Aldi over the years . I feel that their quality has greatly improved!
Our Aldi's almond milk is 1g carbs. We have Simply Nature Peanut Butter that does not have sugar too. Our cream cheese has 1g carbs. Also our stevia has 0 carbs. Weird how the stores can vary so much.
That's awesome! I hope that they roll this out everywhere!
Thanks for the heads up on the cream cheese oops bought it yesterday but will keep on mind for my next purchase
I've been an aldi fan since they moved into my area about five years ago prices are spectacular in Massachusetts
I love aldi too! and don't fret the cream cheese too much, if the price is low enough I will still buy it from time to time Other readers have commented that they have a different formula in their stores so I am hoping that they may be rolling out something new!
I am so happy to know that there are people out there who consider Aldi's and Amazon their favorite suppliers! My neighbors make fun of me because every garbage day has an Amazon Box in it and my kids make tease because when they're not sure where I am they just tell each other mom's at Aldi's. I am new to keto and I am delighted to know where I can find my Foods
You are certainly not alone!
Nice article and I appreciate you taking the time to put that together. I am a huge Aldi and Amazon fan. I do most of my shopping at one or the other.
Just wanted to post about the peanut butter situation a least at my local Aldi here in Ireland (Castletroy to be exact). I was in the shop last night and found 100% natural PB!!!! 450g for 2 euro 50! This was a first for me but just wanted to let you know they might be rolling out the natural, peanut only PB in your shops in the nearish future! I have tasted it and it is delicious!
I sure hope so! I will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for it! Thank you 🙂
woohoo! my Aldi, now carries an all natural peanut butter! It's a tad pricier then what I have been buying, but definitely worth not having to make a second stop!
I found some really good 1/2 sour pickles which I never tried and they were awesome
I will have to look out for those at my Aldi, thanks for the suggestion!
Their heavy whipping cream is an awesome buy. I buy it weekly along with their cottage cheese.
What the heck is Aldi?
My Aldi sells Philadelphia Cream cheese, and I buy all my dairy products there. Much cheaper than other
Grocery stores
Any plans to update this list for 2019?
If so.. could you include something for a sweet tooth
Dave
New Albany
Hi Dave! Updating this post has been on my "to-do list" for a while! I'll let you know when it's up 🙂
Thanks for this eye opening article. I will definitely be doing more shopping at Aldi now! Just to clarify regarding soy products for ketosis. While they may be low or no carbs soy is inflammatory and one of the biggest benefits of the keto diet is its anti-inflammatory effects.
I've been looking for the low-carb bread to see the contents. I've heard that it has wheat in though which is disappointing because it is definitely not keto...So sad.
Has anyone actually found the zero carb bread???? I am very anxious to try it but unable to find it in the Buffalo area
Please check out the Omaha Bakery in Omaha Nebraska. They have a Facebook page. They have just recently started shipping their “Oneda” bread and keto donuts. The bread is one carb a slice and the donuts are 4, I believe. It is really good although at times I felt like the bread was a little chewy. Great as toast or grilled cheese! Must refrigerate or freeze as it molds quickly due to no preservatives. Check it out!
lol
Pepperoni—I add it and some cheese and ranch dressing to my salads And a bag of salad is super cheap there!
I was told yesterday by an Aldi employee that the zero carb bread has been discontinued...
I bought the Aldi 0 carb bread today. It is good. I put some sharp cheese on it and fried it in butter. Absolutely delicious. I love Aldi. I buy my cucumbers, cauliflower and green peppers and I love the pre-cooked bacon and all the other things mentioned in this article. No matter how you spell Keto it has changed my life and my health. It's been over a year and I have not felt or looked this good since my 20s.
Just bought 2 loaves today at Aldi in Hickory, NC.
I found it in southern Illinois this week at my aldi! It is delicious!
Bought some yesterday and it is not bad
Indiana here 🤗
I saw keto ice cream there
This is BIG news! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you! Your list helped me a lot!