6 Aldi Products You Should Never Buy, According to Customers

If you haven’t made a trip to your nearest Aldi, you’re in for a treat. Well… for the most part. Because even when it comes to grocery shopping, there are pros and cons to every store and experience. Luckily, customers who frequent the international, budget-friendly grocery chain aren’t afraid to share their thoughts about what to buy and also what to avoid.

From issues with freshness and quality to smell and flavor, these are the top items you should probably steer clear of during your next Aldi visit to ensure the most enjoyable—and tastiest—shopping experience possible.

Aldi Products to Avoid, According to Customers

1. Lobster Mac and Cheese

Coming in at the top of the list for the most disappointing and least appetizing product is the frozen Lobster Mac and Cheese. More than one customer was turned off by the smell and didn’t hold back on sharing their thoughts in this Reddit thread. In addition to the overly fishy scent, the mac and cheese gets slimy after one day, with an off-putting shimmery and effervescent appearance. Many shoppers say this is the first item they ever returned to Aldi, taking advantage of the store’s quality promise refund. All of this being said, the seafood mac and cheese is one product that we recommend skipping during your next shopping trip.

2. Alfredo Sauce

Being referred to as “unusable” is not a good look for Aldi’s jarred Creamy Alfredo Sauce. Other, slightly less harsh, customers say the flavor isn’t necessarily bad, but that the Parmesan is simply overpowering and artificial tasting, especially with a lack of garlic flavor to balance it. In addition to flavor, shoppers complain that Aldi’s alfredo has the consistency of bottled salad dressing, rather than the luscious and creamy texture the sauce is known for. However, one very optimistic customer thanked Aldi for inspiring them to make alfredo sauce from scratch, so they never have to purchase it from the store again.

3. Some Fresh Produce

Produce may be more affordable at Aldi, but those savings won’t make a big difference if the fruits and vegetables don’t stay fresh long enough for you to enjoy them. Aldi shoppers specifically call out the short shelf life of fruit, such as berries, bananas, and avocados. Some customers even claim their strawberries became moldy in as little as one day. Several shoppers also complain that the greens only last a day before becoming slimy, stinky, and squishy.

While certain produce may sometimes be a miss, customers mention there are some hits. Longer-lasting crowd favorites include baby bella mushrooms, Roma tomatoes, apples, and citrus fruits, like lemons and navel oranges. A frequent shopper tip is to dig for treasure: Don’t settle for the top of the heap, and search for the freshest available items.

4. Dill Pickle Spears

You may wonder how a jar of pickles can go wrong, but according to Aldi shoppers, the store has really missed the mark on this one. Upon reading several disappointing reviews, we noticed a pattern: Customers complained that the dill pickle spears are way too salty, taste nothing like cucumbers, and lack the acidity and trademark crunch of a good pickle. No one wants to bite into a mushy cucumber when they’re expecting a crisp, briny pickle spear. Many shoppers even checked the expiration date on their jars, because they thought they had chosen an old jar. It’s probably best to cross pickles off your list ahead of shopping at Aldi. Plus, you can always make your own jar of homemade pickles.

5. Deli Meats

From “slimy” to “stinky” to “soggy,” Aldi shoppers use many not-so-appetizing adjectives to describe the store’s deli meats section. Not only is the texture a common issue, but many people find that the cold cuts spoil quickly and taste extremely unnatural, noting this applies to the ham and turkey in particular. But don’t run away from the cold cuts too quickly. Many customers are happy with the cheeses, both sliced and in blocks, available in the deli meats section, and also recommend the salami.

6. Clancy’s Nacho Cheese Flavored Chips

Customers say they were wildly disappointed by the lack of flavor of these “knock-off Doritos.” That salty, rich, sharp nacho cheese dust you want when biting into a nacho cheese-flavored chip is missing, leaving the snack bland and tasteless, according to Aldi shoppers. Many compare them to regular tortilla chips, which would be fine and well—if that’s what you were in the market for! Others complain that the chips are too thick, and not enjoyable to crunch on due to the harsh texture.

If you’re open to other options, customers do highly recommend Aldi brand kettle chips, pretzel rods, Benton’s Oreo-style cookies, and Clancy’s Sour Cream & Onion Flavored Potato Chips to satisfy that urge to snack on something crunchy, flavorful, and fun. Although you should skip these nacho cheese-flavored chips, there are plenty of other Aldi copycat items worth trying.

Not every item is going to be a hit, but Aldi has plenty of other must-try products, including these best items of all time, according to customers.