Cub Foods vs Walmart: Who is Cheaper for Groceries?
We recently checked out Cub Foods and Target to see who was cheaper, and this time we will pair up Cub Foods and Walmart.
Both stores will have the same grocery list for one full week of meals, and we will see who comes out cheaper. Skip to the end to see the final verdict!
Is Cub Foods more expensive than Walmart?
For this price comparison, I have made a meal plan for a family of 4 using “25 Cheap food that fills you up when you are broke!” as a guide. Our plan is to get groceries for a week that are healthy and cheap!
Here is our meal plan:
Breakfasts
- Scrambled Eggs with Bacon and Toast
- Banana Pancakes with Maple Syrup
- Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars
Lunches
- Leftover Chicken Salad with Raisins Sandwiches
- Black Bean Hummus (using leftover black beans) with Homemade Potato Chips and Carrots
- Taco Salads (leftover taco meat)
- Baked Potatoes with Sour Cream, Cheese, and Bacon
- Dinner Leftovers
Dinners
- Lentil Veggie Soup (using dry lentils, canned tomatoes, chicken broth made from whole chicken, and frozen mixed vegetables)
- Baked BBQ Pork Chops with Carrot Raisin Salad (mayo, lemon juice, & maple syrup), and Baked Potato Wedges
- Chicken Carbonara-ish Pasta with Bacon and Frozen Peas (alfredo sauce with Italian seasoning) *using leftover chicken*
- Whole Baked Chicken with Brown Rice and Baked Carrots
- 1/2lb Ground Turkey and Black Bean Tacos (with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream) and Brown Rice
- 1/2lb Ground Turkey Chili with Cornbread and Side Salad with lemon juice & oil dressing
Snacks
- Bananas
- Carrots
- Popcorn
Sweet Treat
- Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding
For this price comparison, I am using prices available in Rochester, Minnesota. I will be selecting items for our meal plan that are the absolute cheapest.
This means mostly generic store brand options and the smallest size needed. This may not be the best value, but we are going for the cheapest option.
We are assuming that we already have kitchen basics like cooking oil, seasonings, salt/pepper, and baking powder at home. Everything else needed for the meal plan will need to be purchased.
For a more in depth break down on how I would make this meal plan work, check out “Healthy Grocery List for Family of 4 on a Budget #3.”
Produce Section
This is all the fresh vegetables and fruits we need for the week.
| Item | Cub Foods Price | Walmart Price |
| 8 bananas | $0.79 a lb *on sale*= $1.92 | $0.44 a lb = $1.44 |
| Potatoes | Russet 5lb bag= $4.99 | Russet 5lb bag= $2.38 |
| Carrots | Green Giant 1lb bag- $1.49 | 1lb bag- $0.98 |
| Leafy Green Lettuce | 1 head- $2.99 | 1 head- $1.98 |
| 1 Tomato | $3.49 a lb = $1.40 | $2.18 a lb = $1.00 |
| 1 Cucumber | $0.88 each * on sale * | $0.72 each |
| 2 lemons | $1.25 each x2 = $2.50 | $0.63 each x 2= $1.26 |
| Total: (7 items) | $16.17 | $9.76 |
Walmart came in at $9.76 which was $6.41 cheaper than Cub Foods at $16.17.
Deli/Meats
This is all the meats that we will need from the deli and meat counter.
| Item | Cub Foods Price | Walmart Price |
| Pork Chops | $2.99 a lb/Thick pork Chops 1.6 lbs = $4.78 *on sale* | $5.37 a lb / Bone in Loin Chops 1.37lb= $7.41 |
| Whole Chicken | $1.99 a lb/ /5lb=$9.95 *on sale* | $1.12 a lb/ 5.6lb = $6.29 |
| Precooked Bacon | Oscar Meyer 2.52oz box = $4.99 * on sale* | Great Value 2.1oz box = $3.78 |
| 1lb ground turkey | Jennie-O 1lb roll = $4.49 | Festive 1lb roll = $2.10 |
| Total: (4 items) | $24.21 | $19.58 |
Walmart came in at $19.58, which was $4.63 cheaper than Cub Foods at $24.21.
