Walk the aisles of any grocery store today and it is hard not to wonder whether the bags and boxes are getting lighter. @nelliemakesit decided to find out for herself. She had just come back from Aldi, and she had been seeing another creator all over her feed measuring items like macaroni and cheese to show how much less customers were getting. One of the products that creator measured was Aldi’s chicken fries, so she bought a brand new bag and counted them.
Her caption is a direct message to the store: everybody tag Aldi USA and tell them “we need to talk.”
@nelliemakesit
Doing the math before opening the bag
She starts with the label, because that is where the promise is. The package says it contains about seven servings, and it lists the serving size as eight chicken fries. By her math, that adds up to 56 chicken fries in the bag.
She points out that the bag is brand new and unopened. Then she gets out a bowl, opens it, and counts the pieces out loud, one at a time. Her count comes up well short. She ends with 42 chicken fries, which is 14 fewer than the label suggests.
“They’re shorting us big time,” she says. She is careful, though. Before drawing a conclusion, she counts them a second time as she puts them back in the bag to go in the freezer, even making sure to count one small broken piece. She gets 42 again, and then she addresses the store directly, asking Aldi to explain.
What her count really tells us
It is worth looking at the numbers calmly, because this is a good example of how to read a label. Forty two pieces is exactly five and a quarter servings of eight, which is noticeably fewer than seven. That is a real gap, and she documents it step by step on camera.
But there is a detail that every shopper should know. Food labels in the United States are required to state the net weight of the contents. The number of pieces is not what is regulated. Servings per container is often marked with the word “about,” and the number of pieces depends on how big each piece is. A bag of frozen chicken strips can hold fewer, larger pieces one month and more, smaller pieces the next, and still weigh the same.
So the most useful thing to compare is not just the count but the weight listed on the front of the bag and the serving weight in grams on the nutrition panel. If she wants to find out whether the bag is truly short, the net weight is the number that matters. Her count is a fair reason to ask a question, and it is exactly why she has asked one.
How to count the real value of a bag
You can do your own check without a ruler or a bowl. Here are a few simple steps for any packaged food:
- Read the net weight. It is usually near the bottom of the front label, in ounces and grams. This is the number the company is held to.
- Compare the price per ounce. The shelf tag usually shows it. It is a better yardstick than the price of the whole bag.
- Look at the serving size in grams. This lets you work out how many servings you should get, even when the piece count is not listed.
- Note the size you remember. If you buy the same product regularly, snap a photo of the label so you can compare next time.
- Weigh it if you are curious. A basic kitchen scale will tell you quickly whether a bag holds what it says.
Why people keep checking their groceries
Her video joins a wave of shoppers who have started to measure, weigh, and count items at home. It grew out of a feeling that many people share, which is that they are paying more at the register each year and not always getting the same amount. The term shrinkflation describes a product that gets smaller while the price stays the same or goes up. Companies often say that rising costs for ingredients, packaging, and transportation force them to make changes, and sometimes they adjust the size instead of the price.
Store brands like Aldi’s are known for value, which is part of why a story like this one gets attention. Shoppers expect lower prices on those labels, and they notice when the portion seems to slip. That does not prove anything about a single bag. It does show how closely many people are watching.
What you can do if a bag seems short
If you count your own bag and it seems off, you have options. You can compare it with another bag of the same product from the same store, since counts naturally vary. You can check the weight on the label against a kitchen scale. And you can reach out to the store or manufacturer. Most grocery chains have a customer service page or phone number, and many will answer questions about a product or replace one that falls short. Being polite and specific, with the lot code and the date printed on the bag, makes the response more helpful.
In the end, she did what any careful shopper might do. She read the label, counted, double checked, and asked a fair question out loud. Whatever the answer turns out to be, the habit is a good one. A few minutes with the label and a bowl can tell you a lot about what you are really paying for.
