Lacey Muszynski / Cheapism
Here's the head highlight of Aldi: It's the place to shop if you're looking for the best deals. The store offers a range of unique and familiar food products that are often better and almost always cheaper than other big-name grocery stores. Still, there are some rip-offs found on the shelves too, especially if we're talking about big-name brands you can find at other stores. Here are some name brands you should avoid at Aldi.
Aldi's is the Duke of Dupes. You'll find Oreos in the cookie aisle, and sometimes you'll see seasonal varieties in that respective aisle that change out every week, but that doesn't mean you should buy them. Inflation hit Oreos like a ton of bricks, turning milk's favorite cookie into the grocery store's most expensive. Opt instead for the Benton's chocolate sandwich cookies. They're cheaper, and if you ask us, that makes them taste better too. A worthwhile dupe, folks.
Arizona's Arnold Palmers are a stalwart on Aldi's shelves, but if you ask us, they should only be there because the store can't sell the well-disguised ripoff. These drinks typically sell for around $6 for a 12-pack, so consumers do the math and think: "50 cents a can is a great deal!" Head on over to Costco, however, and you'll find packs double the price, but also double the can size and pack size. So instead of 12 11.5-ounce cans for $6, you can get 24 22-ounce cans for under $12. The deal is clear, and it's not found at our beloved Aldi.
We love a good can of Pringles as much as the next person, but if you grab a moustache-laden can of these bad boys as part of your Aldi haul, you're doing it all wrong. A 7-ounce can of Pringles costs around $3 at Aldi while the slightly smaller (5.5 ounces) store brand counterpart is less than $2. These cans are located right next to each other in the store. It's like looking back and forth between the angel on your right shoulder and the devil on your left, and in this scenario, the angel costs less.
Related: Once You Pop, You Can't Stop: 19 Pringles Flavors, Ranked
If you can find Honey Nut Cheerios at whatever grocery giant is near you on sale, then go forth and purchase. But you'll almost never see these on sale at Aldi, so they're in the ballpark of $5 a box instead. Skim the shelf until you find the Millville Honey Nut Crispy Oats, which are much cheaper and virtually the same. Go for those instead.
Stick to wholesale clubs like Costco or Sam's Club if you want to find a good deal on Totino's pizza rolls. Otherwise, if you're at Aldi, opt instead for the store brand Mama Cozzi's pizza snacks.
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Aldi has some gems in the chocolate section, and Hershey's isn't what you should gravitate toward here, guys. Spread your wings and try new things. We promise they're a lot better tasting.
You'll spend darn near 10 bucks for a 12-pack of Coca-Cola at Aldi. It's just not the place to find the best deal on cans of Coke. Look to Costco, sales at other grocery chains like Kroger or Walmart, or Sam's Club instead.
