Quick Answer: The best Sam's Club cheese for a charcuterie board is the Member's Mark Manchego wedge (4.8 out of 5), real Spanish DOP Manchego for about $11.57 a pound. Best hard cheese: Member's Mark Parmigiano Reggiano (4.7). Best shortcut: the Member's Mark Charcuterie Entertainment Tray (4.5), which serves 10 to 12. Best soft cheese: Président Brie.
Sam's Club is the cheapest way to feed a crowd from a board after Costco, and its cheese case is better than its reputation. The Takeout ranked it 5th of 13 grocery chains for cheese, ahead of Publix and H-E-B. These are the cheeses, meats, trays and extras that hold up best, ranked. Few food sites have taste-tested Sam's Club cheese, so the reviews score leans on Sam's Club's own shopper ratings, which are high and come from thousands of buyers.
How we ranked these: these are researched picks, not a side-by-side tasting. We scored each product on published taste tests, awards and shopper ratings, its ingredients, price and how easy it is to find, plus how it behaves on a board. Store stock changes, especially for seasonal items, so check your local store. Sources are listed at the end, and the full method is on our buying guides hub. Prices and stock last checked October 2026.
Our picks at a glance
| Pick | Rating |
|---|---|
| Best overall: Member's Mark Manchego Wedge ($) | ★★★★★ 4.8 |
| Best hard cheese: Member's Mark Parmigiano Reggiano ($$) | ★★★★½ 4.7 |
| Best shortcut: Member's Mark Charcuterie Entertainment Tray ($$) | ★★★★½ 4.5 |
| Best meat: Columbus Charcuterie Tasting Board ($) | ★★★★☆ 4.0 |
| Best soft cheese: Président Brie, 19.6 oz ($) | ★★★★☆ 4.2 |
The full ranking
| Product | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Member's Mark Manchego Wedge ($) | ★★★★★ 4.8 | The main cheese |
| 2. Member's Mark Parmigiano Reggiano ($$) | ★★★★½ 4.7 | Breaking into chunks |
| 3. Member's Mark Charcuterie Entertainment Tray ($$) | ★★★★½ 4.5 | A crowd in a hurry |
| 4. Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs and Shallot & Chive, 3-pack ($) | ★★★★½ 4.3 | A spreadable cheese |
| 5. Member's Mark Gourmet Selection Imported Cheeses ($) | ★★★★☆ 4.2 | Cracker-sized slices |
| 6. Member's Mark Flame Roasted Smoked Salmon ($$) | ★★★★☆ 4.2 | A brunch or holiday board |
| 7. Président Brie, 19.6 oz ($) | ★★★★☆ 4.2 | The soft cheese |
| 8. Columbus Charcuterie Tasting Board ($) | ★★★★☆ 4.0 | The main meat |
| 9. Busseto Holiday Salami Collection ($) | ★★★½☆ 3.6 | A holiday board |
| 10. Entertainment Crackers Collection ($) | ★★★☆☆ 3.2 | Lots of crackers, cheaply |
1. Member's Mark Manchego Wedge
★★★★★ 4.8 out of 5 · Best overall · Best for: The main cheese · $ budget
A Spanish sheep's milk Manchego with a protected designation of origin (DOP), sold by the pound. It's rated 4.7 out of 5 from 687 ratings on Sam's Club, and at about $11.57 a pound it costs less than most supermarket Manchego.
- Why we like it: Real DOP Manchego at a warehouse price.
- Keep in mind: The wedges are large, about 2 pounds. Wrap leftovers in cheese paper; Manchego keeps for weeks.
- Where to find it: Sam's Club cheese case, about $11.57 a pound (about $23 a wedge).
2. Member's Mark Parmigiano Reggiano
★★★★½ 4.7 out of 5 · Best hard cheese · Best for: Breaking into chunks · $$ mid-range
Parmigiano Reggiano made by Argitoni, sold by the pound. It's rated 4.7 out of 5 from 884 ratings on Sam's Club, and reviewers call out its rich, nutty flavor and say it beats typical grocery parmesan.
- Why we like it: Real Parmigiano Reggiano that also covers weeks of cooking.
