19 Lunch Buddies Snacks At Aldi, Ranked

It's no secret that groceries continue to cost more and every parent can tell you snacks eat up a lot of the shopping budget. I'm in that same boat. I've been packing school lunches for a little more than a decade now, and the costs of things like fruit cups, jello, pudding, and applesauce have absolutely skyrocketed in that time.

So I was beyond excited when I discovered there was a snack brand at Aldi that could double as quick sides for my children's packed school lunches. It's literally in the name — Lunch Buddies. Luckily, I had the opportunity to try 19 unique Lunch Buddies offerings to see how they stack up in terms of nutrition and taste.



Then, I ranked them from worst to best so you know exactly which products are most worth your hard-earned money. Oh, and if you're looking for a more comprehensive range of quick food options (including chips, pretzels, and similar), you can check out this ranking of Great Value packaged snacks . Now, without further ado, here are my thoughts on the Lunch Buddies products.

20. 19. Lunch Buddies Mandarin Oranges in Orange Gel These mandarin oranges in orange gel from Lunch Buddies provide two percent of your daily value of both potassium and calcium per serving.

While I like that, these just don't offer a great experience. The oranges feel strangely soggy, creating a weird texture combination with the slippery gel that made me gag a little. Topping that off is a heavy artificial taste that I imagine is what the fake fruit on my Mamaw's kitchen table growing up would have tasted like if I had licked them.

Skip these because they aren't worth your money. 19. 18.

Lunch Buddies Squeezable Apple Variety Pack The Lunch Buddies Squeezable Apple Variety Pack comes with apple strawberry, apple banana, and a standard apple with no added sugar. I like that this is a variety pack because, in theory, you could cater to the preferences of multiple children (or adults). But, there are no significant vitamins or nutrients in any of these applesauces, which I thought was odd.

Truthfully, I expected some notable vitamin C at the bare minimum, but I digress because it doesn't matter — this applesauce is largely a giant letdown. The standard no-sugar-added version is okay, but the strawberry and banana are thickly artificial and too sweet. The texture across the board is okay, albeit a little runny at first.

Don't waste your time with these because there are much better store-bought applesauce brands out there at a similar price point. 18. 17.

Lunch Buddies Peaches in Strawberry Gel With these peaches in strawberry gel, you receive two percent of your daily calcium and four percent of your daily fiber needs. While that doesn't sound like much, it's not a bad nutritional makeup for something I tend to think of as a "bonus item" in my kid's lunch box. I just wish these tasted better.

Unfortunately, the specific fruit and gel combination is weird and consists of an overwhelmingly gross syrupy flavor. Texturally, this feels unbalanced, so I just can't recommend these. If you're looking for healthy snacks to pack in your kid's backpacks or lunchboxes, there are much better options.

17. 16. Lunch Buddies Fruit Flavored Strawberry Snacks These strawberry fruit snacks contain one gram of protein and a quarter of your total vitamin C needs for the day.

I thought the vitamin C content was especially nice since these bags are very small so they could offer a quick nutritional boost in this department. Sadly, once again, I find myself let down when I bite into a cute strawberry shape to be rewarded with a powdery taste without any defining fruity notes. The texture is also weirdly soft and spongy rather than chewy.

They're nearly as bad as the Walmart Great Value fruit snacks . Skip these and opt for the higher-ranking fruit snacks on this list instead. 16.

15. Lunch Buddies Strawberry and Orange Gel Snacks The one thing I like about these is that they're in a multipack, so you can cater to the taste preferences of more people. And, whether you choose the strawberry or orange option, you'll receive four percent of your daily calcium and two percent of your daily potassium.

Although I like the orange a little better than the strawberry, I wouldn't purposefully eat either one again — they have an overly sweet, artificial taste I don't enjoy. Skip these and stick to name-brand Jell-O options instead. 15.

14. Diced Pears in 100% Fruit Juice With two percent of your daily values of both calcium and potassium, I really wanted to like these diced pears, but I just couldn't. My largest issue is that the pears have a stronger crisp than I would like, with overly soggy outer edges — this creates an odd texture and unbalanced mouthfeel.

Although many of the fruit cup options from Lunch Buddies are fantastic, these don't taste very fresh, either. Skip these in favor of other fruit cups or name-brand diced pear options. 14.

