5 Aldi Jalapeño Products To Pick Up On Your Next Trip And 2 To Avoid

Sometimes you just want to spice up your life — literally. In those instances, a chile pepper like jalapeño ought to do the trick. This type of pepper is known for its green hue (although it can turn red if you leave it on the plant long enough) and approachable heat level. It carries spice, but it's not as likely to set your tongue on fire as peppers like habanero or Scotch Bonnet. And a prime place to grab a handful of hot picks at competitive prices is Aldi.

I found seven jalapeño-infused items at my local store (you may be able to locate more or others based on stock and availability). You can spot some of the options on Aldi's website if you want to go in with a list. I tested out the spicy products to see which ones are most worth keeping stocked at home, and luckily, the majority of them were pretty tasty.

I based my judgments mostly on flavor, delivery of the advertised ingredients, value, and whether it's something I'd recommend to the average Aldi customer. Only a couple slightly missed the mark, but nothing was egregious. Come with me and let's dive into the world of Aldi's jalapeño products.

If you think of a cheese stick, you're probably imagining string cheese, which is made of mozzarella. It's certainly a classic and the cheese I grew up with; I even recall packing it in my school lunches frequently as a kid. However, these habanero jack cheese sticks from Happy Farms are a delight, and a near-perfect adult version of a cheese stick.

These are thoroughly spiced up with a blend of habanero and jalapeño peppers to give them a kick, but the cheese provides a creaminess that mellows it out. Together, the flavor profiles create a delectable cheese that you can't help but devour within a few seconds.

There's no cheese pull like in string cheese, but the pack of 12 sticks is fantastic for a quick, portable snack. Each one gives you 5 grams of protein, so it's a nice, simple option to eat alone or pair with other Aldi goodies like olives, mini carrots, or crackers. I would buy these again in a heartbeat because they're great as part of a meal or by themselves as a solo snack.

I found the Southern Grove cheddar jalapeño flavored trail mix close to the Aldi entrance, in the aisle with nuts and condiments. While it's a little bit hidden, be sure to scour the aisle because it's pretty flavorful and impressive for a pre-made trail mix.

I've had a lot of trail mixes in my life; most tend to be sweet, so it's nice to come across one that's not only savory but spicy to boot. This spicy and salty mix has almonds, corn nuggets, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and some fascinating dried cheddar cheese bites.  Every piece is coated with seasoning, and there's an array of textures. There's the thoroughly crunchy almonds, the slightly soft and buttery cashews, the crunchy and airy quality of the corn nuggets, and cheese nibbles, too.

Now, you get 14 ounces of product for $6.59, making it one of the pricier items on this list. But considering there are a lot of almonds, cashews, and sunflower seeds, it makes sense that there's a slightly elevated fee. This is a great snack to grab for a game day watch party, a unique grazing board, or simply to keep in your car when you need sustenance on the go. Don't just take my word for it, either, as Redditors also love this mix, calling out its munchability — with some saying they can eat the whole thing in a couple of days.

I'm a little on the fence about these chips. On the one hand, they come as a highly recommended pantry staple to buy at Aldi. They contain actual jalapeño pepper powder rather than artificial flavoring, giving them a real kick. I can also appreciate the use of real pepper powder (it brings an authentic heat to the spuds) and I'm a fan of the crispiness and thick cut. But ultimately, Clancy's Jalapeño Kettle Chips are a skip because they needed a hint of salt.

By looking at the ingredients, sea salt is the very last item, so it's clear that the salty element is not too prominent. As a result, these are one-dimensional and need improvement. I'm simply not inspired to tell you to go out of your way to purchase them, nor can I give them my stamp of approval without some alterations.

Now, I would be willing to give them a second chance to see if it was a one-time issue with the batch, or if it's just how the chips are made. But without that salty element to give it dimension, I'd say skip these, or make sure to pair them with a salted dip.

