'Absolutely Disgusting' - Aldi Shoppers Are Avoiding This Name-Brand Snack

Aldi is famous for bargain prices on store-brand products, from salty snacks to bread to frozen foods. But the chain also offer slightly more expensive (yet, still moderately priced) name-brand products. Before you shell out extra for the latter, you should be sure they're worth buying. Luckily, there are plenty of Aldi customers to steer you in the right direction. And, according to Aldi shoppers, you should avoid Elevation Protein Puffs at all costs.

Aldi sells two flavors of Elevation Protein Puffs: Jalapeño Cheddar and Nacho Cheese. A protein-packed take on the beloved, corn-based cheese ball snacks, the protein puffs are a gluten-free, keto-friendly, and low-carb alternative that contain a whopping 42 grams of protein per container. While the macros may impress you, many Aldi customers on Reddit state that the flavor is "absolutely disgusting." One Redditor in the thread claimed the puffs were completely inedible, stating, "Those things are an abomination ... I had no choice but to throw them in the trash. I couldn't even bring myself to put an unopened bag in a neighborhood food pantry hutch."

The long list of customer grievances and descriptions of both flavors of Elevation Protein Puffs at Aldi were horrifyingly entertaining. One Redditor wrote, "They taste like metal and smell like afterbirth." A vivid description left by a customer in the same thread proclaims, "They literally taste like acid reflux, or like after you eat Doritos and burp," while another stated that one bite tasted like "straight vomit in your mouth." Sometimes health foods can mimic their junk food dupes, but Elevation Protein Puffs have failed miserably.

They may be deemed as absolutely disgusting by Aldi customers, but Elevation Protein Puffs check off a lot of nutritional boxes that satisfy a myriad of dietary restrictions. Thankfully, however, the retailer has plenty of other tasty snacks to fit these niche dietary preferences. If you're looking for an equally satisfying snack, you can check out our ranking of Aldi's protein-packed treats. It won't come as a surprise that Elevation Protein Puffs appear second to last on the list. In last place is another Elevation product — Elevation Maxx Blueberry Bars are the sweet protein snack you should likewise avoid at Aldi. Interestingly, our favorite option (the Golden Vanilla Cream Protein Bar that tastes like a healthy Nutter Butter) is also part of the Elevation lineup. In fact, Elevation Cookie Dough Protein Energy Bars are also one of our favorite gluten-free snacks from Aldi, so the brand does redeem itself.

While our favorite high-protein and gluten-free snacks are mostly sweet, there are plenty of salty and savory snacks that we'd recommend picking up at the Aldi. If you want to get your cheesy fix, we think that the chain's Simply Nature Cheddar Cauliflower Crackers will satisfy your craving. Not only are they a cheap and healthy option, but these gluten-free snacks are also vegan. Another high-protein, low-carb snack that we ranked favorably in our taste test of popular salty snacks is Aldi's in-house jerky brand, Simms Original Beef Jerky.