When I See-food, I Dip It

Seafood Dips - Aldi

I am pretty sure I heard someone raving about Aldi's Crab Rangoon dip, but I can't quite remember who. Anyway, when I spotted it, and a Lobster Roll version, I figured I would give it a shot. 

More often than not, I judge food products based on their first impressions, but here I decided to give it a bit more time. Mostly because my first taste of either dip was really underwhelming. I more-so tasted the creamy bases than anything else and texturally I found them unappealing. I decided to grab the Aldi-versions of Wheat Thins and give them each a try as an after-work snack to give these a fair shake, and these are my findings: 

Panera Lobster Bisque- Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

Panera Lobster Bisque- Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

I have mentioned this in several posts, so a lot of you know this already, but I used to work at Panera Bread. Food service jobs can be stressful and difficult, but I really loved working there and it was a fantastic job while I was in college. Not only was I able to work with really fun people, but I was surrounded by yummy food. During my time there I tried every single soup we served, but I had never seen this one before. I am guessing this is a new offering for the Panera grocery store line, since I haven't seen this served in any restaurant, but I am not 100% sure. (It might be served at specific locations.)

I was really curious about this flavor, so I picked up a container and headed to the checkout line.

When compared to other heat-and-eat soups on the market, the packaging is simple but sophisticated. The clear plastic tub allows you to see the product while still serving it's purpose, and the designs are bold but simple. Text is kept to a minimum while a large appetizing photo does all the talking. I have to say I was hungry while I was shopping, which is always a bad idea, and this photo really sealed the deal on this purchase. I was cold and hungry, so a warm bowl of buttery soup was a welcome sight. I may be a little biased, due to my love of Panera, but I feel like this is a pretty nice packaging design.