20 Items You Should Buy At Costco

Ivo Parashkevov, the creator of Charlie, an artificial intelligence robot with personal finances, said paying $4.99 for Costco’s cooked roast chicken is a good deal. Add a pre-prepared salad, he says, and “it’s a perfect dinner for a family of four” for less than $10.

Costco’s Kirkland sliced bacon received a rating of 3.3 out of 5 from reviews of consumer reports, with negative aspects that have more to do with the amount you have to buy at once (bacon packages are in packs of four) than with the taste.

Parashkevov sees two advantages to buying eggs from Costco: excellent prices and variety.

“They have a surprising choice when it comes to eggs,” he says. You can buy everything from conventional eggs to outdoor eggs, all at a lower cost than in many other grocery stores.”

Prices vary by region, but Reddit users have reported prices below $5 for five dozen eggs and $3 for three dozen eggs in their local stores.

A good purchase you can make at Costco is Kirkland almond milk. The Dashing Dish blog praised this food as something that can go anywhere from smoothies to lattes.

Costco’s food court is so popular that it made headlines when the warehouse store changed the menu last summer. And the vegans were delighted. Instead of walking past pizza and hot dogs with an empty stomach and a heavy heart, people who don’t eat meat can now choose a bowl of herbal acai for $5.

If you like olive oil, the money you save on Kirkland organic olive oil could quickly pay the cost of your Costco membership. Samin Nosrat recommended this brand of olive oil in his bestseller, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking.

Organic nut butter is a healthy source of protein, but they can be expensive.

Grace Guffin on the Cooking Light blog praised Costco’s private label organic almond butter in an article entitled The One Item That Makes a Trip to Costco So Worth It.

“This beautiful 27-ounce almond jar costs only $8,” said Mr. Guffin, making it much cheaper than what you can find elsewhere.

Parashkevov says he has a weakness for fancy cheeses, and the Costco Cheese Alley is a corner of paradise for him. His favorite variety is Humboldt Fog.

“I think you can usually get a big piece for well under $20,” he says, adding that it would make it easy to feed guests “for three or four meals in two weeks.

Parashkevov also recommended buying Parmesan cheese from Costco. “Per unit, it’s very, very cheap,” he said, and its shelf life is longer than most cheeses.

“Cereals don’t rot,” Parashkevov said, “You need a little more space to buy from Costco,” he adds, “but you can get better prices than in other grocery stores.

Whether you like Cheerios or Kirkland Ancient Grains, you can get large quantities at low prices.

If you like smoothies, consider buying fruit in the Costco freezer section. There are many organic choices at much lower prices than in other grocery stores. Reader’s Digest has put this article on a list of things you should buy from Costco, and we agree.

Organic berries are an exception to the warning for fresh produce.

“This could fall into your category of, am I going to eat this?” according to Parashkevov.

Berries have great health benefits, but they can be expensive. Costco’s bargains on fresh berries can help you add this excellent antioxidant-rich food to your daily diet.

Costco’s berry quantities may also be a little easier for the average consumer to manage – an optional 18-ounce pack of blueberries, for example.

A 16-ounce bottle of pure vanilla extract can cost up to $30 at Costco, about 30% less per ounce than at other stores. And the Costco version is pure vanilla, not vanilla flavor, so you pay for quality. Today show recommended this product to anyone who likes to cook because it will last a long time.

If coconut water hydration is part of your lifestyle, you will want to purchase a package of 12 units of Kirkland Organic Coconut Water.

For just over what you would spend on a 16-ounce yogurt at the grocery store, you can get a 64-ounce Verka organic yogurt pot from Costco. This cultured milk product has a surprisingly long shelf life, and its taste and texture are comparable to those of other whole milk.

Costco sells several brands of butter, including Kirkland brand organic butter sticks. But if you want high-quality butter, gourmets prefer Kerrygold, made with milk from grass-fed cows.

Maple syrup is a favorite at Costco. Not only is Kirkland maple syrup organic and pure, but it’s also a great deal.

Alcohol of all kinds is a good purchase at Costco, but vodka stands out. Costco’s homemade vodka is so good that some people think it could be Grey Goose undercover, for a fraction of the price, according to The Kitchn.

If you regularly take an over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen, Tagamet or an allergy pill, you will probably exhaust a quantity of Costco’s warehouse before it expires. You will pay a fraction of what these drugs would cost you in a pharmacy, and you will not lack an essential drug as often.

Prescription drugs can be expensive, even if you have insurance. Costco’s pharmacy offers such low prices, according to Consumer Reports, that you may be able to pay them without insurance. It is, therefore, worthwhile to file a prescription and have it filled while you are shopping.

Prescription glasses can be expensive, especially if you need progressive or other special lenses. One solution is to buy glasses online, but the fit and focus of the lens can be a problem with remote purchases.

Be aware that you can have your eyes tested at the store or bring your prescription for that matter – and if you don’t have insurance, Costco Optical may be a good solution.

Costco members also benefit from special online discounts for eyeglasses and contact lenses.