The Food Brand Some Aldi Shoppers Are Avoiding

Aldi has some incredible products you can stock your pantry, fridge, and beyond — we're looking at you, "Aisle of Shame." You can count on it to sell must-have finds, but it has its occasional subpar item ... or brand. That's the case with Proper Good, specifically the Original Cheddar Mac and Cheese. 

It is a ready-to-eat 10-ounce packet that advertises its homemade taste and 11 grams of protein, but Aldi customers have mixed opinions about the product and other items from the brand. A Reddit thread titled "I dug this out of the trash to tell you how bad it is," with a photo of the macaroni and cheese packet, amassed hundreds of upvotes and over 150 comments discussing the brand and some of the products it sells.

While Proper Good has a couple of items at Aldi, it's also sold elsewhere. The company offers ready-made, fully-cooked soup and pasta dishes. Customers are meant to rip off the top, heat it in the microwave, and eat it straight from the package — at least according to the video on its website. While one can always jazz it up by pouring it into a bowl or plate, many Aldi customers are not willing to trade flavor for convenience.

 Some Aldi customers on Facebook noted that they'd only recently started seeing the brand. Although one customer was initially interested in the mac and cheese, they ultimately decided against buying it, writing, "I picked up the bag, and the way it squished made me leave it on the shelf." The opinions vary greatly, with some saying the mac and cheese was edible — not bad, but not impressive either.

Others are clearly displeased with the Aldi offering. "I have never had worse mac n cheese in my LIFE," one person commented. They went on to explain that the dish lacked flavor and that the sauce congealed instead of melting, even after it was heated. Some Redditors liken it to military Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) foods. While others say it tasted sour and bitter. "It was a weird color, had a weird texture, and tasted not good. Worst thing I've ever bought at Aldi," one Redditor said. Instead, you might want to snag the $1 Kraft dupe from Aldi's Cheese Club brand, beloved for its cheesy, sharp flavor.

While the Proper Good mac and cheese is best avoided, you don't have to write off the brand entirely. Some customers noted that they'd picked up the brand's Pizza Soup and quite enjoyed it, saying it would be good with a grilled cheese. Others weren't fans, with one Redditor comparing it to "spicy tomato soup with pepperoni." Still, the reviews aren't quite as negative as the mac and cheese. If you don't want to try the ready-to-eat version, though, we have an excellent pizza soup recipe you can whip up in 30 minutes.