Dry Goods
This is all the dry goods and shelf stable items that we need for our meal plan.
| Item | Cub Foods Price | Walmart Price |
| Peanut Butter | Essential Everyday 16oz – $2.99 | Great Value 18oz jar- $1.74 |
| Sandwich Bread | Cub White Bread 24oz – $1.99 | Great Value white bread 20oz- $1.00 |
| Maple Syrup | Essential Everyday 24oz bottle – $1.99 | Great Value 24oz bottle = $2.14 |
| Oatmeal | Mom’s Best Oats 16oz container – $2.99 | Great Value 18oz canister= $2.48 |
| Brown Sugar | Essential Everyday 32oz bag- $2.49 | Great Value 32oz bag – $1.70 |
| Mayonnaise | Kraft Mayo w/ Olive Oil 12oz = $3.39 | Great Value 30oz = $2.80 |
| Raisins | Everyday Essentials mini boxes (6oz) = $2.19 | Great Value mini boxes (6oz) = $1.48 |
| Black Beans canned | Everyday Essentials 15oz can – $0.99 | Great Value 15oz can = $0.78 |
| Lentils (dry) | Everyday Essentials 16oz bag *on sale* = $1.99 | Great Value 16oz bag- $1.34 |
| Canned tomatoes x 2 | Everyday Essentials 14.5 oz cans $0.99 each= $1.98 | Great Value 14.5oz can $0.72 each=$1.44 |
| BBQ sauce | Kraft 17.5 oz = $2.29 | Great Value 18oz jar – $1.34 |
| Alfredo Sauce | Everyday Essentials 16oz jar = $2.49 | Great Value 16oz jar = $1.74 |
| Brown Rice | Everyday Essentials 16oz bag- $0.99 | Great Value 16oz bag – $0.78 |
| Taco Seasoning | Everyday Essentials 1.25 oz pack – $0.99 | Great Value 1oz pack – $0.48 |
| Flour Tortillas | Frescados 10ct – $1.49 *on sale* | Chi-Chi’s 10ct= $1.48 |
| Kidney Beans | Everyday Essentials 15oz can = $0.99 | Great Value 15oz can = $0.78 |
| Chili Powder | Everyday Essentials 2.5 oz jar- $1.99 | Great Vlaue 3oz jar = $1.00 |
| Cornbread Mix | Betty Crocker 6.5oz pack = $0.79 | Jiffy 8.5oz box = $0.47 |
| Popcorn | Act II 3 bag 8.25 oz = $2.29 * on sale* | Great Value 3 bag 7.67 oz = $1.36 |
| Total: (18 items) | $37.30 | $26.33 |
Walmart came out to $26.33 which was $10.97 cheaper than Cub Foods at $37.30.
Frozen Foods
These are the frozen items needed for this week’s meal plan.
| Item | Cub Foods Price | Walmart Price |
| Frozen Mixed Vegetables | Everyday Essentials 12oz bag = $1.79 | Great Value 12oz bag – $0.84 |
| Frozen Peas | Bird’s Eye 10oz bag – $1.59 * on sale* | Great Value 12oz bag – $0.84 |
| Total: (2 items) | $3.38 | $1.68 |
Walmart came out to $1.68, which was $1.70 cheaper than Cub Foods at $3.38
Dairy Section
These are all the dairy items needed like milk and cheeses.
| Item | Cub Foods Price | Walmart Price |
| Eggs | Eggland’s Best large 12ct = $3.79 | Great Value large 12ct = $2.22 |
| Sour Cream | Everyday Essentials 8oz tub- $1.79 | Great Value 8oz tub – $1.16 |
| Shredded Cheddar Cheese | Crystal Farms 8oz bag = $3.00 * on sale* | Great Value 8oz bag = $2.22 |
| Shredded Mozzarella Cheese | Crystal Farms 8oz bag = $3.00 * on sale* | Great Value 8oz bag = $2.22 |
| Butter (sticks) | Everyday Essentials 1lb – $4.69 | Great Value 1lb = $3.58 |
| Milk | Cub 2% Gallon = $3.79 | Great Value 2% gallon= $3.12 |
| Total: (6 items) | $20.06 | $14.52 |
Walmart came out to $14.52 which was $5.54 cheaper than Cub Foods at $20.06.
Which is cheaper Cub Foods or Walmart?
Walmart easily came out cheaper on each section, so let’s see the overall totals.
| Section | Cub Foods Price | Walmart Price |
| Produce | $16.17 | $9.76 |
| Deli/Meats | $24.21 | $19.58 |
| Dry Goods | $37.30 | $26.33 |
| Frozen Foods | $3.38 | $1.68 |
| Dairy | $20.06 | $14.52 |
| Overall Total: (37 items) | $101.12 | $71.87 |
Walmart came out much cheaper at $71.87. That was $29.25 cheaper than Cub Foods at $101.12.
Just by shopping at Walmart, we potentially saved almost 29% on our grocery budget!
Even with a lot of items on sale at Cub Foods, we easily saved more by shopping at Walmart. With a solid meal plan in place, you can easily shop for a family of 4 and stay under $100 if you shopped at the local Walmart instead of Cub Foods.
For more grocery store comparisions, check out “Cub Foods vs Target: Who is Cheaper for Groceries?“
For tips and tricks to save money on food, check out “Intermittent Fasting to save money on Groceries?” and “Cheapest Fast Food Chicken Nuggets (and Strips/Tenders).”
