Last Updated on January 3, 2023
Many years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to the United Kingdom. As an American with admittedly American food tastes, I didn’t always take to English or Scottish food, something my Scottish ancestors might have strong opinions about. Nevertheless, I tried everything I could at least once. (Even haggis.)
One thing I did really like in the UK? Fish and chips. And this is saying something, given that I’m not much of a fan of breaded fish. But I found the brilliantly battered fish and the crispy chips were outstanding, a rare but notable example of a food I liked better there than what I’d get here in the States.
For that reason, whenever I see the words fish and chips I take notice, especially when those fish and chips indicate a connection to foods across the pond. When a certain German grocery store stocked a Scottish take on the duo, I decided to try it out.
Fremont Fish Market Scottish Beer-Battered Haddock Fish and Chips appear to be a Seasonal Item. In other words, they seem to appear during certain times of the year and disappear during other times. In our experience, Aldi seems to stock this product during the winter months. This Scottish fish and chips is sold in a mixed case alongside some British style fish and chips.
At the time of purchase, we paid $4.99 for a 14-ounce box.
If you’re wondering about authenticity, the package says it is a product of the United Kingdom. The fish is listed as wild caught in FAO 27, specifically the area including the northwest coast of Scotland and north Ireland as well as the west of Scotland.
Fair warning: this dish is not healthy for you. At all. One serving — which the box says is, well, the entire box — will set you back some 800 calories, with 41% of your recommended daily fat (32g), 18% of your recommended daily cholesterol (35mg), and 38% of your recommended daily sodium (880mg). The ingredients lists for both the fish and chips are long and processed. On the allergen front, the package contains fish (haddock), milk, wheat, and barley. There is enough food here that you could potentially share with someone else, helping to reduce the nutritional damage.
Nutrition information and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
The box provides just one method of cooking, which is by oven. The instructions warn that the box should be kept frozen until you’re ready to prepare.
To cook, you first preheat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, place the frozen filet and chips on a baking sheet on the middle shelf of a preheated oven for 25 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time. Let it all stand for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Alternatively, you could cook them in the air fryer, which some readers have tried, and so did we. We cooked them for 400 degrees for 19 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Your mileage may vary.
Ready to serve.
Overall, this is a decent meal and the fish has plenty of crispy breading, but we didn’t think the fish was as flavorful as some other beer-battered fish we’ve eaten. One family member who has also tried the British style fish and chips Aldi sells thought this Scottish version was more bland. The Scottish fish and chips does contain 240 mg less sodium than the British version, which might account for some of the flavor difference.
A cross section of the breaded haddock.
Overall, this meal was all right, but we probably won’t buy this specific one again.
The Verdict:
Fremont Fish Market Scottish Beer-Battered Haddock Fish and Chips are a decent take on the pair. Boasting authentic ingredients from the United Kingdom, they’re still not as good as a restaurant, but they’re decent anyway. Just know that the box has more than its share of calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
