10 Things You Should Never Buy At Aldi, According To Reddit

Aldi has built a reputation on cutting costs and simplifying shopping for consumers, but that doesn't mean that every product on the chain's shelves is a home run. In fact, some Redditors weighed in on what to avoid when perusing the aisles of the supermarket, and the one thing they all had in common? The chain wasn't consistent with its products. Issues with aroma, flavor, and even the feel on a considerable number of goods are among those that buyers should beware.

In compiling this list, numerous Reddit threads were examined to ascertain some of the most common issues shoppers have with goods at the multinational discount store. Included with troubles like taste and texture, the rate of spoilage also frequently cropped up as a concern that some suggest to be a regionally exclusive matter. From disappointment in some of the offerings from Clancy's chips to a competitor's version of an old-school treat reminding consumers of cardboard, what follows are individual items or categories that Reddit users broadly agree you should pass on when shopping at Aldi, even with how cheap the chain keeps its groceries.

It's certainly true that how you prepare your chicken will impact the final outcome, but many Redditors agree that buying their breasts at Aldi leaves them starting with a handicap. Though it isn't true of every purchase, consumers have taken notice of textural issues rooted in how the poultry was raised. The primary concern stems from a condition known as woody chicken. Even if you are unfamiliar with the term, you've likely experienced biting into a piece of chicken much tougher than it ought to be.

As to what the heck woody chicken is and whether it is safe, the answer to the latter is yes when you understand that the problem has been theorized to come from poultry bred to grow large at a fast rate. The experience has been enough to turn some off from eating chicken for extended periods, so to prevent such an off-putting culinary encounter you can attempt to tenderize your meat before cooking or prepare it with a slow cooker recipe. Shredded chicken will naturally mask the toughness, just as it will conceal the other concerning growth condition — spaghetti meat — that leaves the raw breast appearing stringy. Though unpleasant to look at, the meat is also considered safe to eat.

Among the exclusive brands sold at Aldi's, the varied flavors of Clancy's chips come with mixed reviews. The issue isn't merely a matter of a difference of opinion for some, especially when it comes to the cheesy queso flavored potato chips. Reactions on Reddit include users remarking on some of the flavors from the brand that they do like, such as Chile lime and BBQ, but expressing there is something off about the cheesy queso that can't even be remedied by masking the taste with dip. Some even suggest that the flavor is more akin to brisket than it is to queso.

Of course, other flavors have their own disappointed reviews as many simply can't get behind the nacho cheese tortilla chips meant to stand in for Doritos. Those who haven't shied away after a single bad chip experience report an inconsistency with the product. They estimate that a quarter to a third of the bags taste off, which is enough for us to avoid Clancy's chips in the future.

If making a sandwich is what you're after, there is one kind of deli meat that Redditors warn against buying from Aldi. Rather than choosing between chicken, ham, or turkey, it is actually a particular package that most disappoints consumers. While the deli meats sold in resealable tubs — such as the red-lidded containers reminiscent of the Hillshire Farms packaging — are generally considered fine, the meats sold in plastic bags have many advising to steer clear.

A consensus of users recount the same experience purchasing the bagged deli meats only to discover the slices are slimy. However, unlike the off texture many report with their chicken breasts, it is not considered safe to eat cold cuts producing any kind of slime, due to the potential presence of bacteria. If you decide against heeding the advice of consumers who've sampled the deli offerings before you and recommend the tubbed varieties, know that Aldi's maintains a Twice as Nice Guarantee return policy providing both a refund and replacement for products not up to snuff that meet the necessary parameters.

The packaging may look similar to Kraft's Philadelphia Cream Cheese, but the slight differences aren't all that commenters find to be off about Aldi's Happy Farms product. The dairy brand offering sliced and shredded cheeses, along with blocks, cubes, sticks and spreads, has left Redditors questioning the consistency of the cream cheese. On its own, some report the product as grainy and tangy in an unsatisfying way. Unfortunately, suggestions that the flavor profiles may be covered up when using the cream cheese for baking are met with replies of no such luck.

With many already disappointed by Aldi's decision to discontinue the popular frozen cheesecake sampler, some of those who purchased Happy Farms cream cheese to make their own cheesecake explain that repeat attempts with poor outcomes pinpoint the ingredient as the source of an ineffable wrongness in the dessert. An undesired sourness from even a single bad batch was enough for many to never attempt to use the cream cheese again, opting for a different brand even though some have no complaints about Happy Farms.

