This Affordable Aldi Frozen Meal Is The Secret To A Stress-Free Dinner

Aldi is a fantastic chain of supermarkets, which has become some people's go-to for affordable produce, while others swear by its inexpensive meat selections. It also has a jam-packed freezer section, and while there are plenty of ice cream options, like its own brand Belmont, the chain has traditionally been a bit light on microwavable meals, the ultimate in convenience and stress-free dinners. However, it does carry a few, and its line of Whole & Simple chicken quinoa bowls is not only delicious but quite affordable, at just $4.05 for 10.5 ounces.

The chicken bowls, which come in both Southwest and Mediterranean flavors, make for a super-easy, tasty, and satisfying meal at the end of a long day, when you just can't be bothered to cook, but also don't want to order takeout. Each one features 16 to 17 grams of filling protein and 8 grams of dietary fiber, and while they're not gluten-free certified on the box, the bowls don't contain any ingredients that would normally have gluten in them, nor is wheat a declared allergen on the label. The bowls are also dairy-free, containing no cheese, so all in all, these Whole & Simple quinoa meals (which can be microwaved or popped in the oven) can feed a diverse group of hungry people, too.

One of the great things about frozen meals like Aldi's Whole & Simple quinoa bowls is how customizable they are. If you don't have the bandwidth to do anything to them, they are delicious as-is; but if you do have some spare energy that you can expend in your dinner's direction, you can kick them up a notch by adding different elements. This could include a protein — for example, both types of bowls would be terrific with the addition of diced pork or baby shrimps. Or you could give them both a boost with extra vegetables, like bell peppers and onions, sauteed on the stove. Wilt some extra spinach for the Mediterranean bowl, or rinse and strain more black beans into the Southwestern-style container.

If you don't need the dishes to be dairy-free, you could also add cheese. The Mediterranean-style bowl could definitely handle some crumbled feta or freshly grated parmesan — while the Southwestern-style could be topped with everything from shredded cheddar to melty queso (salsa, too). And once you've added some cheese, you might also treat these bowls as dips. Shovel the contents of the Med-style bowl into your mouth using toasted pita chips as its vessel, or the Southwestern-style bowl using tortilla chips or even Fritos Scoops.