I almost didn’t buy these. French fries that are 97% fat free and relatively low in sodium compared to their brethren? Just the idea feels so inherently anti-American.  But I still wanted to give these a fair shot, so I scooped up a bag a few months ago out of curiosity–and then promptly forgot to review them. So here I was, chomping at the bit for Aldi to offer them again. And what better time than during the “New Year’s Resolution” health-inspired special buy cycle? They really have this down to an almost perfect science…

So what did I think of them? I think the mere reason that I was looking forward to getting them again pretty much tells you that I found them rather enjoyable. How is it that something as simple as a French fry that simply tastes like potato, is such a foreign concept here in the U.S.? Sure, compared to most other fries, these would be considered “boring”, but they’re also much healthier; they’re not soaked in grease, and even the sodium content is dialed back a bit.

Do I eat them as is right out of the bag? No. I have to admit, I like to dip them in barbecue, and add a small sprinkle of barbecue seasoning on them beforehand. But you know what? I do that to all my fries, so the fact there’s not already a ton of unhealthiness on them already, makes me feel a little less guilty about it. You can also tell there’s not a lot of salt on them, because there’s not a whole lot of flavor besides the potato, but I also generally like things without an overabundance of salt, so that’s a win for me. Also a win is the price: These are only $1.99 for two full pounds of potato-y goodness; who says health-conscious foods have to be so expensive?

Overall: 8.5/10. I really like these things, and chances are, so will you! Sure, there’s not a lot of flavor besides potato, but that also means there’s not all the unhealthy salt and grease content. I dip them in barbecue sauce and add a little seasoning salt to them to dress them up a bit, but these are things I do to any fry, so it’s nice to not have all that unnecessary crap on them to begin with. And for only $1.99 for a 32 oz. (2 LB.!) bag, these go a long way for not a lot of moolah. Highly recommended, but the biggest drawback is that these are only occasionally available as a Special Buy, so stock up on them when you see them!