Buying snacks in bulk ... worth it or not? (part 1)

In my efforts to keep my family's food cost down, I chose to explore a near bulk food warehouse. Here in WA state, we have Costco and Sam's Club; my research is based on Costco. In the past, we've had a Costco membership, but I can honestly say, that I didn't pay THAT close attention to how much snacks cost per serving. Now that I am considering a membership once again, the cost-per-serving factor plays a major role in my decision. I compared a bulk food warehouse (Costco) to a local store (Target).
But perhaps you don't live by a Costco, perhaps you live by a different bulk food warehouse? Well, my research should give you some indication of the answer to the question ... is buying snacks in bulk cost-effective, or is it a hyped-up, waste of money? Let's take a look.
Please note: Since there were so many snacks, I divided them into two posts - one on munchie-type snacks (crackers, goldfish, etc) and one on fruit-related snacks (dried fruit, applesauce, etc). I will post the fruit-related one on Thursday.

Let's start with the Costco size variety pack of Annie's snacks - pre-packaged Bunny Grahams, Cheddar Bunnies, etc. At Costco, you pay $0.33/serving. At Target, you pay $0.46/serving.

Costco sells a 45-count package of Austin cookies and crackers; the cost/serving is $0.18.

I love the variety, while my kids just love eating any of them, since I rarely buy them. At Target, Keebler crackers (a comparable brand) offers packages of 8 (no variety) for $0.31.

At Costco, you can buy a GIANT box of Cheez-It's for $0.18/serving. At Target, you have the option to buy a box and divide it into snack baggies ($0.24/serving), or purchase the pre-packaged baggies ($0.41). Note that the price difference reflects the convenience factor of pre-packaging. Not necessarily a bad thing, but a good thing to know in order to be an informed buyer.

A massive bag of Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Chips is $5.99 at Costco, working out to $0.25/serving. I don't recall what a normal-sized bag costs at a grocery store, but I'm betting that Costco wins on this one.

A package of 60 string cheese is $0.20/serving at Costco. In the grocery store, string cheese usually costs around $4 for 12 sticks, which is about $0.33/serving. Perhaps not a huge savings, but you won't have to remember to buy string cheese for a while! Plus, you can freeze them!

This is a new-to-me product. I've purchased regular GoGurt for my kids, but I'm glad that there is a natural-flavored, less-sugary option. Costco sells GoGurt Simple for $0.25/serving. I believe that a grocery store sells these for $2.48/8 GoGurt, making the cost $0.31/serving.

Goldfish - A staple in little-kid-households! Costco sells a HUGE box of Goldfish for $8.99, making the cost-per-serving $0.17. At Target, there are a few options - small bag ($0.33/serving), medium box ($0.40/serving), and the large box ($0.24/serving). Even with all of the options offered, Costco still wins.

Costco also sells a pre-packaged, individual-sized bags of Goldfish, at $0.33/serving. At Target, the pre-packaged bags are $0.55 each. Yikes!

These Handi-Snacks are a throwback to my childhood. I will agree with you that there are not very healthy; however, they are PERFECT as a traveling snack. For instance, we are going on a very long plane ride cross-country soon; a Handi-Snack provides a munchie snack, as well as the activity of spreading the "cheese" onto the cracker. Trust me; it's worth it!

Anyways ... at Costco, these are $0.28/serving.

Honey-Maid Graham crackers - another staple in the summer. Graham crackers, left-over from a s'mores evening, make a perfect snack! At Costco, you can purchase a GIANT box for $0.15/serving. At a grocery store, HM graham crackers are around $3, with 13 servings in a box, making it $0.23/serving.

Costco sells a box of Quaker granola bars (chocolate chip and peanut butter chocolate chip) for $0.17/serving. Target sells two sizes of Quaker granola bars (neither of which are variety packs); the small box is $0.27/granola bar, while the larger box is $0.24/granola bar.

