Aldi is officially throwing its hat into the prepared foods ring.
The grocery chain exclusively revealed to USA TODAY on Sept. 22 that it is launching its first lineup of single-serve and family-style prepared meals. The meals include five single-serve options and two family-size meals featuring "protein-forward, filling dishes, comforting classics and globally inspired recipes," according to a news release the company shared with USA TODAY.
The single-serve meals cost under $8, with family-size meals coming in at under $15, the company said.
The lineup of meals includes:
Single-serve meals
- Beef Bolognese Spaghetti
- Beef Brisket with White Mac & Cheese
- Butter Chicken & Rice
- Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Family-size meals
- Chicken and Bacon Mac n' Cheese
- Meat Lovers Pizza Bake
When will Aldi's ready-made meals be available?
The ready-made meals will begin rolling out in select Aldi markets in early October, with additional
markets launching throughout the fall. The lineup will be available nationwide by January 2027, the grocery chain said in the news release, with new meals hitting shelves every month throughout the next year.
"It’s always a thrill to launch a new core product at ALDI. But debuting a new category is another thing entirely, and I can say with certainty that the ready-made meals lineup is a major evolution for us," said Joan Kavanaugh, vice president of national buying at Aldi U.S. "It’s no secret that shoppers right now are looking for convenient and fresh meals, and I’m proud we’re able to offer them a variety of dishes in this category."
"Having launched a similar collection of ready-made meals at ALDI in Australia, I’ve seen firsthand that convenience doesn’t change what people expect from their food, they want it to taste amazing," said Terry Jackson, the head of food at Kitchen Food Company, Aldi's supplier of ready-made meals.
"We tasted more than 100 meals and spent months refining our own recipes to get the ingredients, textures and flavors just right. The result is seven fresh, never-frozen meals filled with protein and flavor, giving people convenient and tasty dishes they will reach for over and over again," Jackson said.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Aldi launches first line of ready-made meals
