I tried 9 of Aldi's seasonal summer products, and I'd buy most of them again

A shopping cart containing a wedge of cheese, a red container of salsa, a yellow pasta box, a funnel cake dispenser, a large package of premade chicken skewers, a container of pasta, a canister of wafers, a green pouch of cookies, and a gray and black box of s'mores soufflé — I tried nine summertime foods from Aldi.
Paige Bennett

I taste-tested and reviewed nine summertime products available at Aldi.
I'd buy the Reggano elote pasta-salad kit and Benton's key-lime cookie thins again.
Next time, I'll skip Aldi's caprese pasta salad and the Specially Selected s'mores soufflé.

I've been an Aldi shopper for a while, so I know the budget grocery chain goes all out for summertime meals and treats. Like many people looking to save money by shopping at Aldi amid rising food costs, I'm a big fan of the grocery store's low prices and rotating seasonal stock.

From marinated-chicken skewers to pasta salads and salsas, I decided to stop by my local Aldi, grab as many seasonal items as I could find, and try them all to see which were worth the hype.

Here's how the summer items at Aldi stacked up.

Aldi's caprese pasta salad seemed like an easy summer meal.

A clear-plastic bowl of caprese pasta salad, with pieces of pasta and tomato visible in the bowl — Aldi's caprese pasta salad seemed like a great grab-and-go option.
Paige Bennett

I love eating pasta salad in the summer, so I was excited to see that Aldi carries rotini and caprese options for the season.

The caprese pasta salad intrigued me, so I opted for that version. The item is easy to miss, though — this year's pasta salads had pretty plain, basic packaging.

The pasta salad tasted OK, but I thought the noodles had a gummy texture.

Bird's-eye-view of the top of the pasta salad container, which has a white lid, and a bowl of pasta salad with visible tomato pieces and a fork sticking out of the bowl — I thought the noodles in Aldi's caprese pasta salad had an odd texture.
Paige Bennett

The flavors in this pasta salad were OK. I would've preferred if the mozzarella had been in pearls instead of tiny shreds. I also thought the noodles were very gummy.

The best-by date on the packaging was over a month after the day I ate it, and I think the noodles would likely get gummier with time. I'd skip this, as I can probably make a better caprese pasta dish from scratch.

The Park Street Deli smoky peach salsa sounded like my ideal dip for chips.

A clear plastic container with red labels with white lettering spelling out "salsa smoky peach" on a black table — The Park Street Deli smoky peach salsa seemed like the perfect sweet-and-savory combination.
Paige Bennett

I love smoky mango salsas. Although I hadn't had peach salsa before, I figured a smoky, sweet salsa like this would be perfect for summer.

I could already envision generous helpings of this salsa over tacos and with tortilla chips for dipping.

This salsa would likely work better for tacos and rice bowls than dipping.

A plate tortilla chips with a small bowl of peach salsa sitting next to a container with red labels. A hand holds a chip dipped in salsa with a large piece of peach on it. — The flavor of the Park Street Deli smoky peach salsa wasn't as balanced as I'd hoped.
Paige Bennett

The flavor of the salsa wasn't as balanced as I'd hoped. The smoke flavor was strong, with only hints of spice and sweetness.

I liked the big peach chunks, but I wish the cilantro pieces were more finely chopped.

After tasting this salsa with chips, I thought it was better suited for serving with tacos, rice bowls, or salads. That being said, I'd still buy it again.

The s’mores soufflé seemed very popular at my local Aldi.

A gray and black box with a picture of a layered dessert on it. A black label with purple "chocolate s'mores souffle" text on it is on the front of the packaging. — I had high hopes for the Specially Selected chocolate s'mores soufflé.
Paige Bennett

When I went shopping, I was specifically looking for the s'mores soufflé — which sounded like an amazing dessert.

I almost missed it because my local Aldi had nearly sold out of the soufflé. I took this as a sign that the dessert would be delicious.

In my opinion, this dessert looked better than it tasted.

A spoon with a piece of a s'mores layered dessert with a graham-cracker bottom layer and marshmallow topping on it. A black and gray box is visible in the background. — The Specially Selected chocolate s'mores soufflé wasn't what I expected.
Paige Bennett

The s'mores soufflé looked so good I wanted to eat it cold out of the container. Still, I followed the directions and heated it in the microwave for 30 seconds.

