Possibly, Costco offers some of the best deals when it comes to bulk shopping. If you have to get ready for a big birthday party, for the 4th of July or for Thanksgiving, Costco is your temple of devotion. However, saving money sometimes means giving up a little on quality, and that is why we have prepared a list with six products that, although they seduce you with the price, they will not give you back great quality.
At other times, the size of the package is so large that you will never be able to consume it completely, and you will end up throwing it in the trash.
Costco’s big sizes are not always good deals
We have focused on the Kirkland Signature brand that, although I love many of its products, and it will always be present in my pantry, my years of experience as a Cost enthusiast has taught me to choose the ones that are not very good.
Seasonings
According to the McCormick spice company, dried spices can last 1 to 4 years before spoiling. And those of us who love to cook know that small quantities are used every time, so their presentations are always in small jars. It doesn’t matter if you do a calculation and buying a big jar of oregano or black pepper sounds like a great deal: you probably won’t manage to consume the entire container before it rots.
Almond flour
Today there are many people with celiac disease, or who have chosen not to eat gluten for personal or dietary reasons. Faced with this panorama, wheat flour substitutes have become very popular, and almond flour has become very popular.
A 3-pound package of Kirkland almond flour can be found at Costco, at a super price of $13.99. The problem is that this product can withstand a few months after opening, and up to a year in the freezer. So you have to think very carefully about how many products you can prepare to spend the entire bag.
Tequila
As I said before, if you want to have a party you have to go to Costco, because you will find absolutely everything you need in one trip, without having to do a supermarket tour to collect everything you need for taco and margarita night.
The Kirkland brand offers its version of tequila, the soul of the margarita and one of the Mexican spirits par excellence. MoneyTalks magazine consulted tequila specialists about this Costco product, and one said: “It has an unnatural sweetness like it does not come straight from an agave field or distillation,“ and another went even further, saying, “It’s like wearing clown shoes or something. It’s out of place.”.
So here you are going to want to buy a tequila of a better quality, even if it costs a few dollars more.
Coffee
I have already talked about coffee before, and how it is better to buy coffee beans avoiding the adefesio that is instant coffee. If you love each other, do not consume instant coffee, and if you love coffee, do not buy very large or bulk bags, because the shelf life of this tropical product is really short.
Experts in this drink assure that it is preferable to buy whole beans coffee, and grind it every morning, to keep the aroma and flavor as intact as possible.
And although Kirkland offers some exaggerated presentations with hundreds of instant coffee capsules, I would recommend looking for a good naturally roasted coffee bean and buying your own mill. Ask Colombians, Costa Ricans or Italians about how to buy and prepare good coffee: they know about it.
Deli meats and charcuterie
Sausages and cold cuts are extremely delicate. You will know that they are matured or precooked meats that are really delicate and can be ruined if they are not stored correctly.
Chef Lizzy Briskin was asked about the quality of these products at Costco, and she said, literally, that she would “never buy them there” and placed special emphasis on those of the Kirkland brand.
The cook suggests buying small quantities of a good brand and at your local butcher or grocery store. This way you don’t expose yourself to eating something of poor quality or ugly taste, and you won’t have to throw anything in the trash either.
Fish
This is really, really important: fish and seafood should always be fresh. It should come right from the shipping vessel, to the store, to your fridge, and then to the frying pan. All those steps must not be that much separated apart, and the cold chain must never be broken.
Also, you should buy small amounts, just the fish you need for a dinner, not to stay in the fridge.
Chicken
The chicken meat is delicate and, as well as fish, should always be fresh. Personally, I don’t like to buy larger amounts of fresh chicken meat and put’em in the fridge for months. I’d better purchase just the quantity I’ll need for one or two dinners, and always be shopping the chicken fresh. Note that I’m not talking about the processed, frozen versions of chicken products, like breaded pre-cooked nuggets, or stuff like that. I mean the actual whole chicken or its parts, like thighs or breasts.
If the chicken is slimy, has a foul smell, or has changed to a yellow, green, or gray color, these are signs that your chicken has gone bad or is not fresh. Toss any chicken meat that does not look light pink colored or with funny smell.