Popular Aldi Items That Completely Vanished

Fans of Aldi know the grocery store is always good for scoring a major deal — and those low prices make putting up with Aldi's little eccentricities completely worth it. You know what we mean: you have to remember to bring a quarter if you want a shopping cart at Aldi, and you can't show up too late, because Aldi is off the clock by 9 p.m. But these minor inconveniences are no big deal when we're saving so much money and still getting quality groceries.

Our patience gets tested, though, when our favorite Aldi items suddenly disappear. Showing up to buy your favorite cookies or chips only to find out they're gone forever... that heartbreak is real. Aldi's website offers a perfectly good explanation, of course. It states that Aldi Finds and certain items from regular store stock are only intended to be available for a limited time, and they have to sell through them quickly in order to make room for new "exciting deals." So, it seems Aldi is just looking out for our best interest and trying to keep things fresh and interesting. 

But before we accept this fact of life, let's take a moment to lament the loss of some of Aldi's most popular items that have completely vanished.

Once upon a time, Aldi stocked bags of possibly the best potato chip on earth — Clancy's Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper Kettle Chips. Not only was the flavor a perfect combination of two very simple seasonings that somehow transformed in the presence of a crispy chip, but the texture of these kettle chips was unbeatable. 

One Facebook user proclaimed, "Your 'Clancy's Kettle Chips' in 'Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper' are the best chips EVER! I can eat a whole big bag by myself in one sitting ... They are the perfect mix between the very frail regular chips and national brands kettle chips that seem so much harder! LOVE them!" According to some salty snack fanatics on Reddit, these kettle chips seem to have started to disappear sometime around 2018, although two commenters, from Wisconsin and Ohio, claimed they could still find them at their local stores. Road trip, anyone? 

Aldi has at least tried to placate Clancy's Kettle Chip lovers by introducing other unique flavors, although they may be better suited for more adventurous pallets. According to a July 2020 YouTube video, Aldi now offers a Cuban Sandwich flavor and a Nashville Hot Chicken flavor of kettle chips from Clancy's for $1.89 per bag. Of course, they're a limited time Aldi Find, so don't get too attached.

Thin Mint cookie fans everywhere rejoiced when Aldi introduced Benton's Fudge Mint Cookies (a copycat version of the famous Girl Scout cookie). When this glorious substitute for the seasonal classic was discontinued, well... we're still not over it.

Aldi Reviewer touted the fudge mint cookies as "a dead ringer" for Girl Scout Thin Mints and noted they disappeared from shelves "as of late 2019 to early 2020." The post points out that Aldi carries other Girl Scout cookie knockoffs that are just as good, including Benton's Peanut Butter Cookies that can stand in for Girl Scout Tagalongs and Benton's Caramel Coconut Cookies which taste just like Girl Scout Samoas.

Of course, you can also just wait until Girl Scout cookie sales roll around, but if that feels like too much self-deprivation, Walmart sells Great Value brand Fudge Mint Cookies for only $.98 per 10 oz. package. These knockoffs have over 100 five star reviews on the retail giant's website, so they might just be a good enough substitute for the Aldi version.

In a world that is now pretty well saturated with meatless burger options, you may think the loss of one such product would be no big deal. But the Earth Grown Organic Plant-Based Meatless Burger from Aldi was something special. When this item left the shelves, one Facebook fan commented, "Does anyone know what happened to these? ... I only had them twice but they were probably the best vegan burgers I've had from Aldi." 

Aldi does indeed have other meatless burger options from the Earth Grown Organic line, like veggie burgers and black bean burgers. But the plant-based meatless burger boasted 12 grams of protein per serving, and as one commenter on A Billion Veg noted, they were "so close to actual meat consistency" they could likely please carnivores and vegetarians, alike. 

Sadly, these meatless burgers seem to be gone for good. If it's any consolation, Aldi still carries meatless meatballs from the same brand that at least one reviewer on YouTube gave a nine out of ten for taste. 

This one cuts deep, y'all. Aldi used to carry a Hop Lift IPA made by Third Street Brewhouse in Minnesota that was so tasty, it scored an 84 rating on Beer Advocate for its refreshing, smooth drinkability. One reviewer described it as having notes of tangerine, melon, and pine, with a sweet, toasty malt flavor that made it easy to drink. This beer was one of the best beers to buy from Aldi, but unfortunately, according to a fan on Reddit, it was apparently discontinued sometime in 2019.  

Luckily, Aldi still has a nice supply of ales, lagers, and IPAs to suit your fancy. Plus, there's wine! Reader's Digest reports Aldi has a wine list consisting of bottles that have "won awards from Wine Spectator, The American Masters of Taste Awards, and the International Wine and Spirit Competition." Plus, many ring in at less than $10. While it's no $6.99 four-pack of Hop Lift IPA, it's still a nice way to kick back and relax.