- Keep in mind: Reviewers note the price has gone up. Break it into rough chunks; slices are too hard.
- Where to find it: Sam's Club cheese case, priced by the pound.
3. Member's Mark Charcuterie Entertainment Tray
★★★★½ 4.5 out of 5 · Best shortcut · Best for: A crowd in a hurry · $$ mid-range
A 44 oz tray assembled in the club: dill Havarti, smoked Gouda and Brie, prosciutto, hot soppressata and Genoa salami, a Greek olive medley, fig spread, pepper jelly, stone-ground mustard, mixed nuts and multigrain crackers. It's rated 4.8 out of 5 from 6,680 ratings on Sam's Club and serves about 10 to 12.
- Why we like it: A whole board in one box for under $30.
- Keep in mind: Everything comes pre-cut, so it looks like a tray, not a board. Move it onto a wooden board and add grapes.
- Where to find it: Sam's Club deli, about $29.14.
4. Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs and Shallot & Chive, 3-pack
★★★★½ 4.3 out of 5 · Best for: A spreadable cheese · $ budget
The familiar herbed spreadable cheese in a three-pack of two flavors for about $5.98.
- Why we like it: Guests always finish it.
- Keep in mind: Soft and crumbly, so give it its own small plate and knife.
- Where to find it: Sam's Club cheese case, about $5.98.
5. Member's Mark Gourmet Selection Imported Cheeses
★★★★☆ 4.2 out of 5 · Best for: Cracker-sized slices · $ budget
A 32 oz tray of cracker-cut Irish cheddar, French Emmental, Belgian Fontina and Dutch Gouda. It's rated 4.6 out of 5 from 2,544 ratings on Sam's Club, and Cheapism lists it at $11.88.
- Why we like it: Four imported cheeses for about the price of one wedge elsewhere.
- Keep in mind: Pre-sliced cheese dries out on a board within an hour. One reviewer found two of the cheeses tasted alike.
- Where to find it: Sam's Club cheese case, about $11.88.
6. Member's Mark Flame Roasted Smoked Salmon
★★★★☆ 4.2 out of 5 · Best for: A brunch or holiday board · $$ mid-range
Hot-smoked, flaky salmon. Sporked gave it 8.5 out of 10 in its Sam's Club taste tests and found it much less fishy than other smoked salmon.
- Why we like it: A different texture from cold-smoked lox, and it breaks into easy bites.
- Keep in mind: It flakes, so it won't drape like lox. Serve it in a small dish with crackers and cream cheese.
- Where to find it: Sam's Club seafood case.
7. Président Brie, 19.6 oz
★★★★☆ 4.2 out of 5 · Best soft cheese · Best for: The soft cheese · $ budget
A mild, creamy French-style brie in a large 19.6 oz wheel, rated 4.7 out of 5 from 1,871 reviews on Sam's Club. It scored well in our brie ranking for being easy to find and easy to like.
- Why we like it: A big wheel for about $8.
- Keep in mind: Mild. Take it out 20 to 30 minutes before serving, or bake it.
- Where to find it: Sam's Club cheese case, about $7.84.
8. Columbus Charcuterie Tasting Board
★★★★☆ 4.0 out of 5 · Best meat · Best for: The main meat · $ budget
A 16.3 oz ready-to-serve tray of Columbus salami and cheese. It's rated 4.4 out of 5 from 1,071 ratings on Sam's Club. Columbus scored well in our salami ranking for flavor and value.
- Why we like it: Good salami, ready to peel and serve.
- Keep in mind: Stock varies by club, and online pickup often shows out of stock.
- Where to find it: Sam's Club deli, about $12.48.
9. Busseto Holiday Salami Collection
★★★½☆ 3.6 out of 5 · Best for: A holiday board · $ budget
Six kinds of sliced Italian-style salami in an 18 oz pack. Cheapism listed it at $11.94 among Sam's Club holiday appetizers.
- Why we like it: Six salamis for the price of two packs.
- Keep in mind: Seasonal, so it's mostly in stores from November to December.
- Where to find it: Sam's Club deli, about $11.94 in season.
