15 Foods to Never Buy at Costco
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Purchasing from Costco is a sacred experience that differs from purchasing from other wholesalers. If you’re a happy member, you are already familiar with the excitement of loading up your extra-large cart, showing off your club card, and cruising down each aisle.
However, not every product at Costco is better, even if it is virtually a warehouse sanctuary. Purchasing in bulk is a great and economical solution for large families or feeding a crowd, but in actuality, there are several items that you’re probably better off getting at your neighborhood grocery shop.
Tuscan Chicken Wrap
In a hurry, Costco’s pre-made sandwiches are a simple option. Sundried tomato spread, black olives, tricolored peppers, and chicken are the ingredients of these Tuscan wraps. A do-it-yourself version is a better deal for the wrapped meal for less than $7 per pound.
Root Vegetables
Indeed, Costco offers fantastic discounts on fresh produce, including potatoes (about $9 for a ten-pound bag of gold potatoes) and carrots (around $9 for four pounds of baby cut). To put things in context, that equates to around 20 potatoes and 120 carrots.
If you don’t have a large family or don’t want to eat a baked potato or plate of carrots every day for three weeks straight, you probably won’t utilize them all before the potatoes sprout, and the carrots get slimy and disagreeable.
Hummus
Serve with crudités; hummus is a nutritious and delicious party nibble. However, you would have to feed a large group of people if you purchased a 32-oz container of hummus from Costco for $8. This is because hummus should be consumed within 6-7 days of being opened, and a large tub of hummus, comparable in size to one from Costco, has around 30 servings.
You won’t finish an entire container in time unless you’re hosting a party. Choose a package of single-serve containers or a smaller quantity from a regular grocery shop. If left unopened, hummus can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two months.
Canned Soup
Nothing is more comforting than keeping a stash of sick-day soup in your cabinet for emergencies. It’s a subdued assurance that you don’t have to face the outer world if you have a sniffle. Although it might be tempting to stock up at Costco, you would be better off buying them during a bargain at your neighborhood grocery store.
When on sale, name-brand condensed soup usually costs just $1 a can and much less if you choose store brands. In the meantime, each product at Costco costs up to 25% more. Costco offers eight-packs of heartier soups for somewhat less than $2 each can, but they frequently go on sale for three for $5, or occasionally even less, elsewhere. The most excellent part is that you aren’t limited to a particular taste when you purchase at a supermarket. Hi there, minestrone, clam soup, and chicken rice!
Spare Ribs
According to a Costco customer and user, “their fresh meat and fish prices are way above what you would pay in a grocery store especially if you shop the sales (which I almost exclusively do).”
They allude to the cost of the Kirkland Signature St. Louis Pork Spare Ribs from Costco, priced at $6.21 a pound. They may be purchased for anywhere from $2.79 to $4.99 per pound at supermarkets like Fry’s, which is ultimately a better value.
Milk
Purchasing a gallon of traditional dairy milk while you’re there may seem like a simple convenience. Still, a quick comparison reveals that purchasing the milk elsewhere will save you over half the price. While a gallon costs just under $4 at Costco, it usually costs $3 or less at Target, Lidl, or Aldi.
Additionally, if you have trouble finishing a whole gallon before it expires, the half-gallon choice occasionally offers a better value per ounce, especially when it’s on sale. For example, Kroger frequently offers a half-gallon on special for just $1.29.
Raw Chicken
Costco offers several worthwhile meat purchases. Not to mention the renowned rotisserie chicken—the salmon and steak are renowned for their outstanding quality. But I’m always going to pass on the raw chicken. At about $3 per pound for breasts or thighs, they may be enticing in their nicely vacuum-sealed freezer-friendly bundles, but I’d much prefer to spend a dollar per pound at the grocery store and part them out into freezer bags myself.
Large family packs of chicken breasts may be purchased at big supermarkets for as little as $1.79 per pound, while chicken leg quarters in a bag can frequently be found at major supermarkets, including Walmart, for as little as 59 cents per pound.
Avocados
A bag containing six avocados at Costco will set you back roughly $8. That works out to less than $1.50 each, which is a terrific deal—especially in light of growing inflation. However, purchasing the fatty fruit in quantity is generally not worth it unless you want to make guacamole for a gathering.
Should you proceed, they may all ripen on the same day, giving you six fruits to consume before they spoil! You’re probably not putting much more than 160 calories and 14 grams of fat on your bread every morning—after all, half an avocado has the same nutrients. Avocados may be kept in the refrigerator to delay ripening if you still want to stock up and save money. This is only one of 30 Easy Ways to Extend the Shelf Life of Your Produce.
Croissants
Delicious Costco birthday cakes are available, and the warehouse club typically has a container of other baked treats that may be purchased for a book club. But I’ll never buy croissants from the shop. The croissants are enormous, like pizza slices the size of New York, and although the price is reasonable, I find that around half of them go uneaten.
Furthermore, although they are tolerable for a mass-produced baked delicacy, my neighborhood’s French bakeries have me hooked up with their flaky, freshly baked croissants that transport me back to Paris. Croissants from Costco are just not my thing.
Protein Bars
Although there are many favorites from the in-store Kirkland brand, such as bacon and salsa, the protein bars are a little disappointing.
If you’re not a glutton for torture, get a brand of bars at Amazon, Trader Joe’s, or Walmart instead of the ones you will consume at Costco.
Frozen fruit
In the same way, you’ll save on dried fruit; many of the frozen fruit SKUs at Costco are organic, which is where you can save your pennies, Immer from Readers Digest says.
“Those who frequently prepare smoothies might benefit from the large-sized, sealable bags in which the fruit is packaged. It costs far more and is sold in small, unreplaceable bags at other retailers. Make sure to get these exclusive goods from Costco among their amazing deals.
Mac and Cheese
There is disagreement among Costco patrons on the benefits of the store’s premade mac & cheese.
Reviews range from the excellent to the blandest for this bulk purchase. While some people say that adding their cheese makes a difference, you could find that an utterly handmade version works better.
Enchilada Bake with Rotisserie Chicken
You might not save money with this enchilada bake. Although rotisserie chicken is a customer favorite, it costs more per pound than these inexpensive options.
Try making your enchilada recipe with some shredded Costco chicken for a less expensive take on this prepared dish.
Potato Salad
Reviews of Costco’s prepared potato salad alternatives on the internet are unambiguous. Consumers sort among premade salads with mayonnaise. You could have more success making your own if you organize a backyard BBQ or picnic.
Salsa
Giant jugs of salsa are available at Costco in various flavors, and who doesn’t enjoy the pop of flavor that salsa adds to a delicious Mexican dish? However, you’ll miss the freshness of salsas from delis or specialist brands if you try a variety of varieties there.
I can’t go back to Costco’s bland salsa after discovering that one of our neighborhood grocery stores makes its own small-batch salsa and tortillas. In addition, I can never finish a huge jar before the mold grows in it.
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