22 Bougie Foods You Should Start Buying At Walmart

When it comes to affordability, few retailers are as popular as Walmart. While the store may be best known for selling everyday items at prices that are often more competitive than other grocery stores, among the things you might not know about Walmart is that it sells a number of items that one might consider to be gourmet.

From specialty salts and truffle oil to wild-caught seafood and fancy French desserts, there are several bougie foods you should really consider buying at Walmart. Read this full list to the end, to discover how I selected each item and why I decided to include it in this round-up.

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer/distributor/etc.

If you want to improve your baking to the level of celebrity chefs like Alton Brown, look no further than Kerrygold butter for all of your recipes. This Irish brand produces some of the best butter out there. Its high fat content and relatively low moisture content give it an intense flavor compared with American butter. It also has a vibrant yellow hue, which will let you create gorgeous baked goods.

Walmart sells both salted and unsalted varieties. The retailer also carries the garlic and herb-infused version, which is dynamite in mashed potatoes, egg dishes, and savory baked goods like biscuits or a zesty spin on a croissant.

If you enjoy sipping on a premium glass of whisky, Walmart has you covered. Among the top-ranked whiskeys to drink straight is Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch Whisky. This libation is hand-selected by master blenders from only the finest casks across the four corners of Scotland. Only one in 10,000 casks, including some from what are known as the "ghost" or retired distilleries, qualify to be considered for this prestigious label.

This blended scotch whisky is known for being exceptionally smooth and having remarkable complexity. It carries notes of vanilla, honey, caramel, hazelnut, and dark chocolate, punctuated by an intense smoky finish. At 40% ABV and with a hefty price tag, this is a whisky best enjoyed in moderation.

When it comes to drinking something bubbly, it pays to spend a little more for an authentic Champagne. While there are a lot of options out there, few are as exceptional, yet won't break the bank, as Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label. Hailing from Reims, France, this champagne boasts four defining dimensions: freshness, strength, aromatic richness, and silkiness.

Each bottle is composed of 40 to 50 different Crus and up to 45% reserve wines. The primary grape varietal that provides the structure to this Champagne is Pinot Noir, with Chardonnay and Meunier rounding out the palate. Every effervescent sip is characterized by aromatic elements including pear, peach, citrus, and pastry for a complexity that's truly elegant.

Though there is some debate amongst chefs and food connoisseurs surrounding the use of truffle oil, this ingredient is all the rage right now, featuring prominently on restaurant menus across the country atop french fries, pizza, pasta, and more. When used sparingly as a garnish, it can be a fantastic way to enhance a dish and impart it with earthy, woodsy, floral notes commonly associated with the Italian White Alba Truffle.

Of the white truffle-infused oils on the market, La Tourangelle is one of the finest. This company, based out of California, uses classic French methods to create premium artisanal oils that are flavorful, but lack the artificiality that's often associated with truffle-infused oils.

If you want to start cooking like a master chef, you'll want to stock your kitchen with one key ingredient: duck fat. Indeed, duck fat is a game changer for many dishes, from impossibly crisp french fries to the most luxurious roasted vegetables money can buy. Not only does this shelf-stable fat have a long shelf-life, it also has a high smoke point, making it ideal for all types of high-heat cooking.

The duck fat from Fatworks is sourced from specially bred, pastured birds, and is unique in that it's kettle-rendered in small batches and is processed using a state-of-the-art filtration system. This removes any impurities, giving a flavorful and luxurious product.

Recently Walmart has introduced a new line of premium private-label foods that delivers a gourmet, chef-inspired experience at down-to-earth prices. Among the products included in the launch is a line of specialty salts that will truly enhance any meal, including a Fleur du Sel French Sea Salt, Black Truffle Sea Salt, and Organic Bacon Flavored Sea Salt.

These salts are what are known as "finishing" salts, meaning they are best when sprinkled on top of a dish before it's served. Their purpose is to add an accent of flavor and a hint of texture to sweet and savory dishes alike, as the granules begin to delicately melt.

When it comes to the highest quality chocolate brands for baking, Lindt always performs quite well, particularly with its Excellence line of bars. This premium Swiss chocolate is sustainably sourced and expertly conched, using techniques invented by the founder of the brand, Rodolphe Lindt, for maximum smoothness and zero lingering bitterness or acidity.

Each bar is also clearly labeled, allowing you to select the specific cocoa percentage for any given recipe. The bars are available in 100%, 85%, and 70% percentage dark chocolate varieties for maximum flexibility. There is also an Intense Orange Dark Chocolate bar that's delightful in recipes like soufflés and pots de crème, or to enjoy out-of-hand.

