This Aldi Jerky Is Absolutely Not Worth The Price

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As I've gotten older, I've come to realize what a top-tier snack jerky is. While my go-to roadtrip fare includes one of the many flavors of Doritos out there (which we've tried and ranked) and a crisp Diet Coke, when I'm working on assignment, on the go, or just need to fuel up without the carb crash, I turn to jerky. And when I need affordable jerky, I turn to Aldi. 

Aldi carries an impressive selection of shelf-stable meat snacks, including the SIMM's Beef Jerky which I really enjoy, especially considering its jumbo package size. While I love the meaty flavor and saltiness of a classic beef jerky, I did try (emphasis on try) to expand my horizons in search of a lighter jerky. That's why I added The New Primal Snack Mates Chicken and Maple Mini Sticks to my cart one day.

These little sticks, which come five to a pack and cost over $6 at my Aldi in Rhode Island, supposedly boast a mild, maple-y sweetness and chicken flavor. I can tell the brand tailored this product to crunchy Aldi shoppers — as evidenced by "all-natural chicken" and "paleo" printed on the label — and its price reflects that. However, although each of these snacks come with a joke on the wrapper, I think the real joke is inside — because this jerky misses the bar. 

The oaky sweetness is replaced by a cloying sugariness that eclipses the mildly flavored chicken. Perhaps they may have been better if they had more salt — and I really shouldn't be asking a jerky company to add more salt to its product, right? Besides that, I couldn't taste any of the spices, which means this meat stick is just straight-up bland. And in this economy, I shouldn't be paying $6 for bland jerky.

I have to admit that I can be critical when it comes to food (I mean, have you heard what I do for work?), so I wanted to see what other folks had to say about these mini jerky sticks. I should note here that this isn't an Aldi brand; it's also sold by other retailers like Amazon, just in much larger sizes. While many of its reviews were positive, it appears some reviewers and I were on the same wavelength. "Smells like a dog treat," said one shopper in their Amazon review of the product, and I'm inclined to agree (albeit a sweet treat). 

The focus of many of the poor reviews is on the price and overall value of these snacks. "Way too expensive for what it is," said a person on Reddit about Aldi's offering specifically. With a product like this, I assume that you're paying mostly for cute packaging (I mean, how cute is a chicken holding a little bottle of maple syrup?). But I don't think the mini sticks fit the cost-effective vibe of Aldi's overall selection. It's a good thing Aldi has a great return policy, because I sure made use of it with this snack. 

However, not all hope is lost for Aldi jerky's options. There are numerous products I would recommend that boast a far better value and top-notch flavor, including the aforementioned SIMM's jerky and the name-brand Chomplings sticks, which, while they're similarly pricy, have a much more balanced and approachable flavor than the New Primal sticks. Or, check out this ranking of store-bought jerky to see which brands are more worth your money, since this one is definitely not.