With grocery prices spiking, we’ve been looking for ways to save wherever we can. And one of the best ways to cut grocery costs might surprise you: shopping for groceries at Amazon. It can save you both time and money — especially if you have an Amazon Prime membership.
Since you can usually get items in bulk quantities, groceries and pantry staples may actually be cheaper on Amazon than they are in the grocery store. Plus, it’s easier to compare brands and price out groceries online than it is when you’re standing in the aisle at the store. And with your Prime benefits, you’ll receive your items in just a few days.
If you’re new to food shopping on Amazon, the grocery bestsellers page is a good place to start browsing. Amazon frequently updates the page with the most-purchased grocery and food items, and these items typically have excellent reviews, too. To help you stock your pantry on a budget, we’ve put together the best food to buy on Amazon (including yummy snack deals!). Plus, we included comparison info to grocery store prices. Here’s everything you need to know.
For money-saving tips and the best deals, download the KCL app or text DEALS to 57299.
The Best Food to Buy on Amazon (Snacks and Groceries)
1. Starbucks Pike Place K-Cup Coffee Pods Pack of 96: $45.31
Skip the drive-thru and make Starbucks coffee at home. This pack of Pike Place Roast K-cups ($45.31, Amazon) has 96 pods that come out to just $0.47 per pod. Compare that to Walmart’s $0.79 per pod for the same product, and you’re saving about $0.32 per pod. That might not seem like a lot (especially when you’re saving $2+ per cup of coffee by skipping the actual Starbucks store). But after 96 pods, it will actually save you $30.72. The price of this Amazon listing typically goes on sale by a few dollars every few months, so stock up when you see the price dip.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $38.51
- Price comparison before sales:
Related: 8 Ways Amazon Grocery Shopping Saves You Time & Money
2. Family-Size Mott’s Fruit-Flavored Snacks: $7.24
Grab a family-size box of fruit snacks ($7.24, Amazon) at the same price as grocery store prices. If you opt for Subscribe & Save, you’ll save an additional 10% with free shipping and skip the crowded grocery store aisles. The price has dropped under $6 in the last few months, so watch for it to dip again to get even more savings.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $5.88
- Price comparison before sales:
3. Sparkling Ice Variety Pack: $10.98
No more carrying heavy packs of drinks through the parking lot to your car. This variety pack of Sparkling Ice drinks ($10.98, Amazon) comes straight to your door, and it’s actually the same price as the variety packs at the grocery store or less if you opt to Subscribe & Save. The Amazon pack comes down to as low as $0.77 per bottle when you Subscribe & Save, compared to $0.91 per bottle at the grocery store. The price of the Amazon variety pack does tend to jump around quite a bit, ranging from $9 to $20. It usually hovers around $14, so watch for it to dip below $10 for the best deal.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $9.33
- Price comparison before sales:
4. Zone Perfect Protein Bars: $19.98
These Zone Perfect protein bars ($19.98, Amazon) are $0.10 cheaper per bar than the best grocery store price we found. This 20-pack box makes each bar just $0.99, compared to $1.10 at Walmart. Plus, when you opt to Subscribe & Save, you can save an additional 15% with free shipping. Then you’ll just pay $0.85 each. The price of this listing does jump around a lot, so be sure to check it before ordering. It’s ranged from $14 – 24 in the last year, usually hovering around $17.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $14.97
- Price comparison before sales:
5. Maruchan Instant Ramen Noodle Soup: $5.76
Instant ramen is a good easy dinner option to have on hand because it’s shelf-stable and easy to make. This 24-pack ($5.76, Amazon) comes out to just $0.24 per meal — exactly the same price as the Walmart pack. However, if you opt in to Subscribe & Save, you can save up to an additional 5% and pay just $0.23 per meal with free shipping. This listing is usually between $5 – $20, so it’s not always a better deal: watch for it to drop below $6 to get a competitive price.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $5.47
- Price comparison before sales:
6. 365 by Whole Foods Market Florida Orange Juice: $4.19
Order this fresh orange juice ($4.19, Amazon) before you get out of bed and you can have it delivered in time for breakfast with the family. It’s only two cents more per ounce than grocery store prices ($0.07 compared to $0.05), and you won’t even have to change your pajamas. Order this with Amazon Fresh if you live in an area where it’s available.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $3.69
- Price comparison before sales:
7. Quaker Instant Oatmeal Variety Pack: $18.29
If your household is big on oatmeal, add this 48-pack ($18.29, Amazon) to your cart — but wait for the price to drop under $14 to get the most savings. Even at regular price, it’s still cheaper per packet ($0.38 vs. $0.39) than Walmart’s prices. However, it frequently goes on sale for less than $14. It recently dropped as low as $11.47, making the packets just $0.23 cents apiece.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $11.47
