18 Aldi Regular Buy Products for the Outdoors
As I’m writing this, it’s in the single digits outside my home. I don’t mind cold temperatures — I can always bundle up when I go outdoors — but not everyone is like me. Instead, many people wait out the cold indoors.
It’s going to get warmer soon. It always does. And when that happens, you can rest assured that parks, playgrounds, hiking trails, and other outdoor attractions are going to get busy in a hurry.
When my family gets out, whether it’s for a hiking day trip or an overnight camping excursion (we enjoy tent camping), we like to pack some supplies. Aldi, unfortunately, doesn’t carry everything we need, but there are a few things Aldi does stock that we like to pick up before heading out into nature.
What follows a list of some of our favorite Aldi Regular Buys to take outside. These are all available at Aldi every day, and don’t include outdoor-themed Aldi Finds that might rotate into the store on occasion. We try to go with things that don’t necessarily require refrigeration, although if you have a cooler or other method of keeping things cold, that can be a plus. (Aldi, sadly, does not carry bagged ice.)
Also, Aldi is known to rotate things in and out of its Regular Buy selection, so it’s always possible something here might later be removed from shelves. If you notice something has disappeared from Aldi, let us know in the comments below. And if you have ideas of your own to add, you can put those in the comments, too.
So here is the list.
Food and Drink:
PurAqua Purified Water. We prefer using reusable water bottles, but there are occasions when we need disposable bottles, like if we’re hosting a gathering in a park. Aldi also sells purified water by the gallon, which we sometimes pack in a cooler for longer camping excursions. If you really need a sweetener (we don’t), Aldi also sells artificial sweeteners or flavored water. Aldi also sometimes sells Hint Water, which doesn’t have artificial sweeteners.
Granola, Breakfast, and Protein Bars. Aldi sells a number of individually wrapped bars, including Millville Protein Chewy Bars, Millville Granola Bars, Millville Fruit and Grain Bars, and Elevation Protein Bars. Whether you want protein, carbs, salty, or sweet, Aldi carries all of it. If you’re going into high heat, be aware that the ones with chocolate don’t hold up quite as well.
Southern Grove Trail Mix. Aldi sells several kinds of trail mix, both in smaller and larger packs. They’re nonperishable and generally hold up well outside, although be aware that — just like with the granola bars — the chocolate can melt under heat.
Bon Italia Canned Foods. Aldi currently sells Bon Italia Pasta Rings and Meatballs (generic SpaghettiOs), Bon Italia Spaghetti & Meatballs, and Bon Italia Mini Beef Ravioli. You’ll need a can opener along with a stove and a saucepan (or a microwave) to heat them and bowls to eat them out of. We’ll sometimes pack these as a potential meal during a camping trip. Aldi also sells canned beef stew and Vienna sausages under the Brookdale label, but the sausages don’t taste as good and we would only recommend them as true emergency food.
Tuna/Chicken Salad and Cracker Kits. Aldi sells shelf-stable kits with individual servings of canned tuna salad and crackers (under the Northern Catch label) or canned chicken salad and crackers (under the Brookdale label). They’re the perfect size for a quick meal or snack.
Apples and Raisins. Apples and raisins are both good sources of fiber, and they also hold up pretty well in non-refrigerated environment. Aldi sells apples by the bag and raisins both in large containers and in smaller single-serve packs.
Simply Nature Squeezable Pouches. These are great especially if you have young children because they don’t require any utensils: you just twist the cap open and squeeze. They’re shelf stable so they don’t need to be refrigerated unless you open one and don’t eat all of it.
Dried fruit. Aldi sells several kinds of dried fruits, including mangoes, apricots, cranberries, and banana chips. You can find several under the Southern Grove label and a few under the Simply Nature label. They do well in the elements and come in resealable bags.
