This hummus at Lidl in Cranford, New Jersey, had a flavorful everything topping. Photographed on Thursday, June 19, 2025.Karim Shamsi-Basha
Continuing my quest for prepared meals at New Jersey grocery stores, this week’s adventure resulted in one of the most interesting finds in my three-year history in the Garden State!
I found something that connects my homeland, Syria, with my new home, New Jersey! What are the chances?
I chose Lidl grocery store since I’ve already compared Whole Foods to Trader Joe’s and ShopRite to Stop & Shop. I’m not going to tell you who won in each of those two heated contests. You’ll have to click and see for yourself who had the best and most affordable prepared meals.
Lidl is in a category by itself. The grocery store has 186 locations in the United States, with 23 in New Jersey.
I like Lidl because of its low prices and good finds, and last week, while buying a few prepared foods to write about, I saw something that made me raise my eyebrows.
Everything hummus. WHAT!!!
We know the everything bagel, and we love it, but everything hummus? Only in New Jersey!
You'll find plenty of tasty and affordable packaged meals at Lidl with its 186 locations throughout the Garden State. photographed in Cranford, New Jersey on Thursday, June 19, 2025.Karim Shamsi-Basha
I bought an everything hummus ($2.89) along with a roasted red pepper hummus ($2.89), pasta salad ($3.89), guacamole ($3.99), focaccia bread ($3.99), Panera broccoli and cheddar soup ($4.89), and a cheese ball ($2.99). When was the last time you saw a cheese ball?
And the prices. C’mon!!!
Naturally, I started with the everything hummus, and it was delightful. If I could brag, I grew up in Syria, so I know my hummus. This one was solid with a creamy texture and a rich flavor from the tart tahini and tangy lemon combination.
Then came the everything topping! It added that wonderful taste you know from biting into a good bagel, I mean, a New Jersey bagel. Although, I compared New Jersey bagels to New York bagels a while back, and my findings may surprise you.
The everything hummus from Lidl was a winner. I then tried the pasta salad, and it was delicious with chunks of celery and carrots and a pungent dressing. The broccoli and cheddar soup was creamy but slightly on the bland side. I had to add some salt. The roasted red pepper hummus was similar to the everything humus with a nice texture and tang, along with the dominant flavor of red peppers.
Next, I tried the guacamole. I am a big fan of this specialty from our Southern neighbors, and this one did not disappoint. It was smooth and vibrant, with hints of lime and a slight jalapeno bite.
Lastly, I sampled that little cheese ball. I took a bite with the focaccia bread. The cheese was there with its creaminess and subtle flavor, but the slivered almonds provided a nice crunch and a hint of nuttiness.
All in all, I highly recommend Lidl for your next (I have no time to cook and need to eat in a hurry and cheaply) sojourn! And we can’t forget, the everything hummus was a delightful topping, pun intended.
Until next week, happy eating!
Stories by Karim Shamsi-Basha
Karim Shamsi-Basha may be reached at kshamsi-basha@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter & Instagram.
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