10. Entertainment Crackers Collection
★★★☆☆ 3.2 out of 5 · Best for: Lots of crackers, cheaply · $ budget
Eleven sleeves of four buttery crackers, including Club and Town House, for about $9.50, per Cheapism.
- Why we like it: Enough crackers for 20 or more guests.
- Keep in mind: Buttery crackers compete with soft cheese. Add a plain water cracker or baguette.
- Where to find it: Sam's Club snack aisle, about $9.50.
How the scores break down
Each product is scored 1 to 5 on five things, then weighted: how it works on a board (30%), published taste tests, awards and shopper ratings (25%), ingredients (15%), value (15%) and how easy it is to find (15%).
| Product | On the board | Reviews and awards | Ingredients | Value | Easy to find | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Member's Mark Manchego Wedge | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4.8 |
| Member's Mark Parmigiano Reggiano | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4.7 |
| Member's Mark Charcuterie Entertainment Tray | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4.5 |
| Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs and Shallot & Chive, 3-pack | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4.3 |
| Member's Mark Gourmet Selection Imported Cheeses | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4.2 |
| Member's Mark Flame Roasted Smoked Salmon | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4.2 |
| Président Brie, 19.6 oz | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4.2 |
| Columbus Charcuterie Tasting Board | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4.0 |
| Busseto Holiday Salami Collection | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3.6 |
| Entertainment Crackers Collection | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3.2 |
Building a board from these
For 12 people with the board as the party food, plan about 2½ pounds of cheese and 2¼ pounds of meat. A strong Sam's Club trio is the Manchego, Président Brie and the Parmigiano broken into chunks, plus Boursin. For meat, the Columbus tasting board plus prosciutto from the deli, or the Busseto collection in season. Add the crackers, grapes and a jar of fig jam.
Short on time? Put the Charcuterie Entertainment Tray on a large wooden board, add a wedge of the Manchego and a bunch of grapes, and it looks homemade. See our Party Planner for exact amounts for your guest count.
What to skip
- Pre-sliced cheese for a nice board. The Gourmet Selection tray tastes good, but cut slices dry out and curl. Buy wedges for anything you'll photograph.
- Buying it all at once. Warehouse packs are big. For under 10 guests, a regular grocery store is often cheaper overall. Our guide to storing a charcuterie board covers how long each leftover keeps.
Compare with our Costco charcuterie items guide, or see every ranked guide on our charcuterie buying guides page.
Sam's Club charcuterie questions
What is the best cheese at Sam's Club for a charcuterie board?
The Member's Mark Manchego wedge, a Spanish DOP Manchego rated 4.7 out of 5 by Sam's Club shoppers, for about $11.57 a pound. For a soft cheese, Président Brie in the 19.6 oz wheel.
Does Sam's Club sell a charcuterie tray?
Yes. The Member's Mark Charcuterie Entertainment Tray is a 44 oz tray with three cheeses, three meats, olives, spreads, nuts and crackers for about $29. It serves about 10 to 12 and is rated 4.8 out of 5.
Is Sam's Club or Costco better for a charcuterie board?
Both are good for 15 or more guests. Costco has more specialty cheeses; Sam's Club has a cheaper ready-made tray and an excellent Manchego. See our Costco guide to compare.
How much should I buy at Sam's Club for a board?
About 3 oz of cheese and 3 oz of meat per guest when the board is the party food, or 2 oz each before a meal, plus 10 to 12 crackers per guest.
Sources
- Sam's Club: Member's Mark Charcuterie Entertainment Tray (ratings and price)
- Sam's Club: Member's Mark Manchego Wedge
- Sam's Club: Member's Mark Parmigiano Reggiano reviews
- Sam's Club: Member's Mark Gourmet Selection Imported Cheeses reviews
- Sam's Club: Président Brie
- Sam's Club: Columbus Charcuterie Tasting Board
- Cheapism: Sam's Club Holiday Appetizers Under $15
- Sporked: Best Food at Sam's Club, According to Taste Tests
- The Takeout: 13 Grocery Store Chains, Ranked By Their Cheese Selection
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