12 Frozen Pre-Made Meals At Aldi, Ranked

I don't know about you, but I love to cook. From homemade lasagna to baked BBQ pork chops and beyond, making meals for my family brings me a lot of joy. But, it also takes a lot of time — and sometimes I just don't have that time. That's when I turn to pre-made meals that I can throw in the oven, microwave, or air fryer and forget about while they cook in under an hour. One place I regularly shop for these busy night backups is Aldi because the private-label retailer helps me save a lot of money. Unfortunately, though, not all of its pre-made meals are worth the money you spend on them.

When you buy groceries (frozen meals included), you want to get the best option for your hard-earned money. Although usually this would be a matter of trial and error, you don't have to suffer through bad meals. Instead, I was given the opportunity to test and rank 12 frozen pre-made meals at Aldi to see how they stood up.

Each meal was ranked based on taste and ease of cooking. To make my determinations, I relied on my food industry experience, decades of frozen meal consumership, and previous experience creating rankings here at Daily Meal. You can find my full methodology at the end of this article. Now, ready to discover which of Aldi's frozen pre-made meals should be an immediate add to your shopping list? Let's get into it.

The Whole & Simple Southwestern Style Chicken Quinoa Bowl features chicken, quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes, black beans, corn, and bell peppers in a microwave-safe paper bowl. I like that this includes 16 grams of protein and that cooking it was incredibly simple; just throw the bowl in the microwave for a few minutes, and voilà! Dinner is served!

Since I loved the idea of this Whole & Simple bowl, I really wanted to love the taste, too, but I just didn't. My biggest issue is that it's so bland that it made me wonder if the creators have an intense fear of seasonings. The combination of sweet potatoes with the rice was also weird, creating a textural nightmare for me. I did manage to finish the bowl, but I had to add ample amounts of salt and pepper to make it palatable.

You're better off creating a perfectly seasoned quinoa recipe at home and adding your preferred ingredients to it, if you have time. Otherwise, opt for a different pre-made meal on this list if you don't want to waste your money.

The Whole & Simple Mediterranean Style Chicken Quinoa Bowl features chicken, quinoa, brown rice, spinach, red bell peppers, and sun-dried tomatoes in a microwave-safe paper bowl. Again, I like how easy it is to make, and I also enjoy the fact that it's relatively healthy as far as pre-made meals go, with 17 grams of protein.

Unfortunately, again, this is a very bland dish. Once I added salt and pepper, it became okay enough to eat. I wouldn't say it's terrible, but it's just very mediocre. I think if it had some kind of seasoning, this could have been really great. A second issue here is that there isn't a ton of chicken when compared to how much rice is present. I would have liked to have seen just a little more chicken to make this dish feel more balanced. However, the texture was much better than the other bowl from Whole & Simple, so it was an improvement in that aspect. 

While not outright disgusting, I wouldn't purchase this quinoa bowl again and can't recommend it. You're better off choosing a higher-ranked Aldi frozen meal from this list or making something simple at home.

The Fusia Sweet Teriyaki Chicken Skillet includes chicken, broccoli, and some other vegetables in a garlic soy teriyaki sauce. It comes in a plastic bag, which is nice because you can portion out your own serving (or cook the whole thing to serve the family). Cook this in a few minutes using a skillet on your stovetop.

This looked and smelled delicious during cooking, so I hoped that would be indicative of the taste. Unfortunately, it wasn't. I found this sweet teriyaki chicken skillet to be much too salty, although I think serving it over plain white rice would help negate this a bit. The broccoli also came out a little mushy, which was disappointing. Of course, I'm not the biggest fan of teriyaki, so I'll admit I may be a little biased here. While not terrible, this Fusia frozen meal is mediocre. But the smell and appearance were a lot better than either of the Whole & Simple bowls, so there are some positive notes. Regardless, I recommend saving your money by skipping this one.

The Fusia Beef & Broccoli includes beef, broccoli, and rice in a garlic soy sauce. Like the other Fusia meal, this comes in a plastic bag that allows you to choose your own portion if you don't want the whole thing. If you do want to put some of the bag back into the freezer after opening, I suggest vacuum sealing it to prevent freezer burn. Cook this in just a few minutes on your stovetop, using a skillet.

