The Costco Items We Avoid
Mistakes have been made!
Hi friends,
There are 1,000 listicles online about what to buy at Costco, and we could add one to the mix. But we also have opinions about what NOT to buy. Some people, for example, must be able to easily put a gallon of sauerkraut to use, but we learned the hard way we’re not those people. And if you listened to this week’s episode, you know how Lukas was duped by what he thought was Diamond kosher salt. So collected here are some highly subjective guardrails for shopping at Costco. Best of luck out there! It’s a jungle (at least in the Brooklyn warehouse).
Lots of love,
Ellie & Lukas
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Costco Items We Avoid
1. Smoked Salmon
Hot take from Ellie! I love the smoked salmon 2-packs, but I usually freeze half for another time. Because I am lazy, I do not put in another container. I am here to say that one, the original packaging is not sufficient to prevent freezer burn. And two, no one wants to eat freezer-burned smoked salmon, even if you tell them it’s “still totally ok to eat.”
2. Snacks for Your Super Healthy Alter Ego
Coscto isn’t really the place for experimental eating, and when Lukas branches out at Costco, he has a weakness for things that skew superfood: Ceremonial-grade matcha, a 2-pound bag of goji berries, one and a half pounds of Brazil nuts, that paint bucket-sized jug of sauerkraut. And from such experience comes advice: Before committing to a Costco size of anything, ask if it is something that you truly want, or something you want to want? If it’s the latter, resist the temptation of those low prices and start with a smaller size, purchased somewhere else.
3. The Compost Bags
Not to come off as righteous, but the size of these is just wrong. They couldn’t be more huge for Ellie’s countertop compost bin and there is no way they’re large or strong enough for the outside compost bin. Plus they disintegrate too fast and always make the yuckiest mess. Good riddance!
4. Giant Bags of Popcorn, Potato Chips, or Tortilla Chips
Cape Cod potato chips are THE BEST and at $8.61 for a 30-once bag, one can convince oneself that the value is just too good to pass up. (For reference, our neighborhood grocery store sells a 14-ounce bag for $7.99.) But nothing kills the thrill more than a stale Cape Cod potato chip. Same for stale popcorn. Why don’t they make these bags resealable?! They’re great if you’re having a big party, though!
5. Castelvetrano Olives
This is a tough one. These olives are so good and (no surprise) a deal! Maybe we don’t eat our olives quickly enough, but for us, anything that requires a clean utensil every time someone reaches into it for a snack is a no-go. Because no matter how abiding you might be about that clean fork, someone in your family will probably not be so fastidious. The olives will get moldy, and throwing them away will feel like the BIGGEST WASTE.
What do you avoid at Costco? Share your wisdom please!
I really loved this episode! What do I avoid buying from Costco? Answer: The Membership!! 😂 I personally have nothing against stores that really save the customers money--especially if you have a huge family, but for a 2-person household it makes no sense to buy stuff in bulk. I keep thinking that it's no wonder that America gets more and more obese with the portion sizes we're expected to inhale. (Funny pizza story!!) And besides, I buy a lot of fresh produce - not necessarily from the farmers market, but actually from Winco & Fred Meyer, on a weekly basis. Winco has the bulk section where I can find almost every thing like legumes, seeds, nuts, dried fruit. My whole grains for milling for my sourdough I get through Azure. They have a neighborhood drop-off not far from where I live. Bread flour I get from Cairnsprings Mills (local miller). It's a road trip with a brewery visit next door 😁🍻 But those bread items are the only thing I would consider in bulk (wholegrain rye kernels, red & white wheat, & spelt) I get in 25lb bags, & bread flour in a 50lb bag. They all go into the freezer.
Years ago, I had a membership from SAM's, but back then Amerika was still "the land where everything is bigger" in my mind. It was natural to shop there and I got the membership for free from work.
Eleanor's parking lot story reminded me of Germany!! THAT was what I used to go through over there when I wanted to shop downtown. Hilarious 😂! 👏