There are so many things to love about Costco. The wholesale giant has become one of the world's
largest retailers, and some of its distinct selection of food offerings have emerged as
cult favorites over the years. Keep watching to discover these beloved Costco products.
Bacon is one of those kitchen staples that most of us always have in our fridge,
even if we shouldn't be eating it every day. It makes so many dishes better,
whether we're talking about breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And Costco's in-house
Kirkland Signature brand is known for having some of the best bacon out there.
Whenever you come across an online list of the best products at Costco,
bacon is pretty much always on there, and it also tends to be ranked higher than all other grocery
store bacon. In fact, Consumer Reports did a bacon taste test with several popular brands
and determined that Kirkland Signature Bacon was "the only excellent product," while also noting,
"It crisped up nicely and consistently had balanced
fat and meat flavors complemented by wood smoke and a hint of sweetness."
While a recommendation like that is probably enough to convince customers
to shell out plenty of cash for such a premium quality product, they don't have to splurge,
because at Costco, the bacon costs roughly 20 percent less than the competition's.
If you ask us, coff ee is a basic necessity and should always be bought in bulk.
"You know, no big whoop, just coffee talk."
So it comes as no surprise that so many caffeine lovers out there love
Costco's Kirkland Signature coffees. There are a dozen different varieties to choose from,
and they are all sold in two or three-pound bags, oftentimes in a two-pack. So if you shop
at Costco, you can rest assured that you won't be facing a morning coffee emergency anytime soon.
But it's not just the convenience of Kirkland Signature coffee that lures customers in.
It also tastes good. Not to mention it's organic and fair-trade compliant across the board,
meaning that it's good for you, coffee farmers, and the environment. Several
of the Kirkland Signature coffee blends have earned high marks, especially the House Blend,
which is actually custom-roasted by Starbucks. In general, you really can't go wrong with
whatever blend you brew. As the coffee fanatics at Purely Coffee Beans put it,
"[The] 12 types of Kirkland coffee [...] are all surprisingly delicious and affordable,
offering a smoother coffee, with better taste, and lower caffeine content."
One of the best easy dinner options out there consists of picking up a fully cooked,
deliciously seasoned rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
Then just add a side dish or a salad, and you've got a full meal ready to go.
How can you beat that?! Just about every popular grocery store sells rotisserie chicken,
and the ones at Costco tend to earn high marks for their taste and value. Priced at just $4.99,
these three-pound birds are some of the cheapest you can get. As one shopper declared on Reddit,
"That is the best value in the store.
I laugh at grocery store chickens — twice as expensive and half as big."
Costco sometimes actually loses money on this popular product. But the company is willing
to make that sacrifice because the incredible value of the deal continues to pull customers
into the store, where their eyes might be caught by another, more expensive product.
And there's plenty of evidence to support the viability of this strategy.
The rotisserie chickens are so popular among Costco shoppers
that they even have their own Facebook fan page with more than 18,000 likes.
Olive oil is a staple in most kitchens, whether you're an amateur cook or a
highly trained professional. There are so many brands to turn to, but for many,
there's no need to look any further than Costco. It's not just home cooks who swear
by the Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This fan favorite is even beloved by
nutrition experts and celebrity chef Samin Nosrat for its amazing value and taste.
So what's so special about this particular olive oil? It all comes down to quality.
A 2010 study from the University of California-Davis tested nearly 20 different
imported extra virgin olive oils and found that Kirkland Signature was one of the only brands that
actually met the taste and purity standards set by the International Olive Council and
the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And this is Samin Nosrat's go-to brand of olive oil,
as she's called it one of the best brands you can get for your money for everyday use.
Any diehard Costco shopper knows that you don't just go there to shop the aisles. Visiting the
food court is also an integral part of the experience, and the pizza there has long been
a favorite for customers and employees. You can order it by the slice for $1.99 or go big and get
a whole pie. Costco's pizzas are so popular that the annual sales actually make the company one
of the biggest pizza chains in America. Indeed, according to a 2015 report from Business Insider,
Costco actually ranked as the fourteenth largest pizza chain in the country.
What makes Costco's pizza so delicious that customers keep coming back for more? For one,
they don't skimp on the toppings. Plus, they use machines and a very regimented process
to make sure that each pie is fully loaded and assembled to perfection.
Adding a full one-and-a-half pounds of aged buttery cheeses doesn't hurt either.
"PIZZA! Pizza, pizza, go in tummy, me so hungy, me so hungy."
You can find all kinds of yummy snack foods at Costco, and for better or for worse,
you can also buy all of them in mass quantities.
"Most certainly we would enjoy in consuming mass quantities of any substance you have to offer."
One particular snack item that shoppers can't stop raving about is Sheila G's Brownie Brittle.
It's got the rich taste of a fudge brownie as well as the crisp crunch of a cookie. If you've
ever been on the Costco subreddit, you know that fans describe this sweet, chocolate-y snack as
everything from "pure heaven" to "delicious and addictive" to "crack in brownie brittle form."
