Why You Might Want To Skip This Sam's Club Premade Meal

Members of Sam's Club enjoy a wide selection of grocery staples, household goods, apparel, and more. The warehouse retailer also carries lots of pre-made meals in its deli section. Prepared meals are cheaper than eating out but easier than cooking, which makes them popular among shoppers. However, there is one Sam's Club meal that we advise against. In Mashed's ranking of popular pre-made Sam's Club meals from worst to first, our reviewer was not a fan of the Member's Mark stuffed peppers. 

The overriding complaint was under-seasoning. As our reviewer explained, "Sam's opts for a milder take on what should be the centerpiece of the dish, leaving most of the heavy lifting to the pepper itself." The mix of yellow, orange, and red peppers did lend the meal some sweetness, but it wasn't enough to squeak the option out of last place. According to the ingredient list, Member's Mark stuffed peppers are seasoned with black pepper, basil, parsley, rosemary, and oregano, though there's no indication of how much of each was used. On the other hand, the Member's Mark Mediterranean kale pasta salad was praised by our reviewer for its substantial size and robust flavor.

Concerns about Sam's Club's prepared foods aren't relegated to stuffed peppers alone. When a shopper asked the Reddit crowd which items should be avoided at the chain, one person replied, "The prepared fresh foods. Walmart/Sam's is about cheap price, not quality." Sam's Club doesn't specify where all of its Member's Mark items are sourced from, but we do know that the store collaborates with suppliers on these goods, and they're likely manufactured at third-party facilities. 

It's worth noting that our reviewer had high expectations for these stuffed peppers since the dish was a staple meal of his childhood. As such, he didn't find this dish particularly bad — the disappointment was mostly centered around the lack of flavor. If you find yourself stuck with bland stuffed peppers from Sam's Club or elsewhere and want to make the most of them, incorporating paprika, garlic cloves, and red pepper flakes can wake up the flavor a bit. And while it's not as low-effort as a pre-made meal, this 30-minute stuffed peppers recipe is simple enough for weeknights and doesn't hold back on the Romano cheese, fresh basil, salt, and black pepper.