Let me take you back three years. I’m sitting in my doctor’s office staring at lab results that look like a horror movie: total cholesterol pushing 280, LDL through the roof, triglycerides doing the cha-cha. She slides a pamphlet across the desk big smiling people eating salad and says, “Mediterranean diet. Give it six months before we talk statins.” I laughed out loud. Me? The girl who considered olive oil “fancy” and thought hummus was just a weird beige dip? No way this was going to work, and no way it was going to be cheap.
Fast-forward six months. My cholesterol had dropped almost 70 points. My energy was back, my jeans fit better, I slept like a baby, and biggest shock I was actually excited to cook. I wasn’t counting calories, I wasn’t starving, and I definitely wasn’t spending a fortune. The secret wasn’t some overpriced meal kit or boutique grocery store. It was Aldi. Plain old Aldi, where I walk in with sixty or seventy bucks and walk out with everything I need to eat like I’m on permanent vacation in Greece or Italy.
Here’s the thing nobody tells you: the Mediterranean diet isn’t really a “diet.” It’s just food real, delicious, colorful food the way people around the Mediterranean have been eating forever. Loads of vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, good olive oil, a little fish, some cheese, whole grains, and red wine if that’s your thing. Meals you actually look forward to. And thanks to Aldi’s ridiculously low prices on every single staple, I’ve proved you can eat this way on a regular-person budget without ever feeling deprived. These are the 14 things I buy every single week my non-negotiables that keep me healthy, happy, and totally obsessed.
1. Strained Greek-Style Yogurt
This Friendly Farms Greek yogurt is legit my breakfast soulmate. One big scoop in a bowl, some frozen berries, a drizzle of honey, and I’m happy until lunch. It’s stupidly thick, has zero weird stuff in it, and packs more protein than anything else in the dairy aisle for half the price. I buy two tubs every single week because running out feels like a personal emergency.
Why I’m obsessed with this yogurt:
- 17 grams of protein in basically one big spoonful
- I use it instead of sour cream on tacos and baked potatoes
- Mixes with fruit for the creamiest 2-minute parfait ever
- Makes killer tzatziki when I’m feeling fancy
- Doesn’t separate or get watery like cheaper brands
- Costs less than two bucks for a giant tub
2. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
I’m low-key obsessed with Aldi’s Simply Nature organic extra-virgin olive oil. It has that spicy bite in the back of your throat that screams “real deal.” I pour it on everything salads, roasted veggies, even straight onto bread when I’m too lazy to cook. My heart loves it, my taste buds love it, my wallet definitely loves it.
Why this is my kitchen MVP:
- That peppery kick means it’s loaded with the good antioxidants
- I cook with it, dress salads with it, finish everything with it
- Makes the simplest lemon-and-oil dressing taste like restaurant magic
- Turns canned beans into something I actually crave
- A huge bottle is usually under five bucks
- I keep one by the stove and one on the table like a true Mediterranean now
3. Canned Beans
Beans are my ride-or-die. I grab chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans whatever’s on sale and they save dinner multiple nights a week. Roasted with spices they’re crunchy snacks, smashed with garlic and oil they’re spreads, tossed cold into salad they’re lunch.I panic if I ever have fewer than six cans in the pantry. True story.
Why beans are non-negotiable for me:
- One can + olive oil + lemon = dinner in ten minutes
- I make “cowboy caviar” that my friends beg me to bring to parties
- Air-fried chickpeas are my movie-night chips now
- They stretch everything meat, soups, salads
- Literally under a dollar a can, are you kidding me?
- Keep my cholesterol in check while tasting amazing
4. Fresh, Frozen & Canned Vegetables
My cart looks like a veggie explosion every week and I’m not even sorry. Fresh spinach, vine tomatoes, bags of frozen broccoli and peppers, cans of low-sodium tomatoes for lazy sauce nights. Eating this many vegetables used to feel impossible. Aldi made it my new normal.My skin looks better, my gut feels better, and I finally stopped dreading the “eat your veggies” lecture.
Why my fridge is always overflowing with green:
- Tomatoes on the vine actually taste like tomatoes
- Frozen stuff means zero food waste and zero prep
- I can make marinara from canned tomatoes in 15 minutes
- Baby spinach goes in eggs, smoothies, pasta, everything
- The prices change weekly so I just buy whatever’s cheap and pretty
- My fridge is rainbow-colored and I love it
5. Nuts and Seeds
Nuts are my emotional support snack. Southern Grove almonds, walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds whatever’s on sale goes straight into the cart. I make little trail-mix jars on Sunday and they disappear way too fast.I used to spend five bucks on a tiny bag of “healthy” trail mix. Now I make a giant jar for the same price.
Why I’m never without a handful of nuts:
- A handful kills cravings and keeps me full for hours
- Throw them on yogurt, salads, oatmeal, everything
- Those 100-calorie packs are perfect for my purse
- Cheaper than any gas-station junk and actually good for me
- Pistachios make me feel fancy for some reason
- My doctor says they’re the reason my HDL finally went up
6. Traditional Feta Cheese Block
Aldi’s Emporium feta is dangerously good. I cut a chunk off the block, crumble it over warm roasted veggies or a big Greek salad, and suddenly dinner feels like I’m on vacation. It’s tangy, creamy, and a little goes a very long way.I hide it in the back of the cheese drawer so my kids don’t devour it in one sitting.