13. Lunch Buddies Strawberry Applesauce With each cup of bright red Lunch Buddies Strawberry Applesauce, you get one gram of fiber, two percent of your daily potassium, and reach your vitamin C needs for the day. And, this isn't a bad product — rather, it's not what I was expecting.

These cups taste like plain applesauce and there isn't any significant strawberry flavor to speak of. If you're a big strawberry fan hoping for a fresh fruity taste, these aren't for you. If you're looking for standard applesauce, it makes sense to just buy that instead, so you should also skip this.

13. 12. Lunch Buddies Mixed Fruit in Black Cherry Gel Truthfully, I was largely disappointed by all of the fruit in gel combinations from Lunch Buddies, but this was the least disappointing.

We started off strong when reading the label and seeing each cup offered one gram of fiber and two percent of your daily value of each calcium and potassium. While the texture combination isn't as bad as the similar options on this list, the fruit still feels overly soggy, while the gel features a heavy artificial fruit taste I don't enjoy. Skip this and spend your hard-earned money on better-ranking Lunch Buddies snacks.

12. 11. Lunch Buddies Tropical Fruit in 100% Fruit Juice These tropical fruit cups offer one gram of fiber with two percent of your daily needs of each iron and potassium.

Nutritionally, I think this is great because not many of the Lunch Buddies snacks have any notable iron content and we all know how important it is to get enough. Truthfully, these cups aren't bad, either — but they're a bit mediocre. Although there's a nice taste overall, it's a little syrupy and artificial with a bit too much sweetness for my preferences.

These may be nice if you have a sweet tooth, but I won't personally purchase them again. 11. 10.

Lunch Buddies Dino and Dragon Fruit Flavored Snacks With a quarter of your daily vitamin C needs and one gram of protein, these are a great small choice for your children's lunch — or a snack for you. While I prefer a different brand of Lunch Buddies fruit snacks over these, my kids really like the cute dinosaur and dragon shapes. These are soft but chewy with a sweet, robust fruity taste.

Although there's a powdery aftertaste, it's very mild and doesn't detract much from the overall experience. I recommend these if you want to get your kids a cute-themed gummy snack. However, I think the other fruit snack on this list is a better option overall.

10. 9. Lunch Buddies Cherry Mixed Fruit in 100% Fruit Juice Cherry mixed fruit is a classic lunchtime side I remember fondly from my childhood, and this one offers two percent of your daily calcium and potassium.

Overall, this option from Lunch Buddies holds up well to name-brand options like Dole, and I don't have anything bad to say about it. This makes the point where this list starts diving into the "good snacks," so make sure you have your grocery list on hand so you can take notes. The 100% juice holding the fruit is also good and not too sweet, with only the mildest hints of syrup.

If you like mixed cherry fruit cups, you'll like these. 9. 8.

Lunch Buddies Fruit Flavored Assorted Snacks These were the best fruit snacks from Lunch Buddies and I also thought they were the best deal — for fifty pouches, I only paid about nine dollars, which works out to around 18 cents a pouch. Motts is one of the best fruit snack brands and these taste very close to them. Oh, and they're free of gluten, peanuts, and fat, making them a good choice for people with specific dietary needs, allergies, or preferences.

Each little packet provides a quarter of your daily vitamin C needs plus one gram of protein, making it a decent snack choice when you want just a little something. There's a nice fruity taste that isn't too sweet, with a soft yet chewy texture I enjoy. Truthfully, I like these so much that they've found a permanent place in my pantry and I definitely recommend you give them a shot.

8. 7. Lunch Buddies Vanilla Pudding Cups Each Lunch Buddies Vanilla Pudding Cup offers four percent of your daily calcium, two percent of your daily potassium, and one gram of protein.

Personally, I think this is a nice mix of nutrients for a little snack or sweet dessert — and trust me, you'll want to indulge in one (or two) of these. These cups have a rich, creamy vanilla taste with a medium mouthfeel that's nicely balanced. Definitely grab these if you're a fan of vanilla pudding and save a few bucks while you're at it because they're the exact same as name-brand options.

7. 6. Lunch Buddies Original Applesauce Each cup of Lunch Buddies Original Applesauce provides all the vitamin C you need for your day, plus one gram of fiber and two percent of your potassium.

Best of all, this applesauce is as good as any name brand I've had. The texture here is nice and not too grainy, which is a problem I've often run into with other brands. A robust apple taste with mild sweet notes and the faintest earthiness is exactly what I look for in this food and the serving size was perfect for a quick afternoon snack.

