6 Grocery Splurges That Are Worth Every Penny — Even With Tariffs
Written by
Heather Taylor
Edited by
Levi Leidy
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Many grocery shoppers default to tried-and-true shopping hacks to save money, like buying generic brands over name brands. But just because there’s a generic option available doesn’t mean it’s worth the money spent. Sometimes it’s worth it to pay more for good taste, even if it’s just to give you a little treat during a time of economic turmoil.
Now, President Trump’s tariffs being tacked on almost guarantees your grocery bill goes up. Commonly imported goods like olive oil, cheese, coffee, nuts, rice and more will spike anywhere from 10% to over 40%, depending on which country typically ships those goods into the United States.
A thread on Reddit’s r/Cooking subreddit revealed the types of groceries ordinary Americans are willing to spend more money on because the quality is ROI-positive. Here are their top grocery splurges.
Lea & Perrins The Original Worcestershire Sauce
Multiple Reddit users agreed that it’s better to spend more money on Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce than settle for another name brand or generic version. At Sam’s Club, shoppers can bulk-buy two 20-ounce bottles for $9.38.
Delicious taste aside, user Plane_Practice8184 said it’s worth it to buy the Lea & Perrins brand because the company has made the sauce for more than a century and ferments it in barrels. However, as this product is imported from England, it could be subject to a 20% tariff.
Cheese
All kinds of cheeses were mentioned throughout the thread as a grocery splurge worth spending more money on. The 20% tariff on theEuropean Union, specifically Italy, France, Spain and the Netherlands, where the U.S. gets a good portion of the cheese you see in grocery stores, could put a painful dent in your grocery bill.
Nevertheless, Reddit users recommended paying more for parmesan (shop for wedges over shaken cans) and ricotta for the best taste.
Mayonnaise
The type of mayonnaise you use can make all the difference for flavoring in mayo-heavy dishes. While Reddit users debated whether Best Foods, Hellmann’s or Duke’s was the superior brand, all were in agreement that these brands taste better than generic mayonnaise.
Deli Meat
Consider spending a little more money for a fresh cut of deli meat at the deli counter, even if the prepackaged name brands are on sale. “In my experience, prepackaged [deli meat] is outrageously worse and more expensive,” wrote Reddit user front_torch.
San Marzano Tomatoes
The next time you need tomatoes from the store, add San Marzano tomatoes to your shopping list. A 28-ounce can from the Cento brand retails for $5.99 at Target.
This is a little more expensive than what you might pay for another brand, but the taste of these plum tomatoes comes highly recommended from the Reddit community. It could be subject to a 20% tariff as this product is imported from Italy. If you’re not able to find San Marzano tomatoes for sale at your supermarket, keep your eyes peeled for vine-ripened tomatoes instead.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Shell out more money for high-quality extra virgin olive oil whenever you can — and beware any olive oil that comes in clear bottles. This ties in with overall health and wellness as much as it does taste, according to the Reddit community. Keep in mind that countries such as Spain, Italy and Greece, which are part of the European Union, are now subject to a 20% tariff, so olive oil could fetch a premium price.
Editor’s note: Prices were accurate as of April 25, 2025, and are subject to change.
Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article.
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