The Aldi Chips Reddit Prefers Over Baked Ruffles

People love Aldi. Whether it's for the cheaper prices or variety of goods, plenty of shoppers are turning to the alternative grocer for their everyday shopping needs. With the rapid rise of inflation over the past few years, it's easy to see why Aldi was on track to become the third largest grocer in the United States by the end of 2022, according to Forbes. But, it's not just the prices that are driving people to the international chain of grocery stores. Plenty of their products often surpass expectations, with many people claiming some items — such as Aldi branded ketchup, baked beans, and fig bars — are better than the original brands they're based on. 

Many people believe Aldi's products are imported because the chain originated in Germany. However, part of the reason Aldi's products are cost-effective is because it's helping local companies thrive. According to Finance Buzz, 90% of the store's products are Aldi-owned brands, and its fresh produce comes from the U.S. and, where possible, local growers. This means the chain can skip the middle man and Clancy's, Aldi's own chip brand, is able to offer items such as their version of Ruffles at a cheaper price than big-name brands. While Clancy's Ripples have been available for several years, people recently took to Reddit to compare the two chip products.

Reddit user @jmsatl recently posted a photo of Aldi-branded Clancy's Baked Ripples claiming, "I love the Baked Ripples!!!! Much better than Baked Ruffles." They went on to say that not only was the price almost half that of the branded product, but that they also had a better texture and were not "dry and hard" like the Ruffles brand. The poster's image showed the Cheddar and Sour Cream flavor chip. While many people love the idea of a healthier chip with less fat, most people find them dry and unsatisfying in comparison to regular Ruffles. One person said, "I love the baked BBQ but these look great, I'll have to keep my eyes open for them!"

Most people were thrilled with the price in comparison to Baked Ruffles. One Redditor pointed out that unless you keep watching out for a BOGO deal on them, you'd be paying around $4.79 a bag in comparison to $2.79 for the same quantity of the Aldi brand. Target lists the chips at $3.99 a bag, so that's still a $1.21 saving. While several people pointed out that Baked Ripples were only $1.25 a few years back, the rising cost of things due to inflation has more than doubled the price. However, it's still almost half the cost of the Frito-Lay version, so perhaps the chips are worth a try.