638692 Wed Jul 22 14:54:09 -0700 2009 71 32 Chains 0 4881975 Never bought them before, but after seeing prices for dried mushrooms in Italy, I'm thinking that tub of them at Costco is calling my name. Wed Jul 22 14:54:09 -0700 2009 110080 VAfoodie 1 4882000 Those large plastic jars of nut meats; pork ribs; coffee; artichoke hearts; baking powder (when it's available) and tasting everything they offer at those sampler stations. Wed Jul 22 15:01:00 -0700 2009 4881975 203621 todao 1 4882040 Aceto basalmic vinegar and organic extra virgin olive oil and org. spinach. Not to mention, Costco has the best bread in Juneau, AK- how sad is that? Sorry Silverbow. Wed Jul 22 15:14:57 -0700 2009 4881975 149160 tjdavis 1 4882058 sundried tomato jars big rolls of plastic wrap and sandwich bags milk organic butter (just a bit cheaper there) brown eggs chicken stock cartons and canned tomatoes dried nuts during the holidays cases of beer when i have a get-together pineapples Wed Jul 22 15:23:05 -0700 2009 4881975 133265 jeniyo 1 4882060 Never shop there, never will. Now if you were to ask the same of Trader Joes, the answer would be EVERYTHING. I do 85% of my grocery shopping there! Wed Jul 22 15:23:26 -0700 2009 4881975 1095281 Salty_Loves_Sweet 2 4887719 It's not an "either / or" between Costco and TJ. We shop both for different thing and love them both. Fri Jul 24 11:56:20 -0700 2009 4882060 22285 dpan 3 4889720 Couldn't agree more. Both have their place in our household. Our dogs would turn on us if we ever stopped getting those big bags of chicken jerky strips. Sat Jul 25 10:03:09 -0700 2009 4887719 64003 bulavinaka 2 4890998 "Never shop there, never will' __________________________ Really? I'm curious why not? I'm on my way tomorrow to buy the big bags of lemons... Big blocks of Tillamook cheese Bags of pinenuts that I keep in the freezer Bags of dried cherries/cranberries Sunsweet dried plums Kirkland brand fruit and nut medley....great for hiking. Of course the Hebrew National hotdog and drink at the end of my shopping. Sun Jul 26 00:35:58 -0700 2009 4882060 239340 latindancer 3 5120107 I've got one of the 50-oz bags of dried plums (FKA prunes) right here in my office. Great as part of a healthy snack. NB: This is one of the products that has Kirkland above the well-known name brand. Wed Oct 21 10:59:45 -0700 2009 4890998 12829 Bob W 1 4882078 Oh, let me count the items that I love from Costco..... Meat red meat, especially for grinding into hamburger lamb chops butchered in house steak tips prime rib eye steaks Cheese Greek feta cheese Parmesian and Romano chunks Swiss slices for sandwiches That triple cream which I can only buy when there will be tons of people in the house so I don't eat it all by myself. Fish Great prices when in season for Haddock and Wild Alaska salmon. Eat one meal and then smoke. Smoked salmon when it isn't salmon season Produce Those bags of lemons and limes. Great price; if we can't use them before they start going bad, I juice and freeze them in ice cube trays Other stuff olive oil butter bacon pacific chicken broth for those lazy days 5 lb bags of spinach toilet paper paper towels yeast Cascade Tide Vitamins prescription drugs window blinds [still have 12 windows to go] And then the occasional treats: Stacy pita chips Sabra hummus la vache qui rie cheese cashews Wed Jul 22 15:31:06 -0700 2009 4881975 59258 smtucker 1 4882105 Boneless Ribeyes Bonless/skinless chix thighs Tail-off cooked shrimp Artichoke hearts Kalmata olives Sun dried tomatoes(big jar) Frozen Italian meatballs Daily-Multi vitamins Wed Jul 22 15:42:29 -0700 2009 4881975 140140 mrbigshotno.1 1 4882323 HARK! The preceding posters must never have tried the Roasted Garlic Loaves in the instore bakery, or they'd be first on your lists. Beautifully mellow, caramelized cloves liberally stud what seems