I usually get my “electrolyte solutions” from Dollar Tree, because they are ridiculously cheap yet still taste the same as the national brand. Also, it’s because I never saw them at Aldi, which is where I normally do my shopping. All that changed one day when I stumbled on a bottle of “pediatric electrolyte solution” there one day! How long had it slipped under my radar? I’m not quite sure, given my propensity to completely skim past the “health and beauty” section (which mostly consists of name brands, with a few off-brand feminine products and other things I personally have no use for) but considering I’ve tried other brands, I had to give this one a shot.

One immediate downside to Aldi’s “limited selection” mantra is that, out of all the flavors electrolyte beverages are available in, they only offer it in strawberry. Strawberry?! I mean, even Dollar Tree has two choices (tropical fruit and grape)! I’m not going to pretend strawberry would even be one of my top 10 flavor choices, but Aldi went ahead and made the decision for me, as they are wont to do. At any rate, let’s dig in, shall we?

It smells like what you’d expect here, with a rather strong strawberry flavor that comes off as artificial and sweet. However, the high sodium content helps to offset some of the sweetness, so that dampens it somewhat. Like virtually all brands I’ve tried (I’m pretty sure the company behind the national brand make most of the store brands, too, although I’m not sure about Dollar Tree), it has an almost thick texture that kind of feels like it coats the throat as it slides down it…it’s a welcome feeling, especially if your throat is dry, because it makes you feel hydrated almost right away.

Honestly, it really is like every other brand I’ve ever tried. I’ve never had strawberry before across any banner, but it’s exactly what I would expect out of any of them.  All that’s left is the price…and I have to say this is where I’m honestly somewhat disappointed. Each 33.8 oz. bottle goes for $3.49, which is pretty much the same price as other store brands; sure, it’s $1.50 cheaper over the “leading pediatric electrolyte solution”, but I expected more out of Aldi. Especially considering you can get a similar item from Dollar Tree, which sells theirs in 16.9 oz. bottles, for $1 each. If you get 2, you’ll equal the same size, but for only $2. That’s far and away the best deal I’ve found, and I thought Aldi would challenge that a bit more.

But I guess you can’t win ’em all.

Overall: 6.5/10. Aldi’s version of the well-known electrolyte solution does its job just fine, but it’s a rather underwhelming entrant in a sea of similar products: there’s only one flavor choice (strawberry), and it’s only about ten cents cheaper than similar products elsewhere. I have to admit, I was expecting a lot more in the value department: At the end of the day, Dollar Tree is still far and away the value leader in this category, with 16.9 oz. bottles going for just a buck (it would only take two bottles to equal the 33.8 oz. size widely available everywhere else…for $2 total). If you happen to like strawberry, it’s worth grabbing, otherwise you can find more flavor options elsewhere for the slightest of upcharges. Consider me somewhat disappointed.