When you’re watching every dollar, you can’t afford to guess which store is cheaper. If you shop at both Aldi and Walmart, some things really do ring up for less at Aldi, even compared to Walmart’s low prices.
Below are everyday foods where Aldi’s store brands beat or strongly compete with what you’ll usually grab at Walmart.
Prices will shift over time, but for a lot of basics, Aldi wins on price and quality.
Big bags of shredded cheddar cheese
If your family lives on tacos, casseroles, or cheese on everything, the 32-ounce shredded bags at Aldi are an easy win. A 32-ounce bag of Aldi’s Happy Farms Mild Cheddar Shredded Cheese is currently $5.49. That’s a full two-pound bag, pre-shredded, ready to dump on nachos or baked potatoes.
Compare that to Walmart’s 32-ounce bag of Great Value Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese at $6.92. You’re paying more at Walmart for the same basic product and same size bag. Per ounce, Aldi’s cheese comes out roughly 20% cheaper, and most people won’t taste a difference once it’s melted into a dish. If cheese is a regular line item on your grocery receipt, that difference adds up fast over a month.
Vanilla ice cream tubs
For a basic vanilla ice cream to scoop over desserts or serve with birthday cake, Aldi is hard to beat. A 48-ounce tub of Sundae Shoppe Vanilla Bean Ice Cream costs about $2.75 at Aldi.
At Walmart, a 48-ounce tub of Great Value Homestyle Vanilla Ice Cream runs around $2.97 in many locations. That doesn’t sound huge, but you’re still paying more for a very similar product. The Aldi ice cream is rich enough for everyday desserts, and if you’re mostly using it for kids’ sundaes or milkshakes, nobody is going to complain that you saved twenty cents a tub.
Almond milk half gallons
If you drink plant-based milk every day, the price difference gets serious. At Aldi, a 64-ounce carton of Friendly Farms Original Almondmilk lists for about $2.55. It’s fortified, tastes fine in cereal and coffee, and comes in the same half-gallon size you’d grab anywhere else.
Now look at a popular national brand at Walmart: a 64-ounce carton of Silk Original Almond Milk is around $3.47. You’re paying roughly a dollar more per carton just for the brand name. Even if Walmart’s Great Value almond milk sometimes comes close to Aldi’s price, the big gap is between Aldi’s store brand and the national brands many people still reach for at Walmart.
Big tubs of Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt is an easy way to get protein into breakfasts and snacks, but brand-name tubs add up. Aldi’s Friendly Farms Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt in a 32-ounce tub typically runs about $3.29 for the store-brand version.
At Walmart, a comparable 32-ounce tub of Chobani Non-Fat Greek Yogurt Vanilla is around $5.97. You do get a well-known name at Walmart, but from a budget standpoint you’re paying almost double. For smoothies, overnight oats, or parfaits that are loaded up with fruit and granola anyway, most households will be perfectly happy with Aldi’s tub and you keep a couple of extra dollars in your pocket every week.
Organic marinara pasta sauce
Jarred marinara is one of those pantry staples that feels small until you’re feeding pasta to kids twice a week. Aldi’s Simply Nature Organic Marinara Pasta Sauce, 24-ounce jar, runs about $2.45 on Aldi’s online listing.
At Walmart, a similar organic marinara like Newman’s Own Organics Marinara Pasta Sauce, 23.5-ounce jar, is listed at about $5.29. That’s more than double Aldi’s price for almost the same size jar. If you’re not picky about the name on the label and just want a decent organic sauce for spaghetti night, Aldi keeps your pasta dinners cheap without feeling “cheap.”
Dried spaghetti and other basic pasta
Pasta is already inexpensive, but Aldi usually takes it one step lower. A two-pound box of Reggano Spaghetti from Aldi is listed at around $2.09. That’s a lot of meals if you’re stretching meat sauce or serving pasta with frozen veggies and cheese.
At Walmart, a comparable 32-ounce box of Barilla Classic Spaghetti is about $3.12. Sure, Walmart also sells its own Great Value spaghetti, which can be cheap, but if you’re someone who usually grabs a name-brand like Barilla, switching that habit to Aldi’s Reggano line is a simple way to shave a dollar off every big box of pasta.
Hawaiian-style sweet rolls
Those soft, sweet slider rolls disappear fast around holidays and cookouts. At Aldi, a 12-count, 12-ounce bag of L’oven Fresh Hawaiian Sweet Rolls is about $1.95.
Walmart sells the famous King’s Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls in the same 12-count, 12-ounce size for around $4.72. Even Walmart’s own Great Value Sweet Hawaiian Rolls are currently about $1.98. So Aldi undercuts the major brand by a wide margin and comes in a hair cheaper than Walmart’s store brand. If you’re feeding a crowd, that matters when you’re buying two or three bags at a time.
Kettle-style potato chips
Snack prices have climbed, especially for “fancier” kettle chips. Aldi’s Clancy’s Original Kettle Chips, 8-ounce bag, are listed at about $1.95. They’re crunchy, salty, and perfectly fine for sandwiches or party platters.
