These Are the 11 Groceries I Always Buy at Walmart

When you compare name-brand products to Walmart's own brand, you can seriously save money at Walmart.  

With Great Value, you can expect the same high quality at a lower price than certain brands. These grocery staples are a must for any household and can help keep your budget down. 

Choosing store-brand versions of products you already buy can be one of the easiest ways to trim a grocery bill without giving up everyday staples. The savings may seem small on a single item, but they can become more meaningful when you make the swap across several categories or shop for the same products week after week. Here's what I always add to my shopping cart.

Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.

Price: $2.38

Buying flour at Walmart can save you big on baking, frying, and more.

When you buy the Great Value brand, you can save over $5 for a five-pound bag. Arrowhead Mills all-purpose flour will cost $8.67 for the same amount.

Flour is also one of those pantry basics that can serve several purposes, which makes paying less particularly useful for frequent home cooks. Beyond baking bread, cookies, and cakes, all-purpose flour can be used for thickening sauces, breading meats and vegetables, or making homemade dough. If you regularly bake from scratch or cook for a larger household, keeping an affordable bag on hand can help lower the cost of several meals and treats.

Price: $3.58

Get a pound of delicious sharp cheddar cheese at Walmart for under $4 when you buy Great Value.

Kraft sharp cheddar costs $5.48, and its ingredients are comparable to those of Walmart. Plus, buying this one-pound block makes it easy to slice, grate, and add to any recipe for a rich, cheesy flavor. A block can also give you more flexibility than buying cheese already sliced or shredded. 

You can cut off only what you need for sandwiches, shred some for tacos or casseroles, or cube it for snacks. That versatility can make it easier to use the entire package before it goes to waste, which is another way to stretch the value of your grocery purchase.

Price: $3.24

Save $1 on a four-pound bag of sugar by choosing Walmart's low prices. While Domino Granulated Sugar offers the same amount, you'd pay $4.74 for just as much sugar as the Great Value brand.

This is especially handy for sweetening your favorite drinks, recipes, and more while helping you eliminate some money stress. Because sugar has a long shelf life when stored properly, it can also be an easy pantry staple to buy before you urgently need it. 

Home bakers may go through it quickly, but even occasional cooks can use granulated sugar in sauces, marinades, homemade desserts, and beverages. Saving on a basic ingredient you repeatedly replace can help keep the overall cost of cooking and baking at home more manageable.

Price: 96 cents

Walmart has a ton of canned goods to help you create homemade meals and sides in no time. This low-sodium variety of diced tomatoes is under $1 per can and is perfect for making pasta sauce, salsa, and more. The Hunt's brand costs $1.44, and those prices sure can add up at checkout. 

Canned tomatoes are also useful to keep around for quick dinners when fresh produce is running low. They can serve as a base for soups, chili, stews, casseroles, and other one-pot meals. Since unopened cans can stay in the pantry until you need them, stocking up on an affordable option can make last-minute meal planning easier and reduce the temptation to spend more on takeout.

Price: $2.87

Milk is a staple for many households, so it's important to save every dollar when shopping for it.

If you buy milk weekly, the Great Value brand can save you over $6 per week. For virtually the same milk, the Horizon organic brand costs $9.97, so you'd spend over $35 a month with the more expensive version. For households that routinely use milk for cereal, coffee, baking, or cooking, the price difference can have an even greater impact over time. 

Milk is also a product many shoppers replace frequently, so choosing a less expensive option can create recurring savings rather than a one-time discount. Those repeated grocery swaps can be particularly useful when you're trying to keep a predictable weekly food budget.

Price: $1.24

Keeping your pantry stocked with easy and affordable dinners can help you save time and money. Enjoy penne pasta in no time with this under-$2 Great Value find. Its Barilla counterpart costs $1.84 in comparison, and that's without considering the cost of sauce, meat, and sides.

Dry pasta is especially useful for budget-conscious households because it can form the base of many inexpensive meals and stays shelf-stable until you're ready to cook it. Penne works with tomato sauce, cream sauces, baked pasta dishes, vegetables, and proteins, so you can build dinner around whatever ingredients you already have. Keeping a few low-cost boxes available can also make it easier to avoid pricier convenience meals on busy nights.

Price: $10.48

This 24-pack of cola would be a deal all on its own, but it's even sweeter when you compare it to Coca-Cola. You can pay $14.97 for the same number of Coca-Cola cans, or spend just $10.48 for the Walmart brand.

Once you have a sip of Sam's Cola, however, you may never go back to the name brand. The price difference can be especially noticeable if soda is a regular purchase for your household or something you keep on hand for gatherings. Buying a larger pack can also reduce how often you need to restock. If your family is comfortable switching from a familiar national label to a store brand, beverages can be another category where a simple substitution helps lower the total at checkout.

Price: $1.48

Save over $1 on a pack of eight hot dog buns during your Walmart visit. Typically, Wonder costs $3.06 for white hot dog buns that are the same size and quality. Thankfully, for over $1 less, you can snag some Great Value buns and buy your favorite hot dogs with the savings.

That lower price can come in handy when you're feeding several people at a cookout, birthday party, or casual family dinner. Bread products are easy to overlook when estimating the cost of a meal, but buying less expensive buns can leave more room in the budget for meat, toppings, sides, and drinks. If hot dogs are already an inexpensive dinner option for your household, store-brand buns can help keep the entire meal affordable.

Price: $2.32

Why spend over $1 extra for the name brand when you could save instead? While Hidden Valley is the original Ranch dressing, it will cost you $3.97 for each 16-oz bottle. 

Ranch is also more versatile than its name might suggest, making a lower-priced bottle useful for more than salads. It can work as a dip for vegetables, wings, pizza, or fries, and it can also add flavor to wraps, sandwiches, and other quick meals. If your household goes through dressing regularly, swapping to the store brand can create repeat savings while keeping an everyday condiment stocked in the refrigerator.

Price: $1.98

Staying hydrated is a must this busy summer, but you don't want to break the bank in the process.

For the same zero-sugar flavor of electrolyte powder, you can get three boxes of the Great Value Brand, whereas Propel's kiwi strawberry drink mix would cost $4.47, and you only get one box.

Drink-mix packets can also be convenient for commuting, traveling, workouts, or days spent outdoors because they're easy to keep in a bag and add to water when needed. For households that use flavored hydration products frequently, choosing a less expensive box may help keep that habit from taking up too much of the grocery budget, especially during warmer months when you may reach for drinks more often.

Price: $6.97

Make sure you're shopping for your pet's grocery needs, too, during your Walmart run. Walmart's Ol' Roy brand of dog treats will keep you under $7 for a pack of seven for large and medium-sized dogs.

Purina, however, costs $9.48 for just six bones for small and medium-sized dogs, so you're getting more for your money in the Walmart deal. Pet expenses can take up a meaningful share of a household budget, especially when food, treats, grooming, and routine care are all added together. 

Looking for lower-cost options on purchases you make regularly can help control some of those recurring expenses. Just remember to choose treats that are appropriate for your dog's size and needs, and factor treats into its overall diet.

Don't waste money on name brands when you shop at the grocery store. Walmart makes it easy to find just what you need and keep more cash in your wallet.  And with the savings each month, you can put that money toward more groceries instead.

The key is to compare prices on products you already buy rather than assuming every store-brand item will automatically be the better deal. Look at package sizes, how quickly your household uses an item, and whether you'll actually enjoy the alternative. Even a few consistent swaps on frequently purchased groceries can add up over time, freeing up more of your budget for savings, bills, travel, or other priorities.