hand holding Aldi frozen cheesecake

Steven Luna/Mashed

Aldi shoppers know how far a $5 bill can go in just about any section of the store. But one of the spots that shines the brightest in the $5 and under purchase category is the freezer section. Here, the savvy shopper can discover all sorts of treats and treasures ready to provide satisfaction in a multitude of ways. It's actually one of the most promising sections in the whole store, which devoted Aldi shoppers know is really saying something.

Before you go sloshing through the icy wonderland of Aldi's best bargains and discover the Aldi freezer section secrets, we'll divulge which $5 and under items are worth it. I mapped out an excursion through my nearby Aldi location and stuck a flag in the items I thought were the most enticing buys that qualified. I corroborated my suspicions with online chatter and customer reviews to make sure my opinion wasn't being clouded by the cold air I was breathing. What resulted is the following roundup of the best $5 and under purchases you can make when shopping in the Aldi freezer section near you. Parka and earmuffs are not required, but you do you. Prices are accurate as of September 2025 and dependent on location.

1. Season's Choice Steak Fries

bag of Aldi frozen steak fries

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Having a bag of thick cut steak-style french fries waiting in your freezer means being able to enjoy a side that heats up quickly and satisfies everyone around the table, no matter what the main dish might be. Aldi doesn't cut corners with its Season's Choice Steak Fries, but it does cut the price down to an agreeable $3.19 or so to make the purchase a no-brainer. Compare this to Grown in Idaho brand frozen fries at Walmart for $3.86 or the Alexia brand for $5.49 at Target, and you can easily deduce which option puts the least pressure on your debit card.

Beyond affordability, Aldi produces a superior fry that captures the crisp and tender spirit of fries from your favorite fast casual restaurant like Chili's or Red Robin. Home cooks who've tried them love their versatility as an air-fryer favorite and call out the crispy exterior and soft center, hallmarks of the finest frozen fries on the market. Aldi sells them by the bagful.

2. Specially Selected Mussels in Garlic Butter Sauce

box of Aldi frozen mussels

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Finding shellfish at bargain prices makes any seafood fan sit up and take notice, but when the item is Aldi mussels in a zesty garlic infused butter sauce, the pescatarian crowd goes absolutely wild for this $3.29 catch. Larger chains like Kroger price frozen mussels in sauce at $4.29, a full dollar more for the same product. When you lay your options side-by-side like this, Aldi is clearly the better place to shop, even if it means making a special trip just for this nautical find.

The devotion these savory shellfish inspire is incredible; one Reddit commenter even swears their life depends on the availability of Aldi's box of mussels, while others warn that the frozen sensation may be seasonal or limited-time-only and advise aficionados to stock up when they find them. YouTuber All About Mika adds a splash of wine to give a touch of elegance to the finished dish. If this Aldi seafood item seems baffling in its overwhelming appeal to seafood lovers who appreciate a good bargain, it may be time to try it for yourself to see what all the hubbub is about.

3. Fremont Fish Market Jumbo Coconut Breaded Butterfly Shrimp

box of Aldi coconut breaded shrimp

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Maybe you're looking for a dressed-up dish to serve at a gathering with friends, or maybe you're hoping to elevate a simple steak dinner and turn it into a surf and turf feast. Whatever your plans, Aldi puts your dining dreams within reach with Fremont Fish Market Jumbo Coconut Breaded Butterfly Shrimp, ready to go with little work. It's also ready to help your grocery funds go further by showing up on your receipt at only $3.85, which gets you 10 savory shrimp with plenty of tasty coconut-infused breading. Compare that to a 12-pack of Jumbo Crispy Shrimp from SeaPak priced at $9.99 at Kroger, and the choice becomes clear.

Reddit reviewers chat about popping them into an air fryer for a light and crispy appetizer, a perfect snack for game night, made jazzier with the sweet and sour sauce included. Grab a couple of boxes to feed a larger crowd or heat a few at a time to keep your appetite for crispy shrimp in check.

4. Kirkwood All-Natural Ground Turkey

tube of Aldi frozen ground turkey

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With soaring beef prices toppling what used to be an affordable grocery list, it's important to have alternatives that play by a better set of rules. Kirkwood All-Natural Ground Turkey comes in a 16-ounce tube priced at $2.19, which is just the kind of agreeable addition to your fridge or freezer that restores your faith in the power of your grocery budget. Not only does it make a great substitute for ground beef, but it also provides a different flavor that helps you mix up taco night, homemade lasagna, burgers on the grill — whatever your usual ground beef needs might be.

