12 Sam's Club Items I Wish I'd Started Buying Years Sooner

Some Sam's Club buys feel like a splurge at the register and a bargain every week after. Once you see the per-unit math on staples like olive oil, coffee pods, and batteries, it's hard to go back to buying small. If you want to save money at Sam's Club, these are the items worth making permanent fixtures on your list.

This roundup mixes pantry favorites with household essentials, all from the Member's Mark store brand. Standouts include 66 AA batteries for about 28 cents apiece and a glass food storage set that costs less than a comparable Pyrex set.

With holiday baking and hosting around the corner, now's a smart time to stock up.

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

Smart Drivers, Smarter Savings.

Compare car insurance rates in Ohio

See if lower rates are available

Currently Insured?

Yes

No

Multiple Cars?

Yes

No

Homeowner

Yes

No

Age

30-39

• 18-29
• 30-39
• 40-49
• 50-59
• 60-69
• 70-79
• 80+

Compare Quotes

By clicking the button above, I understand and agree that this site uses site visit recording technology (provided by Trusted Form, Jornaya, and Microsoft Clarity) Privacy Policy

Smart Drivers, Smarter Savings.

Great News! We’ve located some excellent quote options just for you.

Where can we send you info and recommendations?

Enter Email

Bundle Home & Auto to Save More?

Yes

No

Active Military?

No

Yes

Compare Quotes

By clicking the button above, I understand and agree that this site uses site visit recording technology (provided by Trusted Form, Jornaya, and Microsoft Clarity) Privacy Policy

Price: $12.28

If you've been pouring flavored pancake syrup out of habit, this is the switch to make. Member's Mark Organic 100% Pure Maple Syrup comes in a 32-ounce crock-style jug with a rich amber color and no preservatives, and it works out to about 38 cents an ounce.

Real maple syrup goes well beyond breakfast, too. Drizzle it over roasted sweet potatoes or Brussels sprouts, stir a spoonful into oatmeal or plain yogurt, or use it to glaze a holiday ham. Shopper Tom said: "It has the taste I remember as a youngster that really complements pancakes, waffles, and French toast." Just remember to keep it in the fridge once it's open.

Price: $24.98

If your plastic containers are stained orange from last year's chili, it's time for an upgrade. This 24-piece set is made by Glasslock from tempered, shatter-resistant glass, with leak-proof, BPA-free snap lids. The glass containers are rated safe for the freezer, dishwasher, microwave, and oven, and they nest together so they don't swallow an entire cabinet.

Glass also won't hold onto smells or stains the way plastic does, so Tuesday's curry won't haunt Thursday's fruit salad. For comparison, the Pyrex Simply Store Glass Bakeware Set, 24 Piece sells for $31.97 at Walmart, so you'll save about $7 with the Sam's Club version.

Price: $10.22

Holiday baking season can burn through butter faster than you'd think, and that's when buying in bulk really pays off. This pack includes 16 four-ounce sticks, or 4 pounds total, which works out to roughly $2.56 a pound. It's a standard 80% butterfat butter churned in California, made from milk not treated with the growth hormone rBST.

Butter freezes well, so you can tuck a few sticks in the freezer and pull them out as needed for cookies, pie crusts, and mashed potatoes. Shopper greysiipeeps said: "You can really taste the butter flavor in my chocolate chip cookies, without altering the amount." That's a ringing endorsement from someone who clearly takes their cookies seriously.

Price: $18.48

Remote controls, wall clocks, flashlights, kitchen scales, and battery-operated candles all seem to run out at the worst possible moment. A 66-pack of AA batteries means you'll have backups ready for nearly anything in the house, and you won't have to make a special trip to the store when the TV remote quits mid-show.

The price per battery is where this really shines. At $18.48, each one costs about 28 cents. Compare that with a Duracell Coppertop AA 24-pack, which costs $22.49 at Walmart, or about 94 cents a battery. You get nearly three times as many batteries for less money.

Price: $23.98

If you cook most nights, those small bottles of olive oil disappear fast and add up even faster. This 101-ounce jug of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil comes out to about 24 cents an ounce, and it holds more than 12 cups, enough for months of sautéing, roasting, and homemade salad dressings.

To keep it fresh, store the big jug in a cool, dark cupboard away from the stove and refill a smaller cruet or bottle for everyday use. That way, the bulk supply stays protected from heat and light. With a 4.7-star rating from more than 2,400 reviews, it's a pantry staple that a lot of Sam's Club shoppers clearly don't want to be without.

