Sam’s Club Gluten Free vs. Costco Gluten Free
Deciding whether to join a wholesale club is a big decision, especially if you have the added challenge of needing gluten free options. Sam’s Club gluten free selection is different than Costco gluten free selection. The offerings, which are listed in detail below, are sorted by pantry staples like dry goods (pasta, rice, pancake mix, bread), refrigerated (almond milk, produce, meat), frozen (meat, vegetables), and snacks (chips, crackers, hummus, and more)! It is important to choose the membership that had the most gluten free product offerings AND the best prices. Warehouse clubs are a great way to save money, especially if you are into meal planning.
Sam’s Club Gluten Free Selection
- Fruits & Vegetables
- Meats
- Crunchmaster Crackers
- Gluten Free Flour
- Snacks (Hummus, chips, etc)
Costco Gluten Free Selection
- Fruits & Vegetables
- Meats
- Crunchmaster Crackers
- Gluten Free Flour
- Snacks (Hummus, chips, etc)
For this comparison, cost and selection are factored into the ratings. A gluten free shopping cart of 21 similar items was compared side by side (see below), and the results were a bit surprising.
Although Costco’s basket was 8% more expensive in total ($197.26 vs. $181.08), the unit price turned out to be 9% less expensive at Costco ($19.40 vs. $21.34). It turns out that each warehouse club has better deals on different items. Keep reading for more details.
Although Sam’s total shopping cart was cheaper, Costco came out ahead in several categories, most notably ground turkey, where it was 50% cheaper than Sam’s. Sam’s had the best deal on Crunchmaster crackers at almost 44% cheaper than Costco, and on frozen chicken, which was over 38% cheaper than Costco! For gluten free items, Costco had the best deal on gluten free Milton’s crackers (25.19% cheaper) and gluten free bread (almost 24% cheaper). (Availability may vary at your local store.)
However, there is also weight behind item selection, of which Costco far surpasses Sam’s Club, especially in the snacks and crackers category (9 items vs. 4 items, mentioned below). Read on to find out which items are available at which clubs.
Download the complete Sam’s Club Gluten Free vs. Costco Gluten Free Guide for free!
Pantry staples: Costco vs. Sam’s Club
Dry goods
Flour
Costco: 
Sam’s: Sometimes they have Bob’s Red Mill, but not consistently.
Bob’s Red Mill Super-fine Almond Flour (3 lb) – $11.18 (on sale, $2.80 instant savings)
Rice & Grains
This is a staple for our family! We have it with almost every meal.
Costco:
Seeds of Change Organic Quinoa and Brown Rice. Just what it says…quinoa and brown rice. Very tasty and easy to cook, just pop in the microwave for 90 seconds! They have this every time I go, and we always make sure we have this in the pantry. It is also organic! It’s great as a side dish or as a meal!
- Cucina & Amore Ready to Eat Meal, Artichoke & Roasted Pepper: This is a convenient, ready to eat meal that you can eat without heating up, or heat it up for a hot meal. It has 2 separate packets; one cup full of quinoa and one smaller cup full of artichoke and red pepper. Mix them together for an instant meal!
Sam’s:
Pasta
Costco:
Sam’s:
- Our Sam’s does not have any gluten free pasta. They list Daily Chef Gluten-free Penne online, but it’s not available at our club.
Pancake mix
Costco:
- WildRoots Ancient Grain Pancake and Waffle Mix
Sam’s Club: Does not have gluten free pancake mix
Bread
Costco:
Udi’s Gluten Free Bread
- Rudi’s Gluten-Free Tortilla Wraps
Sam’s Club: They looked at me funny when I asked if they had gluten free bread. Strike!
Refrigerated
Almond milk
Costco:
- Kirkland almond milk, soy milk, rice milk. Silk almond milk.
Sam’s Club:
- Silk Almond Milk, Member’s Mark almond milk (refrigerated)
Snacks
Chips
Costco:
- Kirkland Organic Tortilla chips. Made with a blend of white and yellow corn.
Food Should Taste Good Organic Multigrain Tortilla Chips
“Flax, sunflower and sesame seeds add to the distinctively nutty flavor, making this chip a wholesome, perfect snack to be enjoyed on its own or dipped into your favorite hummus.”- Late July Sea Salt Multigrain Tortilla Chips – Okay these are delicious!!
Sam’s Club:
- WildRoots Tortilla Chips.
