Grocery Price Showdown: Central Market vs Sprouts
Today we will do a price comparison of Central Market and Sprouts. Both stores offer lots of all-natural and organic products so this is a great pairing.
We like to do our comparisons with a real grocery list for a family of four for a whole week of meals, so that this is more realistic. (instead of a list of random items)
Key Takeaways
- Sprouts was the winner by 6.9% but was 51% more expensive than Walmart.
- Sprouts had a lot of items on sale that we need this week!
- HEB had some good prices especially in dairy, but the meat prices were really high.
Meal Plan and Grocery List
We put out a new meal plan weekly, and this week’s total came out to $97.31 at the Super Walmart in Austin, Texas. Let’s see how Central Market and Sprouts do and if they can come close to our $100 grocery budget.
Is Sprouts Cheaper than Central Market?
Sprouts does usually have some good prices on produce and bulk weight items so I think that will help. Central Market is actually owned by HEB, so I’m curious is that will help in the pricing.
| Ingredient | Sprouts Price | Central Market Price |
| Raspberries (6oz) | $3.00 *on sale* | $3.99 |
| Strawberries (1lb) | $3.50 | $3.79 |
| Sweet Potatoes (3lb) | $3.99 | $3.36 |
| Asparagus (1 bunch) | $3.38 *on sale* | $4.38 *on sale* |
| Roma Tomatoes (x2) | $1.24 | $0.56 |
| Green Pepper (x1) | $1.00 | $1.25 |
| Onion (x1) | $1.03 | $0.84 |
| Apples (3lb) | $4.77 | $4.41 |
| Bananas (x4) | $0.96 | $1.39 |
| Zucchini (x1) | $1.01 | $0.62 |
| Chicken Breasts (5.5lbs) | $21.94 | $32.94 |
| Pork Loin (4.4lbs) | $15.72 (3.5lbs) | $27.96 (3.5lbs) |
| Turkey Lunchmeat (1lb) | $12.99 *on sale* | $16.49 |
| Bacon (1lb) | $4.55 *on sale* | $7.49 |
| Refried Beans (16oz can) | $1.29 | $1.78 |
| Flour Tortillas (20ct) | $5.49 | $5.98 |
| White Rice (1lb) | $1.79 | $3.79 |
| Chicken Ramen Noodles (x3) | $4.47 | $4.74 |
| Fried Onions | $2.25 *on sale* | $3.47 |
| Green Beans (14.5oz can) | $1.50 *on sale* | $0.88 |
| Sandwich Bread | $3.49 *on sale* | $3.64 |
| Pineapple Cake Mix | $7.49 | $4.69 |
| Vanilla Frosting | $5.99 | $3.54 |
| Teriyaki Sauce | $3.99 *on sale* | $4.98 |
| Orzo Pasta (1lb) | $1.99 | $2.58 |
| Microwave Popcorn | $3.29 | $2.48 |
| Hash Brown Potatoes | $4.99 | $2.82 |
| Chickpeas (15.5oz can) | $2.29 | $1.58 |
| Tomato Sauce (8oz) | $0.99 | $0.98 |
| Italian Style Diced Tomatoes (14.5oz can) | $2.00 *on sale* | $2.29 |
| Frozen Peas (12oz) | $3.33 *on sale* | $2.68 |
| Stir-Fry Veggies (20oz) | $3.99 | $1.98 |
| Tuscan Broccoli (9oz) | $3.99 (plain) | $3.99 (plain) |
| Pierogies (16oz) | $6.99 *on sale* | $4.98 |
| Cream Cheese (8oz) | $2.49 | $2.89 |
| Crescent Rolls (8ct) | $6.99 *on sale* | $3.24 |
| Cheddar cheese (16oz) | $8.49 *on sale* | $6.98 |
| Parmesan Cheese (6oz) | $3.99 | $5.99 |
| Eggs (18ct) | $5.49 | $5.68 (24ct) |
| Milk (half gallon) | $3.19 | $1.92 |
| Vanilla Yogurt (32oz) | $4.99 | $4.29 |
| American Cheese (16oz) | $5.59 | $3.49 |
| Mozzarella cheese (8oz) | $5.49 | $3.49 |
| Total: | $197.66 | $211.29 |
Is Central Market Cheaper than Sprouts?
Sprouts was the cheaper option with a total of $197.66. This was $13.63 (about 7%) less than Central Market’s total of $211.29.
Food for Thought
Both stores were almost double our $100 budget, so let’s see if shopping both places and only buying what was cheaper would help!
By going to both stores, our total would have been $169.57. That would be an additional savings of $28.09 (about 14%).
So, if all natural and organic products are important to you and your family, you may want to consider shopping both grocery stores in order to maximize your savings!