Price: $16.47

Once you start lining sheet pans with parchment paper, scrubbing burnt-on cookie residue becomes a thing of the past. This two-pack includes 205 square feet per roll, or 410 square feet total, which works out to about 4 cents a square foot. It's oven-safe up to 420 degrees Fahrenheit and is both FSC and kosher certified.

Use it for roasting vegetables, baking cookies, lining cake pans, or making easy sheet-pan dinners where cleanup takes about 30 seconds. With Thanksgiving and holiday cookie season coming up, having two big rolls on hand means you won't run out halfway through a batch. Tuck the second roll in the pantry, and you're set well into next year.

Price: $32.98

If you start every morning with a single-serve coffee maker, the cost of pods can quietly become one of your biggest grocery expenses. This box of 100 Member's Mark French Roast pods costs about 33 cents a cup. It's a dark roast with rich body and smoky notes, made from 100% Arabica beans that are Fair Trade Certified.

Now compare that with Starbucks French Roast K-Cup Coffee Pods, 44 Count, which cost $36.37 at Walmart, or about 83 cents a pod. If you drink two cups a day, switching saves you roughly $1 a day, which adds up to more than $350 over a year.

Price: $20.93

There's a reason this is one of the most-reviewed products on Sam's Club's website, with more than 150,000 ratings and an average of 4.8 stars. The pack includes 15 individually wrapped mega rolls with 150 quilted, two-ply sheets each, for 2,250 sheets total. Sam's Club says that's the equivalent of 30 regular rolls.

At $20.93, each mega roll costs about $1.40, or around 70 cents per regular-roll equivalent. The select-a-size sheets let you tear off just what you need for a small spill, which helps a pack last even longer. Stash a few rolls in the garage or laundry room so you're never caught short.

Price: $11.66

Fresh berries are delicious, but they can turn fuzzy in the fridge before you get around to eating them. This 4-pound bag of frozen blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries solves that problem. The berries are picked at peak ripeness and frozen, with no added sweeteners or preservatives, and the bag costs about 18 cents an ounce.

Toss a handful into a morning smoothie, stir them into oatmeal or yogurt, or bake them into a cobbler or muffins. Because you can scoop out only what you need, nothing goes to waste. That makes this a smart buy for anyone cooking for one or two who's tired of throwing out moldy berries.

Price: $19.98 (on sale from $20.98)

Trash bags aren't glamorous, but running out of them is a special kind of annoying. This box holds 200 tall kitchen bags split across two rolls, which works out to about 10 cents a bag. For most households, that's enough to last many months, and the fresh scent helps keep the kitchen from smelling like last night's fish.

The bags are designed to stretch, which helps when you're cramming in one more paper plate after a family dinner. Shopper Frankie T said: "Strong and durable." Short and sweet, and with a 4.8-star rating from more than 17,000 reviews, plenty of other shoppers seem to agree. Keep the second roll under the sink so a refill is always close by.

Price: $14.98

Snacking straight from a giant container of mixed nuts makes it easy to overdo it. This multipack takes care of portion control for you, with 18 individually packaged servings of walnuts, almonds, pecans, and pistachios. Each 1.4-ounce bag costs about 83 cents, and the mix is low in saturated fat at 2.5 grams per serving.

Toss a pack in your purse for errands, the car for road trips, or your tote bag for doctor's appointments that run long. They're also handy for grandkids' visits or a quick afternoon snack that keeps you full until dinner. Compared with grabbing a snack from a convenience store, the savings add up quickly.

Price: $19.48

Measuring liquid detergent can get messy, and it's easy to use more than you need. These Power Pacs take the guesswork out of laundry day. The box contains 130 pacs split between two bags of 65, and each one costs about 15 cents. They're formulated to tackle tough stains with no pre-treating required, plus help with whitening and color protection.

The Blooming Breeze scent includes citrus and floral notes, so your towels and sheets come out smelling fresh. For a household doing four or five loads a week, a box this size can last six months or more. Keep the Power Pacs in their bag and out of reach of curious grandkids and pets.

Buying in bulk at Sam's Club can take a real bite out of your everyday spending, especially on staples you use every week. Start with a few of these favorites and watch the per-unit savings add up. When you check out, using one of the best cash back credit cards is a smart way to make your money go further.