Real San Marzano tomatoes hail from the Campania region of Italy, which is located just below Mount Vesuvius. The volcanic soil in this region is known to be ideal for producing premium quality tomatoes that are incredibly sweet, intensely flavored, and have a meaty quality ideal for sauce.

Sadly, there are a lot of knock-offs out there selling inauthentic San Marzano-style tomatoes that are inferior versions of the real deal. While Cento no longer retains P.D.O. designation for its tomatoes, it does use a third-party agency to certify the authenticity and standards of its San Marzano tomatoes, ensuring consumers obtain the real deal. You can even lookup the precise field where the tomatoes were grown using the lot number on the can.

Few meats are as elegant and flavorful for a gourmet meal as lamb. While New Zealand and Australian lamb are the most coveted varieties for their superior quality, intense flavor, and lean texture, this meat can be hard to come by and cost a fortune. Walmart, however, regularly sells American-grown lamb in various cuts under its Marketside store brand.

This lamb is quite tender and, while gamey, is very tasty when properly cooked. I'm particularly partial to the bone-in lamb loin chops, which retain a particularly juicy texture and robust flavor when cooked to a medium-rare doneness. I also frequently purchase the boneless leg of lamb, which is incredibly simple to roast and carve for a crowd.

Whether you're looking for an elegant topping to serve with bagels for a fancy Sunday brunch or plan to make blini to serve as an hors d'oeuvre at a high-end dinner party, you'll need some smoked salmon or lox. Fortunately, Walmart sells a high-quality brand named Latitude 45.

This salmon hails from waters of the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of Patagonia in South America. It's smoked within 24 hours of being caught, guaranteeing premium flavor and the highest quality possible. The cold-smoked salmon is especially flavorful and has a delicate texture void of stringiness, while the smoked roasted salmon is flaky and rich in umami notes.

When it comes to salmon, there are plenty of options available for purchase, ranging from Atlantic and Coho to Pink and Sockeye varieties. While each of these has its merits, I tend to opt for wild versus farmed salmon whenever I can find it, which is why I often purchase the Wild Caught Alaska Sockeye Salmon Fillets from the Marketside store brand at Walmart.

Not only does wild salmon taste better, it's typically higher in quality and has a better nutritional profile. Sockeye salmon, in particular, has a bright red color, meaty texture, and a complex flavor that's punctuated by sweet and nutty elements, making it a popular choice among chefs.

Another great Walmart option for fish lovers is the Wild Caught Ahi Tuna from the Marketside store brand. Though this tuna is not sushi-grade, it's of high enough quality to pan-sear for your favorite salads, sandwiches, and more.

When it comes to tuna, farmed varieties may give some sustainability benefits. That said, wild-caught tuna often has a more nuanced flavor and a better-balanced fat content, making it the preferred choice for many chefs. Ahi tuna, in particular, is coveted for its vibrant color, firm texture, and subtle umami notes, which shine when this fish is properly prepared — meaning served on the medium-rare side.

When it comes to crab, while fresh may be best, it can be expensive and a pain to prepare properly, particularly if you want to use the meat for other recipes, like crab cakes or salads. For this reason, it's better to purchase canned crab. Believe it or not, the Premium Lump Crab Meat from Chicken of the Sea is a great option in terms of price, quality, texture, and flavor.

This crab meat is sold in both 8-ounce plastic cups and 16-ounce steel cans, depending on how much you need for a recipe. It's NFI Crab Council certified, guaranteeing its sustainability, which is an important thing to look for when buying canned crab.

Another great option for seafood at Walmart is the Sam's Choice Wild Caught Snow Crab Legs and Lobster Tails. These are sold frozen and ready to thaw when you want to eat them — a plus for those who don't live near a big city. Often, when seafood and fish are sold at the store, they've been previously frozen, which shortens their shelf-life.

When it comes to lobster, in particular, there's the added bonus of not having to cook a whole, live one. Between the flopping creature and the odd squealing sound it makes when it goes into the water, cooking a live lobster can be a somewhat traumatic experience, to say the least.

If you are planning on celebrating Mardi Gras by whipping up a batch of étouffée or jambalaya, you might want to stock up on some essential Mardi Gras seafood — crawfish. These odd-looking crustaceans, found bountifully in the waters off the Louisiana coast, are not often found whole outside the region, but you can find their meat in the freezer section at Walmart.

Boudreaux's Crawfish Tail Meat is a great option for those seeking some Cajun flavor without the fuss. This meat comes peeled, deveined, fully cooked, and ready to eat once thawed. Simply toss it into your favorite recipe, heat it through, and enjoy.

