Why Costco Might Be The Best Place To Buy Chips In This Economy
While a Costco membership comes with a cost, it can be worth it for shoppers looking to save on their favorite snacks. We compared prices of three types of chips — Doritos, potato chips, and pretzels — at a Denver-area King Sooper grocery store, Walmart, and Costco to see just how good the deals at Costco can be.
If you're in the market for Doritos, Costco is the clear winner when it comes to cost per ounce. A 14.5-ounce bag costs $7.99 at the grocery store (55 cents per ounce), while Walmart's 14.5-ounce bag comes in at $5.49 (41 cents per ounce). At Costco, Doritos cost just 28 cents per ounce, with a 30-ounce bag priced at $8.27 — only marginally more than you'd pay at the grocery store for a bag half the size.
Our favorite kettle-cooked potato chip brand, Cape Cod, is also a bargain at Costco, with a 30-ounce bag costing $8.80 (29 cents per ounce). An eight-ounce bag costs $4.99 at King Soopers (62 cents per ounce), while a 14-ounce bag at Walmart is $4.98, or 36 cents per ounce.
Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps are another great value at Costco. At Walmart, the crunchy snack costs $5.32 for a 14-ounce bag (38 cents per ounce), while the same-sized bag at King Soopers is $6.99, or 50 cents per ounce. Costco's 28-ounce organic bag costs $10.20, bringing the price down to 36 cents per ounce.
Your best bang for your chip-buying buck is at Costco. Of course, if that's where you shop for snacks, you'll need three things: A membership, storage space, and serious self-control.
While you're there, don't miss these other Costco bargains
If you're buying in bulk, it's not just the overall price that matters, but the cost per item or per ounce. At Costco, buying in larger quantities means some of your grocery list staples wind up being much more affordable — as long as you can eat them before they expire, that is.
Inflation has caused Honeycrisp apple prices to rise, making the Cosmic Crisp variety a more affordable alternative. However, they can still be pricey at nearly $3 per pound at some retailers. At Costco, however, a four-pound bag costs $7.59, or $1.90 per pound.
At Costco, four pounds of Kirkland-brand unsalted sweet cream butter cost $10.88, while a single pound of grocery store-brand butter costs $3.99. Staying in the dairy aisle, Costco's organic eggs are another steal. A24-count carton of organic, pasture-raised eggs costs $9.07, compared with $4.99 for a dozen organic, cage-free eggs at King Soopers.
Anyone who has fed a toddler knows there is no such thing as too many granola bars, and at Costco, you can get 64 — yes, 64 — chocolate chip granola bars for $12.25, or 19 cents per bar. A 36-count box of store-brand granola bars costs $8.99, and while 25 cents per bar is still a deal, Costco still has the price to beat.