Guide to Organic Foods at Aldi
Guide to Organic Foods at Aldi
You may have heard of the organic food at Aldi, but do you know how to navigate it all. If you haven’t heard of Aldi, it’s a German family-owned discount grocery store. You walk into this store and you save tons of money on your groceries. Aldi operates more than 1,900 stores in 36 states in the U.S. The best part is that they also have many organic items for you to check out! However, navigating that organic section can be a really interesting endeavor. Here is your guide to organic food at Aldi.
SHOP WITH ME! Watch my Aldi Organic shopping haul with prices on YouTube
Is Aldi food ALL ORGANIC?
While Aldi food is not all organic they do have an Aldi exclusive brand, Simply Nature, that includes organic as well as certified non-GMO products. I don’t think that GMO products are a bad thing but they can’t be included in organic food. We’ll talk more about GMO foods another day.
What does ORGANIC mean?
Organic food is all about agricultural production, not about nutritional or health-related benefits. According to the USDA for food to be labeled organic, the item must be non-GMO, free from certain prohibited pesticides, fertilizers and some other substances for three years prior to harvest. Organic does NOT mean that there were no pesticides or fertilizers used. For animal products, the animals must be fed organic food and not given antibiotics or hormones. It’s more complicated than that so for more details visit the USDA website.
Simply Nature Food Introduction
If you’re going to shop at Aldi, then you need to know all about the Simply Nature line of food. All Simply Nature products are organic or non-GMO project certified. This line of food is seriously some of the best and you can only find it at Aldi. Simply Nature is a product line that is wise to get to know for these reasons too:
- There are no artificial colors.
- There are no artificial flavors.
- There are no hydrogenated oils.
You can go to their website to learn more about Simply Nature and how they’re changing the way organic products are made. Since 2013 Aldi has grown the Simply Nature line of products from 30 to over 200.
Are organic foods at Aldi cheaper than other stores?
It’s Aldi for the win when it comes to low prices on organic and non-GMO products. Aldi typically has lower prices than Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s on popular organic foods. (Here’s a good article that does some thorough price comparisons between Aldi and Whole Foods for organic as well as conventional products). The quality is really good, too! I’ve been very happy with all of the food I buy at Aldi. If you are not satisfied with your purchase just bring the uneaten portion back to the store with the receipt and package. Aldi stands behind its products with their “Twice as Nice” guarantee. They’ll give you a refund AND replace the item. Some restrictions apply, check Aldi’s website or the store for details. The “Twice as Nice” guarantee does not apply to non-food items or alcohol products like wine.
While Aldi does not accept manufacturers coupons (they don’t carry many national brands anyway, mostly private label items) be sure to check Aldi’s weekly ad online for more savings. Just enter your zip code so you can see what’s on sale in your area.
Aldi exclusive Never Any! Brand of Meat
If you were to shop through Aldi right now, you’d find a brand of meat called Never Any!. While not necessarily organic, people find this brand of meat fascinating because instead of adding random chemicals to the food at Aldi, they are focused on WHAT THEY DO NOT ADD. Never Any never has animal by-products, added hormones, or added steroids. You’ll also find that this brand is free of antibiotics. If you’re trying to shop on a budget, then this is the way to go when buying your meat.
All meats in Aldi’s Never Any! line are certified by the USDA as raised antibiotic-free,
with no added hormones or steroids, as well as no animal by-products (vegetarian fed). The entire line of products under the Aldi’s exclusive brand of meats,
Never Any!, has earned the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval so you can be confident in the quality of your purchase.
The Simply Nature line does include organic ground beef. Hopefully, more organic meat and poultry products will follow.
Does Aldi sell organic produce?
Keep in mind that every Aldi is so different, however, there is likely several types of organic product at your local Aldi too. Just make sure you look for the label. Most Aldi stores do have a traditional list of organic produce for you to check out:
- Baby kale
- Baby carrots
- Grape tomatoes
- Oranges
- Bananas
- Apples
This is a basic list of my local store, but your store may have more or less. I know that Aldi strives hard to have as many organic products as possible. I tend to purchase a mix of organic and conventionally grown produce when I shop. I find it most important to buy organic when I am purchasing fruits and vegetables if I’m going to eat the skin or have thin skins. That is the most economical way to shop for healthy foods in my opinion. The list of the so-called “DIRTY DOZEN” fruits and vegetables with the highest amounts of pesticide residue, put together by The Environmental Working Group, are items that you may want to consider purchasing organic.
- Strawberries (strawberries are number one for the fourth year in a row)
- Spinach
- Kale
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Cherries
- Pears
- Tomatoes
- Celery
- Potatoes
For products like bananas and oranges with thick skins that we peel away, I buy conventionally grown produce. For apples, grapes, carrots, and other fruits and vegetables with thin skins that we’ll probably eat I’ll buy organic.
