The “Specially Selected” line seems to be Aldi’s “premium” collection, so I tend to jump at the chance to try the items that are, shall we say, cheaper.  Honestly, I’m not really sure how much these were, as they were unmarked (and I’ve since tossed the receipt), but they looked pretty cheap, and that was good enough for me.

These Gouda cheese bites are light, fluffy potato crisps that are cutely made to resemble Swiss cheese, which is kind of weird if you think about it, because these have nothing to do with Swiss cheese.  Still, I somehow liked the unnecessary touch.  They get their Gouda flavor through the use of “Gouda cheese powder”, according to the ingredients (one of three powders, including just straight-up “cheese powder” and “butter powder” that are also listed).

Let me be honest here: I have no idea what Gouda cheese tastes like.  But if it tastes like these chips/crackers, I could probably learn to like it.  The flavor in these crisps starts off heading for “white cheddar” territory, then somehow veers off before it gets too strong, ending with a creamy, buttery flavor that’s actually kind of addicting.  The light texture doesn’t make you feel like you’re eating greasy potato chips (which you’re not), while the aforementioned lighter taste makes it come across as something that’s almost…healthy (which it’s not).

As I said, these are pretty addicting, so it’s easy to eat more than you plan to.  I found myself eating one of these cracker/chip hybrids every few seconds for a few minutes one day when I was bored, so keep yourself entertained while you eat them to prevent overeating.  This isn’t a snack that I could keep around the house all the time, but seeing as how this is a once-or-twice-annually Special Buy from Aldi, that means it’s really not an option anyway.  This is something I could definitely see myself getting again.

Overall: 7.5/10.  A nice, light texture and a creamy cheese flavor combine to make this pretty delicious and surprisingly addictive snack.  A quick search on the ‘Net has also revealed these things are only $1.49 per 4.4 oz. package, which makes them even more enticing.  If you stumble on them, and are in the mood for something a little different, I would definitely suggest you check them out.  Chances are, you won’t want them around all the time, but seeing as how they’re only available a couple times a year from Aldi, that will give you plenty of time to build up your next craving!