Rachel Cruze Reveals How To Beat Rising Food Costs by Shopping at Costco, Aldi and Walmart
It’s not your imagination: Groceries are getting increasingly expensive even if you stick to a careful budget each month.
In a YouTube video, money expert Rachel Cruze takes a closer look at three retailers where most people shop for groceries — Costco, Aldi and Walmart — and suggests which offers the best value for your most frequently purchased grocery items.
Soda
Here’s how the math breaks down for bulk soda purchases:
- Walmart: $3.68 for a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans
- Aldi: $3.49 for a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans
- Costco: $12.59 for a 35-pack of 12-ounce cans
After reviewing this math, Cruze said the winning grocery chain for soda is Aldi.
Cereal
Cruze compared different types of Cheerios that can be purchased at these chains:
- Great Value Honey Nut O’s (Walmart): $1.29 for a 21.6-ounce box
- Crispy Oats (Aldi): $2.27 for a 12-ounce box
- Cheerios (Costco): $6.29 for two boxes (totaling 40 ounces altogether)
“After looking at all the costs per ounce,” Cruze said, “Walmart is the winner since it has 21.6 ounces.”
Frozen Dinners
This examines various sheet pan meals for sale at each grocer:
- Walmart: $7.97 for 31 ounces
- Aldi: $5.79 for 24 ounces
- Costco: $11.99 for 56 ounces
Cruze said Costco wins in this category.
Chips
- Walmart: $2.37 for a 15-ounce bag
- Aldi: $1.88 for a 10-ounce bag
- Costco: $5.29 for a 32-ounce bag
After looking at the price per ounce, Costco is the better deal.
Milk
- Walmart: $3.32 for one gallon
- Aldi: $2.97 for one gallon
- Costco: $3.62 for one gallon
Aldi is obviously the cheapest.
Eggs
- Walmart: $2.90 for a dozen eggs
- Aldi: $2.99 for a dozen eggs
- Costco: $4.29 for two dozen eggs
Which retailer has the best value on eggs? After doing the math, Cruze said it’s Costco. This is because Coscto costs $2.14 for a dozen eggs, which is 76 cents cheaper than Walmart’s dozen eggs.
Peanut Butter
- Walmart: $3.47 for 40 ounces
- Aldi: $3.39 for 40 ounces
- Costco: $9.99 for 46 ounces (pack of two)
The winner, at 8.5 cents per ounce, is Aldi.
Jelly
When listing out the prices for jelly, Cruze included the cost per ounce.
- Walmart: $2.28 for 30 ounces (7.6 cents per ounce)
- Aldi: $2.25 for 30 ounces (7.5 cents per ounce)
- Costco: $8.99 for 42 ounces (21 cents per ounce)
And the winner is Aldi, according to Cruze.
Packaged Meats
In this category, Cruze looked at popular pre-sliced turkey meat.
- Walmart: $6.98 for 16 ounces
- Aldi: $5.39 for 16 ounces
- Costco: $17.05 for a little over one pound
At 34 cents per ounce, the winner is Aldi.
Bananas
- Walmart: 57 cents for one pound
- Aldi: 61 cents for one pound
- Costco: $1.59 for three pounds
Costco breaks down to 53 cents per pound, which beats Walmart.
Broccoli
- Walmart: $1.62 for one pound
- Aldi: $2.79 for one pound
- Costco: $2.99 for one pound
After looking at a mix of broccoli types, including fresh and frozen options, the winner is Walmart.
Bread
- Walmart: $1 for 20 ounces
- Aldi: 99 cents for 20 ounces
- Costco: $4.69 for 40 ounces (two loaves)
At 5 cents per ounce, Walmart and Aldi .
Coffee
- Walmart: $2.98 for 11 ounces
- Aldi: $6.49 for 30.5 ounces
- Costco: $15.99 for three pounds
Aldi was the winner at 21 cents per ounce.
Cookies
- Walmart: $2.08 for 13 ounces
- Aldi: $1.49 for 13 ounces
- Costco: $9.99 for 23 ounces
When surveying these three popular grocers for their chocolate chip cookies, Cruze said the winner is Aldi for 11 cents per ounce.
Sliced Cheese
- Walmart: $1.98 for 12 ounces
- Aldi: $3.89 for 16 ounces
- Costco: $7.99 for 32 ounces
The winner is Walmart at 16 cents an ounce.
Bottled Water
- Walmart: $3.48 for a 24-pack
- Aldi: $3.79 for a 24-pack
- Costco: $4.19 for a 40-pack
“For sure the winner here is Costco,” Cruze said.
Chocolate Chips
- Walmart: $1.98 for 12 ounces
- Aldi: $1.89 for 12 ounces
- Costco: $9.99 for 72 ounces
The winner is Costco! Cruze said this is because the price per ounce equals to about 13 cents per ounce.
Breakfast Bars
- Walmart: $1.74 for a six-pack
- Aldi: $1.43 for a six-pack
- Costco: $14.59 for a 48-pack
The winner, at 24 cents per bar, is Aldi.
Hot Dogs
- Walmart: $4.22 for 15 ounces
- Aldi: 79 cents for 12 ounces
- Costco: $13.99 for 3.8 pounds
Aldi is the winner, breaking down to just eight cents per ounce.
Editor’s note: This video was shared in 2022 and prices cited may have changed across these categories. Check in with your local Walmart, Aldi and Costco locations for the most up-to-date pricing.
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