Costco Vs Sam's Club: Which Has The Best Prepared Meals Selection?

In the age of rising grocery prices, buying in bulk is the way to go. Whether you're feeding a family or meal prepping for yourself, stocking up at wholesale membership stores is a time and money-saver. You'll get plenty of fresh meats, produce, snacks, and dry goods at chains like Costco and Sam's Club, along with significant prepared meals. But in the ongoing Costco vs Sam's Club rivalry, this question remains: Which has better prepared meals? For variety at a lower price, Sam is your guy.

Shoppers agree that Sam's Club does certain things better than Costco — premade meals being one of them. Sam's has a better variety of fresh, ready-made meals, often for dollars cheaper than Costco. Take the chicken street tacos from both chains, for instance. Sam's version is around $16.44 per pound, while Costco's is around $18. Other popular and affordable Sam's Club meals sold under the Member's Mark brand include the lobster mac and cheese, chicken pot pies, stuffed bell peppers, and Hatch Chili and Chicken enchiladas — a real crowd favorite.

"The prepared food, especially the fruit tray, will be my reason for renewing my SC membership. I have Costco as well, and I like their prepared foods, but the variety at SC is great," one Reddit user said. Another said, "I prefer Costco's selection of premade meals, but for the $25 Sam's membership, I'm happy to hold onto my Sam's membership as well."

Among the many Costco prepared foods to buy and avoid, there exists one saving grace: the nutritious meal prep options. In fact, customers note this about the chain compared to Sam's. "The biggest difference between them is that Costco has more healthy options where Sam's has more snack-type options," one Redditor commented. We tend to agree that Costco's rotisserie chickens, Kirkland Signature Grain & Celery Salad, and the Salmon Milano with Basil Pesto Butter make stellar meal planning ingredients that can span multiple dishes.

Still, Sam's Club's comforting take-and-bake dinners, like the mac and cheese, are the reason why people opt for a membership. Turns out, that's a better deal, too. The base-level membership at Sam's starts at $50 per year. Costco, on the other hand, is $65 per year for its equivalent. Higher membership and slightly higher meal prices aren't always worth that Kirkland Signature name.

Sam's is also more convenient: The chain offers scan and go shopping, where you can pay in-store directly from your phone, and curbside pickup if you're in a hurry. Even if you're only purchasing one premade family meal, you can still do pickup at no extra cost. Talk about a huge perk!