11 Affordable Aldi Boxed Side Dishes You Should Stock In Your Pantry

When you're on your way home after a long day at work, but you still need to pick up something for dinner that's a little bit more budget-friendly than takeout, Aldi has got you. Rather than making an entire meal from scratch (who has the time and energy for that?), you can take a short-cut and check out the German grocery chain's highly underrated boxed side dishes — all you have to do, in many cases, is put your finite energy into cooking up a protein (Aldi's inexpensive meat can't be beat), add a fresh or frozen veg, and bam, you've got a complete meal.

One of the best things about Aldi's boxed side dish selection, too, is how truly inexpensive they all are; few of them are more than $3, and many are less than $2. And just because they're cheap, doesn't mean they're low-value — that's one of the biggest Aldi shopping myths you should never believe. In fact, the sides that made this list are all just as tasty as their name-brand counterparts, which is why you should buy them in multiples to keep your pantry stocked in the future.

The Chef's Cupboard Instant Mashed Potatoes cost just $1.09 per four-ounce bag, and come in three tasty flavors: Buttery, Roasted Garlic, and Four Cheese. Not only are they a terrific substitute for homemade mashed taters on Thanksgiving, they are so convenient (and easy to make!) for no-fuss, weekday KFC-style Famous Bowls.

Aldi's Earthly Grains Rice Pilaf, which costs just $1.09 per 6.07-ounce box, is a savory side that's super-versatile; it pairs well with everything from roasted chicken to meatloaf. To bulk it up and make the portions stretch, we recommend cooking up a vegetable in a skillet, then transferring the cooked rice pilaf to there from its pot, and stirring to combine.

The Earthly Grains New Orleans Style Rice Mixes come in two flavors: Dirty Rice and Red Beans and Rice, and they cost a mere $1.55 per eight-ounce box. These obvious Zatarain's dupes are 20 cents cheaper than the name brand at Walmart, and they're delicious when paired with skillet-browned kielbasa.

If your side's provenance is important to you, consider picking up a few boxes of Aldi's organic Macaroni and Cheese, which cost $1.75 per six-ounce package. Not only are the contents delicious, by the way, but the sauce is hormone-free and free of artificial flavors and colors.

If you need a quick — and we mean QUICK — side, pick up a 10-ounce, $1.85 box of Aldi's couscous, which comes in three flavors: Roasted Garlic, Original Plain, and Parmesan. These sides take just five minutes to prepare, plus the time it takes to get your water boiling, and once you've shut off your burner and poured in the contents of the box, you can just put the lid on and walk away — no babysitting needed.

If you're craving comfort food, nothing says "cozy childhood vibes" like Aldi's Hamburger Helper knock-offs, which comes in Ultimate Cheeseburger and Creamy Beef Stroganoff varieties, and cost just $2.85 per 12.8-ounces. You can even pick up a can of tomato paste and turn the dish gourmet, just like Sydney did on "The Bear."

Whether it's actual summer or the middle of winter and you're missing the sunny season, Aldi's pasta salad kits, which include Ranch & Bacon and Classic, are the perfect side to accompany hamburgers and hot dogs. Even better, they're $1.95 for a 7.7-ounce box, and they're available year-round (no grill required).

Aldi's vegan line, Earth Grown, has expanded in recent years, and one welcome addition includes this plant-based Pad Thai in a bag, which costs $3.29 for 10 ounces. Not only is it high in protein, with 13 grams per serving, but it also heats up in just a minute, making it ideal for a quick lunch.

Look, we get it: Sometimes, despite how hands-off it is, you don't want to wait 40-plus minutes for your rice cooker to do what it does. And that's okay because you have Aldi's microwavable jasmine rice, which is not only cheap, at $1.09 for 8.8 ounces, but it's also aromatic and cooks up in 90 seconds.

For a truly worthy takeout replacement, pick up a container of Pad Thai or Kung Pao ramen, either of which costs just $2.75 for 8.11 ounces, and microwaves without any additional liquid necessary. While it's a perfectly reasonable side on its own, you could take it more into meal territory by adding a protein, like chicken or pork, as well as a vegetable, like broccoli or bok choy.

Finally, a staple in many households, your basic, straight-forward Cheese Club Shells and Cheese is an even more budget-friendly option than the organic mac and cheese, clocking in at just $1.55 for a 12-ounce box (that's 20 cents less for twice as much). This creamy, dreamy side is chock full of cheddar flavor, and the shells are, in our opinion, a heartier and more easily scoopable alternative to macaroni.