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- Hey munchies, welcome to the channel.
If you're new I'm Alyssia.
Today I'm sharing a 10 must have
healthy pantry items from Costco.
What really makes Costco unique
is that they sell items in bulk for low prices.
So if you have the storage space
it can really help you save a few bucks
by purchasing these items.
Prices will vary based on location
so I'm not focusing on price,
we know it's gonna be more affordable.
But the point of this video is really
to focus on the ingredients and products themselves.
I'll also be sharing some tips of what to look out for
along the way.
These are all dry panty items
but if you guys want me to a cold or refrigerated
and frozen Costco haul let me know.
First up, marinara sauce.
The Kirkland organic marinara sauce
comes in a pack of three for about 10 bucks.
But the reason I include this
in the list of healthier panty items
is that this is one of the rare pre-made tomato sauces
where you won't find sugar as an added ingredient.
It's very clean, consisting of organic tomatoes,
onions, olive oil and spices.
And of course you've got a lot more for the price tag
than you would at a regular grocery store.
Next, pistachios.
Now these are shelled pistachios
making them much easier to eat
but usually they're more expensive.
These are much cheaper per ounce,
less the 60 cents an ounce.
Unlike buying them shelled
pretty much anywhere else I've seen
at almost $1.20 per ounce.
That is literally half the price.
These pistachios are great
because the only ingredients are pistachios and salt.
However, not all Costco nuts are created equal.
Be careful, because even though they are packaged in bulk
and sold for what seems to be a lower price,
many are cooked in peanut oil which is not ideal.
Not only for health reasons but a lot of people
are choosing other nuts to avoid peanuts for allergies.
If the nuts are cooked in peanut oil
then they are still a risk.
So just beware, peanut oil is much cheaper
which is likely why they're using it to keep prices down.
Following nuts we've got nut butter.
A serious must have at Costco,
the organic almond butter only uses organic roasted almonds
which is awesome.
And that stuff lasts a long time
so you can use it as you need
without feeling like you've gotta go crazy.
At less than 50 cents an ounce,
it costs about 60 percent less than an organic almond butter
from the regular grocery store.
Same goes for this organic NuttZo seven nut and seed butter.
The only ingredients are the nuts and seeds themselves,
no added sugars or oils.
I love that!
And these mixed nut butters are a great way
to get in more micronutrients in a yummy tasting spread.
The next pantry item is avocado oil cooking spray.
This is pretty much the only spray I use now.
As it says, it's chemical and soy free,
the only ingredient is avocado oil.
That is not typically the case with most other sprays.
Most coconut oil sprays have other chemicals
and they are so sneaky.
This is also a much more affordable price
as it comes in a pack of two
and it usually cost as much for only one
at my regular grocery store.
And remember, when cooking with heat
you really wanna avoid extra virgin olive oil.
It has a low smoke point
so it's actually dangerous to eat heated
because it can become carcinogenic.
Avocado oil has a very high smoke point
so it's much better for cooking
and still is neutral in flavor.
FYI, regular olive oil, not extra virgin,
is fine for heat.
If you're interested in learning more about oils
I have a free course which teaches
which panty staples are healthiest for oils,
flours, breads, pastas, milks and oats.
You can enroll today at no cost
using the link in the description
or at healthystaplesguide.com.
Next, keeping with my love for avocado oil,
Costco also carries avocado oil mayo
in a 24 ounce jar at almost the same price
as that small jar online or in other grocery stores.
No canola oil is needed because it uses neutral avocado oil,
cage free eggs, vinegar, salt and rosemary extract.
It's about the cleanest mayo you'll find
without making your own, but heads up,
you can totally make your own
and I shared how to do it in my Aldi meal prep video
which I will link in the description box
if you're interested in trying that out.
Almond flour is next.
This might be the winner of the day.
Three pounds for only about 12 bucks.
That is less than $4 a pound.
To put it in perspective, at my regular grocery store,
one pound is around $12.
I don't think anyone can beat that
and the only ingredient is almonds.
Almond flour is typically expensive
because almonds are expensive.
So this is a steal, it's a flour
so buying in bulk makes sense,
it will last a good while and you'll save so much money.
This version is also super fine
which means it's great for baking.
I use almond flour as the base for my low-carb cookies
and low-carb muffins.
If you're looking for recipes to try it out with,
and I've linked those in the description, too.
For more haul videos and recipes
be sure to subscribe and hit the bell
so you can be notified of new videos each week.
Staying with those dry goods, hemp hearts.
I've used shelled hemp seeds before in smoothies
and baked goods and a lot of you asked
where to get them?
Most grocery stores carry them
but they're cheaper per ounce at Costco, under 60 cents,
which is about half the price at my regular grocery store.
And these are organic.
Hemp hearts are a great source of protein, iron
and omega threes and sixes.
You can sprinkle them on anything
and they taste nutty and delicious.
Kirkland brand's organic dried mango
is also a good deal, great for snacking.
It's not always easy to find
dried fruit without added sugar.
So when I do find some I try to make note for later.
Dried fruit is already condensed
so you're getting more sugar concentrated
than you would eating the fresh fruit.
There's really no reason to eat dried fruit
that also adds sugar to it.
And this stuff tastes great.
Keep it on hand for a snack
or put it in oatmeal or recipes.
It's just a big bag though, keep that in mind.
Okay, we're veering from snacks to meals
with Wild Planet's albacore wild tuna.
I like this brand, they sustainably source their seafood
and you can tell the quality is high by the taste.
It does not taste or smell as fishy which is good.
This does cost more than regular canned tuna
but for the quality, the health
and the environmental benefits, I think it's worth it.
When you open the can it's actually going to resemble tuna
instead of shredded, indiscernible meat.
Of course, tuna is a higher mercury fish
so it's best for both our own health
and the environment that we keep our consumption moderate.
But it is good to note that Wild Planet uses
smaller albacore which is said to contain
less mercury than larger albacore.
Regardless, Costco is a great place
to find this higher quality item
at a more reasonable price.
Last but not least, La Croix.
I don't believe Costco carries all the flavors
but they do carry a few mixes of flavors
that they sell in bulk.
And it still ends up being cheaper
than the individual packs.
I like the curate, curat, curate, who can know, varieties.
So if you're good with the flavors
then this could be a good option.
Remember, sparkling water without added sugar
is still a great way to hydrate
if you struggle with drinking plain, regular water.
And that is my top 10 healthy pantry items from Costco.
Let me know if you want more videos like this,
whether it's from Costco or another store.
And feel free to show your favorite Costco finds
in the comments below.
Remember, if you're interested
you can sign up for my free healthy staples course.
I also have a free course all about inflammation
and you can enroll in either or both for free
using the links in the description box.
Thanks so much being here.
I'll see you next week and remember,
it's all a matter of mind over munch.