10 Foods You Should Always But At Sam's Club Instead Of Costco

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Where warehouse wars are concerned, members are undoubtedly opinionated about which goods they'd rather buy at Sam's Club than Costco. It's certainly true that no consumer is obligated to choose one over the other options out there. At the same time, when it comes to where you're better off procuring certain snacks, ingredients, or your next rotisserie chicken, there are reasons enough to support making your purchases with the Walmart-owned Sam's Club.

On top of popular perks like the scan and go feature on the mobile app that cuts down on checkout time by foregoing the line at the register, Sam's Club shoppers have ample opportunities to save on bulk buys that, in some cases, even come with better nutrition facts. Then there is the food court rivalry where a Member's Mark offering, whether portioned or as a whole, finds shoppers enjoying extra choices for toppings as just one point winning out over Kirkland Signature — a trend that repeats itself throughout the warehouse with other goods. Let's break it down further.

Whether you're picking up a protein for dinner on an ordinary weeknight or fighting over the final bird on the warmer among those seeking an easy holiday meal option, rotisserie chickens are a popular buy at supermarkets and warehouse stores alike. Though prices shift, at the time of this writing, the Sam's Club chicken comes in $0.68 cheaper than Costco's at $4.98 per bird. Given the choice between the Kirkland Signature or Member's Mark chicken, savings isn't the only factor that finds shoppers picking Sam's Club over Costco.

When pitted against each other, or even when ranked with other markets, Member's Mark beats out Kirkland Signature with opinions citing better flavor for the fowl in addition to a less hectic environment while shopping in the deli section, or even just finding a parking spot. Likewise, a Washington Post ranking once put the Sam's Club chicken in fourth place, with Costco listed seventh. While personal taste has seen Costco eke out a win in a Food Republic comparison on which rotisserie chicken tastes better, that same review tallied up points for Sam's Club in size and ingredients. In particular, Kirkland Signature's chicken lost out for including carrageenan. Though common, it still brings with it potential digestive concerns.

A staple in countries worldwide, especially throughout Asia, the various types of rice each pair well with a dish for which they are best suited. In the case of the Thailand-grown jasmine rice, curries, stir-fries, or even rice pudding are great uses of the medium-grain rice. As for where to procure enough to keep your pantry well-stocked for the foreseeable future, Sam's Club is the better buy over Costco for several reasons.

For starters, a comparison of the 25-pound bags of Kirkland Signature and Member's Mark jasmine rice finds Sam's Club customers saving more than $6 on their purchase. Additionally, each serving of Sam's Club's jasmine rice option boasts an extra gram of protein and three fewer carbohydrates compared to the same helping from the Costco variety. What's more, while most rice varieties do not pose a risk to those with gluten sensitivities, Sam's Club's product explicitly confirms that it is gluten-free, while the Kirkland Signature offering leaves room for doubt.

Common comparisons of Sam's Club and Costco pit the competing warehouse chains' food courts against one another to determine where members are getting the best bang for their buck, even when it's just about a quick bite to eat while shopping. On that front, although they measure slightly smaller in diameter than Costco's (16 inches compared to 18 inches), Sam's Club's pizza has won over many diners on taste and experience.

Some see fit to bring up the amount of grease present with each slice of pizza from the Costco food court, while others suggest the crust itself lacks flavor and is also too thin. Though some dispute that matter of preference, what is not in dispute is the amount of variety available at Sam's Club by comparison. Costco shoppers are graced with selections including a cheese pizza, a pepperoni pizza, and one bridging the gap between preferences with a half-topped pie. Meanwhile, in addition to the cheese and pepperoni options — notably nearly a dollar cheaper for the whole pie at $8.98 versus $9.95 — the Member's Mark 16-inch pie is also available in a four-meat variety that brings bacon crumbles, ham, and Italian sausage into the mix.

As much a tool as an ingredient, oils of all kinds are incorporated into baking, cooking, and meal preparation, playing key roles in sautéing, frying, finishing various dishes, crafting dressings, or simply dipping. Therefore, those looking to utilize different types of oils in their culinary creations are better off buying their preferred variety from Sam's Club rather than Costco, as evidenced by several direct comparisons.

For example, those who've made olive oil a staple of their kitchen will find that 3 liters of the Member's Mark cold-extracted extra virgin kind costs just under $23, whereas Kirkland Signature's similar offering provides only 2 liters at just under $21. Likewise, where it concerns avocado oil — one of the best high-heat oils for a perfect sauté thanks to its high smoke point — Member's Mark offers its own in either a glass or plastic bottle with no difference in price, and both are about $0.05 cheaper per fluid ounce than the Chosen Foods 2-liter bottle available at Costco.

A common convenience of families and those on the go, breakfast cereal's popularity extends beyond its ease, as some simply enjoy crunchy flakes, clusters, or loops with or without marshmallows. Those who don't have time to stop at a diner or grocery store in the morning to get their frosted fix or daily bit of bran would do well to stock up on their cereals at Sam's Club instead of Costco.