Similar to the other Fusia product, I found this one to be too salty. While I have a strong preference for well-seasoned food, too much seasoning can also ruin a dish. Also again, the broccoli came out a little mushy when everything was cooked according to the instructions on the bag. My final issue was that there seemed to be a lot of rice compared to the other ingredients, making this dish feel a little unbalanced. But I did personally prefer the taste here over the other Fusia meal, which is why it ranked higher. 

If you have a craving for this, you're better off making takeout-inspired beef and broccoli at home instead. Or if you just need something to make for dinner quickly, choose a higher-ranking Aldi pre-made frozen meal.

The Bremer Everyday Gravy & Salisbury Steaks are very standard for what they are. However, instead of using all beef for the Salisbury steaks, they're made with a combination of chicken, pork, and beef. To cook, you place the whole container into your oven, which is a fairly simple way to make food for the whole family.

Unfortunately, that mixed meat flavor just tastes low quality and is reminiscent of hot dogs. The sauce helps to save the meal, though, and is the primary reason this ranked higher than previous options. It's truly fantastic, with a rich, savory taste and nice thickness, all alongside perfect seasoning. While I did add the tiniest bit of salt and pepper after my first few bites, this is just personal preference, and I think most people would like it just fine without the extra seasoning.

If you can get past the mixed meat taste (or don't mind it as much as I do), this could be an easy way to make a filling meal for the family. However, if you're not a fan of mixed meat, opt for something else on this list instead.

Casa Mamita Beef Taquitos are rolled corn tortillas stuffed with seasoned beef, spices, and diced green chiles. The beauty of these is that you can choose exactly how many taquitos you want to make. Grab two for a snack, or make the whole box of 20 for dinner — whatever you need at that time. Plus, you can cook them in the microwave or the oven based on your personal preference.

These have a nice amount of filling inside and are well-seasoned. However, the ends develop hard edges when cooked according to the instructions on the package, which makes eating somewhat difficult. If it wasn't for this hardness, these would have probably ranked much higher, as nobody wants to break their teeth eating taquitos.

For a meal, I would add some pepper jack cheese and homemade salsa on top when they're almost done. This creates a slightly spicy, more filling meal overall. Adding the salsa also negates the hard edges so you can thoroughly enjoy your meal. You can even serve it with a few avocado slices to round everything out.

The Bremer Chicken Pot Pie starts with your standard flaky pot pie crust and is then filled with chicken, potatoes, corn, carrots, and a savory, thick gravy. The pie comes in a small paper container that you heat it up in (and eat out of afterward to save dishes). Pop this in the oven, set a timer, and let it go — easy-peasy.

This is the part of the list where the products go from mediocre to good, so feel free to start taking notes. There's a delicious, chunky filling and adequate seasoning stuffed inside this flaky pot pie crust. And, best of all, it cooks well when made according to the package's instructions. The only exception to this was that the top was a little soft in one spot where the gravy spilled out during cooking, but it was easy to look past. The chicken here tastes identical to what you get in Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup. Since I like that, I'm not complaining, but it is something to keep in mind before purchasing.

This pot pie is perfectly fine as a meal on its own since it includes starch, protein, and vegetables. However, you could serve it with a side of sliced tomatoes and cheese to get some fruits and dairy for a complete and balanced meal.

Mama Cozzi's Original Beef Toasted Ravioli starts with your classic ravioli base. Then, it's filled with ground beef, breaded, and seasoned with what appears to be a blend of some Italian herbs and Parmesan cheese. You can make these in the air fryer or the oven. However, they aren't designed for the microwave, so they're a little less convenient than about half of the options on this list.

I really enjoyed this different take on traditional ravioli and found that (despite being very different dishes) I preferred this slightly more than the chicken pot pie. The ravioli was well-seasoned, and the meat inside tasted high quality. The breading added a nice crunch and a textural complexity I enjoyed. Overall, I don't have anything bad to say about these, and the only reason they ranked where they did was personal preference.

I recommend these to anyone who enjoys ravioli, and I'll likely be purchasing them again. But next time I eat them, I'll pair them with some homemade Italian tomato sauce.

The Casa Mamita Beef & Bean Burritos are rolled flour tortillas packed with a ground beef and refried bean mixture. You can cook them in the microwave or in an oven, depending on how you like them. From experience, the microwave will produce a slightly softer burrito, while the oven will create a slightly crispier one.