Does Aldi have organic DAIRY?
Although some of you cannot eat dairy, there is a good portion of you that can! If you want to eat dairy, you’ll want to eat the organic options available at your local Aldi. Some of the organic dairy options at Aldi include USDA organic milk. Aldi also carries organic yogurt that has two flavors: vanilla or plain. Don’t forget to look at the organic cheese options at your local Aldi.
Aldi also sells organic soymilk for those needing dairy free solutions.
What organic snacks can I find at Aldi?
Let’s talk about the organic snack options available at Aldi. What family doesn’t want to have organic snacks on hand? In fact, the organic snack options at Aldi are my favorite to buy!
Tortilla Chips
If you love tortilla chips, you’re in luck because Aldi has a whole slew of tortilla chips available in the Simply Nature line. Blue corn tortilla chips, multigrain tortilla chips, and even yellow corn tortilla chips.
Fruit Squeezers
A favorite snack of ours are fruit squeezers. Aldi has organic fruit squeezers available. I find that these snacks work well for both older and younger kids. These can be enjoyed year round! They’re also a great addition to soups and sauces to sneak some more fruit into your family’s diet!
Salsa
Do you love salsa? If so, you’re going to love the organic salsa options available at Aldi. They actually have mild salsa, medium salsa, and even hot salsa. I don’t know about you but we eat a lot of salsa around here. The more organic the better. I also stir some salsa into my quinoa as I’m cooking it for a zesty side dish.
Popcorn
There is also a rumor that Aldi has an organic popcorn option. Hello, I love popcorn and it makes me feel better about eating it if it’s organic. There is nothing like having a big bowl of popcorn that is chemical free!
Understanding the Organic Pantry Items at Aldi
Let’s dig right into the organic pantry items available at Aldi. There are a LOT of pantry staples that you can find that this great store. Many of us keep these items in our pantry, just in case we’ll need them.
It makes sense for you to stock your pantry with items that are needed for that you use frequently and that aren’t perishable. Some of my favorite organic pantry items include almond butter and peanut butter. It sure is nice to be able to find these on the shelf.
Do you love granola? You’ll also be able to find this on the shelf at Aldi! It’s the organic version, which is awesome! I enjoy adding granola to my cereal, it also makes a great topping for a fruit crumble for dessert.
Looking for pantry items to help make your favorite Italian meals? Aldi has it.
- Diced canned tomatoes
- Canned tomato sauce
- Jarred pasta sauces
- Organic pasta (you’ll find a variety)
I don’t know about you but I keep dried pasta and jarred pasta sauce on hand at ALL TIMES! Brown some Never Any! or Simply Nature ground beef and stir in some organic spinach and you have a complete, nutritious and DELICIOUS easy pasta dinner on the table in no time!
You can also stock up on organic spices like organic ground cinnamon, organic garlic powder, organic ground Cayenne pepper, and organic cumin. Remember, all items may not be available in all stores so check your local Aldi and if they don’t have what you need you should definitely ask them to get it in.
Don’t forget the bread! If you’d like to switch to organic bread, you’re going to have lots of options at Aldi.
Aldi also has organic frozen foods so look for organic frozen berries to add to your smoothies!
Whether you need bone broth, canned soup, vegetable broth, brown rice, or even instant oatmeal, you can head to Aldi and check out their organic version.
Why Buy Organic Foods at Aldi?
I hear a lot of families complain that they cannot afford to buy organic foods for their family, which is completely fair. Buying organic can get expensive. This is probably why I enjoy shopping at Aldi.
People shop at Aldi because it’s inexpensive and they can afford it. There are so many different organic food options available at Aldi, it just makes sense to shop here. If you’re looking to switch over to an organic version of your favorite foods, then Aldi may just be the answer.
Why do I need a quarter for the shopping cards at Aldi?
That quarter helps keep prices down at Aldi. When you return your shopping cart to the corral you get your quarterback. That way Aldi doesn’t have to hire extra staff to run around the parking lot collecting shopping carts which means lower prices on your organic food.
Why do I have to bring my own bags to Aldi?
That’s another money saving measure. Bring your own reusable shopping bags or boxes when you shop at Aldi. You can also purchase bags when you get there. That saves Aldi money and they pass the savings on to you keeping the price of organic products lower.
Guide to Organic Foods at Aldi for saving BIG MONEY!
I hope that this Guide to Organic Foods at Aldi really helps you to understand your options. There aren’t a lot of grocery stores committed to ensuring you have the best products with the least amount of bad ingredients.
Even if you can’t find that you want organic wise at Aldi, they try their hardest to make sure they have the best product available.
Do you shop at Aldi? What tips do you have for those who are looking to buy organic products at Aldi? Do you always remember to bring your own bags? LOL I have to do better with that, I almost always forget!
