I Always Shop at Aldi: Here Are 3 Budget-Friendly Air Fryer Meals I Make Weekly

As someone who enjoys cooking, I craft up a new meal almost every night. But I’ll be the first to admit that cooking, even just for two, can get exhausting (and expensive). When I finally invested in an air fryer, it completely changed the game.

My air fryer quickly became my favorite way to throw together a quick and easy meal that’s still homemade and not frozen. Combine it with shopping at Aldi — my go-to budget-friendly store to save money on groceries — and dinners become more simple and affordable.

While I love to try a variety of recipes, there are a few staples I use my trusty air fryer for. Here are three meals I always make in my air fryer. The best part? It costs me less than $50.

I started off the week by pairing my juicy baked chicken recipe with some crispy and crunchy crusted zucchini. Ready in under 30 minutes, healthy, and full of flavor, this meal takes the stress out of the Monday night blues.

Price: $5.96 (4.29/lb)

Chicken is a staple in my household, but it’s not always cheap. At Aldi, the price puts much less of a strain on my wallet. While the most affordable option for the same product at Trader Joe’s would cost over $2 more per pound, purchasing chicken at Aldi instead brings the price to feed two to under $6.

Douse the chicken breasts in olive oil, combine them with garlic salt, paprika, and oregano ($1.09 each), and they’re ready to go in the air fryer.

Price: $1.88

Zucchini is my favorite veggie to add to any meal, and I can grab two at Aldi for under $2. They’re perfect for adding a fresh yet flavorful element to the meal and also easy to serve in a salad or saute alongside any other dish.

My preferred way to prepare them is to crust the zucchini slices for a quick bake in the air fryer.

Price: $1.79

These panko bread crumbs give the zucchini a light and airy crunch that adds a versatile taste to the meal. Aldi offers an Italian style as well, which I love crusting chicken with, but for maximum crispiness, opt for the panko style.

Price: $4.15

Eggs are an essential part of crusting the zucchini in the bread crumbs, and as egg prices continue to rise, Aldi is the place to snag them.

Price: $2.35

While you can opt to do without it, flour is key to adding a dry layer to the zucchini to help the egg and breadcrumbs stick.

I snagged a 5-pound bag for $2.35, three cents cheaper for the same amount as Walmart and 64 cents cheaper than Trader Joe’s. In this economy, every penny counts.

Total cost: $19.40

Once assembled, I bake the chicken and zucchini in two batches. Throw the chicken in the air fryer for 14 minutes at 400 degrees and follow up with the zucchini bites at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes until they’re golden and crispy. The result is a well-balanced meal packed with flavor and texture.

I conquered hump day by cooking a meal that perfectly balances sweet and salty. While I don’t often eat fish, I love whipping up this hearty salmon and potato recipe that is filling and delicious and takes just a little over half an hour to make.

Price: $7.54 ($9.19 per pound)

I rarely buy salmon — unless I’m shopping at Aldi. A fresh Atlantic Salmon fillet can cost almost $10 at Walmart or Trader Joe’s. Instead, I paid less than $8 at Aldi.

I steer clear of fish that taste ‘fishy,’ but I love the taste and quality of Aldi’s salmon fillets. The price makes it even better. I simply marinade the salmon in my “secret” sauce and toss it in the air fryer.

Price: $3.69

To make a honey-soy marinade for the salmon, I use Aldi’s clover honey to add sweetness to the flavor profile. It’s also a key ingredient in the glaze that creates the crispy crust on the salmon once baked in the air fryer.

Price: $1.55

Adding Aldi’s soy sauce to the glaze balances the sweetness of the honey with a more savory and salty taste. The budget store beats out other retailers again at a cheaper price than both Walmart and Target.

Price: $3.99

These potatoes are both delicious and economical. I never make my way through an entire bag of full-sized yellow potatoes, so this item from Aldi quickly became a favorite. It’s the perfect amount to feed two without any going to waste — and their size helps them cook quickly, too.

Chop the potatoes in halves, toss them in oil and garlic salt, oregano, and paprika ($1.09 each), and into the air fryer they go.

Total Cost: $20.04

This meal will also be cooked in two batches, starting with the potatoes at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden and crispy. Soak the salmon in the honey-soy marinade while you wait, and follow the potatoes up with the salmon fillets at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then, enjoy!

I opted to make these tasty pizza bombs for lunchtime, but I also love to throw this meal together for a movie night or as an appetizer to feed a crowd. This meal couldn't be more convenient and easy to prepare, and it’s ready in just 12 minutes thanks to the air fryer.

Price: $1.85

These biscuits are crisp and flaky on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. To bake, simply pop open the can and stuff them with whatever you please (in this case, pepperoni and cheese). They’re easily assembled with any ingredient and ready to send in the air fryer.

Each can comes with eight biscuits ready to bake. For less than $2, this deal is unbelievable.

Price: $2.49

This pepperoni is savory and salty and easy to assemble. Simply flatten the biscuits and slap on a few slices of the tasty deli meat before adding the cheese.

Aldi’s pepperoni costs less than $3, will last me weeks, and is an excellent addition to any salad or homemade pizza. At Walmart, you’ll have to pay almost 30 cents more.

Price: $2.59

Aldi’s string cheese ties the pizza bombs together and is 75 cents cheaper than at Walmart. For the pizza bombs, cut up each cheese stick and distribute between the biscuits with as much cheese as you desire.

You can easily substitute the string cheese with shredded cheese, but I grab the string cheese because it’s great to have on hand for snacking during the day or on the go.

Total cost: $11.32

Once you’ve assembled the pepperoni and cheese, roll and close the biscuits tightly, melt butter ($4.39 at Aldi), and mix with parsley (which I already had on hand), and spread the glaze on top of the biscuits. Once baked, this concoction will give the pizza bombs a crispy and crunchy crust full of flavor.

While I opted without, you can also grab a jar of marinara sauce for $2.75 to pair with the pizza bombs.

Cooking isn’t always easy, but an air fryer makes it more efficient. Buying the ingredients at Aldi is just one more way to take the stress out of mealtime. Three meals for two cost me $47.49 at the budget store.

I love making these fresh meals, but a genius Aldi hack is to take advantage of the wide variety of frozen items in their freezer section as well, so you can save even more time — and money — with your air fryer.