8 Pantry Staples You Should Always Buy At Aldi

Different grocery stores are ideal for different types of grocery shopping. For example, Costco is where you go when you want to stock up on paper towels, cans of sparkling water, and any kind of food that you know you're going to use in bulk. Trader Joe's may be the best place to go when you're looking for easy frozen meals and interesting snacks you can't find anywhere else. But Aldi? Aldi is the grocery store you want to visit when it's time to stock up on pantry staples. Not only are the prices at Aldi generally affordable, but the pantry staple basics there are almost always on point. And when it comes to most pantry staples, you don't need to be using name-brand products anyway.

So, what pantry staples should you look for the next time — and every time — you're at Aldi? As an Aldi enthusiast, I've compiled a list of a few of my all-time favorites available at the grocery chain. Snag them the next time you visit, and you'll see why Aldi is beloved by so many. Then, check out these tricks to save money on pantry staples.

If you're like me, then pasta is a pantry staple that you return to time and time again. Its neutral flavor means that it works well with a ton of other ingredients you probably already have stocked in your fridge, even if that's just butter and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Luckily, Aldi offers a variety of different pasta shapes through its Reggano line. Whether you're looking for spaghetti, rotini, or penne, Aldi has you covered.

The pasta that you'll find at Aldi may not be anything particularly special — you're not going to find unusual pasta shapes that are infused with unexpected flavors — but it's quality, and it'll work with basically any pasta recipe you're working with. Plus, the fact that it's available at such a good price point makes Reggano pasta a go-to for me anytime I visit my local Aldi. Grab several boxes the next time you're there, and you'll always be able to whip up a quick and easy pasta dish at home.

There's nothing like slathering a thick slice of bread with a generous amount of creamy butter and then topping it all off with a plop of raspberry preserves. If you're looking for a delicious jar of those preserves that doesn't feel like a total splurge, make your way to Aldi. The beloved grocery chain may not have many brands of preserves to choose from, but it does have Simply Nature Organic Raspberry Preserves, and that's all you really need.

Despite the fact that these preserves are priced very reasonably, they are, in fact, organic. If it's important to you to eat totally or mostly organic, then that's already a plus. Even if you don't care about eating organic, though, I love these raspberry preserves because they actually taste like real raspberries instead of artificial, sugar-spiked jelly. It has tons of crunchy seeds that give it the texture you'd expect from high-quality preserves. Keep some on hand so you can dress up a basic slice of toast.

Sure, pantry staples should include the basic ingredients you need to make your favorite recipes, but it's also a category that should include snacks as well. After all, sometimes you need something to keep you feeling full between meals. If you're looking for a snack that's both crunchy and ultra-flavorful, look no further than Clancy's Jalapeño Kettle Chips. For a store brand, these chips are incredible. They're thick enough to offer an impressive crunch, and they're salty enough to keep your taste buds engaged.

What makes these chips shine, though, is the jalapeño flavor. It packs spice, but not too much, so even those who are heat-averse can snack on a few of these without feeling like they need to take a big gulp of milk. The only drawback? They're so delicious that it's easy to finish them all in one sitting. When it comes to snacks, though, that seems like a good problem to have.

You need something salty and crunchy to snack on, of course, but what about a snack that sates your sweet tooth? Luckily, Aldi delivers on the chocolate candy front, and its Choceur Peanut Butter Cups are proof — one of the brand's most underrated food items. I know, I know — Reese's are the original peanut butter cup, and it seems like it may be impossible to beat its deliciousness. But I actually think that Choceur's Peanut Butter Cups can compete. They have the same combo of sweet milk chocolate and slightly salty and extra soft peanut butter that you know and love from the OG candy; then there's the textural tension between the stable, ridged sides of the candy and the relatively soft center.

I love keeping these on hand so I always have something rich and indulgent to snack on, especially when I don't have the energy to do any baking or other type of dessert-making. If you love chocolate as much as I do, then you might want to stock them in your pantry as well.

Are dry beans technically cheaper than purchasing the canned variety? Sure. And do they also often have a better texture than their canned counterparts? Also yes. But I love keeping canned beans on hand because they're versatile and can be used in many different dishes. They're ideal for those nights when you don't have the forethought to soak beans overnight, but you still want to put a nutritious meal on the table. Plus, eating canned beans is a great way to work more protein and fiber into your diet in an easy, ready-to-eat fashion.

Aldi happens to be a great place to buy beans that you can stock in your pantry. The organic canned beans at Aldi are sold under the Simply Nature brand, and they cost barely over a dollar for one can at my local store. That means you can stock up on a ton of beans in one trip, so you know you have a protein source in the pantry ready to go at any time. Whether you're craving black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans, Aldi has you covered.

Jalapeño lovers, I have a product that you absolutely have to try. You've probably had pimento-stuffed olives before, right? You know that combination of salty olive and peppery pimento works together to create a savory bite that pairs well with charcuterie and cheeses (and tastes amazing on its own). So, it only makes sense that a jalapeño-stuffed olive would taste better, right? You'll get that same peppery flavor you experience with the pimento, but with a bit more heat and a touch of that green, vegetal flavor that jalapeños are known for.

I love to serve Specially Selected Jalapeño Stuffed Olives on an Aldi product-focused charcuterie board or a cheese plate, as it seems to elevate the whole snack. But honestly, these things are good enough to eat all on their own, fished right out of the jar. These olives are a pantry staple you never knew you needed, but once you try them for yourself, you might keep them ready to go at all times. 

Whether you try to make Mexican or Mexican-inspired recipes on the regular or you're looking for a quick and easy way to infuse your recipes with more flavor and nutrients, Casa Mamita Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies are a must-have pantry staple. You can find diced tomatoes in a can just about anywhere, but the inclusion of green chilies in this recipe gives these basic canned tomatoes an extra pop of flavor that works well in many different recipes. Those green chilies add complexity to the mix, but I find that they're not that spicy, so don't be afraid to try this product out if you don't like a lot of heat in your food.

This stuff is great for mixing with queso to make an incredible dip to pair with corn chips, but I also like dumping it into chilies and tomato-based soups. It can be used as an unconventional base for a pasta sauce. Keep a few cans on hand, and you'll be able to unlock more flavor in nearly any dish.

I've already talked about how great the Reggano pasta is at Aldi. So, why not round out the meal with a premade pasta sauce? While I love making my own pasta sauce at home, there are times when I don't want to make it from scratch, and that's where jarred pasta sauce can come in handy. These days, many jarred pasta sauces are quite pricey, making you question whether you need them in the first place. But at Aldi, you can get Priano pasta sauces for a great deal, so you can dress up the plainest pasta dishes.

I'm a fan of the tomato basil one because it's rich, bold, and fragrant, thanks to the addition of the basil. It tastes like a step up from other common pasta sauce brands you'll find at other grocery stores, despite its low price point. By having some of this Priano product on hand, you'll know that you can always pull off a quick and easy pasta meal in a matter of minutes, even when you're otherwise running low on groceries.

I chose these items based on my personal experience shopping at Aldi for years and trying a wide range of the chain's pantry products. These items offer a good value for the money you spend, and they make great bases for meals, snacks, and desserts. Additionally, all of these products have well-balanced flavors and pleasant textures.