This post contains affiliate links.
Pickles have always been one of my favorite snacks or accompaniments to a meal. I used to eat them straight out of the jar as a treat after school. They were also a common sight on family holiday relish trays — what you might now call charcuterie boards — when I was growing up. A pickle spear is also a fun side when you’re having a burger or sandwich.
Aldi sells a variety of pickles, ranging from fresh refrigerated deli-style pickles to jarred pickles to specialty German style pickles or cornichons. I tend to prefer the fresh spears, but I’m not above picking up an occasional jar of shelf-stable kosher dill spears.
Great Gherkins Kosher Dill Spears are Regular Buys, meaning you can find them at Aldi any time of year. These are stocked near the olives, salad dressings, mayo, and other condiments at Aldi.
A gherkin, by the way, is a small cucumber used for pickling. In fact, some people call pickles gherkins, depending on where you live.
Great Gherkins Kosher Dill Spears cost $1.99 for a 24-ounce jar at my local store at the time of writing. That’s about 8 cents per ounce.
For comparison, a 24-ounce jar of Vlasic Fresh Packed Kosher Dill Spears cost about 12 cents per ounce at Walmart at the time of writing. A 24-ounce jar of Mt. Olive Kosher Dill Spears cost about 11 cents per ounce at Walmart at the time of writing. The cheapest jarred pickles I’ve seen are at Dollar Tree, where they cost about 7 cents an ounce.
These Aldi pickles are a product of India. (I’ve seen other pickle products at Aldi that come from India, and Dollar Tree pickles are also from India.)
That label states this has a non BPA lining (presumably the jar’s lid). The label also says this features “fresh pack for extra crunch!” It bears a symbol indicating it contains no certified synthetic colors, which is the standard for Aldi house brands.
The label indicates these should be stored in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Refrigerate the jar after opening.
Nutrition information and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)
Ingredients are cucumbers, water, vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, natural flavors, turmeric oleoresin, and polysorbate 80.
There are 14 servings per jar, with each serving being 2/3 of a pickle spear. That serving size seems a bit ridiculous, as most people are going to consider a whole spear to be a single serving.
Nevertheless, 2/3 of a spear has 5 calories, no fat, 210 mg of sodium (9% DV), 1 gram of total carbohydrates (0% DV), no dietary fiber, no sugars, and no protein.
Opinions online are mixed regarding these pickles. Some people love them, while other people think they’re mushy. Personally, I think these have a flavor and texture that is similar to a lot of other store-bought jarred pickle brands. They have that classic salty, vinegary pickle flavor, with a hint of spicy bite. These are fine if you’re looking for jarred pickles.
The Verdict:
Great Gherkins Kosher Dill Spears are cheaper than most name-brand jarred pickles, and they have a taste and texture that is similar to other jarred pickles we’ve eaten. If you want inexpensive pickles, these fit the bill.