like a sourdough loaf although the ingredients don't so indicate. Their multigrain cousin is also great, I do wish they had mix&match for their breads, which come 2 loaves per package. Vitamins Dog kibble (highly rated in a nutritional analysis study of dry dog food) Dog beds and blankets ....re those dried mushrooms. I noticed that they are packed domestically but it does not say they are grown here so I assume they are imported. I recently soaked a remaining half-jar to make soup, which also contained onion, marrow beans, and chicken broth. There was a bitter undertone to the soup. Now, I've never had the Rancho Gordo marrow beans before - they are supposed to taste like bacon, but not to me. It is possible that the metallic bitterness was from the beans, but I used some from the same bag in other dishes and didn't notice, so I am pretty suspicious about the mushrooms. I added a lot of Stonewall Farms Roasted Garlic and Onion Jam to counteract it. Maybe I should have chucked the soup but I am loathe to waste food, and have bought dried mushrooms in Asian markets for many years (they have great prices for these) so I figure if the'yre contaminated, I'm long since poisoned. Wed Jul 22 17:04:15 -0700 2009 4881975 159317 greygarious 2 4882331 I don't really care for the Gourmet Dried Mushroom mix. I have about half of a plastic container left, but can't bring myself to eat them or throw them away. And you are right. I have not tried the Roasted Garlic Loaves. I will remedy this on my next visit. Wed Jul 22 17:07:39 -0700 2009 4882323 59258 smtucker 3 4882492 I once purchased a GIANT bag of dried shiitake mushrooms at Costco (this was before they started offering the tub of mixed dried mushrooms). I used them twice - once to make a broth and once in a risotto - and thought they had a strange flavor both times. Wed Jul 22 18:05:52 -0700 2009 4882331 11434 FlyerFan 4 4882593 And they are pithy in the middle and slimy on the outside no matter how you cook them, those were my first and last time with those. Gave the leftover 2/3 of the bag to the food bank. Wed Jul 22 18:47:54 -0700 2009 4882492 140140 mrbigshotno.1 4 4886665 Dehydrated mushies are much more earthy tasting than fresh mushies and can't be used in most recipies calling for fresh. You should check out Food Network for recipies. Fri Jul 24 06:58:15 -0700 2009 4882492 149836 cstr 5 4887735 I've used dried mushrooms before and have loved the results - just wasn't happy with the results from the Costco mushrooms in the same recipes. Fri Jul 24 12:02:47 -0700 2009 4886665 11434 FlyerFan 6 4888006 Same here. I would never consider buying a half gallon jug of dried mushrooms if I had never used a dried mushroom before. This is the only item I have ever purchased that hasn't made me happy. And I love dried mushrooms as a general rule. Fri Jul 24 13:22:27 -0700 2009 4887735 59258 smtucker 1 4882757 There's not a single must have item that I couldn't do without from Costco. And I've been shopping there for years. Wed Jul 22 19:56:31 -0700 2009 4881975 258488 NewDude 1 4882813 These items aren't unique to Costco, but they have good prices on them: Sabra Hummus Kirkland Toilet Paper Wed Jul 22 20:15:03 -0700 2009 4881975 197037 mrfood16 2 4883770 Yes to Costco's hummus, altho I prefer the Oasis brand w/pine nuts: firmer than TJ's, more flavorful than stuff I've bought in natural food stores. Thu Jul 23 08:23:50 -0700 2009 4882813 263884 azveggieguy 2 4889038 Kirkland toilet paper is their #1 selling item. Fri Jul 24 22:10:52 -0700 2009 4882813 11914 monku 3 5199270 I think I remember hearing in an interview or TV provile that it's not just their #1 item, but it's their #1 item worldwide. Like in each country where they open a store, the bathroom tissue MOVES! Sat Nov 21 19:19:19 -0800 2009 4889038 220968 mattwarner 1 4883104 tri-tip steaks -- I marinate them and then cut up for fondue chicken thighs ground beef chuck -- the 1-lb. chubs the five-packs of bacon Around the holidays, their prime rib roasts are the best Wed Jul 22 23:04:37 -0700 2009 4881975 233226 batchoy 1 4883302 Kirkland brand Marcona Almonds...we go through two cans per week. only buy Gruyere' cheese there...such a good deal Tillamook Cheddar logs Ling-Ling pot stickers big containers for strawberries Thu Jul 23 04:59:29 -0700 2009 4881975 138943 grouper 2 4883349 Agree about the Tillamook. Until Costco started carrying it, we only had it around when we visited my family in WA. Thu Jul 23 05:32:58 -0700 2009 4883302 109573 coney with everything 2 4889726 Those Marcona almonds are great at a great price. Now if they would only offer some flavored with rosemary, like Trader Joe's has... Sat Jul 25 10:05:18 -0700 2009 4883302 64003 bulavinaka 1 4883499 About the only thing I get at the mega-mart is fresh herbs, everything else comes from Costco where I enjoy the cash back and saving some dough! Thu Jul 23 06:31:37 -0700 2009 4881975 149836 cstr 1 4884569 Prime beef Fosters Farms frozen boneless, skinless chicken breast Interesting cheeses Tide Cascade trash can liners Jalepeno stuffed olives last minute frozen party food Thu Jul 23 12:15:31 -0700 2009 4881975 14268 Rene 1 4888083 prescriptions Foster Farms 8 pack (4 in each pack) chicken thighs Kirkland multi grain bread (2 pack) Kirkland butter Knudsen Cottage Cheese No sugar added hot chocolate mix liquid laundry soap trash bags lunch bags paper goods vanilla Fri Jul 24 13:50:59 -0700 2009 4881975 109905 laliz 1 4888995 Baby back ribs (If you ask at the counter for a case you get another 25% off). Fri Jul 24 21:25:20 -0700 2009 4881975 148886 duck833 2 4897729 . duck833, what counter are you referring to????meat counter ot the service counter up front for the 25% discount?????? Tue Jul 28 12:58:52 -0700 2009 4888995 53927 mutti 3 4897747 At the meat counter.... if you buy a case of many meat cuts, they discount the meat even further. My Costco has the case prices posted way up above the windows that look into the meat processing area. Tue Jul 28 13:05:37 -0700 2009 4897729 59258 smtucker 1 4889738 "Prime" graded NY strips. Lamb loin chops and rack of lamb. La Brea Bakery breads as my fall-back position when the real local bakeries have closed. Vilafonte 2004 series C Pine nuts in the bulk bag. Sat Jul 25 10:12:38 -0700 2009 4881975 64003 bulavinaka 1 4889813 Ito-En green tea bags are really the only thing i *have* to have from there - my mornings just wouldn't be the same without them. i also like the Kirkland toilet paper, large bottles of balsamic vinegar, and organic dried basil, but i've gone without those and it hasn't been too painful. Sat Jul 25 10:48:29 -0700 2009 4881975 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 4890316 The big (2lb, 5 lb?) bags of dried mango. I think the brand is something like Philipina? I'm not a Costco member myself but my parents are and I periodically beg them to send me mangos. I can go through a bag in two days. Love them Sat Jul 25 15:50:23 -0700 2009 4881975 220645 mjhals 2 4890328 it's not Mariani? that's the brand of dried fruit i always see in ginormous bags in my parents' cabinet when i go over there. my father's a Costco nut. Sat Jul 25 15:56:44 -0700 2009 4890316 103920 goodhealthgourmet 3 4890359 Nope, definitely not Mariani (my parents grow for them, sometimes, when Sunsweet isn't buying all their crop). The mangos come in a white bag w/ blue and orange script. Same type of bag as the ginormous Mariani ones though, wide bottom w/ a zip seal top. The mangos are wonderfully sweet and more tender than any other dried mangos I've had. Sat Jul 25 16:10:17 -0700 2009 4890328 220645 mjhals 2 4905199 Those are the best! =) Thu Jul 30 19:43:57 -0700 