Many dips tend to be extremely rich with add-ins such as sour cream, multiple cheeses, and other decadent ingredients. That's why this 10-ounce container of Park Street Deli jalapeño artichoke dip offers a smidge of balance with the spicy element of the chile peppers.

Don't get me wrong: This dip is indeed rich with sour cream, Neufchatel cheese, low-moisture mozzarella, Parmesan, and mayonnaise among the ingredient list. It's marvelously creamy, but there's still noticeable depth from the real jalapeño peppers, taking it up a notch. The heat is never overwhelming, and it merely acts as a flavor enhancer.

The textures are compelling, as well. There's that blend of soft, slightly fibrous artichoke pieces and small morsels of cheese to offer added mouth feel as you chew. There's a reason this dip made it on our list of best Aldi dips for your party platter. It works well with potato chips, tortilla chips, pita, carrots, celery — you name it. I especially liked the refreshing, earthy moistness of mini carrots to juxtapose the creaminess, but it's so versatile.

The Park Street Deli cranberry jalapeño dip notes that it's a limited edition item, but I'm not sure when exactly it's limited to. It seems like it'd be one of the store's autumn food products with the addition of cranberries, but I'm not sure (I found the dip toward the end of January, after all). Now, the thing with dips at Aldi is that they're stacked on top of each other, so it may be difficult to see. But it's worth finding the cranberry jalapeño dip.

I could only find a lone container hidden under the other flavors, and if you think your store is out? You may need to look at the dips one by one because this is a definite must purchase, bringing a compelling flavor combination. I like that the heat of the jalapeño pairs with the sweet and tart cranberries (and cranberry juice) and straightforward sugar addition to create an unbeatable combination of flavors. It's spicy, sweet, and creamy. It's smoother than the jalapeño artichoke dip but still has a slight textural variation from the cheeses.

Pickled jalapeños are a fridge staple for many homes; at my in-laws', these are called chiles en vinagre and served with virtually any meal, from scrambled eggs with beans to pork chile verde. I picked the sliced pickled jalapeños because that's what I'm most familiar with, but Aldi also has whole jalapeños that are even more affordable. This can is absolutely packed with peppers, ensuring you get your fill of the spicy, pickled goods to eat with your meals. I just wish there were a more proportionate amount of the brine.

There's no denying that San Marcos sliced pickled jalapeños are an incredible value. You get 26 ounces for a mere $2.19 as of this writing. Other popular brands cost a bit more at other grocery stores generally, and we get the peppers, vinegar, carrots, onions, salt, canola oil, sugar, and spices with this Aldi product.

Now, this is an important distinction because some other brands don't add sugar. In fact, I found the mouth feel and appearance a little oily with San Marcos' item, whereas that's not really something I've noticed with other brands. As it is, I'd say these can be skipped.

Country Archer's jalapeño beef stick is a dollar cheaper than the Chomps version, both available at Aldi. That might seem like a small difference, but $1 starts to add up when compounded. I often purchased multiple beef sticks at a time, so I speak from experience. I've had both products before, and while there are subtle differences, it's not noticeable enough to warrant the higher price tag — if it were a few cents more, then sure, I'd go for Chomps.

But as it stands, Country Archer's grass-fed beef stick offers 8 grams of protein, 0 grams of sugar, and a gluten-free product that's ideal for snacking at an affordable price. It has a bit of chew, but the stick is relatively soft; it's not at all like beef jerky, where you have to rip at it with your canines. The heat is mild but brings a necessary intensity to the meat. Grab a stick or two to enjoy because Aldi sells them for cheaper than most other places, including Target, Walmart, and Amazon.

I personally tried out every single item on this list to determine whether it's something you should stock or skip. Items that are worth buying were flavorful, multi-dimensional, interesting, and a good deal. You can also eat them alone or pair them with other things, but ultimately, they don't need anything to make them better.

Items that were skipped (even though they were still pretty decent products) needed a little bit of a boost, whether through salt or brine. These weren't flawless on their own, ensuring their placement on the skip list. That said, they're not terrible, so someone may like them based on personal preference or how you plan to eat them.