It's the most wonderful (and tastiest) time of the year, and Aldi is dropping a ton of festive food and drink finds just in time for the holidays. After tempting us with its 2021 Advent calendar lineup (which includes the ever-popular wine calendars), the store is kicking things up a notch with a bunch of party-ready and gift-worthy treats — and TODAY Food got a sneak peak of everything that's hitting stores this month. Here are just a few of the highlights:
Festive cookie kits
Never met a Christmas cookie you didn't like? Aldi has plenty of variety in store this season, including Baker’s Corner's Christmas Jumbo Cookie Kit ($4.99), which makes baking a breeze and comes with a cookie mix, mix-ins and a tinfoil pan for baking.
If cookie decorating is more your speed, you and your kids can have some festive fun with Crafty Cooking Kits' Elf on the Shelf Baking Kits ($3.49 each). The assorted kits come in several varieties like gingerbread snowflake cookies, elf sugar cookies and holiday cupcakes.
Or, if you want to stay out of the kitchen altogether this holiday season, Specially Selected's Scottish Shortbread Cookie Tin ($8.49) is ready to enjoy the minute you take it home.
Easy entertaining kits
Party planning fact: You can never have too much food for your guests. So, whenever we're hitting up a holiday fête, we love to bring an edible host gift to show our appreciation, and Aldi has plenty of options this season, like Specially Southern's Grove Holiday Nut Pack ($4.99 each). The snack pack comes in a sweet variety that's filled with chai-spiced almonds, honey-glazed pecans and peanut brittle, and a savory version that includes rosemary almonds, preferred nut blend and a Sicilian snack mix.
The brand's Charcuterie Board Kit ($9.99) also has something for everyone with its mix of dried apricots, dates, almonds, cinnamon apple slices and dark chocolate almonds.
Tasty gifts
Shopping for someone who has just about everything they need? Edible gifts are always a great option. This season, Aldi has a range of food gift sets that can help inspire anyone's inner chef, including a Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil Gift Set from Specially Selected ($12.99) that comes with three bottles of the kitchen essential and an Olive Medley Gift Jar ($8.99) from the brand.
Anyone that likes spicy foods will also adore Desert Heat's Hot Sauce Gift Set ($4.99), which comes with jalapeño, chipotle, cayenne and garlic habanero varieties.
Or, if you're shopping for a wine-lover, New World's Wine Cellar Gift Set ($29.99) comes with four varieties, including an Argentina malbec, two cabernet sauvignons and a South African chenin blanc.
Our favorite edible gift, however, has to be the Benton's Holiday Music Tin ($5.99 each), which comes in four varieties. Each tin comes with mini sugar cookies in festive shapes and plays classic holiday songs like "O Christmas Tree," "Winter Wonderland" and "Let it Snow."
Seasonal Alcohol
Excited to indulge in some seasonal spirits? Three Mills' Gingerbread Mulled Wine ($4.99) is a festive flavor that makes a perfect host gift.
When we think of holiday flavors, cherry always comes to mind, and Aldi's holiday alcohol lineup also includes Petit Cherry Wine Specialty ($7.99), another tempting treat that's described as a "blend of fine wine with rich cherry flavor and finest cream."
For those who like a bit of variety, Dancing Flame's Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon ($6.99) incorporates several different fruity flavors and notes of spices, plums, cloves and strawberries.
Last but certainly not least, Grandi Mori Prosecco ($15.99) has its own spot of honor on Aldi shelves and is a "light and refreshing" drink that has fine bubbles and floral and fruity elements.