These are delicious and just as good as any name-brand burrito I've had. It's this resemblance that I thought earned them a place above all the previous dishes. The ground beef tastes high quality, and the refried beans have a few chunks of pinto beans left to provide some textural complexity. Everything is seasoned very well, providing an almost smoky tone throughout an otherwise savory dish. My singular complaint is that the tortilla gets slightly hard on the edges where it's rolled when cooked according to the package's instructions. Otherwise, I have no real complaints and think this is an excellent option for a quick dinner night.

Although you can eat these on their own, it's easy to turn these eight burritos into an even more filling meal if you want to. Just top with salsa, queso, and your favorite blend of shredded cheese about 10 minutes before they're done in the oven. Serve with a side of avocados and sliced tomatoes to round things out.

The liveGfree Gluten Free General Tso's Chicken features chicken coated in a gluten-free breading, which is then tossed in a zesty Asian-style sauce. Since there are two sauce packets in the bag, you can easily split this into two separate meals for one person, if you'd like. You can cook this in the oven or in a skillet on the stovetop.

This is the part of the list where the Aldi pre-made meals go from good to great, so if you weren't already taking notes, now is the time to do so. My favorite part of this dish is that it's very allergen-friendly. Not only is it free of gluten, but it's also free of dairy, making it a solid choice for people with a range of dietary needs or preferences. Even better, this General Tso's Chicken is delicious. The chicken is juicy, and the sauce is reminiscent of a typical sweet and sour but with a kick of heat.

This is one of the few items on this list I've already tried before this taste test. I suggest throwing some rice in your rice cooker about 10 minutes before you put these in the oven. When paired with the white rice, this liveGfree frozen meal reminds me of my favorite Chinese takeout.

The Casa Mamita Cheese Quesadillas are flour tortillas filled with cheddar cheese and cheese sauce. You can make them in the microwave or the oven, based on your available time and personal preference.

These are perfectly made quesadillas, and they're one of the most convenient options to make if you're looking to feed one or two people. My only word of warning is that a single box won't feed more than two people. So, if you have a family of four, you'll need to buy two or even three boxes to feed everyone. Of course, this can be negated slightly by pairing the dish with a filling side, like rice and beans. If you're in a time pinch, you could even just make yellow rice in your rice cooker.

Once cooked according to the package's instructions, the tortillas taste warm, fresh, and soft. The cheeses taste high-quality, and the addition of cheese sauce makes the quesadillas satisfyingly gooey. The only reason these ranked higher than the General Tso's chicken is sheer personal preference, as they were very close in product quality, in my opinion. Consider dipping these in sour cream or topping with salsa.

My family devoured this Bremer Bistro Lasagna with Meat Sauce, and it was all of our agreement on how amazing it was that earned it the top spot. Even better, it's cheaper and much faster than making my homemade lasagna. This recipe consists of a savory meat sauce layered between pasta, and it's all topped with mozzarella cheese. The box says it's about 4.5 servings, but I was able to get six decent-sized pieces out of this frozen lasagna. Pop it in the oven for less than an hour, and let it sit for about 10 minutes before cutting.

The pasta has a nice consistency once cooked; it's not too hard, but it's not mushy, either. The meat sauce is fantastic, with adequate seasoning, and the cheese tastes real rather than artificial. The flavor profile is a balanced blend of starchy and savory tones, interlaced with a light tomato sweetness and punctuated with the faintest earthy taste. This even cooks well according to the instructions, with zero alterations necessary. Overall, I have nothing bad to say about this steal of a frozen lasagna.

I highly recommend you grab a box so you can try it for yourself on your next busy evening. Once you do, you'll see exactly why it was ranked as the best Aldi frozen pre-made meal.

I chose frozen pre-made meals based on their availability to me at my local Aldi in Vineland, New Jersey. Each option was cooked according to the instructions on the box, without adjustments, for my first taste. Once made, each meal was ranked based on its taste and ease of cooking. Although I considered using price as a third ranking factor, all of the meals on this list are great deals, and so I thought this factor to be moot.

To make my determinations, I relied on more than 15 years of food industry experience, where I cross-trained in hot foods and bakeries. I also used my decades of frozen meal consumership and previous work creating rankings here on Daily Meal. Although personal preference played a role in this ranking, I aimed to be as unbiased about product quality as possible.