9 Underrated Groceries to Buy at Walmart, According to a Food Writer

I do nearly all of my grocery shopping at Walmart. Here’s what’s always in my shopping cart.

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

As a loyal Walmart grocery shopper, I’ve watched the retail chain improve its grocery game over the last several years. I’ve worked as a food writer and editor for more than a decade, so it’s safe to say I love fresh ingredients and delicious food, and I never have a problem finding high-quality grocery items at Walmart. And, because Walmart is so affordable, shopping there never breaks my grocery budget.

From bone broth to chopped salad kits, these are nine underrated grocery items sold at Walmart that you should consider picking up on your next shopping trip.

Sam’s Choice Reduced-Sodium Chicken Bone Broth

Store-bought stocks can feel overly salty, but this reduced-sodium bone broth is one of my pantry staples because it has a mild—not overpowering—salty flavor. I use this protein-packed broth (9 grams of protein per cup!) in homemade soups and as a replacement for water when cooking rice. It’s also a delicious midday sip when served warmed in a coffee mug.

Marketside Fresh Halved Brussels Sprouts

I’m all about saving time in the kitchen. Brussels sprouts are among my family’s favorite vegetables for a dinner side, but trimming and chopping them can take up time I’d rather be spending unwinding after a long day of work. These pre-halved and trimmed Brussels are always super-fresh and taste great, plus buying this pre-prepped bag gets me some time back in the evenings. Try them in Simple Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Parmesan-Crusted Brussels Sprouts.

Great Value Deli-Style Wedges Seasoned Potatoes

These frozen seasoned potato wedges taste just as great as ones you’d pick up fresh from the deli. At least one night a week, the flavorful spuds make an appearance on my dinner table, served as a side dish with favorites like turkey sloppy Joes or veggie burgers. To make them extra crisp, I cook them in my air fryer, sprayed with a bit of butter or olive oil cooking spray and seasoned with kosher salt.

Marketside Caesar Chopped Salad Kit

Another Walmart grocery item that makes a weekly appearance on my dinner table is this chopped Caesar salad kit. The kit contains finely chopped romaine lettuce, shredded Parmesan cheese, crumbled garlic croutons and Caesar dressing, and it is super-simple to use for a midweek meal. To bulk the salad up a bit, I top it with some grilled chicken or sauteéd chicken sausage.

Great Value Freeze-Dried Strawberry Fruit Crisps

I’ve found lots of uses for these freeze-dried strawberry crisps, from making at-home versions of Starbucks’ Pink Drink to using them as a topping for Greek yogurt. We even named them the #1 dessert to buy at Walmart. Priced at just under $4, these dried fruit pieces have no added sugar and taste great. Even if you’re just snacking on them right out of the bag, they are a delicious way to sneak in an extra serving of fruit.

Marketside Tzatziki Style Dip

I keep this tzatziki dip in my fridge at all times, as it is a perfect dip for cucumber slices and pita chips for a quick snack. It’s also better than any tzatziki dip I’ve made from scratch—perfectly light and refreshing—so it’s my go-to topping for meals like chicken pita wraps, turkey burgers and Chicken Gyros.

Marketside Pepperoni and Mozzarella Flatbread

This delicious flatbread is topped with fresh mozzarella and pepperoni and cooks perfectly in the oven or air fryer. Its thin crust makes it perfectly crispy and—at under $5 for a 12-ounce flatbread—it’s an inexpensive buy to have for lunch. I have also been known to make one of these flatbreads to add to a charcuterie board, slicing it into long breadstick-like pieces for easy grabbing.

Great Value Thick-Sliced Hickory Smoked Bacon

While there are much pricier brands of bacon for sale in the Walmart meat department, I always turn to this thick-sliced Great Value bacon because it’s affordable and high-quality. Whether I’m making a Broccoli Salad with Bacon or cooking it up by the slice for a weekend breakfast, it’s my go-to bacon. At less than $6 for a pound, there’s really no beating the price and quality.

Great Value Frozen Whole Berry Medley

This blend of frozen blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries finds its way into my cart each time I stock up on groceries at Walmart. At around $4 for a 1-pound bag, this berry medley is great to keep around for adding to smoothies or dropping a few pieces into freshly brewed iced tea. Thawed, they’re perfect for use in baking or in treats like yogurt parfaits as well.

Read the original article on Eating Well.