10 ($4 or Less!) Aldi “Little Luxuries” to Pick Up This Summer

If you’re not already shopping at Aldi, summer is the perfect time to start. The quirky market stocks staple ingredients that we love to pick up year-round, plus seasonal finds with the power to light the internet aflame. Whether you’re shopping for a day at the beach or a backyard barbecue, or simply trying to keep up with constant summer snacking, Aldi has you covered. 

Every one of Aldi’s aisles is packed with the fun and affordable finds for the summer season that we, here at The Kitchn, have dubbed little luxuries: special items that bring joy to our day, yet do not cost a lot of money. Here are 10 little luxuries for summer that I found at Aldi — and they’re all $4 or less. 

This sweet trail mix delivers all of the flavors of your favorite campfire treat. There are tiny graham cookies, chocolate chunks, two types of marshmallows, and crunchy peanuts in every handful. Save the staid mixes for the school year and treat yourself to this summery mix before it’s gone.

Butter is a staple ingredient I keep on hand year-round, but instead of buying the generic block this summer I’m springing for Aldi’s pure Irish butter. WIth its rich flavor, there’s no better butter to melt over sweet summer corn or spread onto fruity lemon-blueberry muffins.  

If you do just one thing for yourself this summer, upgrade your everyday loaf of bread to Aldi’s Specially Selected Italian Loaf. This bread tastes close to homemade with a tender crumb and chewy crust. It is the perfect loaf for all of the BLTs you’re bound to be eating this summer.

When I was a kid, ordering a waffle cone at the ice cream shop was the ultimate summer power move. Now that I’m grown and scooping ice cream at home, I make sure to keep my pantry stocked with Benton’s waffle cones. At less than $2 per box, we all can lick our ice cream in the lap of luxury. 

Nothing beats a cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. Make that summer sipper even more special with Nature’s Nectar sparkling lemonades. The sweet-tart sparkler comes in both classic and pink lemonade and is perfect for cooling off on those extra-hot days. 

Summertime desserts are simple (see: strawberry shortcake and Oreo icebox cake). Aldi has made serving a restaurant-worthy dessert even easier with these Specially Selected mousse cups. Caramel-lovers will swoon over the dulce de leche flavor, while guests who prefer a fruitier dessert will love the raspberry option. They come ready-to-eat in cute little glass cups you can use for bud vases or pencil cups later on.

Pistachios have a salty crunch and buttery flavor unlike any other nut. I often buy shell-on pistachios for snacking, but picking up the pre-shelled nuts feels like an unexpected treat. Plus no extra work is required, so I’m more likely to scatter them over top of melon fruit salad, smash them into cookies, or even mix up a batch of my favorite ice cream flavor (pistachio, of course!).

Root beer is the ultimate summer soda. It is sweet and bubbly with vanilla and anise flavor; it’s perfect for sipping on the back porch. The best way to enjoy root beer is, of course, a root beer float. Pick up a carton of ice cream from Aldi’s freezer and don’t forget the four-pack of Summit root beer to serve the fizzy retro treat.

When I was growing up, ice cream bars coated in a thick chocolate and almond coating were reserved for my dad alone. (Heaven help you if you were caught with that wooden Popsicle stick and chocolate-coated fingers.) Now that I’m head of the house, I can eat the ice cream bars whenever I want. Aldi sells them for just $3.49, so I bring home enough to share.

Cheddar and mozzarella are my everyday cheeses; fancier cheeses are reserved for holiday charcuterie and other special occasions. In the summer, a special cheese from Aldi can go a long way in making an everyday meal affordably elegant. For less than $4, pick up creamy imported Brie to serve with vine-ripened tomatoes, add a slice of soft-ripened Camembert to a smoky grilled steak, or add Borgonzola, an imported soft ripened triple cream blue cheese, to a juicy burger.  

What little luxuries are buying at Aldi this summer? Tell us in the comments below.