Why Some Shoppers Avoid Buying Meat At Sam's Club

Sam's Club offers a lot of frugal options, but some people aren't happy with its meat selection. Everyone has negative shopping experiences sometimes, but some argue that Sam's Club is particularly guilty of not offering a great meat selection. Or, an even worse sin for a cheap package store, that it's too expensive. The question is: What are they comparing the store to? Most of the time, a butchery is going to have the best selection of meat for a higher price to match the quality. You're getting a product from meat specialists who know the ins and outs of whatever you plan to cook. Grocery stores don't always hit that mark.

The reason people are having a hard time with Sam's Club might be because they aren't sure which brands are up to par or not. A corporate wholesale retailer needs to appeal to a broad audience, offering a range of products for the lowest price people are willing to pay as members. Sometimes that means sacrificing certain qualities for lower costs. Stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts tailor themselves to customers seeking only the finest organic products, meaning they might have to be more discerning when choosing which meats to carry. It's worth making these comparisons if you care about high-quality meat, but Sam's Club still has some hidden gems.

If you're not often a fan of the meat selection at Sam's Club, there are a few items that could make your trip worth it. Starting with the beef, some customers don't appreciate the leanness of the ground beef packages. Many cooks prefer a high fat ratio of 80:20, but most of the Sam's Club ground beef has a ratio of 93:7 or 88:12. However, this doesn't apply to the Member's Mark organic grass-fed beef, which is 85% lean with 15% fat — a pretty solid deal for under $5 per pound.

The fish section is where things get tricky again. To get the best bang for your buck, check each fish container for a label reading "wild-caught." On average, wild-caught fish are leaner and have a brighter flavor and color than farm-raised fish. Member's Mark has both kinds of seafood, but they offer some great wild-caught sockeye salmon, frozen shrimp, and even frozen scallops.

It's hard to compare Sam's Club to other wholesale stores like Costco. Costco does have a better variety of meat, but Sam's Club's annual membership and price per meat item are usually cheaper. Both have good rotisserie chickens for around the same price. Sam's Club is also on the come up, as it recently announced that it will be making new strides in quality and sustainability in 2025, so perhaps better beef will be part of the deal.