This Is The Cheapest Place To Buy Butter Right Now

Rumored butter shortages last fall and soaring dairy prices have left a lot of us with sticker shock when it comes to reaching for butter at the grocery store. There is good news, though: the October 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic Consumer Price Index report shows butter prices are down nearly 4% from this time last year.

The holiday baking season is upon us, and knowing that every opportunity to save money wherever we can counts, we did some comparison shopping at grocery, big box, and dollar stores to find the best bang for your butter buck.

Which Store Has the Cheapest Butter Right Now?

We shopped retailer sites for generic salted butter in the Tampa area and other parts of the country on November 14. Here’s what we found: 

Cheapest Option: Costco ($0.19/ounce)
Second Cheapest Option: Sam's Club ($0.21/ounce)
Third Cheapest Option: BJ's Wholesale Club ($0.23/ounce)

How Do Other Store's Prices Stack Up?

•  Food Lion: $0.25/ounce
• Publix: $0.25/ounce
• Target: $0.25/ounce
• Trader Joe’s: $0.25/ounce
• Walmart: $0.25/ounce
• Kroger: $0.26/ounce
• Whole Foods Market: $0.27/ounce
  
• Winn-Dixie: $0.37/ounce
• SE Grocers: $0.37/ounce

Best Tips For Finding Cheap Butter

• Shop Wholesale Clubs: As you can see from the list—if you have a membership to a wholesale club, that's the best way to get the best price on butter. But if you don't already have a membership, it might not be worth spending the extra money on one.
• Buy Generic: In either case, It's worth the cost savings to opt for store-brand butter, which can save you up to $0.16/ounce! For example, a pound of Land O'Lakes salted butter is $0.39/ounce at Food Lion and $0.42/ounce at Kroger.
• Keep an Eye on Sales: Shopping sales is the way to go! If you have the time to check prices before going out to the grocery store, your savings could add up. For example, the same Land O'Lakes salted butter is on sale at Kroger for $0.31/ounce. But be sure to take a close look at the prices and do the math—those BOGO and discounted prices may look appealing at first, but how do they effect the bottom line? 
• Stock Up & Freeze: If you do find a deal that’s too good to pass up, go ahead and get your money’s worth. Just pop the packaged butter you don’t plan on using soon into the freezer—it can stay frozen for about a year. 
  

Note: prices may vary from store to store and state to state, so check your local listings for the most accurate price nearest you.