Aldi vs. Dollar Tree: Which Has the Better Deals on Summer Snacks
For summer snacks, Dollar Tree comes out ahead in more categories, though Aldi still delivers stronger value on some pantry staples when measured by price per ounce. Both stores have real strengths depending on what you are stocking up for.
MoneyLion compared eight summer snack categories at both stores using current prices from each retailer's website.
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Here's how each category stacked up.
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Chips
Aldi: $1.89 (Clancy's Original Kettle Chips, 8 ounce)
Dollar Tree: $1.25 (El Sabroso Baja Limon Spicy Chile & Lime Tortilla Chips, 5 ounce)
Aldi's Clancy's Original Kettle Chips come in at $0.24 per ounce for an 8-ounce bag, compared to $0.25 per ounce at Dollar Tree for their 5-ounce bag of chile and lime-flavored Tortilla Chips. The gap is small, but Aldi's larger bag gets you more per dollar and is the better deal when stocking a snack bowl for a crowd.
Granola Bars
Aldi: $3.49 (Millville Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars, 18 count)
Dollar Tree: $1.50 (Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars, 6 count)
The numbers clearly favor Aldi. Millville's 18-count granola bar box works out to roughly $0.19 per bar, while Dollar Tree granola bars run $0.25 per bar. If granola bars are a summer staple for your household, Aldi is the smarter buy.
Cookies
Aldi: $2.15 (Benton's Fudge Striped Shortbread Cookies, 13 ounce)
Dollar Tree: $1.25 (Oven Baked Fudge Mint Cookies, 9 ounce)
Aldi's Benton's Fudge Striped Cookies at $2.15 for 13 ounces work out to $0.17 per ounce, losing by a small margin to Dollar Tree's Oven Baked Fudge Mint Cookies at roughly $0.14 per ounce. For a summer cookie spread, Dollar Tree gets you more for less.
Candy
Aldi: $3.29 (LifeSavers 5 Flavors, 7 ounce)
Dollar Tree: $1 (Wonka Rainbow Nerds Candies, 5 ounce)
Dollar Tree's 5-ounce box of Wonka Rainbow Nerds works out to about $0.25 per ounce, compared to roughly $0.47 per ounce for Aldi's 7-ounce bag of LifeSavers 5 Flavors. That gives Dollar Tree a meaningful advantage on both per-item price and cost per ounce. If you're stocking up on candy for a summer gathering or movie night, Dollar Tree is the better value in this category.
Crackers
Aldi: $2.05 (Savoritz Saltines, 16 ounce)
Dollar Tree: $4 (Premium Fresh Stacks Original Saltine Crackers, 13.6 ounce)
Aldi's Savoritz Saltines work out to $0.13 per ounce — among the best value on this list. Dollar Tree's Fresh Stacks saltine crackers at $4 for an 8-pack put the per-ounce cost at $0.29, or more than double Aldi's version. There's likely a markup here for the convenience of Dollar Tree's individually wrapped packages, but Aldi is the clear winner on price per ounce.
Beverages
Aldi: $1.35 (Summit Waves Zero-Sugar Energy Drink, 16 ounce)
Dollar Tree: $1.25 (Minute Maid Strawberry Aguas Frescas, 16 ounce)
Dollar Tree's Minute Maid Aguas Frescas comes in at $1.25 per 16-ounce can, a dime less than Aldi's Summit Waves zero-sugar energy drink. Both are single-can prices for 16-ounce drinks, though the two products are quite different in style. Dollar Tree wins on per-can price.
Dip
Aldi: $2.55 (Casa Mamita Salsa Con Queso, 15 ounce)
Dollar Tree: $1.25 (Home Style Select Jalapeno Cheddar Dip, 9 ounce)
Dollar Tree's 9-ounce Jalapeno Cheddar Dip at $1.25 is one of the stronger value items on their snack shelf at around $0.14 per ounce. Aldi's Casa Mamita Salsa Con Queso runs around $2.55, with a per-ounce price of $0.17. For dip to go with chips, Dollar Tree is the slightly better buy.
Frozen Treats
Aldi: $4.29 (Sundae Shoppe Lemonade Bars, 6 count)
Dollar Tree: $1.25 (Kool Pops Original Freezer Pops, 20 count)
Aldi's Sundae Shoppe Lemonade Bars at $4.29 for six come out to around $0.72 each — a strong price for a real frozen fruit bar. However, Dollar Tree Kool Pops Original Freezer Pops come in at $1.25 for a 20-count box, making them significantly cheaper per unit. For a summer party, Dollar Tree is the clear winner.
Dollar Tree wins five of the eight categories we compared, thanks to lower prices on cookies, candy, beverages, dip and frozen treats. Aldi comes out ahead on chips, granola bars and crackers, where its larger package sizes help drive down the cost per ounce and per item.
If you're focused on keeping total spending low and picking up summer snacks for a party, Dollar Tree offers more of the best deals in this comparison. Aldi remains the better choice for shoppers looking to stretch their dollars on staple snack items that provide more servings per package.
Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. It was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy; however, AI-generated content may be inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated. You should independently verify important information through reliable sources before making any decisions based on this content.
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