These 5 ALDI Frozen Foods Are Always In My Cart

They're my favorite products for making mealtime easier.

Certain frozen items always find their way into my cart when I shop at ALDI. These products are my favorites for providing fast and versatile weeknight dinner options, and even faster weekday breakfasts for hectic mornings. They are family favorites that keep my household running, so I make sure to keep them stocked at all times.

Here are my five favorite frozen finds at ALDI that I turn to again and again. Give them a try and you'll be tossing them into your cart every time you shop too.

1. Fremont Fish Market Medium EZ Peel Shrimp ($6.49)

ALDI sells some of the best fresh and frozen fish from just about any grocery store, and the Fremont Fish Market Medium EZ Peel Shrimp is no exception. The 12-ounce bag of medium shrimp is a particularly good bargain because it costs 10 to 20 cents less than the large and jumbo varieties for the same amount of shrimp.

A single bag can feed four people—unless one of them is a teenager. Since my 14-year-old son can devour an entire cooked bag of shrimp by himself in one sitting, I usually buy two bags for our family.

I use this shrimp mostly for shrimp scampi, but I also love it tossed with fettuccine pasta and Alfredo sauce, and it makes a great shrimp cocktail. I’ve even used it to make shrimp cakes.

2. Breakfast Best Protein Waffles ($3.99)

Mornings in my household usually fly by. To get in a workout, take my kiddo to school, and make it to work on time, I need a quick and nutritious breakfast solution. This is especially true on mornings when I’m also rushing to assemble my son’s lunch because he forgot to make it the night before. That’s where ALDI’s Breakfast Best Protein Waffles come in.

These frozen waffles boast a whopping six grams of protein per waffle, and since my son needs extra protein to keep up with his various activities, these fit the bill. He typically toasts two or three frozen waffles and tops them with maple syrup or hazelnut chocolate spread, and he’s good to go. They make a great snack after school or gymnastics practice too.

3. Specially Selected Macarons ($5.00)

When I want to treat myself, I toss a box of Specially Selected Macarons into my cart. These dainty bites of deliciousness come in packs of a dozen and six flavors: raspberry, vanilla, pistachio, salted caramel, lemon, and chocolate. ALDI also stocks seasonal flavors, but all of them are perfectly light, chewy bites that practically melt in your mouth.

A single macaron satisfies my sweet tooth, but both my son and husband can eat an entire box in one sitting. ALDI’s macarons are pretty close in quality and flavor to the ones I get at a local French bakery, but they’re a lot cheaper. (Fresh macarons from my local bakery cost $2 to $3 a piece.)

4. Mama Cozzi’s French Bread Pizza ($2.89)

One of my son’s friends introduced him to Mama Cozzi’s French bread pizzas, and ever since we’ve kept at least a package or two in our freezer at all times. My son loves them as an afternoon snack, a lunch when he’s out of school, or even a quick dinner.

They take only 12 minutes to warm up in a standard oven, and with my new, more efficient convection oven they cook in under 10 minutes. Once baked, they’re crispy on the bottom, pillowy in the middle, topped with enough cheese to be super melty, and loaded with pepperoni bits in every bite.

5. Kirkwood Cornish Game Hens ($4.75)

If I’m throwing a dinner party, I grab as many Kirkwood Cornish Game Hens as I have guests. At less than two pounds apiece, I can fit about four of them in a roasting pan. After they’re roasted, they make for a dramatic dinner presentation, and they’re delightfully juicy and meaty.

I typically rub these birds with olive oil, season them with spices and herbs, and stuff them with lemon quarters. Served with roasted veggies and a wild rice pilaf, they’re fancy enough for company but easy enough for a weeknight dinner as they cook in less than half the time of a regular chicken. They thaw much faster in the refrigerator, too.

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.