The Aldi Protein Pancake Mix I Always Buy Over Kodiak (It's So Affordable!)

Dry pancake mix is easy to make yourself and keep stocked in your pantry, but it's one of those foods I always wonder why anyone would try to make themselves,  given that there are so many reliable store-bought pancake mixes out there. For many years, I kept Kodiak's pancake mix on hand at all times, seeing as it was available at my local BJ's Wholesale Club and was touted as having more protein than other brands. That was, of course, until I learned that Aldi carries its own protein pancake mix — for a far better price than Kodiak could ever dream of.

A 20-ounce box of Millville Buttermilk Protein Pancake Mix costs $3.85, or roughly 19 cents per ounce. At my local Walmart, an identically sized box of Kodiak pancake mix costs $5.72 — or 29 cents per ounce. While I could get a discount on Kodiak's mix by buying it at BJ's, I've found that the texture of the Millville Buttermilk Protein Pancake Mix is much lighter and fluffier than Kodiak's stodgy and fiber-rich product. In some cases, I've even served the Millville mix at brunch and people have just thought that it's regular pancake mix — which is an absolute win for anyone trying to get more protein into their diet without drifting too far away from the flavor and texture of classic buttermilk pancakes. One serving of the dry mix, which yields about three 4-inch pancakes when prepared with water, contains 15 grams of protein, making it comparable to Kodiak's product.

Both Kodiak and Millville's products instruct you to prepare them with water, but I prefer to add four eggs per box and substitute the water with milk to increase the protein content even more. Since I make pancakes with the Millville mix once a week, I can prepare it by feel, adding more water or milk as needed until it's runny. For the best texture, I prefer to cook these pancakes on a greased cast-iron skillet rather than a plain nonstick pan, as I've found I can get better color and crispier edges. However, if you want to eliminate the flipping, you can bake the prepared mix on a sheet pan in the oven. 

There are many ways to eat the pancakes made with this mix, and if you prefer a sweeter short stack, you may want to try its chocolate chip protein pancake mix instead. You can load it up with your own mix-ins of choice as well; I think it tastes particularly good with frozen or fresh berries (plus, who doesn't love getting even more fiber into their diet?). My go-to toppings include a pat of butter and a drizzle of real maple syrup, but you could also add a swipe of peanut or almond butter for extra protein and fiber.