After microwaving, the toasted marshmallows on top of the dessert became super gooey and puffy. It looked good but didn't quite deliver the flavor I expected.

I didn't get the taste or texture of graham crackers, and, in my opinion, the chocolate center tasted like a brownie from a TV dinner. I'd skip this product and just make classic s'mores instead.

The Baker's Corner funnel-cake kit has been on my shopping list for a few years.

A yellow, blue, and red, cone-shaped funnel-cake dispenser with a long tube in the front of the container. The package has a picture of a funnel cake on the front. — I was excited to try the Baker's Corner funnel-cake kit for the first time.
Paige Bennett

Aldi releases the Baker's Corner funnel-cake kit every summer. Though I always see it when it returns for the season, I've never bought it.

The kit, which featured an easy-to-pour pitcher and a bag of dry funnel-cake mix, looked cute.

The setup was a little messy, but the results were worth it.

A gray plate with a funnel cake, strawberry topping, and a dollop of whipped cream on it. The entire dessert is covered in powdered sugar. — I really enjoyed the finished dessert I made with the Baker's Corner funnel-cake kit.
Paige Bennett

I thought I'd mix the batter in the packaging it came in, but the directions said to prepare the mixture in a separate bowl and then pour it into the original container.

This process got pretty messy, as the container's opening wasn't very wide. Despite the mess, the finished batter was easy to pour into the hot oil from the pitcher.

I topped the finished fried pastry with powdered sugar, simmered strawberries, and whipped cream. It was delicious, light, and crisp without any sogginess. This will probably be a must-buy for me every summer.

The Fresh Grill sweet-chile-lime chicken skewers had me excited for barbecue season.

A clear plastic-wrapped package of chicken skewers with four pieces of chicken on each skewer. The package features a gray label. — The Fresh Grill sweet-chile-lime chicken skewers looked like an easy dish to make.
Paige Bennett

I recently reintroduced meat into my diet and have been learning how to prep and cook different proteins.

When I came across the convenient chicken skewers, already prepped and marinated in a sweet chile-lime seasoning, I looked forward to enjoying a flavorful protein that required little effort.

These skewers were super convenient, making them a new summertime staple for me.

A close-up image of a chicken skewer with grill marks and a golden-brown surface on a gray plate. Another chicken skewer sits behind the first one. — I really enjoyed the Fresh Grill sweet-chile-lime chicken skewers.
Paige Bennett

I prepared the skewers on a grill pan indoors, but according to the directions, they can also be thrown on the barbecue or baked in the oven for a more hands-off cooking approach.

They were extremely quick and easy to make, and the chicken's flavor was subtle enough for it to be a versatile protein option. It was slightly sweet with a tanginess from the lime.

I look forward to eating these with grilled veggies, in tacos, or on top of salads all summer.

I couldn’t wait to add the Emporium Selection spinach-and-artichoke Gouda to a cheese board.

A wooden cutting board with a wedge of cheese with a purple label with an illustration of an artichoke on it. — I thought the Emporium Selection spinach-and-artichoke Gouda would be very flavorful.
Paige Bennett

When I heard Aldi carried various Gouda products for the summer, I headed straight to the grocery store's cheese section to scope out my options.

There were a few summertime Goudas, including hot-honey, Sriracha, and spinach-and-artichoke options. I chose the spinach-and-artichoke flavor because I thought it was unique and would taste great with pretzels and crackers.

I think the Gouda would be much better heated up.

A wooden cutting board with several pretzels next to a pile of shaved cheese. The cutting board sits on a black table. — I'd use the Emporium Selection spinach-and-artichoke Gouda in pasta or a dip.
Paige Bennett

I paired thin Gouda slices with salty pretzels for a quick afternoon snack. In my mind, this was a delicious pairing.

Unfortunately, the Gouda tasted just OK, and the chunks of spinach weren't very tasty and seemed soggy to me. This wouldn't deter me from eating the cheese again, though.

I'd buy this again and use it in a homemade spinach-and-artichoke dip or for a spin on classic mac and cheese.

Benton's key-lime cookie thins seemed like an easy snack to pack for pool days and picnics.

A lime-green pouch of cookie thins. Illustrations of limes and an image of a stack of several cookies is on the front of the package. — I liked that Benton's key-lime cookie thins came in a resealable package.
Paige Bennett

I love key-lime pie in the summer (or anytime), so when I saw these seasonal cookie thins at Aldi, I had to have them.

