Trader Joe’s operates with a limited, mostly private-label assortment that keeps prices steady and competitive, while Walmart relies on its broad selection and everyday low prices.
While shoppers often assume Walmart will always be the cheaper option, in reality, when you compare similar store-brand items across both retailers, the cheaper store isn’t as predictable as it seems.
Disclaimer: Prices listed reflect Trader Joe's and Walmart's online pricing at the time of writing. Actual prices may vary by location, inventory, and promotions.
Organic sweet potatoes
Both stores sell a 3-pound bag of sweet potatoes, which is excellent for side dishes, sweet potato pies, or a sweet craving for dinner.
We choose organic at both stores to keep the products as similar as possible. Trader Joe's is priced at $4.99, while Walmart lists it at $6.28.
We bought the sweet potatoes from Walmart before. They were delicious and a nice size.
Organic vitamin D milk
No matter what shoppers go to the store for, milk is always on the list. Perfect for baking and breakfast, we always have at least 2 gallons in the fridge.
We compared the organic vitamin D between the two stores. Trader Joe's milk is $5.99, while Walmart's is priced at $4.92. These were sold in ½ gallons.
Even the packaging looks similar.
Mini pretzel twists
Mini pretzels are great for tiny snacks and also fun for holiday treats. They're the perfect size for adding to a snack mix or covering with chocolate for a little dessert.
Trader Joe's is only 12 ounces and costs $2.69. The Walmart brand comes in a 16-ounce bag and costs $2.44.
We've had the ones from Walmart, and they're good. Dip them in white chocolate or your favorite savoury dip.
Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt is great paired with fresh berries or drizzled with honey, or added to baked goods for a boost of protein and moisture. It's also a yummy ingredient for dips.
For a 32-ounce container, Trader Joe's is $5.49, while Walmart is $3.36, but is currently on sale for $2.94 . Walmart has higher protein per serving at 17 grams, while Trader Joe's has only 15 grams.
Use Greek yogurt as an alternative to sour cream for extra protein.
Organic coconut oil
You can never have enough coconut oil on hand for cooking and baking. It's an excellent source of healthy fat, and it adds a subtle coconut flavor to many dishes and baked goods.
The coconut oil at Trader Joe's is priced at $4.99, while Walmart is listed at $7.27. Walmart also has two fewer ounces than Trader Joe's.
Dried apricots
Dried apricots are a great snack to have on hand. You can pair with walnuts for a sweet-and-savory treat, or dice and add to fruit cakes, cookies, and more.
The apricots at Trader Joe's cost $4.79, while Walmart's are $8.84. Both are 1-lb bags. The Walmart dried apricots list sunflower oil as an ingredient, while Trader Joe's does not.
We've tried the ones from Walmart, and they're good, but we prefer the shorter list of ingredients on the Trader Joe's label.
Honey peanut butter
Peanut butter is a pantry staple that is always good to have. The added honey to the peanut butter gives it a nice sweetness.
Trader Joe's comes in a 16-ounce container for $2.99, while Walmart has the same size for $2.18. The Walmart one contains sugar, molasses, and vegetable oil, while the Trader Joe's brand contains only peanuts, salt, and honey.
Honey is enough sweetener, so adding extra sugar seems overkill. Plus, no oil should be added to peanut butter, really.
Butter
You can never have too much butter on hand for baking and cooking needs. Trader Joe's has 16 ounces of butter for $2.99, while Walmart is priced at $3.44.
The same price applies if you're picking salted or unsalted.
All-purpose flour
It's always useful to keep flour on hand at all times. You never know when the baking bug is going to hit, or you're going to have a craving for homemade bread.
Flour at Trader Joe's costs $2.99 for a 5-lb bag, while Walmart is $3.93 for the same size.
Eggs
The prices of eggs have been all over the place for the past couple of years, but they're still an affordable way to get good protein into your daily diet.
A dozen organic brown eggs cost $6.99 at Trader Joe's. The same dozen eggs at Walmart cost $4.46.
Oats
Oats are one of those pantry staples that are great for adding to cookies or making energy bites, or for making a piping-hot bowl of oatmeal in the morning.
32-ounces of oats at Trader Joe's costs $3.99, while 42-ounces at Walmart costs $4.18.
Vanilla extract
Of all the extracts, vanilla extract is the one that goes with almost any baking recipe. Keeping it tucked in your pantry is a must.
Trader Joe's offers a more expensive extract, Organic Pure Bourbon Vanilla Extract. It's priced at $9.99. Walmart offers a regular extract, priced at $5.72.
Final verdict
It's actually a lot of fun to compare two different stores and their similar products. It opens our eyes to ways to vary flavors and save money.
Everyone has an opinion on where the best deals are. Some say Walmart, others swear by Trader Joe's. But which one truly wins?
For all the Trader Joe products, the total is $58,38, compared to $57,02 for the similar items from Walmart. Walmart's pricing is very slightly lower.
The thing to keep in mind is that you also have to consider serving sizes. If the pricing isn't that different overall between two stores, make sure that you're shopping at the place that gives you the biggest bang for your buck.
Besides prices and serving sizes, it’s also worth looking at the ingredient list. In many cases, paying a little more for a product with a shorter, cleaner list can be the better value in the long run. When we compared our 12 everyday items, several Trader Joe’s products used fewer additives and simpler ingredients than their Walmart counterparts, something many shoppers consider just as important as the final price tag.
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