The Sweet And Spicy Aldi Snack I Put Out Anytime Guests Come Over

Sweet and spicy foods are perfect when you want to eat something with dimension. They're more complex than a one-note item, with subtle nuances between the flavor profiles to appease the taste buds. It's an ideal combination to serve when you're trying to impress guests at a gathering. And as you might know, Aldi has snacks of all kinds, whether you're seeking a selection of scrumptiously sweet cookies or a handful of popular salty snacks. But in those times when you're on the hunt for something simultaneously sweet and spicy, aka swicy (but why can't it be called 'speet'?), I have a suggestion for you: Aldi's Southern Grove brand Cajun Trail Mix. 

This mix comes with a delectable blend of peanuts, butter toffee peanuts, Cajun-style corn sticks, honey-roasted sesame sticks, roasted corn (in the same vein as Corn Nuts), and almonds. This crunchy mix has a satisfying combination of sweet and spicy without going too far in either direction, which is why I like to put it out for guests when I'm hosting friends and family. It's pleasantly spicy, meaning that nobody is likely to need a glass of milk to curb the heat on their tongue. Serve it as a stand-alone snack while you catch up around the coffee table or include it in a more involved snack platter. You can snag a 27-ounce bag for around $7 at your nearest Aldi, making it an affordable party must-have.

Trail mixes are great to place out when you're entertaining because they offer a range of textures and flavors with minimal effort. It's easy to pour some out into a bowl for an Aldi-centric grazing board that makes hosting a breeze. I've tried (and made) a lot of trail mixes and sampled most of Aldi's selection, too. Some trail mixes tend to be cloying with loads of add-ins like chocolate chips and sweetened candy morsels, or sometimes they are relatively plain with an unflavored mix of nuts and potentially raisins. 

But each element of the Sweet & Spicy Cajun Trail Mix is independently seasoned, and the heat and sweet come from specific items. For example, the corn sticks have garlic, onion, and tomato powder, along with some other herbs and spices to give it a base flavor aside from the Frito-like corniness. You also get hints of heat from the spicy peanuts, which have cayenne pepper and black pepper. Sweetness comes from the sugar in the butter toffee peanuts, as well as a hint of honey and sugar from the honey-roasted sesame sticks. 

All in all, I find the ingredients to be high-quality, and the blend seems like it'd be an expensive nut mix that you'd have to get at a fancy grocery store. This might just be your secret to successful, stress-free hosting.