Aldi shoppers rave about the impact Kirkwood turkey has on their homemade chili and spaghetti, crowing that they no longer need ground beef with this tidy package packed into their freezers. One long-time Aldi shopper has been depending on Kirkwood frozen turkey for 20 years! With no end in sight to the rocket ride in the beef section, this highly affordable buy sounds like a frozen feast in the making.

5. Belmont Cheesecake twin pack

packages of Aldi frozen cheesecake

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Move over, homemade cheesecake; with a two-pack of Aldi's Belmont Cheesecake slices tucked into your cart, you can save yourself hours of toil while still serving incredible sweet treats. There's a variety of flavors available, including turtle, strawberry, and good-old New York-style. They're just large enough to put your sweet tooth in its place but not so big that they make you feel overly full once you're finished — in other words, the sweet spot in the world of desserts. A drizzle of sauce or a little extra fruit will help plate them up perfectly. And at $1.99, you can dig in for just under a dollar a slice.

Reviewers have called these tempting slivers light yet rich, becoming perfectly servable with just a little thawing in the fridge. Redditors wish there were full-sized pies, which might negate the idea of a small, cheap frozen dessert, though at $1.99 per pack, you could easily assemble your own for less than a full-fledged cheesecake at a larger grocery chain. When a cheap frozen cheesecake from Aldi has the power to convert a non-cheesecake person into a fan, you know there's magic waiting in the freezer case.

6. Sundae Shoppe Frozen Fruit Bars

boxes of Aldi frozen fruit bars

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Rather than depending on the usual corn syrup-based popsicles to soothe your sweet tooth, give Aldi fruit pops a try. You get four chilled out servings made with real fruit like pineapple, mango, and strawberry, for $3.19. These cool creations run in the same lane as Outshine bars, providing a similar experience for a fairer price; compare this box to the Kroger 6-pack for $4.98. While the per-bar price differs by just a few cents, the possibility of spending more than a dollar less for a cool refreshment more than makes up for it. At prices like that, you can afford to sample a few flavors to find your favorite.

As for the quality, shoppers who've tried the pops claim they're superior to similar Dole brand bars and call out the softer texture. Add a sprinkle (or more) of Tajin to heat up the situation, and you can cruise through the warmer months with a spicy frozen treat that barely puts a dent in your pocketbook. 

7. Season's Choice Dark Chocolate-Covered Fruit

boxes of Aldi chocolate covered fruit

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If you've ever been tempted by the selection of Tru Fru in your grocery store freezer case, but choked a little when you saw the high prices, Aldi can provide you with the same enjoyment in a similar creation from Season's Choice, while keeping more pennies in your piggy bank. Take your pick of dark chocolate dipped strawberries or peanut butter covered banana slices, and prepare to savor an elegant nibble that straddles the line between decadent dessert and mindful snack. It's not the biggest box, but at $2.99, it's less painful to give these a test run.

If you do test out this Aldi frozen find that slides in well under the $5 mark, beware of the calorie count. One reviewer ate the whole box in a single sitting, which was probably delicious but well beyond the recommended serving size. It's a testament to the tempting nature of Aldi's best frozen treats, the ones that let you enjoy your snacking life without feeling like you've spent too much.

8. Bettr Bowl Breakfast Bowls

Aldi frozen breakfast bowl

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The morning rush meets its match with Aldi Bettr Bowl breakfast bowls sitting in your freezer. Stock up on southwestern-style four-cheese green chili or beef birria for just a little over $1.50 each. These day-starters are so price-friendly you can afford to grab extras to keep on hand at work for when the clock is ticking and you don't have time at home for a healthful breakfast. They're less than 500 calories and offer between 19 and 28 grams of protein to get your morning underway in delicious, macro-attentive fashion.

Recommendations from Aldi shoppers chatting on Reddit suggest turning them into breakfast burritos, a tasty twist that takes the fixings out of the bowl for a handheld bite instead. Shoppers also love the quantity of beef in the birria version, praising the absence of fat in the mix. When the best Aldi frozen breakfast items are this tasty and cost-effective, you can't afford not to load up.

9. Whole & Simple Quinoa Bowls

frozen quinoa protein bowls from Aldi

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Getting healthy carbs to pair with your protein can be a challenge, especially if you prefer not to tinker in the kitchen. With Whole & Simple Quinoa Bowls on your shopping list, you have delicious, nutrient-dense possibilities without having to crack open a cookbook. Each frozen bowl is priced at $4 or so and comes in either Southwestern Style Chicken with brown rice, black beans, corn, and bell peppers, or Mediterranean Chicken with brown rice, spinach, and sundried tomato accents. With between 16 and 17 grams of protein and a full half-cup serving of vegetables in each bowl, there's plenty of nutrition to go along with the great flavor.