Another unique item from the new Bettergoods line at Walmart is the Luxury Selection Belgian Cookies. These traditional tasty treats are an elegant selection of 12 distinct cookie varieties that have been crafted by a master biscuitier, using the finest Belgian chocolate. They come in a festive, bright pink box that's decorated with red Christmas ornaments. The perfect holiday gift for the cookie lover in your life!

Among the standout cookie varieties are the simple, but rich, Souverain. These delicate butter cookies are delectable dipped into hot tea or cocoa. There are also the Petit Cafe Lait and Blanc, which are crisp chocolate cookies encased in milk and dark chocolates, respectively.

When it comes to cured meats, Del Duca is a name you can trust. Since 1945, the company has been producing high-quality prosciutto, pancetta, and more, which are available to purchase at Walmart. While I enjoy many of its cured meats, the two I most often purchase are the prosciutto and diced pancetta.

The thinly sliced prosciutto has a buttery, salty, and nutty flavor, with a delicate, creamy texture that isn't stringy, like some other domestic brands I've sampled. This makes it ideal to add to a charcuterie platter or to use in recipes. The pre-diced, ready-to-use pancetta is boldly flavored and peppery, with just the right amount of fat to enhance pasta, pizza, and sauces of all kinds.

When it comes to cheese, one of my favorites for an elegant salad or to stir into a sauce is fresh goat cheese. That said, I am a bit of a snob when it comes to which varieties I use. Goat cheese has a tendency to vary widely in aroma and flavor. Some are delicate, mild, and have a fragrant aroma similar to fresh milk. Others are pungent, grassy, and have an assertive nose that almost smells of the farm where the animal grazed.

As far as goat cheeses go, the one from Vermont Creamery, sold at Walmart, is a stellar example of a more subtle variety. This award-winning, consciously-crafted goat cheese is creamy, smooth, and has a well-balanced flavor.

When it comes to pasta, not all noodles are the same. While it may be tempting to just buy the cheapest brand available, getting pasta that has been bronze cut is a game changer. For this reason, I like stocking up on Barilla Al Bronzo Pasta of all shapes when shopping at Walmart.

What sets bronze-cut pasta apart from the others is the dies made of bronze that are used to cut each shape. These are micro-engraved, which produces an uneven surface that creates pasta with ridges. These ridges give the pasta a better al dente texture and encourage sauce to adhere to each noodle more effectively. While there are several brands that are bronze cut, Barilla is one of the best.

Almonds are almonds, right? Wrong. When it comes to almonds, not all of them are the same. One variety from Spain is considered to be supreme among this type of nut — the Marcona almond. These strangely shaped, wide, flat almonds are well-known for their delicate, sweet taste and their distinctive creamy texture, which is ideal for baking or adding to a salad.

The ones sold at Walmart are also a part of the newly launched Bettergoods brand. These skinless almonds are roasted and lightly seasoned with a dash of Himalayan pink salt, for a sophisticated flavor that's perfect for both recipes and eating with your hands. Remember though, buyer beware, they are exceptionally moreish.

It seems like everywhere you look, French macarons are available for sale. Indeed, these distinctive meringue-based cookies with creamy fillings are all the rage right now, with eclectic varieties popping up in all shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. It should be no surprise, then, that in Walmart's newly introduced Bettergoods line of foods, a selection of French macarons is also included.

These petite macarons are made by a French bakery that was first established in 1936. They come frozen with 12 treats per container. There are six classic flavors, including vanilla, raspberry, coffee, chocolate, pistachio and lemon. Enjoy these crisp and creamy confections as a sweet treat or to cap off a gourmet meal in style.

Another unique offering included in Walmart's Bettergoods line of foods is the Chef Inspired appetizers. These elegant amuse bouches are the perfect items to keep on hand for an impromptu get-together. They're a step up from more mundane recipes, like pigs in a blanket or meatballs.

The Figs in a Blanket are tiny puff pastry purses filled with sweet figs and a combination of whipped goat and cream cheeses, seasoned with a hint of red chili flakes for a burst of flavor that's a party in your mouth. The Gruyere and Green Onion Croquettes are made from whipped potatoes blended with Gruyere, Swiss, and mozzarella cheeses and green onions. These are dipped in panko breadcrumbs for a crispy exterior and creamy center that will melt in your mouth.

This list of bougie foods sold at Walmart was compiled based on first-hand experience. As a chef in a rural area, I've been a regular customer of the retailer for all of the nearly 18 years of my professional career. I discovered that I could get many of the items I regularly liked to use in my recipes for a cheaper price at Walmart, including those I would otherwise have to order online, because they weren't sold at most grocery stores. Not only were they always in stock, they were quality brands that I could count on to produce the best versions of the dishes I enjoyed making, which is a win when it comes to running a restaurant.