2009 4890316 1081227 DishDelish 1 4905193 Cold milled Flax seed, muir glen organic canned tomatoes, feta cheese, olive oil, greek olives, pepperocinis, fruits and berries, avocados, best foods mayonnaise, vine-ripened tomatoes, Costco already made spinach salad, yum! wine my wonderful King sized bed cookbooks So much more!!! Thu Jul 30 19:42:47 -0700 2009 4881975 1081227 DishDelish 2 4905222 is the flaxseed whole, or pre-ground? Thu Jul 30 19:54:07 -0700 2009 4905193 103920 goodhealthgourmet 3 4905318 It is ground in a special cold mill that preserves its freshness better than any other pre-ground flaxseed I have seen. I don't have a grinder at home and this one actually has really good flavor. I can hardly tell the difference between this and fresh ground. It also stays even fresher in the freezer. Thu Jul 30 20:41:37 -0700 2009 4905222 1081227 DishDelish 1 5111404 My Costco is very close by: Coastal English cheddar Petrol/gas Potstickers Primos margherita pizza organic canned tomatoes whole organic milk Brownie Bites Ruta Maya organic coffee Veggie Straws Stacy's Pita chips Vitamins organic ground beef organics boneless chicken breasts Liptons Diet green tea Beer Whole grain bread salmon burgers paper towels parmigiano Uncooked tortillas organic spinach prescriptions drugs rice crackers snack mix Sat Oct 17 20:00:01 -0700 2009 4881975 268262 Macushla 1 5111562 Their organic salsa is strangely addicting. And it is very slow to spoil. Sat Oct 17 22:16:11 -0700 2009 4881975 258488 NewDude 2 5120970 I bought it and it spoiled within a couple weeks. I left my hubby to visit family in Minnesota for a couple weeks last year and he went to open it when I was gone and it exploded everywhere. Now I just make homemade because it lasts longer. I guess we may have had a bad batch though. Wed Oct 21 15:58:57 -0700 2009 5111562 1081227 DishDelish 1 5111568 chanterelles, when they have them. i will buy a box whenever i see them, as i'm always excited when they are in stock.. as they were yesterday. roasted ome for an accompaniment to pork loin tonight....pasta tomorrow! Sat Oct 17 22:24:26 -0700 2009 4881975 13335 chez cherie 1 5113071 Mixed nuts - we LOVE them!!!!!! What's interesteing is the way they actual varieties of nuts in the mix keeps changing... Sun Oct 18 17:32:19 -0700 2009 4881975 228204 jbsiegel 1 5113115 I can't believe that no one has mentioned the Rotisserie Chickens, $4.99/3lbs. I use it for so many things and always make my chicken stock for soup with the carcass'. I use two at a time (freeze to keep them). Refrigerated Pesto (section and freeze), lasts forever Steak, filet mignon when they are small pieces Bagels (I know they aren't authentic), but 1 dozen for $4.99, they go in the freezer great. Cream Cheese, 3lb block Flash frozen Scallops Flash frozen Tilapia Flash frozen Salmon fresh fruit, depends what is in season, most is a lot cheaper and great tasting Champagne Mangos, heavenly (I know it's fresh fruit, but it deserves a shout out) Fresh Baby Bellas (I pan sear and freeze), yum Frozen Tiramisu (exceptional for 9.99) Pistachios Butter OJ eggs Kirkland Coffe beans, columbian - silver bag with a tiger on front And all fall into summer, I buy Compari tomatoes, let sit on the counter and they ripen nicely. Sun Oct 18 17:57:39 -0700 2009 4881975 15691 mcel215 2 5119059 I got addicted to their Frozen Tiramisu last summer. I was upset when they were out of stock one visit. I really like their pies and cheesecakes but I have learned to freeze half immediately. My friend and I enjoy their breaded tilapia in the prepared foods section. Their meats are great too. I still have so much to try from Costco and I've been a member a whole year now. Tue Oct 20 23:46:44 -0700 2009 5113115 184593 givemecarbs 1 5113132 No doubt I love costco. However, over the past few years, it seems like