Aldi Shoppers Can't Stop Talking About These Grain-Free Pretzels

In today's fast moving world, it can be tough to keep up. The royals live in Hollywood now? That guy who makes cars is organizing shuttles to the moon? And now, you're telling us that grains — that chirpy, yellow, seemingly innocuous base of the food pyramid — are bad? If Aldi shoppers' responses to a new grain-free pretzel snack are any indication, grains are right up there with trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. Check out this Instagram post by @aldifavoritefinds, an Aldi fan account, about Aldi's grain-free pretzels, and then get out of here with that wholegrain bread and that quinoa. We've seen the future, and it's grain-free, baby.

Well, okay, maybe not. Or at least, not for everyone. Grain-free products might be seeing a boost these days thanks to dietary strategies like Keto, Paleo and Whole30 — not to mention gluten-free diets, where many grains are restricted — but that doesn't mean that giving up the grain is the holy (grain) grail. Eating Well explains that the best thing about adopting a grain-free diet is that it leaves more space in your life for the good stuff: fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds. Adopting a grain-free lifestyle also means that you're probably cutting out a lot of highly processed foods as a result, since lots of grain products end up containing lots of fats, sugars, or sodium but not actually providing all that much nutritional value. In other words, reducing the amount of refined grain foods you eat, while increasing the whole, nutritious foods, might be the happy medium you're looking for.

Don't tell that to Aldi, though, where grain-free pretzels and their ilk are going over gangbusters with shoppers. The @aldifavoritefinds post about grain-free pretzels was met with over 1,000 "likes" and dozens of comments, so it's clear this grainless grub can cause a hubbub. Whether your relationship with grains has never been better, or more of the "it's complicated" type, there's no denying that the packaging on those pretzels is appealing. The bag boasts terms like "gluten-free," "non-GMO," "plant based," and "made with cassava flour" — all hot-button words if you're looking to get the most out of your diet. Good Housekeeping points out that cassava flour, made from a root vegetable called yuca, is one of those solutions to a restrictive diet or food allergy, as it's naturally vegan, nut-free, grain-free, and gluten-free.

Though you'll want to check your local listings, it does seem from the comments that these pretzels aren't a one-time only thing. "I'm not sure when these hit the shelves as I don't remember seeing them advertised," reads the caption, "but I found a random box on an end cap." The lucky Aldi shopper went on to speculate that the Simply Nature pretzels — which come in both sea salt and roasted garlic and herb varieties — are probably a regular item at Aldi. One fan pointed out that at a $2.99 price point, the pretzels are worth a try if you see them in an aisle near you. And let's face it: no matter how you feel about grains, a bag of pretzels is cheaper than a trip to the moon.