The $2 Aldi Grocery I’m Stocking in My Freezer This Fall
Aldi is my first stop for seasonal staples because the store carries high-quality foods at shockingly low prices. How the ever-expanding discount retailer keeps costs down is something of a science — one it’s been studying for decades. There’s a long list of things that sets Aldi apart: the extra-long barcodes printed on packages, streamlined checkout process, and a famous Aldi quarter holder to make unlocking shopping carts that much easier (IYKYK).
This week my grocery cart is filled with a mix of fresh foods for the many cozy fall recipes I’m cooking and versatile ingredients I always have on hand. One item I’m not leaving the store without this fall is a bag of Season’s Choice Riced Cauliflower. While this style of frozen vegetable might not be as popular as it was in the 2010s, it’s remained a time-saving staple in my kitchen. The best part? A bag of tender cauliflower kernels costs less than $2.
What’s So Great About Season’s Choice Riced Cauliflower?
I’m a big fan of keeping a variety of frozen vegetables on hand. This produce is picked and processed (aka blanched, chopped, and frozen) at the peak of freshness, so not only has much of the prep work been done for me, but the vegetables are also sometimes more flavorful than their fresh counterparts. (Plus, I have a brilliant tip on how to pick the best bag of veggies in the freezer.)
The frozen, rice-like bits of cauliflower are flash-frozen and recipe-ready. A smaller, 10-ounce, bag of riced cauliflower costs almost $4 at grocery stores near my home in the Tampa, Florida, area. At Aldi, I actually get more for less (a 12-ounce bag costs just $1.69). At that price I make sure to pick up at least two bags every time I shop.
What’s the Best Way to Use Season’s Choice Riced Cauliflower?
It wasn’t so long ago that cauliflower rice was all the rage. While I recognize that the cauli crumbles can be a soggy substitute for rice, potatoes, and pizza, I did learn from the culinary creativity that came from the cauliflower craze. Cauliflower rice is a great way to add more vegetables to every meal of the day, without even noticing it. I add a handful of cauliflower rice to smoothies in the morning. Berries and bananas mask the cauliflower’s flavor, plus it goes into the blender frozen, which adds a cool frostiness to every sip.
The good thing about holding on to a once-viral food trend is that tried-and-true recipes remain even after the excitement has gone. This cauliflower rice bowl has been a lunchtime staple for several seasons. It’s packed with flavor from roasted vegetables, feta, and pumpkin seeds, and being able to reach into the freezer for the cauliflower rice makes meal assembly so much simpler.
Creamy mashed cauliflower is a delicious side dish — even if it never could pass for potatoes. Whenever I make mashed potatoes, I add a scoop of riced cauliflower to the pot. The cauliflower blends right into the potatoes for an extra boost of vegetables. I do the same thing for creamy soups, like this roasted red pepper soup and salt and vinegar potato soup, adding the cauliflower before puréeing the soup smooth.
Buy it in stores: Season’s Choice Riced Cauliflower, $1.69 for 12 ounces
This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: The $2 Aldi Grocery I’m Stocking in My Freezer This Fall
Further Reading
The Best Twin Mattresses for Kids
I Tried 8 Baby Food and Kids’ Meal Delivery Services — Here Are the Best of the Bunch
49 Stylish Nursery Ideas for the Unique Baby Room of Your Dreams