Chips. When we head outdoors, we prefer Clancy’s Stackerz, which are the Aldi version of Lay’s Stax. They come in several flavors and, best of all, they’re sold in cardboard-and-foil cans and are easy to tuck into a picnic bag or backpack without crushing the chips. If we have the space, we also like Clancy’s Wavy Potato Chips, Clancy’s Kettle Chips, Clancy’s Cheese or Ranch Tortilla Chips (like Doritos), Clancy’s White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn, and Clancy’s Cheese Curls and Clancy’s Cheese Puffs (like Cheetos).
Crackers. We’re fans of the mini cheese or peanut butter sandwich crackers and the peanut butter toast crackers all under the Aldi Savoritz label.
S’mores. Aldi stocks all the components for a good campsite s’more, including graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate. A fire and stick to cook the marshmallows is also helpful. If it’s really hot out, you’ll want a cooler for the chocolate and the marshmallows: at least once we’ve packed our marshmallows in a bag only to have them melt into a giant sticky mass.
Supplies:
Welby Pain Reliever. Whether it’s a minor injury or just the expected occasional cramp, ache, or pain, it’s always a good idea to pack a little over-the-counter pain medication. Aldi sells both store brand ibuprofen (Advil / Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol), so you can pick up whichever one works best for you, or get both.
Welby Fluticasone Nasal Spray. If outdoors also means allergies, Aldi sells a generic Flonase that’s pretty easy to use. Aldi also sells generic versions of Benadryl and Zyrtec, but since drowsiness is a potential side effect (especially with the pink Benadryl version), we tend to get Allegra or its generic equivalent from another store instead.
Feminine hygiene products. Aldi sells a number of them, including tampons, pads, and liners, depending on your personal preference and needs. Aldi also now sells generic versions of Depend and Poise.
Willow Bath Tissue. A single roll of toilet paper is highly versatile, whether as makeshift facial tissue or for use as it’s intended. Aldi sells plenty, including really cheap economy TP if you don’t want to bother with the expensive stuff out in the wild.
Hand Sanitizer. Aldi sells various brands of hand sanitizer, and it can be handy to have some as a disinfectant, including before you sit down to eat something. Most of these have a hand pump, so if you need something more portable, you might consider the My Beauty Spot Anti-Bac Wipes the grocer currently carries.
Little Journey Baby Wipes. If you’re not a parent of young kids, you might easily dismiss this, but baby wipes can be handy whether you have babies or not. It’s important to note that baby wipes are not a disinfectant, but they can be helpful in getting dirt off a surface or for a little bit of basic hygiene if you’re far from a shower. Just make sure you throw them in a trash can, not in the woods. And if you do need something more antibacterial, the aforementioned My Beauty Spot wipes might help.
ActivEnergy Batteries. It’s always smart to pack some batteries for flashlights and other products that use disposable batteries. Aldi batteries are serviceable enough for that purpose.
What are your favorite Aldi products when you go outdoors? Let us know in the comments.
Aldi is literally where I stock up before camping or backpacking!
I use those little bags of instant mashed potatoes with seasoning- just add hot water right in the bag. You can then add a meat like tuna, canned chicken, or cut summer sausage. It’s my go-to for backpacking because it’s insanely light for a pretty heavy meal once its prepared.
If just camping, I’ve had a lot of success with the jarred Tikka Masala or other curry sauces. Cook some rice and add canned chicken to the sauce. Super easy and it had the people camping with me licking the pot, literally.
I also really like the beef jerky and bagged pistachios, and of course individual oatmeal packets. I second that Aldi’s bars have great selection and the Elevation brand ones are generally well made. If it won’t be melty outside, I take a bar of Choceur dark chocolate – it’s kind of the best. Every year I take several bars up to my brother in Montana who can’t get it because no Aldi.
I have slowly become the laziest campside cook in the world and those are several of the things that I’ve found to be the lowest effort with the best return.
You’re awesome and ingenious!! Sounds like you know how to get the most out of life!
A friend of mine has an outdoor tent like shelter with mesh sides she said she purchased from Aldi. Are these still available?
If they’re not in stock at your local store, you’re out of luck.