We Need to Talk About Aldi’s Sliced Cheese Packaging
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Like all posts on Aldi Reviewer, this piece is the opinion of its respective authors. Also like all posts, comments are welcome, although we ask users to be mindful of our Community Guidelines.
In my view, the best kind of product packaging is the packaging I don’t have to think about. Make something easy to open, or easy to reseal, and I’m sold. Make it more difficult to use, and it can rise to a level where I might start looking for a different product.
Cheese is one of those products where the packaging matters. A good cheese packaging, in my experience, keeps mold and moisture from shortening the cheese’s lifespan. It’s also not hard to use correctly.
There are, generally speaking, two kinds of cheese packaging you’re likely to encounter in most grocers. The first packaging is what you get with American cheese, like Kraft Singles. This kind of cheese is manufactured. Because of how they’re made, these slices often come individually wrapped.
The second packaging is a Ziploc-style resealable bag. This is what I see most often for standard cheese slices, such as cheddar, provolone, mozzarella, and other sliced cheeses. It’s the go-to packaging for national brands like Kraft and Sargento and for most store brands including Great Value (Walmart) and my own regional grocer.
I’m not going to talk about Aldi American singles packaging here, because in that space Aldi has at least a passing resemblance to what Kraft and other American packagers use. It’s not the greatest individual wrapping, but it works.
Instead, I want to talk about the packaging Aldi uses for its other cheese slices. Here, we have a problem.
Aldi first introduced this packaging in 2019. Prior to that, Aldi used the Ziploc-style packaging that just about everyone else uses, and it worked. This clamshell packaging, though … it doesn’t work.
To use it, you lift the soft plastic seal from the hard clamshell, and then to close it you have to run your fingers along the plastic to seal it back to the hard clamshell. Aldi uses this packaging for most of its sliced cheeses, with few exceptions. It also uses a different style of resealable package for some, but not all, of its deli meats.
The problem? It’s hard to reseal the cheese packaging without leaving gaps in the space between the soft lid and the hard clamshell. Gaps mean airflow, and airflow means mold and dry cheese. You don’t have to look far to hear stories from people whose Aldi sliced cheese has gone bad on accounting of that packaging.
Here’s a video we put together not long after the packaging first appeared in 2019.
When that packaging hit, we got emails, comments from friends, and even frustration from a co-worker. I can only imagine how many complaints Aldi must have had.
One would think that such feedback might spur Aldi to change its packaging. And to be sure, it does seem like Aldi’s supplier has tweaked the design. But it’s a minor tweak that keeps to the same adhesive design rather than reverting to the old Ziploc-style design.
We’re at a loss as to why Aldi is still using this packaging. It’s hard to believe that it could be cheaper (if it was, we’d figure Walmart and other stores would be using it for their house brands) and it’s certainly not more user-friendly. There may be some environmental or sustainability reasoning — perhaps the materials are recycled — but that’s not at all clear from anything on the packaging we can find.
Our own fix since 2019 has been to put the cheese in a separate container and then put that container in the fridge. That fix isn’t perfect, though, and, really, we don’t think we should have to. It’s reasonable to expect in this day and age that cheese packaging doesn’t require a second package to keep the cheese.
Closing Thoughts:
With the rest of the industry using a Ziploc-style packaging, it baffles us that — for five years running now — Aldi has stuck to a flawed cheese packaging design. While it’s been incrementally tweaked since 2019, we believe it’s still a major problem. It’s still difficult, and in some cases nearly impossible, to reseal it in a way that doesn’t allow air in. That air makes mold more likely, which is the opposite of what you want with cheese packaging.
We think the fix is simple: bring back Ziploc-style packaging. The question is, will Aldi ever do it?
We can only hope.
