14 Cheap Aldi Products Your Home Bar Needs

Aldi is a comforting favorite when it comes to lots of foods, snacks, and drinks. Whether you venture there for the store's top baked goods or frozen seafood products, you'll find no shortage of tasty options. And if you're setting up a new at-home bar or simply looking to restock, Aldi has a lot of affordable finds to consider. 

We've compiled cheap Aldi items to stock in your home bar. Some are edible, some drinkable, some are merely for garnish and looks, but all come at a great price. Luckily, you can stop by Aldi for your main course, grab a few snacks, and then snag some essentials for your bar cart all in one shopping trip. These ingredients are located all throughout the store, so it's not as though you can find them in one convenient area. A few are produce items, others are refrigerated, and some you'll find in the so-called Aldi aisle of shame. Pricing is included to give you an idea of the affordability, but just note that the availability of the items and the actual cost may vary based on your location.

Hey, we get it. They're not for everyone, but blue cheese-stuffed olives can certainly upgrade your martini if you're up for a different take. The cheese element adds a bit of cloudiness, resulting in a flavorful twist and a particularly dirty drink. The olives and cheese have a salty and earthy profile that creates an unbeatable flavor, much different from a traditional martini. Aldi's Specially Selected blue cheese-stuffed olives are imported from Greece and are perfect for your home bar when you want a more intense flavor. 

You'll get 7 ounces of drained product (12 ounces not drained) for $3.19, a fraction of the price of other retailers' similar products. Better yet, the olives are in a brine instead of oil, so they won't make your drink oily, which can create a funky mouthfeel and residue. Add a bit of that olive brine to create an even filthier martini. You could also use these olives in a bloody Mary or other ways that you see fit.

From pungent grapefruit to sweet and tangy orange, citrus is a must-have for your cocktails — but lemons and limes tend to come up more frequently, which is why they're a must for your home bar. They're versatile because you can add them to cocktails and mocktails alike to add flavor, color, or simply to use as a garnish. A strawberry lemon drop cocktail is delightfully zingy thanks to a few tablespoons of lemon juice and a lemony rim. Meanwhile, a classic caipirinha cocktail uses lime muddled with sugar as its base. 

One pound of limes from Aldi costs $2.75, while 2 pounds of lemons costs $3.65, both of which are competitive with other grocery store prices. And don't worry, it's pretty easy to utilize a few pounds of either citrus, whether you use them only for cocktails or incorporate them in other areas of your kitchen. However, your particular Aldi may also sell them individually, if that's a better fit for your needs.

One simple way to add flavor to cocktails and mixed drinks is by using your favorite soda. Juice is nice (and we will recommend an option further down), but it has a short shelf life once opened. So, buying some canned soda from Aldi is a fantastic option for your home bar. The store has lots of flavors and options to pick from, allowing you to choose depending on what alcohol you're mixing it with. Anything from the in-house brand Summit comes at a fantastic price, such as the 12-pack of caffeine-free ginger ale, which is great for your next Moscow mule. Summit's version is $4.19, while Canada Dry can be almost triple the cost — talk about economical!

If you don't want to invest in a dozen of any one flavor, you could opt for a six-pack instead — or a couple of them to beef up your bar cart with various drinks. If you have room in your budget, you can spring for a name-brand soda like the mini 7.5 fluid-ounce cans of Sprite or Coke. You never know what your local store may have in stock.

We deemed the Wicked Grove Crisp Apple Hard Cider one of the Aldi alcohol items to buy because of its appealing sweet and tart flavor. The crisp apple hard cider is an approachable alcoholic beverage that you can drink alone or use in your next mixed drink. Many Aldi customers consider Wicked Grove a solid knock-off of Angry Orchard for those seeking a more affordable cider — $10.35 compared to Angry Orchard's $12.99. Aldi customers also note that you can find Wicked Grove in various flavors or even a multi-pack throughout the year, with flavors such as cinnamon apple or green apple to switch things up.

You'll get six 12 fluid-ounce bottles to use in things like a boozy apple cider for Thanksgiving. Simply swap the sparkling hard apple cider in the recipe for the Wicked Grove beverage and add a bit of sparkling water to give it a carbonation boost. Each cocktail calls for 4 ounces of cider, so you can make three servings of the boozy beverage with one bottle of hard apple cider to stretch your dollar even further. 

Sparkling water is one of the key ingredients to keep in your fridge for a wide array of drink concoctions. It can liven up and add flavor to so many beverages, from a simple vodka soda to a more involved margarita. But which one should you get? A non-flavored sparkling water is perfect when you don't want any added flavors to muddle up the taste of your sipper. This option also allows you to fully customize your drinks. For example, you can add your own fruit juice or fresh-squeezed juice to inject just the right flavor. 

But you could purchase a flavored version when you want to simplify your cocktail-making. Lime is always a safe bet, but you could get something more captivating, like blackberry or strawberry peach. Aldi's PurAqua is the most economical sparkling water option at the store, priced at $4.29 for a dozen 12 fluid-ounce cans, compared to La Croix's $6.29 price point for the same amount.

If you're thinking of stocking beer at your bar, you don't always need to go for the most familiar name-brand. Actually, you might want to consider Wernesgruner Pilsner, since we deemed it the best beer on Aldi's shelves, surpassing eight other options. When our writer tried it, they noted that it has a bready taste, and it's light with a clean and balanced flavor, but it's hoppy enough that it lingers a little on the tongue. Overall, it's a wonderful pilsner with a hint of bitter crispness that gives it life. 

