Whole Costco buys for a small space?

[Magelet]

What do you buy that is a good deal at costco, that is a great deal, fairly small physically (can't do huge bags of things, in a small apartment), and is whole foods. I don't buy any processed foods. For instance, I know you can sometimes find kerrygold there. Or 2lbs yeast for 3.50 or so. things like that. thanks

[Dar]

Hmmm... 3 pounds of raw almonds for $10... 4 pounds of frozen blueberries for $8 something... pound of organic baby greens for $4. I also get vanilla extract there cheaply, and of course yeast. Oh, and organic eggs... kerrygold cheese, and other cheeses... grass fed beef sometimes... wild salmon..

I'd also think about creative storage solutions. You can keep 25 pounds of flour under the bed, maybe, or in the closet... just seal it well and pull of 5 pounds at a time to keep in the kitchen.

[paintedmamacita]

man! i just typed this long reply and it didn't go through.
But i have to say, i love costco. I had my dh reorganize the laundry and put some new shelves way up high for lighter items so i could have lower shelves and floor for extra food. I took the time and did the math on certain items that we can fit and that are well worth it for us.
Things I love:
Baby Spinach and Broccoli (huge but we eat it with everything now)
Blackberries! I buy 2 big things a week.
Cherry tomatoes.
Case of Stoneyfield Farm Organic Yogurt. (flat so you can put stuff on top of it in the fridge)
Case of Organic Rice milk, Case of Sparkling Pellegrino water (3/4 in fridge, case by laundry.)
Organic Sugar, (only 3 lb bag), 3#bag of walnuts for $11, Almonds for cheap, Organic Raisins. great prices on all of it.
Case of Organic Stewed Tomatoes (8 cans/case). It's slid in next to the big bag of dog food.
Organic Pasta (awesome price).
Oh and 18 Organic eggs for $4.49. that's great for around here.
Anyway, those are the things that really are much cheaper and not too huge. We have a small 2/2 and have just made it work.
I can't wait to see what other people have found!

[catnip]

Costco has organic peanut butter cheaper than anywhere I've ever seen it.

[LBMarie9]

I love their deals on produce--did you mention only organics?

we the romaine hearts, the peppers (in off season), the brocolli, the organic spinach, the organic apples and pears, pineapple, and organic carrots.

also get their organic raisins and organic natural peanut butter (lOVE kirkland brands' taste)

[Magelet]

Thanks everyone No, not only organics, right now, I'm thinking probably just the dirty dozen organic? (and more likely to just stay away from most of those on a regular basis, except potatoes and celery The fruit except for occasionally at the farmers market, and mum's oranges, and some pick your own and canned and frozen we will do, we'll probably not eat tons of. Getting strawberries this week

grass-fed meat at costco? wow! I want some!

We'll definitely get into creative storage solutions eventually, I'm sure. We're just moving in, and right now, not so much creative lol. Futon on the floor, little extra room in the closet. (Though I think we could put some stuff on the high shelves). And we've discussed the positive aesthetic of a large bag of storage onions in the kitchen, though I'm not sure they'll store well that way, and how to store them well.

While the produce sounds good in some ways, unless its something I can freeze, I think it probably won't work for the most part. There are only two of us, and I'm not sure we'll go through most produce fast enough to buy it in bulk.

I'm loving the 3# of raw almonds for 10 bucks. When I buy them at the farmer's market, its $6 a #.

Definitely going to have to make a trip. *wonders where she can save up the extra money for a membership, and if it is worth it. Will there really be 50 dollars a year in savings?* If not, I'll just convince one of my parents to let me tag along on a trip, probably. Not that they go often.

[RunnerDuck]

I see you are in San Fran... we just moved back to PA from San Jose last year. The west coast Costco experience is very different than the east coast LOL.

I am rushed but have to point out, out there we were able to get these "sausages by Amy Lu" in a chicken apple gargonzola flavor. I don't know if that is your thing or not but they were SO GOOD. They are all real ingredients and chicken in a lamb casing I think, not pork - I hate how most chicken sausages are in a pork casing. They don't have those here for some reason, makes me very sad. They just started carrying the brand but not the flavor. Those were cheaper than whole foods for sure but I don't remember the price off hand.

I have noticed a lot of natural foods at costco - not ness. organic but all ingredients you recognize and feel ok with if you know what I mean. They have a lot of junk too but that's true of anywhere.