At Walmart, name-brand Kettle Brand Sea Salt and Vinegar Potato Chips, 8.5-ounce bag, can run as high as $5.53 depending on the listing. Even allowing for sales and different flavors, you’re talking about paying several dollars more for a bag of chips that fills the same role at home. Great Value kettle chips land closer to Aldi’s price, but if you’re in the habit of tossing brand-name chips into your Walmart cart, switching to Aldi’s Clancy’s line can cut your snack bill in half.
Sparkling water 12-packs
If you like cans of flavored sparkling water in the fridge, Aldi’s Belle Vie line is one of the cheapest ways to keep them stocked. A 12-pack of Belle Vie Lime Sparkling Water (12-ounce cans) is listed at around $4.85 at many Aldi locations.
At Walmart, trendy brands like LaCroix can cost much more. For example, a 12-pack of LaCroix Blackberry Cucumber sparkling water is currently around $10.48 for the same can count. Even if you catch sales, Aldi’s house-brand sparkling water tends to stay solidly cheaper per can, and the flavors cover all the basics (lime, lemon, berry) most people want.
Budget-friendly chocolate chips for baking
When you’re doing a lot of baking, chocolate chips can eat into your budget fast. Aldi’s Baker’s Corner semi-sweet chocolate chips usually come in at a lower or similar price compared with big national brands, while holding up just fine in cookies, banana bread, and brownies. Many Aldi locations have 12-ounce bags that regularly undercut name brands on the same shelf.
Over at Walmart, a 12-ounce bag of Great Value Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips is about $3.58. In practice, Aldi’s chips are usually right in that range or a bit cheaper, especially compared with national brands like Nestlé or Ghirardelli that you’ll see marked up at Walmart. If you bake a lot around the holidays, grabbing chocolate chips and baking staples at Aldi can shave several dollars off each baking haul.
Basic pasta night bundles (pasta + sauce + cheese)
One practical way to think about savings is by meal, not by single item. For a simple spaghetti night, Aldi lets you grab dried pasta, jarred sauce, and shredded cheese for a lot less than brand-name versions at Walmart. Reggano Spaghetti 32 ounces at about $2.09, Simply Nature Organic Marinara at about $2.45, and that big 32-ounce bag of Happy Farms shredded cheddar at $5.49 gives you a full pasta night plus leftovers for around ten bucks at many stores.
At Walmart, using comparable items, Barilla spaghetti at $3.12, Newman's Own Organics marinara at $5.29, and Great Value shredded mild cheddar 32 ounces at $6.92, you’re looking at spending several dollars more for the same basic meal. If pasta is on rotation every week, that difference matters.
Yogurt for kids and snacks
Kid-friendly flavored yogurts and single-serve cups can get expensive if you grab name-brand multipacks at Walmart. Aldi’s Friendly Farms line includes a range of flavored yogurts and squeezable pouches that usually come in cheaper per serving than national brands sold at Walmart. The exact products change with promotions, but in most stores the base price per cup is lower than similar kid yogurt packs from Walmart’s brand-name shelf.
Even if Walmart’s Great Value yogurt cups run close in price, Aldi’s consistent low pricing plus limited selection makes it easier to stay on budget, you don’t stand there comparing ten different characters and flavors while your kid begs for the most expensive option. For households going through yogurt quickly, that simplicity alone helps keep the bill down.
Value coffee for drip machines
Coffee is another spot where the savings are clear once you look past the logos. Aldi’s Barissimo line includes 12-ounce bags of ground coffee (like Donut Store or Breakfast Blend) that are usually several dollars cheaper than comparable bags of brand-name coffee at Walmart. You can often find Barissimo 12-ounce bags in the $5–$7 range, depending on roast and region.
At Walmart, many shoppers still grab brands like Starbucks, Dunkin’ or Peet’s for home brewing, and those 10–12 ounce bags often sit several dollars higher than Aldi’s Barissimo options. Even if Walmart’s Great Value ground coffee undercuts the name brands, Aldi’s coffee gives you a “nicer” bag feel at a budget-store price, which is helpful if you care about taste but still need to keep the grocery total from creeping up.
Cheese blocks for slicing and shredding at home
Buying cheese in blocks instead of pre-shredded is usually cheaper per ounce, and Aldi leans into that. Happy Farms 8-ounce blocks of cheddar and mozzarella at Aldi often sit under the $2 mark in many regions, which works out to a very low per-ounce price for real cheese. You can slice them for sandwiches, cube them for snack plates, or shred them yourself when you have time.
Walmart also sells Great Value cheese blocks, but once you look at the shelf, Aldi’s pricing is typically as good or better compared with similar block sizes. If your family uses a lot of cheese and you don’t mind a little extra work with a grater, grabbing blocks at Aldi instead of picking whatever is on the eye-level shelf at Walmart can save you a few dollars every grocery run.
