6 Premade Meals From Sam’s Club That Are Cheaper Than Takeout
Written by
Daria Uhlig
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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When you’re too busy or too tired to cook, takeout gives you a break and lets you dine in the comfort of your own home. But fast food is expensive these days and restaurant meals are out of reach for many families.
Enter Sam’s Club prepared meals, sold under the budget-friendly brand name Member’s Mark. For less than the price of takeout, you can pick up a Member’s Mark meal on your way home from work or errands — or, for a fee, have it and your other Sam’s Club purchases delivered to your door.
Here are top premade meals from Sam’s Club that cost less than takeout.
Rotisserie Chicken With Sides
- Sam’s Club price: $30.06
- Boston Market price: $38.99
Rotisserie chicken is a reasonably healthy entree and it’s one of the most cost effective — if you buy it from a warehouse club. Sam’s Club rotisserie chickens are raised with no antibiotics and they’re marinated and seasoned before roasting. Pair one with Sam’s Club prepared mac & cheese and Caesar salad and throw in a package of Hawaiian rolls and you can feed a family of four for a lot less money than you’d pay to take out an equivalent meal from Boston market.
Pizza With Salad
- Sam’s Club price: $19.28
- Domino’s Pizza price: $34.97 (extra pepperoni, two classic garden salads)
For a couple of dollars more than a “premium” frozen pie, you can get a fresh-out-of-the-oven Member’s Mark Hot Baked Café pizza, plain or loaded with meat, from Sam’s Club. Add a Caesar salad to make it a complete meal at a bargain price compared to takeout from Domino’s.
Chicken Pot Pie
- Sam’s Club price: 20.41
- KFC’s price: $29.16
A savory pot pie is comfort food at its best. The Member’s Mark chicken pot pie from Sam’s Club is jumbo-sized at about 5 pounds, so it easily serves four to six people. And the price is almost 50% less than the cost of four pot pies from KFC.
Enchiladas With Beans
- Sam’s Club price: $22.91
- On the Border price: $40.17
Nothing satisfies a craving for Mexican-style food like cheesy, spicy enchiladas. Member’s Mark hatch chile and chicken enchiladas come three in a tin weighing roughly three pounds. Although the package label says it serves six, three is more realistic. To recreate On the Border’s enchilada entrees, which come with rice and refried beans or a double order of either, the Sam’s Club price listed above includes a package of six 16-ounce cans of Old El Paso refried beans, which should give you enough leftovers for at least a couple of additional Member’s Mark enchilada orders.
Chicken Alfredo With Salad
- Sam’s Club price: $24.63
- Olive Garden price: $84.98
Chicken Alfredo is a favorite among Olive Garden customers, but it comes at a hefty price. The Member’s Mark family-size chicken Alfredo provides about 3.5 pounds of creamy, cheesy, chicken-topped pasta. Add a Caesar salad to replicate Olive Garden’s family-size Alfredo and salad at a fraction of the price.
Grilled Chicken Breasts With Sides
- Sam’s Club price: $25.35
- Olive Garden price: $41.17
This last price comparison again pits Sam’s Club against Olive Garden, this time with Member’s Mark Italian-herbed chicken breasts versus Olive Garden grilled chicken breasts, each in family size. Adding a Member’s Mark Mediterranean kale and pasta salad makes the Sam’s Club version a complete meal. The Olive Garden version has the bread sticks accompanying two house salads as its only starch.
Editor’s note: Pricing and availability may vary depending on location.
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