Because of the mellower taste (compared to something intense like an IPA or stout), this is a delicious beer to have at your home bar if you want something refreshing, and it's ideal for entertaining because it can appeal to a range of palates. Beer lovers consider it a solid brew. In one package, you'll get four 16.9 fluid-ounce cans of the beer for $8.09, which is a fantastic deal.

Bring a touch of sweetness to your beverages with honey. It's a wonderful alternative to sugar or even classic simple syrup to make your drinks sweeter, but you can also employ it as part of the rim. Honey is great since you can just keep it on your bar cart, while simple syrup not only has to be refrigerated, but also has a limited shelf life. 

Honey adds nuanced flavors to your cocktail depending on the type of honey you use. If you seek a mild and sweet honey that you can build on, try Berryhill clover honey at Aldi. It's an unbeatable deal at $5.49 for 24 ounces. Simply Nature's organic wildflower version is more expensive per ounce, but it adds subtle floral notes, which are a welcome addition to a flowery cocktail. Try it in an elderflower-based libation or a floral Bees Knees with lavender or rose water. To quickly sweeten your drink, mix the honey into your liquor until it's incorporated, so it doesn't just sink to the bottom of your glass.

Ginger beer isn't for the faint of heart as it's pretty potent, with a stronger punch that leans toward spicy. Ginger ale, on the other hand, is more akin to a soft drink with a sweeter taste and milder ginger essence. Aldi carries a Summit ginger beer that brings those spicy, herbal qualities in a non-alcoholic format. The sparkling aspect can quickly enhance your drink without needing further ingredients like soda water. 

There are plenty of cocktails to make with ginger beer, and it can easily add zest and intrigue to a mixed drink. Whether you want a grown-up version of a Shirley Temple or a refreshing Swamp Water for a summer sipper – made with sweetened tea, lemonade, ginger beer, and a dash of fresh lemon juice — you'll save a couple of bucks by buying this product from Aldi. Plus, you can easily finish a bottle for a couple of cocktails or use the entire 4-pack if you're entertaining guests.

Orange juice is one of the easier items to work with, making it a top pick for your at-home bartending needs. The most obvious use is in a screwdriver with vodka or in a mimosa, but the options are virtually unlimited, especially if you're up to using multiple ingredients. An orange-centric golden margarita uses reposado tequila, Cointreau, lime and orange juices, and agave to create a sophisticated sipper. And Aldi has your back with quite a selection of orange juices, allowing customers to pick something that appeals to their specific needs and taste. 

For example, there's a 52-ounce light orange juice with no pulp that gives a smoother texture and appearance to your cocktails. Other grocery stores selling a similar product cost more for fewer ounces, so Aldi is certainly a fantastic place to gather yours. There's regular OJ that's not from concentrate, light OJ with added vitamins, and even a gallon of orange juice from concentrate.

Enhance your next cocktail with a cinnamon stick garnish. There are a lot of ways to use the whole spice, so you don't ever have to feel like it's a one-note ingredient. It infuses your beverage with a bit of warming flavor, offers an eye-catching element, and brings a delightful aroma into the mix as well. One easy way to employ it is to use a cinnamon stick to give cheap bourbon an upgrade. 

To do so, take a few cinnamon sticks and drop them into your bourbon bottle to infuse for several days. You'd be surprised how much flavor they can impart and transform a too-potent cheap bottle into something that's a worthy sipper. Apply the same technique to various liquors that you aren't too pleased to drink by themselves. Alternatively, torch the cinnamon stick to add a smoky depth to your alcoholic beverages. Purchasing this spice from Aldi is an economical choice per ounce compared to other places.

Adding jalapeños to your shopping cart for your meals might seem like a no-brainer, but you can also use them in your beverages. Stick with whole, fresh jalapeños that you can cut and slice as desired — no precut, canned, or brined options. Add fresh slices to your Moscow mule or a cheap rosé to give it a kick of heat and a little bit of color, too. Customize the heat level by using one slice or multiple.

At Aldi, you can find them near the other produce items. You get 8 ounces of jalapeños for 55 cents, which is a terrific deal and means you can get a few to use for your next cocktails. This amount is economical because nothing goes to waste. You're not forced to buy them in bulk, and you can easily use a few for cocktails. We wouldn't recommend going to the store solely for the jalapeños since it's such a small item, but it's worth grabbing if you're already heading to Aldi to stock your bar with goodies.

Now, we're veering off from consumable items and heading into a specific area of Aldi, called the 'aisle of shame'. There's nothing shameful about this random aisle of home goods, in our opinion, but it can be hectic to navigate. The items can vary, and the aisle tends to be a bit messy because people rifle through all the items to determine if they want them. 

That said, check to see if your local store has ice trays, which are a bartending essential. This item can liven up your cocktails, particularly if you seek out a specific shape to bring whimsy to your beverages. It's a wonderful item to keep on deck for your bartending needs. Typically, the ones at Aldi make eight pieces of ice, but this can vary depending on what's available.

What's a party without party cups? You know these: Those iconic red ones with the wide rim that taper toward the bottom. Well, Aldi sells those beloved cups at an incredible deal: $4.35 for 50 pieces. Now you can play beer pong or simply make your party hosting a breeze without needing to wash a bunch of dishes. Even budget-friendly places like Walmart sell party cups at a higher per-cup price, so Aldi is a wonderful place to stock up for your upcoming party or family function. 

If you plan on entertaining your crew, it's beneficial to keep these on hand to streamline your bartending. Each cup holds 18 ounces, which allows plenty of space for any creation you decide to whip up. They also have grooves that add a visual element and make them easy to hold onto. Just make sure to only use them for cold drinks. Save the hot toddy or mulled spiced cider for a mug.