Simms Snack Sticks: Pork + Chicken

I grew up with Slim Jims, the snack stick that was sort of like beef jerky but not. Slim Jims were small sticks of meat with a tough casing that made for a salty treat. Aldi sells its own version of Slim Jims — Simms Mild Smoked Snack Sticks — which are pretty close to the brand name and can be found in stores every day.

This product we’re looking at today has a very similar name, but it’s not the same. These Snack Sticks aren’t tiny slim sticks: they’re larger, about the width of a standard hot dog and the length of a footlong. They’re also an Aldi Find, which means they are only in stores for a limited time; once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Simms Snack Sticks

Simms Pork Snack Sticks and Simms Chicken Snack Sticks both cost $3.49 for an 8-ounce pack. That comes out to about 44 cents an ounce — a lot more than your typical Slim Jim or Aldi snack stick. Also unlike a Slim Jim, these particular sticks are found in the refrigerated section and should be kept refrigerated.

Simms Snack Sticks

I mentioned earlier that these look like a hot dog. They kind of taste like one, too. Both the pork and the chicken sticks bear a vague resemblance to a cross between a hot dog and one of those hors d’oeuvre sausages you might see at a fancy occasion. The casing is maybe tougher than a typical hot dog, but it’s not as tough as a Slim Jim. The interior is definitely similar in taste and texture to a hot dog.

The pork and chicken have nearly identical texture and have similar taste. The pork has a somewhat more seasoned flavor, but both are in the same range.

Simms Snack Sticks

Nutrition and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)

The Verdict:

Whether you like this or not will depend on what you’re looking for. If you want a jerky-style snack, this isn’t really it, despite what the name might say, and these cost a lot more, too. On the other hand, if you want something that is softer, this is not a bad treat. Not sure I’ll buy them again, though.

About Joshua

Joshua is the Co-founder of Aldi Reviewer. He is also a writer and novelist. You can learn more about him at joshuaajohnston.com.

2 Comments

  1. I love your articles Joshua!
    You do a fabulous job reviewing aldi items!
    There are so many products in the store which I hesitate to buy until I read your article about hen I think ok I’ll try it!
    Thanks again for your articles!

  2. I’m not sure what you’re using for comparison, but I’d say these at $0.44 per ounce are (were) an absolute steal (bargain)!

    I found (original/traditional) Slim Jim at CVS, 1-stick per package, 0.97 ounce each (nearly 1.0 ounce), for $1.89, or about $1.95 per ounce. At Walmart, these are $1.08 each, or about $1.11 per ounce. This is not a comparison of an item that’s “really” similar to the Aldi item, but it is something you mentioned in the article for price comparison.

    I also found a better deal (in bulk), on Amazon: “Slim Jim Giant Smoked Meat Stick, Original Flavor”, 0.97 ounce, $18.88 to $19.99 for a 24 count pack, or about $0.81 to $0.86 per ounce, buying a package almost 3 times larger than the Aldi 8 ounce pack.

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