If you want Chinese takeout-style food, Aldi sells a number of options year-round in its Regular Buy freezer section. Choices include General Tso’s chicken, orange chicken, pork and chicken egg rolls, and frozen fried rice or lo mein.
Aldi also rotates other Asian-inspired foods onto its shelves for limited times at different points in the year. I recently picked up all of these noodle and rice mixes:
Fusia Asian Inspirations Thai Sesame Noodles, Teriyaki Noodles, or Chicken Flavor Fried Rice cost $0.89 each.
These are Aldi Finds (Special Buys), which means they’re only in stores for a short time. Aldi does not offer online ordering for its specials, so once they sell out at your local store, you’ll have to wait until next time.
These are simple rice or noodle envelopes that just require water and some optional veggie oil, and they can be served as a side dish for a meal, or they also make a good lunch on their own. They are processed and not low in carbs or sodium, but I don’t expect pasta or rice meals like this to be the healthiest.
If you’re watching out for allergens, all three of these contain wheat, milk, and soy.
They can all be prepared the same way, either in the microwave or on the stove top. I prepared all of ours on the stove top.
To microwave, in a 2-quart microwave-safe bowl, combine 2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (optional), and the contents of the package. Microwave uncovered on high about 12 minutes or until noodles/rice are tender. Stir and serve.
To prepare on the stove top, in a 2-quart saucepan bring to a boil 1 1/2 cups of water if you’re making the noodles, or 1 3/4 cups of water if you’re making the rice, and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Stir in the contents of the package. Reduce heat and simmer 7 minutes or until noodles/rice are tender. Let stand about 2 minutes, stir, and serve.
Read on for a closer look at each variety.
Fusia Asian Inspirations Thai Sesame Noodles
The package describes this as an “authentic Asian noodle side dish in a soy, lemongrass & sesame flavored sauce.”
Thai Sesame Noodles served alongside a shrimp stir fry.
This was my family’s least favorite, but how much you like it may depend on how much you like Thai food. These noodles are slightly spicy, with sesame seeds and dried peppers that add a bit of a crunchy texture. Also of note, the noodles are short — only an inch or two long after they’re cooked.
Thai Sesame Noodles ingredients and nutrition information. (Click to enlarge.)
It comes in a 4.4-oz. package and serves about two. One serving of prepared noodles has 290 calories, 9 grams of total fat (12% DV), 1.5 grams of saturated fat (8% DV), no cholesterol, 710 mg of sodium (31% DV), 47 grams of total carbohydrates (17% DV), 2 grams of dietary fiber (7% DV), 4 grams of total sugars, 3 grams of added sugars (6% DV), and 7 grams of protein.
Fusia Asian Inspirations Teriyaki Noodles
The package describes this as an “authentic Asian noodle side dish in a teriyaki sauce.”
Teriyaki Noodles served with shrimp stir fry.
These noodles disappeared quickly from our table. They have that classic sweet flavor associated with teriyaki sauce, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy these again to serve alongside some of our favorite Asian-inspired meals at home. Just like with the Thai Sesame Noodles above, these Teriyaki Noodles are short, measuring only an inch or two long after they’re cooked.
Teriyaki noodles nutrition information and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
It comes in a 4.6-oz. package that serves about 2. One serving has 350 calories, 10 grams of total fat (13% DV), 1.5 grams of saturated fat (8% DV), no cholesterol, 650 mg of sodium (28% DV), 58 grams of total carbohydrates (21% DV), 2 grams of dietary fiber (7% DV), 8 grams of total sugars, 5 grams of added sugars (10% DV), and 8 grams of protein.
Fusia Asian Inspirations Chicken Flavor Fried Rice
The package describes this as “rice & pasta in a savory chicken flavored sauce.”
The rice served as part of an all-Aldi takeout-style dinner.
It’s definitely not anything close to the fried rice you’d get from a takeout restaurant, but it still tastes good and my family ate it all when I served it alongside some General Tso’s chicken, pot stickers, and egg rolls all from Aldi. It cooked easily on my stove top, and it still had some liquid in it after the cook time was up, but that got absorbed after I let the rice sit for a few minutes before serving.
Chicken fried rice nutrition information and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
It comes in a 5.7-oz. package that serves about 2.5 people. One serving has 280 calories, 7 grams of total fat (9% DV), 1 gram of saturated fat (5% DV), no cholesterol, 570 mg of sodium (25% DV), 48 grams of total carbohydrates (17% DV), 2 grams of dietary fiber (7% DV), 3 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of added sugars (2% DV), and 6 grams of protein.
The Verdict:
Fusia Asian Inspirations Thai Sesame Noodles, Teriyaki Noodles, or Chicken Flavor Fried Rice are simple side dishes sold in envelopes. You simply add water, a bit of vegetable oil (optional), and heat in the microwave or on the stove top. They’re not the healthiest, but they’re a fun complement to a takeout-style meal.
