5 Grocery Store Splurges That Are Actually Worth Every Penny
The average person spends about $50 per week on groceries, while a family of four spends about $200 per week, according to Capital One Shopping. While it’s always nice to save money at the grocery store, sometimes those little splurges are actually worth every penny.
Higher quality items, or those that help you save elsewhere, can offer more value than their price tag suggests. Here are five splurges that may be worth the cost.
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1. Rotisserie Chicken
A rotisserie chicken may sometimes cost slightly more than raw meat, unless you purchase one from Costco, but you can get several meals from it and it can also save time on meal prep.
In a Reddit post, one user wrote that they save more money by buying three or four rotisserie chickens at Costco than by buying chicken breasts and thighs. Also, they purchase in bulk and divide and freeze what they don’t use.
2. High-Quality Olive Oil
Not all olive oil is the same. According to the North American Olive Oil Association, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is considered the highest grade with the best flavor intensity. It’s also better for you. Although it’s more expensive, EVOO is full of healthy monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, per Healthline.
Premium oils are typically more expensive due to better ingredients and labor-intensive methods, Big Horn Olive Oil reported. Cheaper oils are typically less refined.
3. Fresh Bread
Freshly baked bread from the grocery store typically costs more than the packaged sandwich bread. But if you prefer the taste and texture of fresh bread, it could be worth the extra cost.
According to Mashed, bakery bread is typically made with higher-quality ingredients and simpler recipes, while mass-produced bread usually contains preservatives and additives to extend shelf life.
4. Pre-Cut Fruit and Vegetables
Pre-cut fruit and veggies are typically one of the most overpriced items at grocery stores. For example, The Takeout found that Walmart’s diced yellow onions cost 12 times as much per ounce as a bag of whole yellow onions. This is because of labor, packaging and the risk that the store will have to throw it away before it’s sold.
It may not be worth it for most people, but for others, it could save them time or they may not be able to easily cut something like squash. A Reddit user also noted that when they buy the entire fruit or vegetable, it often sits in their fridge until it goes bad and needs to be thrown away because they’re either too tired or don’t want to deal with the prep. When they purchase pre-cut containers, they’re more likely to eat them and also less likely to order takeout.
5. Premium Coffee Beans
Brewing coffee at home is already cheaper than daily coffee runs, so why not splurge on the expensive stuff? According to data from Toast, the median price of a regular cup of coffee was about $3.74 in May 2026.
By comparison, a 12-ounce bag of Stumptown Coffee Roasters Hair Bender coffee blend is $19. Tasting Table reports a bag that size will make 20 to 24 cups of coffee, putting the cost of beans at roughly 79 to 95 cents per cup. Upgrading to specialty beans can give you a café-quality experience while still saving money.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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