Aldi customers are keen on the taste and the balance of vegetables, grains, and protein in the Mediterranean bowl, though some feel the serving size is a bit small. Others who've sampled the bowls mention they added a bit more chicken to bulk up the contents. Even if you stick to a smaller portion and keep the ingredients as they are, you'll be hard-pressed to find a more mindful mix in the Aldi freezer section for such an alluring price.

10. Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen Pepperoni Rising Crust

Aldi frozen rising crust pizzas

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One of the most raved about items in the Aldi frozen food collection is Mama Cozzi's Pepperoni Rising Crust Pizza. It's a list-topper among Aldi frozen pizzas that doesn't disappoint, transforming your usual frozen pizza moment into something more akin to a real life pizzeria pie. Thanks to a generous selection of well-balanced toppings and a crust that's out of this world, this well-priced box makes it possible to serve slices that are sure to please, while bypassing delivery fees and the unexpected tip to the cashier who rang up your order. Even with a price jump for this popular Aldi pizza, it's still affordable, hovering just around $4.75.

How close can you come to pizzeria pizza in a frozen creation? One reviewer calls it preferable to restaurant-style pies and is dazzled by the slight heat of the pepperoni that plays nicely against the sweetness of the sauce. Others jump in on Facebook to compliment Mama Cozzi's ability to deliver more satisfaction than a delivery pizza, while YouTube reviewer Pizza Sutra scores this frosty find similar to luxury pizzas. Anything under $5 is a bargain for a frozen pizza these days, and it sounds like Aldi is serving up superior slices for less than a Lincoln.

11. Season's Choice Eggplant Cutlets

Aldi frozen eggplant cutlets

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Sidestepping poultry-based entrees on Italian night is a whole lot easier with a box of breaded eggplant cutlets from Season's Choice, found in Aldi's specialty freezer section. Think about how much more elegant your simple spaghetti dinner can be with a few of these slices standing in for chicken or beef. For $4.99, you can have a plant-based alternative that doesn't sacrifice taste or texture, while providing extra flavor and enjoyment for all of your eaters, plant-based, omnivore, and otherwise.

Though some shoppers shared their worries about soggy slices on Reddit, one helpful reviewer recommended cooking them in a conventional oven for a sturdier texture. Another home chef shared that they make a great shortcut for eggplant lasagna, a sneaky but clever use that can cut down both on prep time and expense. However you work this pick into your culinary creativity, it's a fantastic alternative to fresh eggplant that comes breaded and prepped for a hop from oven to plate to stomach.

12. Lunch Buddies Crustless Sandwiches

Aldi frozen crustless sandwiches

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If Smucker's Uncrustables are popular in your house but seem a bit out of budget considering they're just crustless PB&J sandwiches, try Lunch Buddies Crustless Sandwiches as a stand-in that keeps the crusts cut off without cutting into your ever-stretching food money. This four-pack sets you back a cool $3.55 or so, or less than a dollar a sandwich. Because they come pre-spread and pre-cut, they're a convenience you can't afford to pass up, especially as the back-to-school bagged lunch season ramps up.

You might think the name-brand crustless sandwich is the only game in town, but Aldi fans are quick to point out that the less-expensive version is actually better than the big guys, with commenters chiming in their (and their grandchild's) agreement. They're worth clearing space in your freezer, which is much easier if you remove the sandwiches from the box first. They also require about 30 to 60 minutes of thawing time before you can take a proper bite.

How I chose these items

Aldi frozen food case

Steven Luna/Mashed

I approached the Aldi freezer section with new eyes for this feature. Though I've cruised through on several occasions in search of specifics, I wanted to choose items that hit the $5 or less price point but also served a range of purposes. I chose a few desserts, some snacks, a couple of breakfast and dinner entrees, and even elements that could be worked into larger meals. This seemed to me a sensible way to arrange a selection of frozen food finds, similar to how a real shopper would approach their purchases.

Once I knew which items I wanted to feature, I took a look at online reviews and conversations among Aldi shoppers to see how they felt about their frozen food purchases. This helped me refine my list before I headed into the store to snap photos of the goods that made the final cut. I discovered several new options for my next Aldi run, too; I've already cleared out space for the pineapple fruit bars and Lunch Buddies. All I need are a couple of $5 bills and I'll be ready to roll.