This New $2.49 ALDI Find Is Flying Off the Shelves (and Into My Cart)

I was strolling past the ALDI deli section this week, desperately seeking some dinner inspiration, and I was excited to see two new cheese blends that just practically jumped off the shelf into my cart.

Emporium Selection Hot Honey shredded cheese blend and Mac ’n Cheese shredded cheese blend caught my eye. For only $2.49 per eight-ounce package, those babies were coming home with me.

What I Love About Emporium Selection Flavored Shredded Cheese Blends

The labels on both packages suggest their intended uses: the hot honey flavor has a grilled cheese on the front, and the mac ’n cheese has a bowl of, well, mac ’n cheese.

After tasting both, I think their intended uses are a great place to start. The hot honey is a blend of mozzarella and cheddar with “hot honey seasoning.” The listed ingredients include honey, salt, and spices, and when you open the package, you get a mild whiff of honey sweetness. If you eat it raw, the honey is barely there, and there’s not really any heat, but once melted, the sweetness is enhanced, and there’s a trace of heat.

Simply Recipes / Photo Illustration by Wanda Abraham / ALDI

When you unzip the package of mac ’n cheese shreds, it smells like a mini cheese shop. Cheddar comes on the nose, Gouda hits you mid-palate, and Gruyère’s earthiness rounds it all out. It’s a perfect trifecta for macaroni and cheese.

Of the two varieties, my family’s favorite was the mac ’n cheese for its elegant simplicity, but the hot honey was also quite good.

How I Use ALDI’s Flavored Shredded Cheese Blends

The mac ’n cheese is a good base for any cheese sauce. It would be stellar on au gratin potatoes, work well in omelets, and be amazing sprinkled over almost any kind of roasted veggies. It would also be great tossed into chef’s salads, and it would hold its own in pasta salads—especially a bacon, lettuce, and tomato pasta salad.

If you like your pizzas cheesy, this blend is the one to use. It’s a fantastic substitute for plain cheddar in dips, and it would pair well with spinach and artichoke. Of course, it’s perfect for grilled cheese and griddled ham and cheese sandwiches.

The hot honey, as its label indicates, works well in grilled cheese sandwiches, especially if you add sliced apples. It would be a great cheese to melt on apple pies (it’s a thing for some people so don’t knock it until you try it). It would also be outstanding on barbecue chicken pizza.