11 Groceries That Are Way Cheaper at Sam’s Club

When you’re after bulk goods at budget prices, your local warehouse store should be the first place you stop. Chains, such as Sam’s Club and Costco, have famously low prices on everyday essentials. And those warehouse in-store brands are often comparable to high-end, gourmet counterparts. We prefer Kirkland’s grass-fed butter over Kerrygold any day, and Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark brand has beloved favorites that we never leave the store without.

Mass quantities of items are usually a smarter buy at whichever warehouse club you’re a member of, but even if you don’t need a huge amount of whatever you’re shopping for, sometimes it’s still worth stocking up on an item just for the better price point. Here are some groceries that should make your shopping list the next time you visit Sam’s Club.

Which Foods Are Cheaper at Sam’s Club

Any member of Sam’s Club undoubtedly goes to the warehouse for its array of snacks, frozen foods, and pantry staples—all sold in XL sizes at fantastic price points. But, as we mentioned for Costco’s cheapest items, the most important consideration when comparing warehouse prices is the unit price, which is the only way to get a true one-to-one comparison across stores.

Not only can you get a plethora of name-brand classics and seriously good copycats at Sam’s Club, but you’ll also find a wide range of prepared meals and bakery treats at prices lower than Costco and other retailers. Don’t believe us? Check out these top grocery picks, which cost significantly less.

Breakfast Cereal and Oats

When compared to stores like Walmart or Kroger, Sam’s Club unequivocally offers the best bang for your buck when it comes to cereal. Want a hefty supply of Honey Nut Cheerios? A 48-ounce box will cost more than $8 at Costco, which admittedly isn’t awfully higher than Sam’s Club’s price of $7.60, but, at Walmart, the price is almost double at around $12.50 for the same size box.

Similarly, for other breakfast oats, Quaker Old-Fashioned Oats are cheaper at Sam’s Club than at Walmart. Walmart’s oats can be nearly twice as expensive as those at Sam’s Club. The difference is less noticeable at Kroger and about the same as Costco, but on the whole, oats seem to be a valuable purchase at the superstore.

Frozen Chicken

Whether you want to buy fresh or frozen chicken, you’re almost guaranteed to find a better deal at Sam’s Club than at other competitors. When looking at frozen chicken wings, the Member’s Mark brand has a unit price of just under $3 per pound. Even Costco can’t beat this price, as its frozen wings were recently advertised at $3.15 per pound. We found wings at Walmart for around $3.30, and Kroger’s frozen wings were $3.45.

The same goes for fresh chicken, with Sam’s Club selling boneless, skinless chicken breasts at just under $1.90 per pound. Costco’s chicken isn’t much more expensive ($1.97 per pound), but the more than $2 per pound price point at both Walmart and Kroger may have you reconsidering where you get this protein staple in the future.

Rotisserie Chicken

Deserving of its own mention on this list is one Sam’s Club item we’ll never leave the store without: rotisserie chicken. Costco’s version may be more famous, but the birds at Sam’s Club are equally worthy of recognition. The price at Sam’s Club seems to hover right around Costco’s, but, at the moment of writing this, is slightly cheaper at $1.66 per pound compared to $1.74. Walmart and Kroger price rotisserie chicken slightly higher per pound, at about $1.83 and $1.91, respectively.

Frozen Pizza

No matter your pizza preference, Sam’s Club is almost certainly the better place to buy it—even when compared to Costco. A pack of three frozen pizzas costs just under $10 at the warehouse chain, whereas Costco prices a similar item at nearly $15. Sam’s Club’s fan-favorite frozen 12-inch take-and-bake pizza is also a better deal than Costco’s similar offering, though the difference here isn’t major, with about a dollar between the two. Still, those dollars add up!

Butter

Bakers and butter fans will get the best deals on this fridge staple at Sam’s Club, especially if you’re okay with store-brand butter. Member’s Mark sells its own butter for under $3.50 per pound. Whereas Costco currently prices its butter about 17 cents higher per pound. And at Walmart and Kroger, it’s about $4 per pound for the store-brand butter.

Baking Essentials

Need to restock your flour, sugar, or chocolate chips ahead of fall baking? Head to Sam’s Club. The wholesale spot still beats Costco in terms of price per pound for all three of these products. Sam’s Club also comes out ahead of Walmart and Kroger. And while the price differences seem minimal, if you’re buying these items in multiples or large quantities, you’ll save at least a couple of dollars by shopping at Sam’s Club.

Mini Cupcakes

The next time you need to supply treats for a birthday party, head to Sam’s Club and snag a 30-pack of mini cupcakes. The pack will cost about $16.50, for an average price of 55 cents per cupcake. At Costco, a 12-pack of mini cupcakes goes for nearly $9. Per cupcake, that’s about 20 cents higher than Sam’s Club.

Sports Drinks

Stocking up on store-brand sports drinks will be significantly easier on your wallet if you head to Sam’s Club. Plus, the Member’s Mark sports drink rivals Gatorade in terms of taste and flavor—at nearly one-third of the price. Sam’s Club prices its sports drinks at just over two cents per fluid ounce. By comparison, Costco’s Kirkland brand is slightly more expensive at just over three cents per fluid ounce. And the price difference is sharper when looking at Gatorade carried at both Kroger and Walmart. Walmart sells Gatorade for just over four cents per fluid ounce, while prices per fluid ounce at Kroger can get up to nearly seven cents.

Frozen Berries

With the possible exception of Walmart (whose frozen berries are currently slightly cheaper than Sam’s Club’s), Sam’s Club has the best deal on frozen berries by far. A frozen triple berry blend at the warehouse is priced at just over 17 cents per ounce, while the price skyrockets at Kroger to hit nearly 23 cents per ounce. Prices at Costco can vary, but tend to fluctuate between 19 and 22 cents per ounce.

Potato Chips

The next time you get a potato chip hankering, head over to Sam’s Club. The store’s own brand has chips at just under 20 cents per ounce, which is still slightly cheaper than Costco’s average of 21 cents per ounce. Monumentally more expensive are the chips at Walmart and Kroger, priced at 48 cents and 29 cents per ounce, respectively.