The Aldi Prepared Foods Worth Buying For A Busy Week

Stocking up on items you can use for quick quality meals during busy weeks is an elite move. However, with so many pre-packaged options available, it can be difficult to know where to turn. In the worst-case scenario, you could end up picking up a pricey disappointment from the store and have little or no time to find a better replacement. Fortunately, Aldi offers budget-friendly choices for a range of dietary preferences. We combed social media feeds and forums to identify some of the best prepared foods money can buy. 

Whether you're looking for something you can heat and eat quickly or want a choice of mains and sides to pair together on a whim, Aldi's frozen and refrigerated products can be a game changer for nights when you're tempted to order delivery but want to preserve your bank account. Customers are vocal about their shopping choices. The items they highlight are not only convenient but also tasty and often highly customizable. 

Bremer's Chicken Pot Pie is one of those heat-and-eat foods shoppers say are better than takeout. Some Aldi customers pair the ready-to-heat dish with mashed potatoes for a more filling plate, while others air fry the pot pies and eat two at a time for a heartier meal. Add a side of veggies or soup if the hunger pangs are loud. For the price, this is an easy option to place into a shopping cart. 

Purchase Bremer Chicken Pot Pie for $1.09.

Ravioli makes for one of the best Italian sausage dishes you can whip up, and Priano's version has shoppers adding the refrigerated item regularly to shopping lists. "Eat it about twice a month," wrote one fan on Reddit. Choose your favorite sauce to accompany the pieces and enjoy either as a main or a satisfying side dish. 

Purchase Priano Italian Sausage Ravioli for $6.59.

Kirkwood's Red Bag Chicken offers a convenient option for those looking to put together fast dinners. "Snagged three bags of these today! We ate a whole bag [of] these in two days!" wrote one commenter on Facebook. The person even said they preferred this poultry over Chick-fil-A's. The fully-cooked chicken chunks are ready in minutes to add to plates.

Purchase Kirkwood Red Bag Chicken for $8.79.

Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen has long offered toasted beef ravioli. Perhaps as a result of Aldi's broader rebranding efforts, the chain's website currently indicates that ravioli are now sold in boxes bearing the Bremer label. Either way, these breaded bites of seasoned beef have fans. As one Facebook user posted, "One of my favs, I eat as an appetizer or a meal, marinara sauce, parmesan or mozzarella cheese never disappoints."

Purchase Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen Original Beef Breaded Toasted Ravioli for $3.95.

Instead of whipping up chicken and Alfredo sauce in a skillet, Bremer's Alfredo Chicken Skillet is a one-bag meal that has found its share of pleased shoppers. "Love these on a night when I don't want to cook," wrote one fan on Facebook. Aldi customers customize the contents of the bags with added protein or vegetables to make larger meals or to feed many mouths.

Purchase Bremer Alfredo Chicken Skillet for around $4.

You'll be able to skip the work of making potato and cheddar pierogies from scratch with the help of Bremer's Potato & Cheddar Pierogies. Some shoppers sauté them with onions and add smoked sausage or kielbasa, while others prefer to bake the pieces until crispy and fluffy. "They are excellent for the convenience of frozen pierogies and priced well," noted one customer on Facebook. 

Purchase Bremer Potato & Cheddar Pierogies for $2.55.

Kirkwood's Chicken Nuggets have been described as a Chick-fil-A dupe customers can't get enough of.  "These are the best frozen chicken product I have ever purchased," wrote a Reddit user. The breaded white chicken meat is ready to be heated up and dipped into sauces, wrapped into tortillas, or mixed into salads for a variety of quick meal options. 

Purchase Kirkwood Chicken Nuggets for $5.89.

Landing on our ranked list of Park Street Deli prepared meats, the Artichoke Spinach & Parmesan Cheese Hand Stuffed Chicken Breast is ideal for low-effort evenings. Customers have noted that the heated pieces don't need to be altered or seasoned and can be served simply with veggies for a speedy meal. 

Purchase Park Street Deli Artichoke Spinach & Parmesan Cheese Hand Stuffed Chicken Breast for $7.05.

While a classic manicotti recipe can be a bit of a project to take on, Priano's Spinach and Cheese Manicotti makes the work easy. Shoppers on Facebook have prepared the store-bought manicotti with cooked hamburger meat and top with mozzarella to serve a highly-recommended dish that is "chef's kiss." 

Purchase Priano Spinach and Cheese Manicotti for $5.75.

A classic lasagna bolognese recipe can take close to two hours to make, so Bremer's Family Size Lasagna with Meat Sauce is ideal for meal prep Sundays and family dinners. "I actually have two in my freezer for an easy dinner with a salad," wrote one fan on Facebook. Others have recommended letting the dish sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. 

Purchase Bremer Family Size Lasagna with Meat Sauce for $6.59.

Aldi's Specially Selected Gourmet Smoked Gouda Macaroni & Cheese is the kind of boxed mac and cheese customers can't get enough of. Customers on Facebook have described the ready-to-heat pasta as a "keeper," writing, "The whole family (even the picky one) gave it a thumbs up." Even shoppers who admit to avoiding boxed mac and cheese are converted by the creamy, perfectly seasoned recipe. 

Purchase Specially Selected Gourmet Smoked Gouda Macaroni & Cheese for $2.45.

With a variety of store-bought salad kits to choose from, Little Salad Bar Southwest Chopped Salad Kit is delighting customers with its well-rounded mix of ingredients. With greens, veggies, tortilla chips, cheese, and chipotle ranch as a base, it is easy to customize meals with avocado, freshly chopped tomatoes, or extra pieces of protein to hit macro goals or address specific cravings during the week. 

Purchase Little Salad Bar Southwest Chopped Salad Kit for $3.65.

Fremont Fish Market Coconut Breaded Butterfly Shrimp is a go-to for easy entertaining, and fans of the crunchy pieces buy the item regularly. Enjoy as an appetizer while you wait for the rest of your meal to heat up or plate with pasta and a simple salad for a quick and tasty dinner. 

Purchase Fremont Fish Market Coconut Breaded Butterfly Shrimp for $4.09.

For evenings when you can't summon the strength to cook garlic butter shrimp, Whole & Simple Garlic Butter Shrimp Rice Bowl provides a convenient option that customers are calling delicious. Aldi shoppers boost protein content by adding boiled eggs and admit to stockpiling the item when it is spotted on Aldi's store displays.

Purchase Whole & Simple Garlic Butter Shrimp Rice Bowl for $3.79.

Park Street Deli Taboule Salad provides a fresh and flavorful addition to any meal. The side can be used to bulk up spreads served at cookouts or to stretch ingredients when unexpected dinner guests drop by. "I loved this stuff! Was surprised by it," wrote a shopper on YouTube. Round out any of the other mains you've picked up from the store with a few spoonfuls.

Purchase Park Street Deli Taboule Salad for $2.65.