there are less selections available. They got rid of ivory and dove soap, no j&j baby shampoo, no honey bunches of oats (without the almonds). Not sure if is a national costco trend. Sun Oct 18 18:06:11 -0700 2009 4881975 10639 Soup 2 5116622 They are like TJ's in that they discontinue at will--I believe that if they don't like the price of something they simply stop carrying it. Tue Oct 20 05:59:32 -0700 2009 5113132 109573 coney with everything 2 5119559 It's all about revenue per sq/ft. If it doesn't sell it goes, pretty simple. Wed Oct 21 08:04:14 -0700 2009 5113132 149836 cstr 1 5119689 No one has mentioned the goat cheese logs. At Costco you can get a full pound of chevre for what you'd pay for 4-6 ounces at most places. Plenty of other winners in the cheese aisle. I second the various fetas -- both the big squares of President and the smaller rectangles of Dodoni. There might be a big tub of crumbled feta too. Also in that area, the smoked salmon. The Kirkland brand is very good. I must say, we love the Kirkland stuff now. The canned tuna is great. The only Kirkland brand products I refuse to buy are the shirts. That just screams "dork" to me. Apologies to anyone who buys those shirts. LOL Wed Oct 21 08:53:56 -0700 2009 4881975 12829 Bob W 2 5122120 I always bought the goat cheese logs pre TJ's arrival in the Motor. TJ's smaller size at a good price to me makes more sense as it gets eaten before it gets gummy. You're right though, the cheese aisle overall is a wealth of good stuff at good prices. Thu Oct 22 05:30:33 -0700 2009 5119689 109573 coney with everything 3 5122234 Yes, I should have added the caveat about the big goat cheese logs at Costco is that they have a shorter refrigerator shelf life than most cheeses. But if you can use it in a timely manner, it's a great value. Thu Oct 22 06:25:34 -0700 2009 5122120 12829 Bob W 1 5120901 Nobody's mentioned the Kirkland vanilla ice cream, so I will. It's abso-friggin-lutely fabulous. And I'll second the pesto recommendation - it's so good I no longer feel I need to make my own from scratch. Wed Oct 21 15:27:23 -0700 2009 4881975 263884 azveggieguy 2 5121847 I like that vanilla ice cream too. /waits for them to also offer chocolate. Wed Oct 21 22:22:12 -0700 2009 5120901 184593 givemecarbs 1 5120983 I love having a Costco card with me when traveling out of state. It is so much fun to be in Hawaii, for instance, and be able to buy the tourist stuff in bulk. My hubby bought 100 % pure Kona coffee there for only 20 dollars in July, and all of the yummy macadamia nuts and a huge thing of ling hi moi powder. Wed Oct 21 16:03:10 -0700 2009 4881975 1081227 DishDelish 1 5121412 Dave Sedaris launched his latest book tour (earlier this year?) in a North Carolina Costco. So, both of my favorite things combined! Everyone has mentioned toilet paper and paper towels and the $4.99 rotisserie chicken. I also heart: boneless chicken thighs chicken thighs towards Christmas or Thanksgiving, they come out with the prime rib! (tastier than Safeway) the tempura shrimp in the freezer section (You just bake it in the oven and it's ready to go!) The one thing I've gotten from Costco that I will not get again is their pesto sauce. It had a sort of metallic tang, I don't know why! Wed Oct 21 19:07:57 -0700 2009 4881975 233226 batchoy 2 5164679 Costco no longer sells Freybe's canadian bacon. That was on my list of Costco musts. We just had some from the local grocery this morning and it didn't come close!! We are currently just 2 home with the 2 kids away at college. When they are home, the bagels are on the list, but I always buy bread, those Arnold lite hamburger rolls, nuts, meats, pellegrino, eggs, tp, and paper towels. I freeze what we won't use and make a lot of use of the Talia Food saveer. Also, I buy enough that with the Executive Membership, I