“A Sam’s Club exclusive, WildRoots Tortilla Chips are made with red quinoa, flax seeds and chia seeds. Packed with nutritional benefits, the combination of these super grains makes these tortilla chips the perfect nutritious snack for you and your family. The WildRoots philosophy: If you can’t pronounce it, you shouldn’t eat it.” - Blue Tortilla Chips
Crackers
Costco:
Crunchmaster Multigrain Crackers (28 oz)
“6-seed blend: Sesame, Flax, Quinoa, Amaranth, Millet & Chia”- Mary’s Gone Crackers
- Fresh Gourmet Parmesan Cheese Crisps – contains milk/dairy
Milton’s Gluten Free Crackers (Crispy Sea Salt) – contains milk/dairy
RW Garcia Organic Sweet Potato Crackers – these have flaxseed, seame and chia.
Sam’s Club:
Crunchmaster 5 seed Multigrain Cracker (20 oz)
“Crunchmaster’s all-natural crackers are cholesterol free, gluten free and wheat free. Over 270 crackers per box with a great toasted multi-seed taste. Each serving has 290 mg of omega-3 as well as low saturated fat and low sodium. They’re 100% whole grain crackers that are great for snack time or with a meal.”
Hummus
Costco has 2 different kinds of hummus to choose from:
- Sabra Roasted Pine Nut Hummus
“Creamy hummus with the delicate flavor of lightly roasted pine nuts” (This one is my favorite!) - Pita Pal Spicy Red Pepper Hummus
“A rich creamy blend of fresh red peppers, fresh steamed garbanzos beans, sesame tahini, lemon juice, and spices.”
Sam’s: Sabra Hummus (regular)
Other Healthy Snack Foods
Costco:
Tropical Fields Crispy Coconut Rolls with sesame seeds – these light and crisp snacks are made with coconut milk and contain no artificial color or flavors. They are delicious!
180 Degree Snacks Toasted Coconut Mango Squares – these bite sized mango coconut square snacks are delicious and healthy! Gluten free, kosher, nut free, and vegan.
- Protein bars
Harvest Snap Peas – These are one of my favorites! Baked and lightly salted green pea crisps. YUM!
Nature Valley Almond Cups (processed in a facility that has wheat products). These come in several different flavors. Costco and Sam’s both have the almond butter flavor. The local grocery store has chocolate almond butter and peanut butter chocolate!
- Yum Foods Fruit Snacks
Popcorn by Popcornopolis – contains milk/dairy
Figgy Pops – these come in 4 flavors. Our Costco has 3 flavors.
- Chia seeds
Emmy’s Organics Coconut Cookies (Vanilla Bean) – oh my gosh. These are so delish. You will forget they are gluten free.
- Kirkland Chocolate Chips – these are the best dairy free chocolate chips ever. Plus, the price can’t be beat at $8.99 for a 4.5 pound bag. What!? Ingredients: Chocolate liquor, sugar, vanilla, soy lecithin (emulsifier). Our Costco doesn’t always have these, but I found them before Christmas and bought 4 bags.
Sam’s Club:
Nature Valley Almond Butter Granola Nut Chocolate Layered Bars (processed in a facility that has wheat products). These are fairly new and are a tasty snack.Larabars: Sam’s rotates between full sized Larabars (Apple & Chocolate chip cookie dough) and the mini “bite” size Larabars (Peanut butter chocolate chip & Chocolate chip cookie dough)
- OatMega grass-fed whey protein bars
Meat
Costco:
- Chicken Tomatillo Tamales – these are my absolute favorite, in a pinch, just boil them for 20 minutes and serve with salsa (or tomatillo salsa – yum!!). They also come in other flavors (pork with tomato)
- Coleman Organic Hearty Italian Chicken Meatballs
- Kirkland Rotisserie chicken
- Silva gluten free chicken sausage
- Deli meat
Sam’s Club:
- Beef Taquitos
Sausage
Costco gluten free selection and Sam’s Club gluten free selection for naturally gluten-free foods includes vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, cheeses and nuts.
In conclusion, after reviewing the list above, it appears Costco is the clear winner in gluten free food selection from a warehouse club, although both offer gluten free breads, flours, produce, and meat, which are naturally gluten free. Sam’s Club gluten free cart had a cheaper altogether basket price, but Costco gluten free cart had a cheaper unit price overall ($19.40 vs. $21.34).
Download the complete Sam’s Club Gluten Free vs. Costco Gluten Free Guide for free!
Reader feedback: Do you have a favorite? Let me know below!
If you don’t care to get a membership, or you live in a small town, check out these products on Amazon. They have a Prime Pantry service that allows you to buy food in bulk!