Aside from each warehouse providing member access to their own granolas — Member's Mark Honey Almond Granola and Kirkland Signature-stamped packages of Nature's Path Organic Ancient Grains — popular brands sold in stores across the country can be purchased in bulk at both retailers. Whereas Costco has a slight edge on volume, offering a bit more per package on cereals like Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and Post Honey Bunches of Oats, Sam's Club has a better price per ounce. A more direct comparison can be seen with the 12-count variety pack from Kellogg's, where the same selection of Apple Jacks, Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes, and Frosted Mini Wheats comes in at under $10 on Sam's Club shelves and $12.69 at Costco.

Big families typically lean into big savings wherever they can, and when it comes to things like celebrating birthdays, the bakery at Sam's Club is considered by some to be worth the membership fee alone. For starters, ordering custom cakes and cupcakes from the Walmart-owned warehouse is made easy via the online order system. By contrast, Costco has held to an analog system that requires members to fill out a form in order to meet the specifications for personalized desserts.

Whether you're buying for little kids, big kids, or those who are kids at heart, Sam's Club has over 100 characters to choose from, including Disney favorites, superheroes, and video game icons. Parents, coaches, and fans can also make sure their team is celebrated with quick selections for sports designs. Additionally, among the aspects in which Costco can't compete, the bakery itself is considered a better area to buy at Sam's Club because the volume is smaller, equating to less space being taken up at home, along with the potential for less waste.

Sure, snagging a specialty drink from your favorite café is something to delight in. But, between increased costs turning venti beverages into luxury items and the constant improvements of home brewing technology — or returns to reliable retro coffee makers — it's no surprise that the vast majority of coffee drinkers opt for kitchen craft over barista brews. To meet those needs, Sam's Club has proven itself to be the better place to buy coffee pods.

Comparing similar cases of single-serve pods, the Member's Mark Organic Dark Roast coffee is only $0.35 per pod while the Kirkland Signature variety is $0.38. Of course, if a savings of about $11 annually for those drinking just one cup of coffee per day doesn't seem like cause enough to pick one warehouse over the other, it's also worth noting that Sam's Club has considerably more variety. On top of the cases that sell a single style, Member's Mark also offers cases with options like the Fall Flavored collection featuring cinnamon sugar, pecan praline, salted caramel mocha, and vanilla chai.

Bulk goods are undoubtedly a draw to warehouse shopping for many, and, thanks to the nature of production lines, there is a reasonable guarantee with such goods that your next buy will be relatively indistinguishable from your last. The same cannot be said for produce, where myriad other factors come into play. In other words, choosing where you'll buy your fruit and vegetables between Sam's Club and Costco is not nearly as subjective as one might expect.

For those arguing that Sam's Club is the better warehouse for members to procure their produce, the basis for those claims goes beyond price and preference and, in some cases, comes down to a matter of consistency. Shoppers relying on lists like to know that the goods they purchased on a previous trip will still be available on the next visit, and social media users sounded off to suggest Sam's Club fits that bill far better than Costco. Furthermore, smaller packages once again mean less likelihood of waste.

Some may argue that no packed lunch is complete without a single-serve bag of potato chips or a similar snack. Similarly, while french fries are commonplace as sides for burgers and sandwiches, chips are often included on menus as the standard option. So whether you're packing meals for the day in a classic metal lunch box or prepping a backyard picnic, either Costco or Sam's Club would prove sufficient to stock up on bags by the caseful. That said, only one warehouse has a better deal for member-exclusive savings.

A look at the Frito-Lay variety packs at each warehouse shows that Costco once again fit more product into a single purchase, at 54 bags compared to Sam's Club's 50. However, with mostly the same chips available in each case, the main distinction comes down to price. Costco's 54-count is listed as $23.49, translating to about $0.46 per bag. Meanwhile, the 50-count case from Sam's Club at $18.48 amounts to roughly $0.37 per bag.

It may seem boastful, but Member's Mark selling its iteration of a dark chocolate and sea salt flavored nut bar as The Better Nut Bar comes with a number of factors supporting that claim over Kirkland Signature. To begin with, while the common discrepancy in package size remains — only 24 bars in a box at Sam's Club compared to the 30 available from Costco — the savings per bar give the Walmart-owned store an advantage, if only a small one. Just like the going rate for opinions, Member's Mark came in at $0.02 cheaper for each serving.

Additionally, the actual nutrition facts of the products also give Sam's Club the edge. There are 10 fewer calories in each Member's Mark bar, as well as one less gram each of carbohydrates and fat. At the same time, the Kirkland Signature bar falls short of the competitor's in terms of protein, as the package lists only 5 grams compared to the 6 grams per bar available at Sam's Club.