Who Actually Has The Better Deals On Side Dishes: Costco Or Sam's Club?

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It comes as no real surprise that Costco and Sam's Club are popular places to get your groceries, given that pound for pound they're generally pretty affordable, but just because both stores have the same business model doesn't necessarily mean they offer equally good deals. Nutritious side dishes from Sam's Club can make for a great workday lunch, and plenty of Costco premade side dishes would be welcome at a small party, but which store should you choose if you're on a budget?

To find out, we did a little digging into each store's inventory and found some comparable side dishes so we could place them side by side for a price comparison, though the price can vary by location. Sam's Club's kale pasta salad ($5.12 per pound) is like Costco's tortellini pasta salad ($7.37 per pound), though the latter drops the kale and adds salami. The price difference here clearly favors Sam's Club, and that trend continues into our next side dish.

Everybody loves shrimp even if they do get confused with sea bugs sometimes, and nowhere is shrimp better served than in a simple cocktail tray. Costco's shrimp cocktail platter, which costs $12.47 per pound, doesn't break any molds with its lemon slices and cocktail sauce, but it does specify that it uses 21/25 shrimp (here's how to decode grocery store shrimp sizes). Meanwhile, Sam's Club's shrimp tray costs $10.14 per pound and doesn't specify the size of the shrimp, though they do look a touch smaller.

Based on the two examples above, it would seem Sam's Club is the better option for side dishes in terms of affordability, but it's worth pointing out that both of these are fresh, not frozen. Many of the best Costco appetizers are sold frozen, which makes sense since people are buying in bulk and the freezer extends shelf life. When comparing frozen side dishes, Costco actually comes out ahead over Sam's Club.

Take Costco's Kirkland Signature frozen french fries, for example. A 5-pound bag sells for just $6.46, making the price per pound $1.29. Meanwhile, Sam's Club sells a 4-pound bag of its french fries for $6.98, which is $1.75 per pound. The Sam's Club version is waffle cut, so if you prefer that style, the price difference may be worth it (it's still a good deal, after all), but Costco's is cheaper. Sam's Club does sell a 30-pound box of straight cut fries, which turns out cheaper by the pound, but unless you own a restaurant or plan to feed the neighborhood, that's a lot of potato.

Spring rolls and egg rolls are another popular side dish, and Costco wins out here as well. Its 50-count box of vegetable spring rolls sells for $11.68, while Sam's Club sells a box of 16 pork egg rolls for $9.88. Granted, pork is naturally going to cost more than cabbage, but the price difference here is plain to see. In brief, Sam's Club excels at fresh side dishes while Costco may be better if you prefer frozen.