I guess, my family, we, don’t think about it or even consider the packaging of products like this. Long ago we started bagging in a ziploc bag anything we open, even the products that have the “so called” ziploc style packaging. We have ran across so many of the ziploc style packing that the zip comes off the side of the bag, so in a ziploc bag it goes. I come from a poverty situation in my childhood. You adapt and survive. It has stuck with me into adulthood. SO when a hey Dad came up, “this won’t seal,” I grabbed it, placed it in a ziploc, and handed it back. That has stuck with my Family. I can see how something like packaging can be irritating to someone. There are sandwich meats that fall into the same issue and problem too.
EXACTLY!!! America is so used to one way or else. This style packaging seems like 99% of the European packaging I’ve seen at Albert Heijn in Netherlands. Plop it into a glass container for all non-plastic users.
I have no problem whatsoever with this packaging. It’s easy to open, I stick the whole thing in an open end baggie and fold over. No worries. Many times the zip lock packaging gets ripped etc, and has to be put in a baggie anyways.
Haha… my wife accused me of being the guest reviewer here.
This packaging wouldn’t be too bad if the adhesive reliably _adhered_. I struggle less with gaps in the seal (though that is a problem) and more with “it just won’t seal”. Like the reviewer here, I just put my cheese in another container. And sigh.
This has been a problem for a very long time. I’ve noticed problems with spoilage or short shelf life for both dairy and breads at Aldi – sometimes even moldy bread is being sold. If you point it out to the cashier (rarely are there many employees on the floor) they’ll remove it, but the problem continues. Not sure if it’s their warehouse process, logistics, refrigeration, etc. But it’s no bueno.
Interesting as this is how other European companies package their cheeses. We’ve been both in Netherlands and Croatia for the past month and this is exactly how the sliced cheese is sold across the brands we’ve seen- barely sticky ‘resealable’ package
I bought some ziplock bags to solve the problem. I agree with you, it’s a terrible design but appears it’s like this elsewhere in the world so perhaps Aldi is saving a buck by not going overboard for the Americans.
I am just the opposite. I prefer to just take the cheese out of the package it came it and put it in a zip bag or container that I know I can easily close up and keep it fresh. I am a big fan of Aldi’s cheese, tastes great and the price is so much lower than any other. I do lots of things to save money, have to nowdays, and that’s how I was raised .
Our grocery, HEB, (only in Texas) started using the same packaging. It.is.awful. We hope people complain enough for them to change it.
Don’t love the package but love the cheese.
Especially the Munster slices.
I just put the whole package in a big zip loc bag and have no trouble with spoilage.
Even with having to use a bag, it’s still cheaper than other brands at other stores.
I guess I must be the exception. I have never had a problem with my Aldi cheese package resealing. I just checked the Swiss cheese I have in the fridge, and it is perfectly sealed. I know that it has been previously opened. I always thought this packaging was pretty clever.
I don’t have a problem either.
Completely agree!
We have had more than one package of Aldi cheese slices go moldy because of the poor packaging. I have learned to move the slices into a Tupperware container that is made for cheese slices. Problem fixed. But shouldn’t have to do this if the packaging was better.
We just reuse a gallon Ziploc bag to put the Aldi cheese containers in. I do wish they came in their own resealable packaging but this works well enough, and the bag doesn’t need to be replaced that often since the cheese isn’t actually touching it.
I don’t have an issue with it anymore but I do need to put in an extra 30 seconds to consciously make sure it’s sealed. Ziplock style also come open on the ends or the seal pulls apart all on one side with some.
I find the stick and seal packaging awkward.
I store my opened Aldi cheese package, upside down on refrigerator shelf. I’m thinking the pressure/weight from the cheese might help the package stay a bit more sealed?
Other solution: eat more cheese more often before it gets a chance to go stale/mold
I appreciate your review of this. However, cheese rarely lasts long enough in our house for it to matter. I can see the issue, although it hasn’t ever bothered me. We have on a rare occasion had cheese that has been a little dry or moldy.
Glad someone talked about this issue as I thought it was just me. I like most of you put my cheese in a ziplock bag.
