8 Underrated Things to Buy at Sam’s Club for Under $15

Grocery trips to a wholesale store like Costco or Sam’s Club can be a little overwhelming. Those massive quantities mean it’s not always obvious what the best deals are, and it can be hard to eyeball a giant bag of coffee and decide if you’ll somehow drink it all before it goes stale. Plus, if you’re not careful, a little impulse shopping at a place like Sam’s Club can put a dent in your wallet. 

I’ve definitely learned a few lessons myself when buying in bulk—I can’t be trusted to eat a whole bunch of Sam’s Club bananas before they go bad, for example. But I’ve also come to rely on a few favorite Sam’s Club items that I pick up almost every time I’m in the store. Salad essentials—and even some salad kits—are usually on the docket, plus a trip over to the spices section. There’s lots to keep an eye out for at Sam’s, even if you’re on a budget.

From unbelievable deals on produce to great buys on household essentials, I’ve rounded up my favorite items you need to check out on your next grocery run – all for under $15.00.

1. Scrub Daddy Dish Sponges

I was a little late to the hype around Scrub Daddy Sponges, but there’s really no turning back once you get hooked. These temperature-sensitive scrubbers are stiff in cold water, which can help remove stubborn residue, and more malleable in warm water for your gentler dish-washing needs. You can grab a pack of 6 at Sam’s for $12.88, which is definitely a money-saver if you’ve been buying them individually. Clear some space in the cabinet and set yourself up for several weeks of fresh sponges, no extra grocery trips required.

2. Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce

It’s been tough to enjoy other brands of pasta sauce since I first tried Rao’s. Their small-batch marinara is hard to beat, and it has that perfect balance of sweet tomato, punchy onion and aromatic basil and oregano in every bite. (You don’t have to take my word for it. Our test kitchen named Rao’s marinara the best jarred sauce on the market.) The only downside is that Rao’s sauce is on the pricier side of store-bought pasta sauces—if I headed down to my local Target, for example, I’d pay about $7 for a 24-ounce jar. But that just means that Sam’s 2-pack of 22-ounce jars of Rao’s Homemade Marinara is an especially good deal. Each pack of 2 jars costs $9.42, and I always grab a pair, even if I’m not planning to make pasta anytime soon. Serve this sauce with your favorite noodles for a fast weeknight dinner, and you’re all set.

3. Black Peppercorn Grinder

If you’re anything like me, you go through black peppercorns faster than seems possible. That’s why I always keep around one of these enormous, 7-ounce grinders from Sam’s. This glass grinder is much sturdier than some of the smaller sizes you can pick up in the grocery store, and the peppercorns stay nice and fresh inside. Best of all, the Member’s Mark Black Pepper Grinder has one of the best grinding settings I’ve found on a disposable grinder. The grinding lid has four levels of fineness, which range from quite fine to larger pieces with great texture. Pick up a grinder for $6.98 on your next trip to the Club, and make sure to scope out the rest of the spices, too. You’ll also find solid deals on seasonal shakers, like pumpkin pie spice and classics like sea salt and Kinder’s seasoning blends.

4. Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

You might not always have a need for freshly squeezed orange juice—especially a whopping 59 ounces of it—but this deal is one to keep in mind for orange-forward recipes and big batch cocktails. At my local Sam’s, you can smell the citrus in the air when they fire up the juicer and start going through hundreds of oranges, so you know you’re getting truly fresh juice right from the source. By the way, that means you’re getting the healthiest kind of orange juice on the market. I hosted a law school graduation brunch for some friends a while back, and having this juice handy made mimosa toasts sweeter (and more convenient) than I thought possible. If you’ve got an orange juice occasion coming up, snag one of these bottles for $9.98.

5. Sunset Wild Wonders Tomato Medley

It’s almost impossible for me to walk into Sam’s Club and not head straight to the display of these sweet, juicy tomatoes. I love Wild Wonders because they’re consistently good, perfect for everything from tomato soup and pasta sauce to refreshing salads and snacks. Each 2-pound tub contains a variety of shapes and colors, so you may end up with a perfectly round orange tomato, a classic red cherry tomato or a rich brown grape tomato each time you reach into the tub. Though each of these little tomatoes may vary slightly in flavor, they mingle together perfectly in all kinds of recipes. If I were you, I’d start with a big bowl of Marinated Cherry Tomato Salad to really let those flavors sing. Grab a tub for $6.25 on your next trip.

6. Romaine Hearts

When you’re deciding what produce you want to pick up at a bulk store like Sam’s, you have to be realistic about how much food you can go through before it goes bad. With this enormous pack of romaine hearts, your mileage may vary. But if I’m planning to have a big salad for dinner and make salads or wraps for lunch during the week, my household can go through lettuce pretty quickly. It’s hard to beat the price on this romaine, at least in my area, and it doesn’t take long to chop, wash, spin and bag this lettuce to get ready for the week. You could also use some of the heads to make a stunning dinner party salad, like our Grilled Romaine with Avocado-Lime Dressing. And if you have weight loss goals, romaine is pretty nifty on that front as well. Snag a pack of 6 romaine hearts for $4.97 and see how quickly you can go through them.

7. Sunset Sweet Bell Peppers

Whether I’m making a big batch of soup, a pan of spicy enchiladas, a bright and fresh salad or a yummy casserole, I know I need bell peppers on hand. These versatile veggies play a tasty part in so many of my favorite recipes, from the dependable Stuffed Pepper Skillet to one of my favorite game day apps. I even enjoy snacking on the slices by themselves or with a little hummus on the side. Plus, bell peppers pack in some health benefits too. Their vitamin C content makes them especially appealing during cold and flu season. You can grab a pack of 6 peppers for $6.72. With the peps in my cart, all I have to do is dream up a great recipe to put them to use.

8. Parmigiano Reggiano Wedge

Just about every savory dish gets a little tastier with a sprinkle of Parm, and we use it to great effect in recipes like our Parmesan-Crusted Cauliflower and Parmesan Chicken & Brussels Sprouts. And while you might worry about getting through all this cheese before it goes bad, we’ve actually got some guidance to help you out. Just follow a tip from one of our editors and store the Parm in the freezer. Bring it out whenever you need to grate an ounce or two, and when it’s all used up, toss the rind back in the freezer and use it to boost flavor in a soup later on. Grab a Parmigiano Reggiano wedge at $12.46 per pound on your next shopping trip, and you’ll be ready to get cooking.