- Price comparison before sales:
8. Smartfood Popcorn Variety Pack: $21.86
Stock up on healthy snacks for the family with this 40-pack of Smartfood popcorn ($21.86, Amazon). The price of this listing recently spiked to above $20, so wait for it to come back down before purchasing. Even at the higher price, it’s still less expensive than grocery store prices ($0.55 per bag compared to $0.64), but it’s been as cheap as $0.34 per bag in the past year.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $13.98
- Price comparison before sales:
9. Campbell’s Chunky Soup Case of 12: $20.04
Because you can buy in bulk on Amazon, you’ll typically save more on shelf-stable items like Campbell’s Chunky Soup ($20.04, Amazon). At this price, it’s $0.03 cheaper per ounce (or about $0.60 per can), but be wary of frequent price hikes. It occasionally rises as high as $27 but hovers around $22. Anything under $20 is a steal.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $18.24
- Price comparison before sales:
The Best Pantry Staples to Buy on Amazon
1. Barilla Spaghetti Pasta Pack of 6: $15.12
Keep your pantry stocked with this easy weeknight meal staple. The 6-pack of Barilla spaghetti ($15.12, Amazon) tends to fluctuate. However, you can opt for Subscribe & Save and save up to an additional 15% and free shipping. The cost of the Amazon pack also frequently drops under $10, making it just $0.07 per ounce, so watch for that sale price.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $9.69
- Price comparison before sales:
2. Gold Medal All-Purpose Flour: $19.15
Baking staples like sugar and flour are less expensive when you buy in bulk, but lifting a 25-pound bag of flour in and out of my trunk and carrying it into the house is not my idea of a good time. Luckily, you can have a bag of all-purpose flour ($19.15, Amazon) delivered straight to your door — no heavy lifting required! At the current listing price, it’s the same price per ounce as the same brand at the grocery store, but it goes on sale pretty often. Wait for it to dip below $15 for the most savings. Or you can also opt in to Subscribe & Save and score up to an additional 10% off with free shipping.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $13.30
- Price comparison before sales:
3. Authentic Royal Basmati Rice 15-Pound Bag: $15.59
Rice is a good pantry item to keep on hand because it lasts for months and is easy to make. This 15-pound bag ($15.59, Amazon) is consistently one of the best prices on bulk rice. It’s $0.05 cents cheaper per pound, so you’ll save $0.75 when you buy the Amazon bag. The price typically doesn’t change by more than a couple of dollars, so you don’t have to worry about waiting for the best deal.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $14.24
- Price comparison before sales:
4. Happy Belly Old Fashioned Oats: $3.46
Whether you use it for breakfast or baked goods, oats are always a good thing to have on hand. This container of old-fashioned oats ($3.46, Amazon) is only 18 ounces, so it has plenty of oats without taking up too much space as many bulk pantry items do. Right now it’s $0.10 more per ounce than grocery store prices, but it does go on sale for just over $2. Wait for the price to lower again before you stock up.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $2.28
- Price comparison before sales:
5. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: $28.99
The price of this extra virgin olive oil ($28.99, Amazon) has never changed, so it’s a reliable staple item you can stock up on. Extra Virgin Olive Oil can last up to two years in the pantry, which means you can take advantage of the large size. Plus, the Amazon price is within one cent of grocery store prices, meaning add this to your grocery delivery next time you’re running low.
- Lowest price available in the last 12 months: $28.99
- Price comparison before sales:
Bulk Snack Deals on Amazon That Our Readers Love
We’re always taking notes on the deals our readers enjoy the most. Here are the top five snack deals that have been popping up lately:
Consider Amazon Fresh to get your groceries quicker.
Before you start shopping, find out if Amazon Fresh is available in your area. Prime members get free access to Amazon Fresh, which is a same-day grocery delivery service that works similarly to Instacart. Most major cities have it, but it’s not available in all areas. Previously, Amazon Fresh offered Prime members free 2-hour delivery on orders over $35. But at the end of February 2023, all Amazon Fresh orders under $150 will have a delivery fee.
- Under $50: $9.95 delivery fee
- $50 – $100: $6.95 delivery fee
- $100 – $150: $3.95 delivery fee
- Over $150: Free
Amazon Fresh is a great option if you need cold grocery items like milk, eggs, or meat in a pinch. Keep in mind you’ll have to tip your delivery driver. So it does end up being a bit more expensive.
And if you’re someone who strategically uses credit card points, keep in mind that these charges typically don’t count as groceries because they’re billed to Amazon. However, if you have an Amazon Prime Visa, you’ll earn 5% cash back on Amazon Fresh orders.
But either way, you can still stock up on plenty of grocery items and pantry staples without using Amazon Fresh.
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