Kitchn Love Letters

The $4 Aldi Grocery I Wish I’d Tried Sooner (Now I Buy It Every Single Week)

published Sep 27, 2024
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You’re not alone if you’re hearing more people talk about Aldi. This quirky market is one of the fastest-growing grocery stores in the country (just behind Kroger and Walmart). The chain’s loyal fan base even spreads their love online, sharing grocery “finds” in groups like the Aldi Aisle of Shame Community on Facebook, a group dedicated to the grocer’s ever-changing center aisle, and Instagram accounts like ohheyaldi and theamazingaldi.  

Credit: Robert D Brozek/Shutterstock

I love the limited-edition goods, but it’s the groceries I buy every week that keep me coming back. This school year, I’m dedicating a lot of my grocery dollars to Aldi because I get more for my money. Aldi’s prices are so much lower than other grocery stores, I’ve even started buying some convenience items that I usually avoid. One of those is the Happy Farms Cheese Party Tray. 

Credit: Patty Catalano

What’s So Great About Happy Farms Cheese Party Tray?

This party tray costs $4.69, or about 29 cents per ounce. A block of cheese is about the same price, but the tray includes four varieties of cheese that are already sliced: cheddar, Swiss, Colby Jack, and pepper Jack. You get 28 slices total (or seven of each). More variety and less prep work make this grocery find a big winner in my book.

What’s the Best Way to Use Happy Farms Cheese Party Tray?

The cheese party tray is designed for parties (obviously), but you can use it for so much more. For example, I’ve started handing off responsibility for packing school lunches to my kids. To make this transition easier on everyone, I’m stocking the fridge with ingredients that don’t require assistance from me. Sandwich assembly stumped them because they’re nervous to slice through a block of cheese. Now with this variety pack of cheese on hand, school-ready sandwiches are made even easier.

The cheese slices are perfectly sized for topping chicken in recipes like this French onion skillet chicken or this five-ingredient skillet chicken Parmesan. You can use it in party-ready sandwiches like these ham and cheese sliders. Skip the drive-thru and make copycat McDonald’s Egg McMuffins for breakfast (you may never go back under those golden arches).

Find it in stores: Happy Farms Cheese Party Tray, $4.69 for 1 pound

What Aldi groceries have you just started buying recently? Tell us about it in the comments below.