Grocery Price Showdown: Pick N’ Save vs Lamb’s Fresh Market
Our last stop in Wausau, Wisconsin is to look at Pick N Save (a Kroger owned store) and Lamb’s Market (a small local chain). Will this be a David and Goliath battle or will we be surprised by the prices?
We love to compare real prices on real foods that families actually eat. So, we will be using our weekly grocery list for our meal plan to compare prices at these two grocery stores!
Key Takeaways
- Pick N Save did come out cheaper this week.
- Lamb’s Market had way more items on sale than Pick N Save which was surprising to me. (Kroger owned stores are known for their huge sales)
- Lamb’s Market would have had a much better shot at a lower total if their Chicken Leg Quarter prices were more competitive.
Meal Plan and Grocery List
This week we have a $100 meal plan for all meals for a Family of 4! This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and a sweet treat.
Here is our strategic grocery list that we will be using for our price comparisons:
This grocery list came out to $91.17 at the local Walmart in Wausau, Wisconsin, so let’s see how our stores compare to that!
Will both stores stay under our $100 grocery budget?
Is Lamb’s cheaper than Pick N Save?
Kroger prices have been very high lately to me, so this will be a tough one. I am guessing Pick N Save will be cheaper, but not by much!
| Ingredient | Pick N Save Price | Lamb’s Fresh Market Price |
| Bananas (x6) | $1.26 | $1.77 |
| Mushrooms (8oz) | $2.39 | $2.69 |
| Onion (x2) | $1.00 | $1.19 |
| Potatoes (5lb) | $3.19 | $1.99 *on sale* |
| Lettuce | $1.89 | $1.99 |
| Tomato (x1) | $1.23 | $1.19 |
| Cabbage | $2.23 | $2.47 |
| Carrots (1lb) | $1.33 | $1.69 |
| Celery | $1.69 *on sale* | $1.79 |
| Oranges (4lb) | $4.99 | $5.99 |
| Bell Peppers (x2) | $1.58 | $2.58 |
| Chicken Leg Quarters (10lb) | $11.90 | $21.90 |
| Breakfast Sausage (1lb) | $3.50 *on sale* | $3.00 *on sale* |
| Pork Chops (4ct) | $5.00 | $3.11 *on sale* |
| Ground Turkey (1lb) | $3.99 *on sale* | $5.29 |
| Bagels (6ct) | $2.79 | $2.09 (5ct) |
| Pasta (1lb) | $1.25 *on sale* | $1.25 *on sale* |
| Green Beans (14.5oz can) | $0.89 | $0.89 *on sale* |
| Baking Mix | $2.19 | $3.85 |
| Ranch Dressing | $2.49 | $2.29 *on sale* |
| Hot Sauce | $1.49 | $1.00 *on sale* |
| Pineapple (20oz can) | $1.69 | $2.19 |
| Brown Sugar | $2.59 | $2.50 *on sale* |
| Yellow Rice (16oz) | $3.75 *on sale* | $3.38 |
| Taco Seasoning | $0.59 | $0.69 *on sale* |
| Tortillas (20ct) | $2.49 | $2.85 |
| Refried Beans (16oz can) | $1.19 | $1.59 |
| Flour | $2.69 | $2.50 *on sale* |
| Cinnamon | $1.50 | $1.89 |
| Sandwich Bread | $1.49 | $2.45 |
| Crackers | $1.99 | $2.50 *on sale* |
| Hashbrowns | $3.99 | $2.99 |
| Frozen Broccoli (12oz) | $1.25 *on sale* | $1.50 *on sale* |
| Cream Cheese (16oz) | $3.98 | $5.65 |
| Eggs (18ct) | $2.98 | $2.95 |
| Butter (1lb) | $2.99 *on sale/coupon* | $3.00 *on sale* |
| American Cheese | $1.99 | $2.50 *on sale* |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.89 | $3.69 *on sale* |
| Cheddar Cheese (16oz) | $4.29 | $4.00 *on sale* |
| Total: | $102.60 | $118.83 |
Pick N Save did come out cheaper with a total of $102.60. This was $16.23 (about 13%) cheaper than Lamb’s Fresh Market.
Unfortunately, neither store came out with a total of $100 or less which was our goal for groceries.
Food for Thought
Let’s see if shopping both grocery stores, could potentially save us more money and get us under $100.
If we only bought what was cheaper at each store, our total would have been $95.61. That is an additional savings of $6.99 or about 6.8%.
While the extra $6.99 savings sounds good, both stores would have to be convenient and I would have to have the time to shop both places. Otherwise, I’m not sure the savings would be worth it.