This packaging must be cheaper for Aldi.
Couldn’t agree more. Very frustrating. Especially if, when making sandwiches, you are handling greasy or moist deli meats, tomatoes,
or other additions, your moist/greasy fingers touching the sealing
area only contributes more to the situation. Com’on Aldi. Really?
I have been buying the sliced Munster cheese at Aldi for several years for my grandchildren and had the same trouble closing the package properly to keep the cheese from drying out. I’m on the Aldi Insider Facebook page and a few months ago I saw a post on there with a hint for closing the package properly. The person suggested laying the package on the flat (front( side and then pressing and sliding your fingers all along the edges of the back side. I found that this gives a perfect seal all the way around and no more dried out cheese.
HaHa !! Every one has a different idea of how to keep the cheese fresh, well I love the cheese and the packaging at Aldi.
But if anyone wants to use a sip lock bag that is of your choice.
No one want’s their cheese to spoil.
Please Aldi USA, please…revert to Zip type closure. PLEASE!
Unfortunately, anything that comes in packaging like this does have to go into a Ziploc bag with all or most of the air pressed out of it, before going into the fridge. Otherwise, dryness & mold will tend to hit quickly. More frequently than not, we also find that we need to do it with the zipper-type cheese pkgs. as well, since the “zip” frequently doesn’t “zip”.
I guess I’m one of the few that like the packaging. It’s much easier for me to handle and if it keeps the product for economical, I’m good with it. Ziplock bags to me just promote more plastic waste that goes into the landfills that doesn’t breakdown easily. I believe this type of packaging is better but I do not have anything to support it. I agree with another poster that this type of packaging more common in Europe and they are stricter than we are on environmental impact such as the plastics. Who only knows but my vote is to keep the packaging the way it is. You can always put it in a glasscovered container in your fridge.
OH MY GOSH!! Thank you for this post. All this time, I’ve been blaming my husband for the moldy Aldi cheese, occurring within a week of purchase!!! 😂 It was so frustrating that I simply stopped buying these type cheese packages. If I do buy again (doubtful but…), I will move the cheese into a separate container (Aldi sold some collapsible reusable rubber (?) storage containers over the summer- and they are GREAT!!). Ziplock bags aren’t good for the environment!!
I’m so happy to see a review addressing the cheese packaging. My family has disliked it from Day 2 onward. On Day 1 we thought the new packaging was cool, but once opened it was not due to all the stated issues. As other posters have commented we also have the zip bag solution. Each variety of cheese gets put into a sandwich bag and then all those bags go into a gallon size bag. Putting them into the gallon bag came into play over time because we’ll have so many of the different varies of wonderful cheese (thank you Aldi!) that our meat/cheese drawer was baggie chaos since we also baggie the ziploc style sandwich meats, still in their packaging with busted or unclosed zips, in gallon size bags. Sigh. As an avid recycler I did initially try to find ways to reuse the trays, but other than as a touchup paint tray, I haven’t.
On the plus side, we love the variety of Aldi’s sliced cheese and the price can’t be beat (even Harvarti and Gouda, amazing!). As posted above, Munster is also our family overall top fav.
I personally find it easier to limit contact/contamination to only the slices I want at the moment with the Aldi flat tray cheese packaging – easier to separate slices without a knife. They do a consistent “stair-stepping” of the slices to choose the quantity I want to peel away from the remainder, then carefully close the top sheet, starting at the midway point. About 4 seconds to close, maybe 10 if I need to redo – but my brother is not so careful! No outer bag used.
I bought some of these assorted cheese ones, but one that I did NOT open still got moldy! Such a drag and waste of my money.
Funny, but I like Aldi sliced cheese better than the standard packaging. It’s much easier to get the cheese out and to reseal the package. With standard packaging, it’s more difficult to get the cheese out and the ziplock closure rarely works for me. However, neither packaging is husband-proof.