Aldi Vs Trader Joe's: Which Chain Has More Affordable Parmesan Cheese?

Aldi and Trader Joe's emerged from the same family, two chains split apart by a disagreement decades back. Subsequently, the grocers now operate with distinct strengths: Aldi focuses on cheap groceries and Trader Joe's on worldly convenience — but there is still some mutual overlap. Stop by either retailer, and you can grab well-priced bottles of wineand an ample selection of frozen meals, all sold under private labels.

And don't forget the cheese.Both retailers sell a terrific dairy selection, making them a reliable spot to grab foodstuffs like good ole' parmesan, or it's protected Italian sibling, Parmigiano-Reggiano. After all, the hard cow cheeses are a pantry staple, offering a delicious dose of its sharp palate in many applications. So whether grated, shredded, or whole, it's an ingredient that's easy to go through a lot of, making its price worth considering. 

At both Trader Joe's and Aldi, you can find well-priced wedges and containers of grated goodness.The cost difference isn't drastic, but more often than not, it's Aldi that offers the better value option, with a couple exceptions. Just take note that prices and availability fluctuate per location; you're not always guaranteed to find the cheaper cheese at an outlet near you. Not to mention, there are products unique to each retailer, meaning you'll still want to take a careful parm peruse.

With the store's European origins, it's no surprise Aldi's cheese receives lots of love. From aged Gruyère to fresh mozzarella, the selection's wide-ranging; the store sells several parmesan options, too. You can buy the cheese by the wedge ($4.85 for 8 ounces), in grated form, shredded, and even as a snack pack, full of tiny parmesan bites 7 grams of protein a piece.

The lineup doesn't only span form, but flavor, too. You can snag a wedge of the (fancier) Parmigiano-Reggiano, full of complex savory-nutty notes, or go with a classic 10-month aged Italian-inspired parmesan, which comes more sweet and gentle. And yes, there are the familiar grated options, like the Romano and Parmesan blend poised to deliver salty sharpness onto food.

So — how do the prices stack up? While the store generally wins out in cost effectiveness for most parm types, there are a exceptions. When available, the 5.3 ounce block of Parmigiano-Reggiano for $2.45 is a terrific deal — at 92 cents an ounce, it beats out Trader Joe's offering, which costs $21.99 per pound (or roughly $1.37 per ounce). Furthermore, for $3.85, you can also grab an 8-count of the BelGioioso Parmesan Snack Pack. At just under 50 cents per individually wrapped bite, it's one of the cheapest packaged parm options. Thus, Aldi wins out, but TJ's is nevertheless a reliable cheese-shopping spot.

Aldi offers a varied dairy selection, but spotting the best Trader Joe's cheeses is easy, too. The store's parmesan availability is no less extensive, with similar types of the product on shelves as Aldi. When you need some culinary complexity, an Italian-made Parmigiano Reggiano Stravecchio (stravecchio means it is aged at least 3 years) is there to fit the bill, as well as a younger 10 month variety of standard parm, just like at Aldi. Looking for more convenience? Trader Joe's sells Shredded Parmesan Cheese – ready to garnish atop an array of dishes — which also comes available in fully plant-based form. And don't forget TJ's also carries a jar of classic grated parm, perfect for table side applications.

Many of TJ's parm options come higher-priced than Aldi. In shredded format, the cheese comes out to 50 cents an ounce, opposed to 62 cents at Aldi. Yet, a one pound wedge of 10 month parmesan will set you back $8.99, while the Aldi equivalent comes out to $4.39. However, in grated format, you'll be paying two less cents per ounce than at Aldi. So whenever you need some of the salty-savory cheese, grab what you need from Aldi or Trader Joe's.