I highly recommend this if you're looking for a delicious yet affordable applesauce cup. 6. 5.

Lunch Buddies Pineapple Tidbits in 100% Fruit Juice These pineapple tidbits by Lunch Buddies are exactly like other options I've tried and offer four percent of your daily fiber intake. Based on personal preference alone, these would be in my top three favorites, hands down, but they rank a little lower because they don't offer as much nutrition as other delicious options. The pineapple bits are crisp, with an excellent fruity taste, with that classic tang you look for in this fruit, and the juice is fantastic.

My only complaint here is that the 100% fruit juice has a mildly syrupy mouthfeel. I definitely recommend these for anyone who enjoys pineapple. 5.

4. Lunch Buddies Yellow Cling Diced Peaches in 100% Fruit Juice These yellow cling diced peach cups are one of the few products offering any notable iron content at two percent of your daily value. They also provide six percent of your daily vitamin D and 30 percent of your day's vitamin C plus one gram of protein — I thought this was exceptional compared to other options on this list.

That meant I had my fingers crossed that the taste test would go well, too. These peaches are delicious and, in my opinion, even better than name-brand options I've tried. They're soft but not mushy, and sweet without being overpoweringly so.

Plus, the juice is good with a mild sweetness and only the faintest hint of the syrup that often plagues these products. Definitely pick some of these up so you can have peaches any time of year. 4.

3. Lunch Buddies Chocolate Pudding Cups Honestly, there's nothing better than a chocolatey sweet treat that also helps you with your daily nutritional intake. These Lunch Buddies chocolate pudding cups hit the spot, providing four percent of your daily calcium, six percent of your daily iron, two percent of your daily potassium, and one gram of protein.

These are decadently delicious pudding cups with a rich, creamy chocolate taste that carries a sense of nostalgia in every bite. Don't waste your money on more expensive pudding cups and snag these for a little more than a dollar instead. Your taste buds and your wallet will thank you.

3. 2. Lunch Buddies Cinnamon Applesauce Before we even get into the nutritional aspects, you should know that these are the absolute best cinnamon applesauce cups I've ever tasted.

They have a robust and fruity flavor profile with perfectly balanced cinnamon notes and mild sweet tones. Texturally, this applesauce is smooth with an almost silky mouthfeel. With that out of the way, you can get your full day's vitamin C alongside two percent of your daily potassium and a gram of fiber in every delicious cup.

Definitely grab some of these on your next Aldi shopping trip. I suggest pairing one of these cups with some delicious school lunches your kids will actually eat , like air fryer mozzarella sticks, three-ingredient bagels, or grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches for a well-balanced meal. 2.

1. Lunch Buddies Mandarin Oranges in 100% Fruit Juice Mandarin oranges are one of my favorite fruits, and I'm beyond happy to say these took first place — and it's well-deserved, considering they offer top-notch nutrition and taste. For nutrition, a single cup of these oranges provides two percent of your daily values of calcium, iron, and potassium.

Plus, they offer six percent of your daily vitamin D needs and all of your vitamin C needs. Based on those facts alone, we were off to a good start. Taste-wise, these are exactly like name-brand options, which was a nice surprise, and I love that they're stored in 100% fruit juice rather than syrup.

The mandarin oranges have a nice soft texture without being soggy, and the juice predominantly features sweet, fruity notes. I definitely recommend picking these up on your next Aldi shopping trip, so you can see for yourself why these are my top-ranked Lunch Buddies option. Consider pairing a cup of these with a nutty butter and fruit panini for a delicious, nutritional lunch for you or your children.

1. How I chose the best Lunch Buddies snacks at Aldi's I picked out Lunch Buddies snacks for this ranking based on their availability at my local Aldi in Vineland, New Jersey, choosing all unique available options. I ranked these based on taste and nutrition — two categories that I believe are most significant for snacks primarily meant for children's school lunches.

Since "nutrition" can be such a widespread category, I narrowed it down to compare the vitamin C, vitamin D, iron, potassium, calcium, fiber, and protein provided by each snack (as applicable) to help power children's healthy growth and energy. To make my decisions, I relied heavily on more than a decade of packing school lunches, along with my own food industry background spanning more than fifteen years. I tasted all of these products exactly as they are, without any alterations, and also took the opinions of my own children into consideration after I'd formed my initial thoughts.

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