Costco sells their own box of Quaker-like granola bars for $0.15/granola bar. (Oops! just noticed my own typo on my picture. Sorry friends!) Target also sells a knock-off version of Quaker granola bars - a small box is $0.22/serving, and the larger box is $0.17/serving.

Animal crackers - another classic. This giant tub of Costco-brand animal crackers contains 65 servings at $0.14/serving. Target's version of animal crackers is $0.13/serving. Target wins this one!

Mixed nuts - a delicious, healthy snack in moderation. This large jar of mixed nuts is $0.43/serving at Costco. (Pardon the blurry picture!)

This Costco-sized box of nuts is $0.66/package. Package, NOT serving size. These are great for a pre-packaged, on-the-go snack, but each package is at least 2+ servings.

Trail mix is a staple for summertime hiking. Costco's version of trail mix costs $0.22/serving. Target's version costs $0.19/serving. Another win for Target!

Similar to the nuts-to-go, Costco has small packages of trail mix at $0.65/package. Good for on-the-go, but not pre-portioned serving size.

Sometimes, it's nice to have a small snack to curb the sweet tooth. Costco sells the perfect thing - a whole variety pack of snacks, including Nilla wafers, mini Oreos, Chips Ahoy cookies, and Nutter Butters. Yum! Only $0.28/serving. At Target, a smaller bag of pre-packaged is $0.35/serving.

My family LOVES granola bars. Oftentimes, I make my own, but it's nice to keep these on hand as well. Costco sells these crunchy granola bars at $0.26/serving. In contrast, Target sells a small box for $0.53/serving, or a larger box for $0.45/serving. Ouch! Stick with Costco on this one.

One of our favorites - Nature Valley Trail Mix granola bar. Only $0.27/granola bar at Costco; $0.53 each at Target and other stores.

Nature Valley Peanut granola bars are $0.27 each at Costco. At Target, they sell for $0.53 each in a small box, or $0.42 each in a larger box.

If you've never tried these, you're missing out. Perfect combo of peanut butter and chocolate, with added protein! Costco sells 26 of these delicious granola bars for $0.46 each. However, Target's prices are $0.80/granola bar (small box) and $0.62/granola bar (larger box). Yikes! Stick with Costco for these granola bars.

Costco offers three different flavors of NutriGrain bars for only $0.27 each. Target offers one flavor per box, costing between $0.31-0.34 per bar.

My kids and my husband love Pirate's Booty once in a while. At Costco, a huge bag of the white cheddar-y goodness costs $0.27/serving. At Target, the pre-packaged portions cost $0.92 for the convenience.

Ritz crackers are only $0.08 per serving at Costco. WOW! And only $0.11 per serving at Target. That price difference is negligible.

Another go-to snack - mini pretzels. At Costco, they are only $0.06/serving. Now, THAT's a great deal!

Pirate's Booty might be a family's favorite, but Stacy's Pita Chips is one of mine! Costco sells a giant bag for $5.79 for 28 servings, making the cost/serving only $0.21. Normally, in a grocery store, an 8-ounce bag sells for least $4, making the cost/serving $0.50. Target now sells a box of pre-packaged, portion-sized bags of Stacy's for $0.75 each. Better stick with opening a bag and making your own portion-sized baggies.

At Costco, a box of pre-portioned Sun Chips cost $0.21/bag. At Target, each portion-sized bag of Sun Chips is $0.75. Yikes!

Wheat Thins come in a big box at Costco for $0.20/serving. Target sells Wheat Thins in a small box for $0.34/serving, and in a bigger box for $0.30/serving.

Two things to remember in making a decision about a bulk food warehouse:

(1) A bulk food warehouse does have an annual membership fee; stores don't.

(2) Most bulk food warehouses don't take coupons; stores do.

Personally, I think that a Costco membership might be worth it. How about you? What are your thoughts? I hope my research helps you to decide what option might be best for your family.