Sam's Club: A Review of Product Buys

I went to Sam's Club last Thursday. Since I'm now in the second month of Nutrisystem, I'm mostly looking at supplementing the rest of my diet with items like fresh fruits and vegetables, skim milk and eggs. Produce items usually vary between visits; for instance, on this last visit, I couldn't find fresh cherries, blackberries or raspberries. On the other hand, they had a large carton of blueberries for $6.98, and I added typically in-stock bargains in economy packages of organic spinach, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and strawberries. [They also have a good price on kiwi fruit.] A gallon of skim milk costs $2.56, which is better price than I get at Safeway on sale. I  also saw a good price on 90% lean ground beef (under $3/lb), and a 64-oz  jar of jalapeno pepper slices sells for $3.28. My favorite bread item, hands-down, is an economy package of Arnold's Multi-Grain Sandwich thins: 100 calories per roll, 4 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber (22-5=17 net carbs), no high fructose corn syrup.

Since my Nutrisystem plan calls for 6 small meals a day (and typically you have a Nutrisystem item for 4 of the 6 meals),  I often plan for the other two unbranded meals. A typical example I've done is to combine a couple of ounces of cold-water fish (salmon, tuna, sardines or mackerel) or a couple of tablespoons of natural crunchy peanut or almond butter with a half-serving of whole-grain crackers. Sam's Club has a couple of good bargains on relevant crackers:  Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers sell for $7.16 for a 20-ounce package; this product is particularly notable for containing flaxseed and being gluten-free  and low sodium. For those customers whom are wheat-tolerant, Special K Multi-Grain Crackers sell for $5.87 a 24-ounce package.

Nutrisystem rations me to 6 almonds per serving daily; Sam's Club is carrying a 3-lb. jar of Sunkist Almonds, flavored with sea salt. Unfortunately, Sam's Club is currently not stocking two of my favorite past repeat purchases:  Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds (38 oz.) and the 2-lb. package of Member's Mark raw/unsalted blended premium nut mix.

I usually drink coffee and iced tea (although I usually try to cut caffeine by mixing in decaffeinated items). One Sam's Club item which caught my eye was a selection of at least 3 different variety packs of flavored Bigelow teas (including regular tea, green tea, and decaffeinated varieties) for $7.86 per 4-box pack.

Other examples of items on my repeat purchase list include: economy packs of Sweet 'N Low packets, jugs of picante sauce/salsa, multi-packs of canned Alaskan pink salmon, sacks of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 5-lb. sacks of flavored EAS whey protein, the 160-tea bag box of Bigelow Green Tea, a 101-oz container of extra virgin olive oil, multi-can packs of Progresso Light or Healthy Choice soups, twin packs of V-8 vegetable juice, 32-quart mix cartons of Crystal Light, bagged walnuts or almonds, frozen berries, Brita water filter packs, and various vitamins and supplements.

Sam's Club still has a limited selection for dieting or health-conscious consumers. In many cases, items I frequently purchased are no longer carried or in stock e.g., a twin pack of Roman Meal Superseed bread, lavash flat breads, dried black beans, or a multi-pound bag of whole wheat pasta.  [In contrast, I used to shop at BJ's Wholesale Club, and they carried (at least at one point) ground buffalo and ostrich and multi-packs of sardines. It would be nice to see grass-fed meats carried, at least in limited quantities.] I would also like to see a wider variety of lower-calorie, lower-sodium, whole-grain, higher-fiber, lower-carb/lower-sugar and/or lower-fat units or packs of salad dressings, chili (e.g., turkey chili), nut butters, juices, snacks and other assorted grocery items.