Aldi Fans Are Divided over This $5 Fridge Find, and I Totally Get Why

Of all the items in a grocery store, I wouldn’t expect a container of pickles to be the cookout staple drumming up controversy. Ketchup, sure. Mayo, maybe. Corn, not likely. Pound cake … please! If there’s one thing I do expect, though, it’s passionate and opinionated Aldi fans. As we gear up for a season of outdoor grilling and potluck parties, hundreds of shoppers are weighing in on the unsuspecting spears. 

It all started with a recent post in an Aldi-themed Facebook group. An (anonymous) member posted a photo of the Park Street Deli Kosher Dill Pickle Spears with a fiery caption: “What NOT to buy at Aldi.” The comment section lit up with advocates of both sides. Opinions ranged from “worst ever!!” to “seriously the best,” “disGUSTING” to “delicious,” “mushy” to “so fresh and crispy,” and more. One commenter proclaimed: “I love pickles and these are my absolute favorite pickles.” Even households are divided: “I love them. My husband doesn’t.”

After reviewing all 937 comments, there was only one thing left to do — taste these spears for myself. Which is exactly what I did next.

Found in the refrigerator section near the Park Street Deli side salads and the extensive cheese collection, these kosher dill spears contain fresh cucumbers, water, salt, vinegar, natural flavors, spices (presumably dill and mustard seeds, at a minimum), garlic, and tumeric. They come in a one-quart resealable tub and are one of several pickle products on shelves. (You can also find whole pickles and pickle chips in various flavors; the spicy atomic chips received rave reviews.) 

My favorite way to eat pickles is in chip form — either on a sandwich or deep-fried and paired with a zesty or spicy dipping sauce. Spears are generally too much pickle for me; I usually take a bite or two and then give the rest to my partner, who is basically two-thirds pickled himself. All that considered, I quite liked the flavor. It was vinegary enough with minimal puckering. Where it fell a little short for me was the texture. The spear wasn’t as firm as I’d want (it actually had a bit too much bend when I held it by one end). I wanted more of a snap.

True to form, I took two bites and then handed my partner my spear. He ate the rest of it and a spear of his own. Contrary to my opinion, he liked their crunch. (Opposites attract, amiright?) He also called them refreshing and not powerfully sour, but more flavorful than half sour. So … 3/4 sour!

Later that weekend, I brought the tub of remaining pickles to a family grill night. Once again, the audience was split. They all agreed these are most definitely NOT the “worst ever,” but none would go so far as to describe these as “the best,” an “absolute favorite,” or something to “love.” 

If you’re curious about these pickles, you should absolutely try them yourself. As one commenter kindly reminded the FB group, the container has a Twice as Nice Guarantee, which, for the uninitiated, means Aldi will “replace the product AND refund your money.” That perk is something, we can all agree, is a good thing.

Find it in stores: Park Street Deli Kosher Dill Pickle Spears, $4.65 for 1 quart 

Have you tried these pickles? Tell us about it in the comments below.