5 Best Sam's Club Side Dishes Of 2026 (So Far)

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Costco tends to get all the attention when it comes to affordable groceries, but Sam's Club gives the big-box store a run for its money. As one example, if you're looking for the best deal on seafood this year between the two stores, Sam's Club has its rival beat. The membership warehouse is also flush with deals on baked goods, pre-prepared meals, and the part of a meal that too often gets neglected: side dishes.

Even the most delicious entree needs a stellar side dish to play Robin to its Batman. Sides level up the overall experience with contrasting or complementary flavors and textures that allow the main course to shine even brighter on the palate. Just tossing any old thing onto your plate will help fill that hole in your stomach, but is it elevating the meal as a whole? If you've been complacent with your side dish choices lately, these Sam's Club options released this year can help pull you out of a boring routine.  

Whether you're looking for something creamy or crunchy, these flavorful sides can level up all kinds of entrees while leaving enough money in your wallet to pick up a Sam's Club chocolate bakery item for dessert. The year's not over yet, so these side dishes could be outdone by even tastier choices later on, but as of right now these are this year's best new Sam's Club items that can turn your meal into a dynamic duo of entree and side dish bliss. As usual, the prices listed may vary regionally.

Homemade mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish for many entrees, if you have the time to make them. These buttery mashed potatoes are done in less than five minutes, letting you focus on getting your main dish just right. Real Idaho potatoes are the star here, but the supporting cast of ingredients is what makes this item outstanding. Butter and milk serve as the backbone of the creaminess, while buttermilk combines with natural flavors to give these instant potatoes a rich, savory profile that tastes like they were made from scratch. And if you think they're missing something, adding your favorite seasonings to level up the mashed potatoes only takes seconds.

People often pair mashed potatoes with a perfectly seared steak, roasted chicken, or various pork dishes, but creamy spuds have the potential to upgrade plenty of other foods. Grilled veggies would welcome a side of fluffy goodness, and garlic butter shrimp or a salmon fillet with some sauce served over the mashed potatoes would create a complete dish that seafood lovers will adore. Sam's Club customers say these are the ideal serving size for an instant side dish, and the low price of the eight-pack amounts to roughly $0.27 per serving. 

Snag an eight-pack of Idahoan Buttery Homestyle Potatoes for $8.78.

Most of us could probably be eating more veggies, and overlooking frozen produce is costing you. This flavorful medley of red, green, and yellow bell peppers along with onions from Sam's Club's freezer section is exactly what you need to up your veggie intake without worrying about fresh vegetables spoiling before you get around to cooking them. And just because they come from the freezer doesn't mean they've been infused with preservatives. These have only been treated with olive oil, black pepper, and sea salt to bring out the natural profile of the veggies, with the flame-grilled preparation adding a pleasant bit of smoke.

These flame-grilled goodies are ideal for seafood dishes such as salmon or scallops, but they would be equally delicious paired with meatier fare like roast beef or Italian sausage. They're also a terrific side option for pasta or as an addition to vegetarian meals like a quinoa bowl. One person who reviewed the veggies recommended pairing them with Sam's Club's rotisserie chicken, which makes dinner even more convenient if you're short on time.

Get a four-pack of Bella's Harvest Flame Grilled Peppers & Onions for $9.77.

One classic side dish that will never go out of style is mac and cheese, and this variety pack gives you three flavor options to choose from with four boxes of each flavor. There are also two pasta shapes — shell and macaroni. The white cheddar mac and cheese shells present a buttery sensation that's perfect for hearty dishes like meatloaf. Sharp aged cheddar with shells brings a more complex savoriness to the plate that would be a model side for grilled chicken.

But sometimes you just want a mac and cheese that brings you back to childhood, which is where the classic cheddar and macaroni comes in. The bright, tangy cheese notes would act as the ideal complement to ultra-savory entrees like pulled pork. Folks who relish this convenient organic mac and cheese variety pack won't be wanting for protein, as the classic variety has 8 grams per serving and the shell pastas contain 9 grams. At roughly $0.43 per serving, the Annie's variety pack is an affordable way to augment any meal with a side of comfort food.

Score the Annie's Homegrown Macaroni & Cheese Variety Pack for $12.98.

Salad doesn't have to be boring or time-consuming to prepare if you stop by Sam's Club for its Sweet Kale salad kit. Each bag is packed with good-for-you ingredients such as cabbage, broccoli slaw, Brussels sprouts, radicchio, and kale for a healthy dose of vitamin C and vitamin K, among other beneficial nutrients. A sweet poppyseed dressing balances the earthy, savory vegetables and gives the whole salad a zesty lift. The texture won't disappoint either. Crunchy pepitas and chewy dried cranberries offer folks some variety in every bite.

The salad can be easily prepared in minutes by emptying a portion of the veggies into a bowl and adding the dressing. Although roasted chicken or salmon initially come to mind as ideal meal pairings, there's really no entree that wouldn't welcome this superfoods showstopper as a tasty side dish. Between the nutritional benefits and the sweet, nutty flavor, scoring this salad kit for just under $3 is a steal worth taking advantage of.

Grab an EatSmart Sweet Kale Chopped Salad Kit for $2.97.

Instant mashed potatoes are great for dinner, but breakfast calls for a different type of spud. If making homemade hash browns doesn't sound appealing at the crack of dawn, you can elevate your morning meal by preparing these instant hash browns while you sip on your cup of Joe. Just let the shredded Idaho potatoes soak in hot water for 12 to 15 minutes (depending on how soft you want them), then drain the carton and toss the hash browns in a hot skillet with oil, stirring occasionally for six minutes for a crispy, golden-brown breakfast side dish.

This would make for an instant upgrade to classic eggs and bacon, but these crunchy spuds would work equally well as an accompaniment for less traditional morning meals such as smoked salmon with avocado. Pancakes, French toast, or a generous helping of Greek yogurt would also benefit from a crispy sidekick gracing your plate. For less than $10, this multipack from Sam's Club gets you 56 servings of a timeless breakfast side dish that helps start your day off right.

Get an eight-pack of Idaho Spuds Instant Hashbrown Potatoes for $8.98.