Why this feta lives in my fridge 24/7:
- Crumbles like a dream and tastes like the real Greek stuff
- Melts a little on hot food and gets all creamy
- Made without the gross hormones some brands use
- One block lasts me two weeks easy
- Makes even boring broccoli taste exciting
- Way cheaper than the pre-crumbled stuff that’s always dry
7. Wild-Caught Pink Salmon
I’m supposed to eat fish twice a week and fresh salmon was breaking the bank. Then I discovered these cans of Northern Catch pink salmon and my life changed. Salmon salad, patties, scrambled into eggs boom, omega-3s done.It’s ugly coming out of the can, but five minutes later it’s delicious. Worth it.
Why canned salmon is my budget hero:
- Tastes clean, not fishy at all
- The soft bones freak some people out but I just mash them in
- Mix with Greek yogurt and dill = best lunch ever
- Pantry staple so I never “forget” fish day
- Wild Alaskan for like two bucks a can
- My triglyceride numbers thank me every blood test
8. 100-Calorie Almond & Walnut Packs
These little Southern Grove packs are my secret weapon against hangry meltdowns. I keep them everywhere car, desk, purse, gym bag. Perfect portion, zero willpower required.I buy like five boxes at a time. No shame.
Why these packs are glued to my life:
- Exactly the right amount so I don’t eat the whole bag
- Crunchy, salty, satisfying every single time
- Saves me from the vending machine on bad days
- My kids steal them but I don’t even care
- Frequently on sale two-for-one
- Makes me feel like I have my life together
9. Organic Quinoa
Quinoa used to be that overpriced “health food” I bought once a year. Aldi’s Simply Nature bag is organic and cheaper than regular rice at other stores. I cook a big pot on Sunday and eat it all week.It’s basically foolproof and turns leftovers into something I actually look forward to.
Why quinoa is my new rice:
- Fluffy, nutty, doesn’t get mushy
- Complete protein so I feel full longer
- Cold quinoa salad with feta and tomatoes is my summer obsession
- Takes 15 minutes tops
- Bag lasts forever and costs next to nothing
- Makes every bowl feel fancy without trying
10. Reggano Spaghetti
Pasta is 100% allowed on Mediterranean and Aldi’s Reggano is perfect. Holds up al dente, tastes great, costs nothing. I make aglio e olio with a mountain of spinach and call it dinner.Fifteen minutes from pot to plate and I’m eating like an Italian grandma on a budget.
Why this pasta is always in my pantry:
- Zero sodium until I add it myself
- Cooks perfectly every time, never gummy
- Perfect with just garlic, olive oil, and chili flakes
- Throw in shrimp or clams when I’m feeling extra
- A box is like 89 cents are you serious?
- My kids think it’s “real” spaghetti night
11. Tomatoes On the Vine
Nothing beats the taste of a tomato still on the vine, and Aldi’s are consistently sweet and juicy. I leave them on the counter (never the fridge!) and eat them like candy.A warm tomato straight from the counter with olive oil and salt is pure joy.
Why I buy these tomatoes every single week:
- Actually taste like summer even in January
- Slice them with feta and olive oil = heaven
- Simmer into fresh sauce when I have ten minutes
- Frequent sales make them basically free
- Look pretty on the counter and make me happy
- My favorite snack with just salt and a drizzle
12. Park Street Deli Hummus
Homemade hummus is great, but some weeks I just want to rip open a tub and attack it with carrots. Aldi’s classic hummus is smooth, garlicky, and tastes like I spent an hour making it.I always tell myself I’m buying it “for the kids” but we all know the truth. One tub in the fridge means healthy snacking is handled for half the week.
Why this hummus is always in my fridge:
- Real chickpeas, real tahini, real flavor
- Perfect with veggies or pita when I’m starving
- Spreads on sandwiches like a boss
- Protein + fiber = snack that actually fills me up
- The variety packs are dangerous I eat them all
- Costs less than I’d spend on the ingredients
13. Chickpea Salad
When I’m exhausted and need lunch in thirty seconds, this Park Street Deli chickpea salad is a lifesaver. Chickpeas, edamame, cranberries, carrots, peppers it’s sweet, savory, crunchy, perfect.I scoop it straight from the tub or dump it over greens when I’m pretending to be fancy. Either way, lunch is done and I feel like I adulted hard.
Why I fight people for the last tub:
- Ready-to-eat lunch that doesn’t suck
- Spoon it over greens or quinoa and call it dinner
- Travels perfectly for work or picnics
- Sweet cranberries make it weirdly addictive
- Vegan, gluten-free, and actually delicious
- Sells out fast grab two when you see it
14. Marinated Artichoke Hearts
These Tuscan Garden artichoke hearts are my “make it fancy” cheat code. Straight from the jar they turn basic pasta or salad into something I’d pay $18 for at a restaurant.The marinade is so good I save the jar and use the leftover oil as dressing. Pure cheat-code energy.
Why these jars are pure magic:
- Tangy, herby, already perfectly seasoned
- The oil in the jar doubles as salad dressing
- Toss into pasta, pizza, or just eat with a fork
- One jar stretches across four or five meals
- Zero work compared to fresh artichokes
- Instantly makes weeknight dinner feel special
Tuesday night suddenly tastes like date night, and I did nothing. This way of eating literally saved my health and made cooking fun again. Aldi makes it so stupidly affordable that there’s zero excuse not to try it. Grab these 14 things next time you’re there you’ll be hooked by the end of the week, I promise.