If you go you have to remember to figure the free lunch from grazing on samples into your cost savings. :

[Magelet]

Thanks. I've ONLY ever been the rowland plaza costco in novato, and its been a long time. I don't really remember what they have so much. Still, I could make a prospective list, and go from there. Are you saying in general they have less whole stuff out here, or its just different?

wow sausages without pork casings.... that's amazing. they're super expensive at WF, so they are a REALLY rare treat.

[RunnerDuck]

Originally Posted by Magelet

Thanks. I've ONLY ever been the rowland plaza costco in novato, and its been a long time. I don't really remember what they have so much. Still, I could make a prospective list, and go from there. Are you saying in general they have less whole stuff out here, or its just different?

wow sausages without pork casings.... that's amazing. they're super expensive at WF, so they are a REALLY rare treat.

What's different is the level of crowdedness... and how vicious people are when it comes to samples. Here there are fewer costcos but they are less crowded - I guess maybe because it is newer here, people mostly go to Sam's? But they are never as busy. And out west people would line up and become territorial over the samples. Like buzzards circling a corpse in the desert. I feared for the people handing out the samples!!! It's much less cut-throat here. Of course also less entertaining.

The food selections are pretty similar. Limitations seem to arise when brands are not national...

Yes pork free sausages. I don't know why so many chicken sausages are in a pork casing. Hello, chicken? I'd like a CHICKEN sausage? Maybe I have reasons to avoid pork sausage? SO could you keep the pork out of my chicken sausage?

Very strange. It seems like a no brainer to me.

I am picky when it comes to meat but personally find I am healthier when I eat more meat
(I was veggie for years but found my health improved when I started to eat chicken and beef) - it's hard to find meat I enjoy as opposed to just gag down. I loved these sausages... but alas can't find them here in that flavor. Hoping they will start to carry more flavors out here.

Oh - out west they had the Amy's indian meals - frozen - for really good prices, a 4 pack for like $8 or something ridiculous. I love those. They don't have them here for some reason. The brand is available, but Costco doesn't have them.

The sausages used to just be called "Sausages by Amy" and I think Amy's (the veggie frozen foods) must have raised a fuss or something because the name changed.

[EnviroBecca]

Avocados! (Costco has the best price around here--it may be different in California.) Wait until all 5 are nice and ripe. Then make a big batch of guacamole and pack it into airtight containers. It'll keep in the fridge for about a week, or you can freeze it.

The 6-pound bag of frozen veggies doesn't take up a whole lot of space compared to its usefulness.

Giant can of tomato puree (no added ingredients) if you like spaghetti sauce enough to make that big a batch--store it in glass jars that you fill as full as possible when it's warm, and it'll keep in the back of the fridge for at least a month.

To store onions: Check carefully before buying that they don't have black dots of mold on them--those will grow in storage. Put an onion into the foot of old pantyhose. Tie a knot above it. Put another onion above the knot. Tie a knot above that. Keep going until you have just enough slack to tie the top of this "onion rope" to a hook on your wall or ceiling. When you need an onion, snip off the bottom one. You can do this with garlic too.

[RunnerDuck]

Oh, I will have to check out Costco for avocados!!! I really want to feed them to the girls but they are like $3 a pop at Giant Eagle... I'm too afraid of picking a bad one to spend that kind of money. I do miss California's avocado prices...

Does keeping onions in pantyhose really keep them fresh longer?? Ours always start to go a little soft or start to grow before we use them all...

[just_lily]

I am in Canada, so things are probably different, but I love Costco for meat, cheese and milk.

I buy giant packages of meat and split it up into useable quantities and freeze. I cut steaks in half, or even thirds.

And some of my favourite Costco finds are non-food. They have really nice, but cheap, baby sleepers at mine. My kid is in one right now. I also got a couple of travel mugs that are completely spill proof and super insulated. Perfect for a busy mom. It doesn't spill a drop when my kid knocks it over, and keeps my coffee hot even when it takes me all morning to drink it. I really need to go back and get more!

[Carley]

Originally Posted by RunnerDuck

Yes pork free sausages. I don't know why so many chicken sausages are in a pork casing. Hello, chicken? I'd like a CHICKEN sausage? Maybe I have reasons to avoid pork sausage? SO could you keep the pork out of my chicken sausage?

LOL!!!!!!


This thread has been so useful! We have a 850 sq ft house & I am always being told by family & friends "Hey! If you ever want to go to Costco, I have a membership!"

I'm usually like.. uhh.. yeah, right! But now I'm going to tag along! Meeeeat!! Yum!!!

[Chakra]

I love their produce. We always buy fresh blueberrys, rasp. etc. Pineapple, organic apples. Yum

[AllisonK]

I believe you can get a one day trial membership to go and check things out before you purchase a membership. We love Costco!