After opening the bag and smelling the cookies thins, I knew they'd be a hit. Plus, they come in a resealable bag, which is great for packing for the pool, park, or beach.

I loved the cookie thins as-is, but I plan to use them in an actual key-lime pie.

A white plate filled with six golden-brown cookies with a lime-green pouch in the background. — I plan to use Benton's key-lime cookie thins in my summertime baking.
Paige Bennett

The flavor and texture of these cookie thins were incredible. They tasted like key-lime pie, with a very thin, crispy texture that almost melted in my mouth.

I could easily eat these cookie thins in one sitting, but they'd also make an extra-flavorful crust for a key-lime pie.

I plan on buying another bag, blitzing them in a food processor, and turning them into a pie crust.

Benton's crème-filled summer-berry wafer rolls seemed like another great portable snack or dessert.

A white canister with purple detailing. An illustration of several berries and an image of berry wafer cookies is on the front of the package. — I liked the metal packaging Benton's crème-filled summer-berry wafer rolls came in.
Paige Bennett

My partner and I love wafer rolls, so we were both looking forward to the summertime flavors available at Aldi. My local store carried lemon-meringue and summer-berry flavors — we went with the latter.

The wafer rolls came in a sealed package inside a metal tin with a lid, the perfect size for throwing in a bag or the car on the way to summertime activities.

The summer-berry flavor wasn’t for me, but I'd be willing to give the other option a try.

A hand holds a white and pink wafer roll in front of a canister with the lid taken off. The lid says "wafer rolls" on it. — I wasn't a huge fan of Benton's crème-filled summer-berry wafer rolls.
Paige Bennett

These wafer rolls looked and smelled amazing. Each roll had pink stripes along the sides and smelled like strawberries. However, the flavor wasn't quite as good as the scent.

I thought they had a somewhat artificial blueberry taste, and the crème filling wasn't as thick as I would've liked.

I don't know that I'd buy the summer-berry flavor again, but I'd be open to trying the lemon-meringue option.

I was most looking forward to trying the Reggano elote pasta-salad kit.

A yellow and white box of elote pasta with images of cilantro, limes, and a bowl of pasta on the box. — I was optimistic about the Reggano elote pasta-salad kit.
Paige Bennett

The elote pasta salad came in a boxed kit that required cooking and prep. I thought Aldi's premade caprese pasta salad was gummy, so I was happy to put in a little more work for a pasta salad with what I hoped would be a better texture.

Plus, combining the flavors of elote and pasta sounded like a genius idea for summer cookouts.

The pasta salad was surprisingly customizable.

A bowl of pasta with a thick-looking yellow sauce. A white spatula sits in the bowl. — I made a mayo-based dressing for the Reggano elote pasta salad.
Paige Bennett

I liked that this kit offered instructions for making both mayo-based pasta and an oil-and-vinegar version. I opted for the mayo-based option, which was pretty easy to make.

While the noodles were boiling, I combined hot water, the included seasoning packet, and mayo in a bowl. Once the noodles were cooked, I rinsed them in cool water, added the dressing, and put the finished dish in the fridge.

The final pasta tasted OK — I got the corn, chile, and lime flavors. Because of its thick mayo dressing, I think this pasta salad would be better with lots of mix-ins. I plan to buy another box and add roasted corn, cherry tomatoes, black beans, and cilantro or green onions.

Overall, I’d buy most of these Aldi summer finds again.

A black table with several grocery-store items arranged on top. The products include a wedge of cheese, a red container of salsa, a yellow pasta box, a funnel cake dispenser, a large package of premade chicken skewers, a container of pasta, a canister of wafers, a green pouch of cookies, and a gray and black box of s'mores soufflé — I enjoyed the flavors of most of the items I got at Aldi.
Paige Bennett

I found a lot of new favorites at Aldi this summer. The funnel-cake kit was my favorite of the bunch — making and eating the dessert was so fun, and the product was really convenient.

Next time, I'd skip Aldi's caprese pasta salad, the s'mores soufflé, and the summer-berry wafer rolls. I'd buy a couple of products, like the smoky peach salsa and spinach-and-artichoke Gouda, to incorporate into meals as ingredients rather than eat on their own.

This taste test opened my eyes to Aldi's summertime options, and I can't wait to try more next year.

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