You can find this popular product at other major retailers but not for the sweet deal
that you can get it at Costco. The brownie brittle is sold at Costco's warehouses,
though not online, in 16-ounce bags that you can get your hands on for less than
seven bucks. And you can even get two bags for that price during Costco's buy-one-get-one sales.
That's compared to nearly $18 for a single bag on Amazon. So clearly, Costco has you covered.
For frugal drinkers looking for high-quality alcohol that won't break the bank,
Costco's Kirkland Signature Liquor products are the ultimate deal. The company sells an
entire line of in-house liquors, from vodka and tequila to whiskey, bourbon, cognac , and even
some mixed drinks. And because it's Costco, you know you're getting a genuine deal. For example,
Kirkland Signature American Vodka is less than $20 for a 1.75-liter bottle. It's made
from the same water that's used in Grey Goose, but a 1.75-liter bottle of that
vodka will cost you more than double the price of Costco's private label version.
And Costco shoppers don't just love the price of Kirkland Signature alcohol – they also
love the quality. Costco uses very high-end producers to source its alcohol products,
and when you also factor in a growing consumer preference for private-label products,
Kirkland Signature is at the top of many people's lists for the best-value alcohol around.
It's an understatement to say that if you're in the market for a protein bar,
there are a lot of options out there. But many shoppers have nevertheless made a firm decision,
as they turn to Costco to stock up on their Kirkland Signature Protein Bars,
which claim to be made with real chocolate and no artificial flavors. They come in mouthwatering
flavors like chocolate brownie, chocolate chip cookie dough, and chocolate peanut butter chunk.
The bars have tons of reviews on Costco's website,
with high average ratings across the board. They've also been called a "must-buy item"
by Costco Insider. And someone on the Costco subreddit even called them "the greatest protein
bars ever." If you want to really indulge and enjoy these as a warm dessert, you can
try warming them up for a few seconds in the microwave to make them even softer and tastier.
If you haven't jumped on the turkey jerky train yet, you're really missing out. It's easy for
grabbing on the go, it's packed full of protein, and it can be flavored in so many different ways,
making for a tasty snack that's actually good for you. And you can get it for a major bargain
at Costco, which sells its Kirkland Signature Turkey Jerky for just $11.99 for a 13.5-ounce bag.
And as we've come to expect from Costco, that low price doesn't mean low quality.
Their turkey jerky is made from premium turkey breast that's completely antibiotic-free. The
meat is marinated in a seasoning blend for 24 hours, which packs in tons of flavor. It's also
97 percent fat-free and loaded with ten grams of protein per serving. Best Choice Reviews
puts Kirkland Signature on its list of the top ten best turkey jerkies, calling it "tender,
tasty, and healthy," while Delish calls it "a must-have for jerky enthusiasts."
And if you try it, you just might become one of those jerky enthusiasts yourself.
Another sweet option that Costco regulars know about is the set of
delicious deals in the bakery section, and a long-time favorite in that space are the
giant muffins. They come in a variety of flavors, from blueberry to chocolate chip,
and they're sold in packs of 12 for just ten bucks each. Anyone who tries Costco's
muffins knows just how addictive they are. As one shopper shared with Buzzfeed,
"The chocolate chunk muffins are the greatest thing that
has happened to me. They are always baked perfectly and taste amazing."
And as SheKnows writer Julie Sprankles put it,
"I didn't believe the Costco muffin myth until I tried them myself but
call me converted because these little delicacies live up to all the hype."
Keep in mind, though, that even if you can eat one of these muffins in a whole sitting,
you probably shouldn't. While they're plenty tempting with their fluffiness
and tastiness, they're also packed with calories.
"You know, a muffin can be very filling."
"I know!"
If you want to enjoy as many of these muffins as you possibly can without going through a
12-pack all at once, you can easily freeze them to keep them fresher longer. Simply
defrost them and warm them up in the microwave whenever you're ready, and you're all set.
Costco shoppers were hit hard by the company's decision in 2020 to stop selling its famous
half-sheet cakes. These large, rectangular sweet treats were considered by many to be
one of the store's biggest treasures. They've been the centerpiece of many a birthday party,
graduation celebration, or baby shower. As one person put it on the Costco subreddit,
"Costco sheet cake is my life. I buy one for every birthday and cut it into pieces to freeze."
The sheet cakes were large enough to feed dozens. They were offered in vanilla and
chocolate varieties, and customers could choose from a range of decorative designs
and even add a personalized message. But then in June 2020, Costco quietly announced that
it would no longer be selling the sheet cakes without an immediate explanation,
while also noting that they had no plans to bring them back anytime soon. The reason? A
Costco rep later suggested that sheet cakes go with large gatherings – something the
store doesn't want to promote during the Covid crisis. While this makes sense, fans' reactions
still ranged from heartbreak to outrage. As one shopper begged on Costco's Facebook,
"PLLEEEEEEEEEASSE bring back the half sheet cakes!! Best cakes ever!
Worth the price of membership on its own! Birthdays are disappointing without one!!"
And there's even a petition on Change.org demanding that Costco bring back the
half-sheet cakes that's garnered over 1,200 signatures as of February 2021.
Here's to hoping they make it back on the shelves when the Coronavirus situation is resolved!
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