Aldi's Worst Salty Snack Is A Major Disappointment For Cheese Lovers

Aldi started in Germany but has since become a favorite stateside for its cheap and tasty store-brand products. Aldi's snack selection is especially beloved, but you might be overwhelmed with such a wide variety of options. To help you narrow down the choice we taste tested and ranked some of Aldi's popular salty snacks. As a result, there is one salty snack that you should strike off your shopping list: Southern Grove Cheddar Crunch Trail Mix.

The Southern Grove Cheddar Crunch Trail mix consists of four different types of nuts and seeds with chunks of cheese thrown in. Of course, nuts are a common addition to cheese boards, offering an equally rich and savory treat with a crunchy contrast to complement any type of cheese. Furthermore, cheese is a popular ingredient that coats or infuses many snacks, from chips to crackers. Unfortunately, the cheddar cheese in this Southern Grove trail mix neither coats the mix nor does it melt in your mouth. Cheese lovers will be majorly disappointed by the globular chunks of dehydrated cheese scarcely strewn throughout the bag of mixed nuts and seeds. The name of the trail mix implies that cheese is a leading theme; you might imagine that the nuts have been tossed in cheese powder for a sharp, cheesy burst with every mouthful of crunchy nuts. But no. Instead, the Southern Grove Cheddar Crunch Trail mix has just a few cheese hunks, added almost as an afterthought. Even more disappointing than the scarcity of the cheddar was its texture. Dehydrating the cheesy chunks ruined their texture, transforming a chewy, creamy consistency into stale, dried-out bites.

While there haven't been too many reviews from Aldi customers about the Southern Grove Cheddar Crunch Trail Mix, the few negative reviews that exist on Facebook forums express the same disappointment in the dehydrated cheddar bites. One disgruntled customer posted in the Aldi Aisle of Shame Community on Facebook and said that the cheddar pieces were so bad that she thought she would be sick. Some likened the texture to moon cheese, referring to the craters and crackly, dehydrated mouthfeel. Others said the cheese and mix in general was too salty, leaving them no other recourse but to throw the bag away.

When it comes to trail mixes, the Southern Grove brand has many other options that don't have those offensive cheddar pieces. If you're looking for a cheesy snack, we ranked Simply Nature branded cheddar flavored cauliflower crackers higher on the list of salty snacks. They also appear in our ranking of Aldi's best vegan foods and the best cheap and healthy snacks you can buy at Aldi. We also liked Aldi's Clancy's Ridged Cheddar and Sour Cream potato chips in our ranking of Aldi potato chips.