This $8 Target Grocery Find Is the Best Thing I Bought in 2024

When I’m grocery shopping, I’m scouring the shelves for new products like it’s my job. Mainly because it is—but also because I’m one of those people who can’t eat the same thing over and over again. I envy you meal preppers, I really do, but if I ate the same pre-made meal every day for a week, I’d rarely find new products that get me hooked.

2024 saw many delicious innovations. From the first-ever Kit Kat shape and Dot’s Parmesan Garlic Pretzels to Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut and Jif Peanut Butter and Chocolate Spread, I ate and drank a lot of great things last year. 

However, my all-time favorite food find of the year doesn’t come from the snack, candy, or pop aisle. Rather, it’s a pantry item that has since become a staple in mine. My best grocery buy in all of 2024 was Sauz jarred pasta sauce.

Why Sauz Jarred Sauce Is My Best Find of 2024

Typically, I’m a Rao’s Homemade user through and through—unless I happen to find a jar of DeLallo’s sauce at the store. Don’t get me wrong, I still love Rao’s Homemade marinara for everyday cooking, but since I was introduced to Sauz and its unique flavors over the summer, I always keep a jar or two on hand for more flavorful takes on classic Italian dishes.

Sauz jarred sauces launched back in 2023, and the brand currently features five sauces in its portfolio: Hot Honey Marinara, Summer Lemon Marinara, Creamy Calabrian Vodka, Wild Rosemary Marinara, and the newest, Cracked Pepper & Parmesan. The Cracked Pepper & Parmesan sauce is a Target exclusive, which joined the collection when Sauz expanded its availability to Target stores nationwide in October.

I tried Sauz’s Hot Honey Marinara sauce first and was quite surprised at how much I loved the flavor. I was worried the sweetness of the honey wouldn’t balance with the tomatoes, but I was oh-so wrong. Plus, it has the perfect amount of kick. The Hot Honey Marinara has quickly become a favorite of mine, but it’s the Creamy Calabrian Vodka that really keeps me coming back for more. 

Ever since Emeril Lagasse introduced me to Calabrian chili paste, any dish that contains the spicy chilis has become an immediate must-try. While I love an arrabbiata vodka sauce—like the one Rao’s Homemade makes—there’s something about Sauz’s extra creamy, rich vodka sauce that makes it that much better. 

Sauz’s jarred sauces ring in at around $8 at Target—making them comparable to Rao’s Homemade’s pricing. While the sauces are available at all Target stores nationwide—as well as Whole Foods, H-E-B, and other regional grocery stores—your Target might not have all the flavor offerings. However, most of them do have the Hot Honey Marinara if you want to introduce yourself to the brand the same way I did.

Sauz’s original collection, as well as the in-store Target-exclusive Cracked Pepper & Parmesan, are all available to order directly from Sauz’s website, too. Wherever you find it, give Sauz a try and you’ll see why Rao’s Homemade might be playing second fiddle in my pantry from here on out.