8 Best Food Products To Buy at Costco
Costco shoppers know that the warehouse club has an impressive -- and often overwhelming -- array of food products for sale, from Kirkland Signature products to brand-name snacks to fresh groceries and baked goods. But which ones are the best of the best? To find out, GOBankingRates spoke to shopping experts to get their picks for their all-time favorite Costco foods.
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Here are the best food products to buy at Costco, according to the pros.
Melona Bars
"These frozen bars are from a Korean company and they make such a perfect summertime snack," said Julie Ramhold, senior writer and spokesperson with DealNews.com. "They're cold and creamy, and come in mango, coconut and honeydew flavors in a package of 24 at Costco. You'll spend around $12 to $13 for the box, whereas if I shop at specialty stores for them, I typically pay $6 or more for a box of eight."
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Kirkland Signature Croissants
"Costco's bakery has amazing croissants that are perfectly buttery and flaky, and make excellent snacks or vehicles for breakfast sandwiches," Ramhold said. "They're super cheap for what you get too -- about $5 or so for a dozen good-sized pastries. Their freshness and quality beat out every other store-bought croissant I've tried, and they obviously take all the hard work out of doing them yourself. Pair them with Costco's rotisserie chicken salad for a fast and easy summer lunch with practically zero work."
Fresh Mozzarella
"We recently were on a Caprese kick, and we discovered how expensive fresh mozzarella can be at some grocery stores and how crazy affordable it is at Costco," Ramhold said. "At some stores, you'll pay anywhere from 41 cents to 68 cents per ounce, but at Costco, you can get 36 ounces of fresh mozzarella for 24 cents per ounce -- and that's through Instacart. It's an even better deal if you shop in-store yourself, and the quality is top-notch."
Kirkland Signature Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
"Get the Kirkland Signature brand, not whatever name-brand your local Costco is selling, because these are hands-down the best chocolate chips I've ever tasted," Ramhold said. "They melt perfectly in baked goods and are also a nice little treat to just eat on their own. You can get 4 1/2 pounds for less than $10. That may seem like way too many chips, but if you bake a ton around the holidays, you can't beat that deal."
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Kirkland Signature Balsamic Vinegar
"Costco's house brand and makes excellent balsamic vinegar, which you can get a ridiculous amount of for an excellent price," Ramhold said. "A liter bottle will cost you roughly $13, and is perfect whether you want to use it straight from the bottle to drizzle on homemade appetizers, or even cook down to make a reduction that's perfect for meats or desserts."
Rao's Homemade Marinara
"Rao's was already my favorite marinara, so when Costco started carrying it for about 30% less than grocery stores, I was thrilled!" said Marie Clark, founder of the Costco shopping blog CostContessa. "It is the closest jarred sauce I've ever found to my Italian grandmother's homemade gravy. It's delicious on its own, though I often add sautéed veggies to sneak veggies into my kids' pasta meals. When Rao's goes on sale at Costco, it's about 50% off retail -- it's really an amazing price! It also has no added sugar, so it's good for keto and paleo diets."
RealGood Foods Chicken Enchiladas
"The frozen chicken enchiladas from RealGood Foods are absolutely delicious for an easy weeknight meal," Clark said. "Instead of a tortilla, the enchilada is wrapped in a thin slice of chicken so the carb count is really low for these. To be honest, I don't make a lot of frozen foods -- especially foods with chicken -- but these are exceptional in my opinion. They really are a hit in our house. Even my 8-year-old loves them!"
Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Seed and Flax Granola
"I love the Nature's Path granola at Costco and it's a staple in our house," Clark said. "We eat the pumpkin granola as cereal, layer it with yogurt and fruit, or just snack on it right out of the bag. I also love that it comes bagged, which means less waste, as most cereal is in a plastic bag inside of a box. As always, Costco has the best price -- and when it's on sale it's a super deal."
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 8 Best Food Products To Buy at Costco