It may come as a surprise that the same part of Appleton Farms thick sliced maple bacon that appeals to Aldi shoppers is what ultimately left them insisting they will never buy it again. Unlike some of the products that put consumers off because of their taste or texture, this cured pork treat delivers on its promise — and then overdelivers proving that there really can be too much of a good thing.

While some share experiences of the maple being overpowering and almost sickly sweet, others recall how the bacon took over as though a syrupy bomb were detonated in their home. There wasn't a room left untouched by the aroma for some Redditors, even after deploying air fresheners or leaving the windows open for days at a time. As for those thinking that the maple aroma filling their home for a few weeks can be an added bonus, there are some who say the scent changed as the days dragged on and it grew increasingly less appealing, akin to a swamp creature being boiled.

Born out of wartime like other popular old-school foods, the basic recipe for Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats calls for nothing more than butter, marshmallows, and crisped rice cereal. However, variations on the recipe — in part to keep it shelf stable — leave Redditors less than satisfied with the Aldi alternative of Millville Crispy Rice Treats. A side-by-side comparison shows that a little bit more goes into the Millville rice cereal than the rice, sugar, salt, and malt flavor of Kellogg's treats as, for example, the Aldi brand also includes various vitamins before factoring in the addition of whey powder.

Whether commenting on the regular or gluten free varieties, a broad consensus express a difference in both the smell and taste of the Millville product with the former being enough in some instances to deter taking a bite. For some, the experience is akin to eating cardboard and the ultimate conclusion is you're better off making your own so that you can have the added benefit of customizing the treats with things like vanilla, browned butter, or candies.

Pickling has come a long way from the days when it was necessary to preserve goods as many simply delight in flavorful twists on brine-soaked foods. Though the craft has a history, that doesn't mean those who employ it aren't without flaws. In the case of Aldi's, whether it be the supermarket chain's banana peppers, jalapeños, pepperoncini, or standard dill pickles, critics report there is something gross about the items.

Considering that the pickling process is meant to extend the shelf life, some of the worst reactions from Redditors report the very salty snacks with an off flavor taste as though they have spoiled. Others describe the various pickled goods as bland, rubbery, and even having a mushy texture, with one recalling an instance where mold was discovered on the food. To avoid a bad experience, one page recommends doublechecking the origin of the pickles before purchasing them as the German-style pickles originating in India have a particularly bad rap.

Similar to issues with Clancy's chips, some of the soups available at Aldi's stand out from the rest as both a waste of a purchase and wholly inedible. Among those many express their particular disfavor for the cheddar and broccoli soup that one Redditor contends misses the mark on tasting like either and instead presents as more of a mushroom flavor. Others speak to the smell and their decision to throw away the food rather than suffer through a spoonful.

Of course, while some point to flavors that they like at Aldi's, including some of the Chef's Cupboard canned goods, other varieties that receive a thumb's down are the cream of mushroom soup and the tomato basil — which earns the extra warning of being unusually sweet. Among complaints about colors and ingredients of the different heat and eat meals, one scathing review went as far as to suggest that a family pet wouldn't even touch the stuff.

In an ideal world, you'll never get home from the grocery store and find yourself spitting mad for somehow overlooking that your fruits or vegetables haven't quite lived up to their sell by date. Of course, these things happen, and whether it's the shopper's fault for picking the produce or whether the store is to blame for failing to cycle out the old goods, quite a few Redditors have experience with subpar items. Among the most common complaints are bananas that ripen too fast, onions that look okay but aren't, and green beans that lose their snap for a slime.

Where the bananas are concerned, customers theorize that the reason they seem to ripen much faster than typical could be the way they are transported since refrigerated temperatures are not suitable for the shelf life of the yellow-skinned fruit. Likewise, concerns over vegetables appear to be a regional issue further supporting the idea that the longevity is lost the further the produce gets from its point of origin.

Much like Christmas decorations cropping up earlier and earlier each year, the ever-expanding list of pumpkin pie spice-flavored offerings tend to begin hitting store shelves before Labor Day. Hints of allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg typically divide palettes, but even enthusiasts — who may be keen on easily making their own spice blend — find themselves turning up their noses at Aldi's pumpkin ale and pumpkin cider.

The range of reasons for dissatisfaction for the former, a product from State of Brewing in Waunakee, Wisconsin, includes some who simply feel the drink is too sweet to those who suggest the entire drinking experience is wrong. Others attest to a heavy-handed sampling of the spices, while still more argue that the beverage presents as too artificial. As for Wicked Grove's Pumpkin Hard Cider, shipped across the country from Middlebury, Vermont, the chemical taste leaves Redditors devising schemes to pass the beverages off strictly to people they do not like after some suggest they can't even give it away.