Cheap, delicious holiday meals from ALDI

Thanks to ALDI for providing a gift certificate to facilitate this review! All opinions are my own.

I love shopping at ALDI! I love the great prices, of course, but there's so much more to love about ALDI. I love the small store size - no getting exhausted running all the way across the store to get an item you forgot to pick up. It's so easy to shop there with kids because of the size as well. Plus, they love to put the quarter in to take out the cart, and then to get the quarter back when putting the cart away.

ALDI usually only has one brand of an item, but to tell the truth, the lack of choice is a blessing in disguise - fewer choices to make means less stress. And all of the house brand items I've tried have been just as delicious as a name brand. Their dairy and produce items are of great quality and are a lot cheaper than those at the supermarket!

If I had to pick out one fault of ALDI, it would be that it just doesn't carry certain items. But if you're shopping for everything you need for your holiday meal, that's not true right now!

The ALDI Happier Holidays catalog lists lots of great items you can get to make your perfect holiday meal! The catalog contains not only food, but also kitchen items and toys!

Check out the great prices on these stand mixers! I may just have to go get myself one.

And for last-minute shoppers, ALDI also has great deals on toys, like this pretend food.

But, of course, the food reigns supreme! I started wondering if I could make a great holiday meal just from items found at ALDI. If I were making a holiday meal solely from ALDI items, here's what I would make!

I'd start the meal with wine and cheese. I do love the ALDI Moscato wine that's available all year round, but for a special meal, I'd start with this Petit Chocolat Wine imported from Germany. Red wine with chocolate mixed in - how unusual and special.

I would pair the wine with these interesting special cheeses - Horseradish Cheddar and Mango Fire Cheddar. And I would use the great ALDI crackers as well!

The main course for dinner would be a boneless turkey breast. So easy to make and slice - no worrying about all the bones!

I'd serve that with stuffing - ALDI has lots of different kinds of mixes at this time of year. Buy a few extra and put them away for future meals - these and many of the other holiday meal items are seasonal. They'll be gone after the holidays, not to return again until next holiday season!

I'd serve the meal with a fresh tossed salad. I love buying the on-sale produce items each week at ALDI. I buy 2-3 weeks' worth of the sale items, which should take me through to the next sale for that item.

I'd add some sort of bread as well, like these rolls. I buy my bread at ALDI - plenty fresh, and lots cheaper than the grocery store!

For dessert, I couldn't decide between these two items: The Belmont Supreme Cheesecake Sampler and the Belmont Petite Cheesecake Sampler. Both look amazingly delicious!

What a delicious meal - I'm stuffed just looking at all this great food. But I'm also really, really hungry. I may have to get those cheesecakes for real!

What is your favorite ALDI holiday specialty item? Leave a comment below!