get a rebate check annually which basically pays for the next year's membership. Sun Nov 08 05:18:35 -0800 2009 5121412 1122686 mnwillett 1 5174090 yesterday, i just bough a 35.3oz tub of Fage Total 0% for $6.50!! it's the first time i've ever seen it at costco, and what a deal! it looks twice as big as the largest supermarket size which is usually like $4.50. Yay. Wed Nov 11 16:11:37 -0800 2009 4881975 322828 jessicatl 1 5177431 Right now, I'm kind of hooked on: Amy's frozen Palak & Mattar Paneer entrees - 4 to a pack - in a pinch, a nice cheap meal Shrimp Wonton Soup (frozen) - Chicken of the Sea brand (?!) - sounds gross, but actually pretty tasty -- hate the excess packaging, but I add a little pepper, garlic, green onion, corn -- not bad at all and 100 calories Aidell's Chicken Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs - these are really yummy - just as is, in soups, pasta dishes I also like all the sausages, but I try not to eat them all the time. Sabra hummus - the roasted garlic...love it Honeycrisp apples - wow! Roasted, mixed nuts - these are crack. Almond Butter - not bad and the price is right Smoked trout -- excellent Free Range Chicken Broth (yes!) Nays: Rotisserie Chicken - sorry, this was way too salty and fatty - tastes like it's been injected with more than one hormone Dolmas - like that they're veggie, but they have an overly tomato flavor instead of mint Amy's canned soups - just bland and taste more like salt than anything else Thu Nov 12 18:29:45 -0800 2009 4881975 11323 melisky 2 5177520 If you have any health concerns about salt, you might want to check the label on the Aidell's meatballs.... Thu Nov 12 19:21:34 -0800 2009 5177431 159317 greygarious 3 5183070 I've the sodium levels in most of Aidell's products, as well as other sausage companies' products to be scary. But I hoping the gods of good health won't ding me too hard for eating the stuff just once in a while. :) Sun Nov 15 09:17:29 -0800 2009 5177520 64003 bulavinaka 3 5191461 Thanks for the heads up. On that same note, I checked the sodium content on the Shrimp wonton soup and not surprisingly, it was through the roof! Just checked the Amy's frozen entrees --- also, not a low sodium product. Need to stick with the apples and almond butter... ;) Wed Nov 18 09:07:45 -0800 2009 5177520 11323 melisky 4 5191896 I was looking for organic almond butter in my TJs but couldn't find any. Is it just my store or do they not carry it? Wed Nov 18 11:18:06 -0800 2009 5191461 184593 givemecarbs 5 5194126 I have not seen organic almond butter, only "natural" almond butter. I think Costco may have organic peanut butter, though. I'm not sure as I've been buying my organic peanut butter at Trader Joe's, which is excellent. Thu Nov 19 08:56:35 -0800 2009 5191896 11323 melisky 5 5198571 I'm in LA - we eat that organic almond butter every day. They have raw creamy or crunchy - we eat the creamy; roasted/no salt creamy or crunchy, and roasted w/ salt creamy or crunchy. While I really like this product, I have noticed an increase in almond shell bits as I'm eating the product. Sat Nov 21 11:41:40 -0800 2009 5191896 64003 bulavinaka 6 5199294 i noticed the shells too! i'm glad it's not just me. Sat Nov 21 19:43:31 -0800 2009 5198571 103920 goodhealthgourmet 7 5199384 I reported this to the store manager - hopefully we will see some improvement on this issue. Sat Nov 21 20:44:48 -0800 2009 5199294 64003 bulavinaka 1 5178229 So I just joined the Costco that opened in Manhattan and went to its opening yesterday. Has anyone tried their prepackaged sushi? The price was outrageously good, but any opinions on how it taste? TIA. Fri Nov 13 06:21:55 -0800 2009 4881975 12045 gloriousfood 1 5198684 Stuffed grape leaves in the refrigerated food sections. Just as good as most restaurants, but we heat them up in the microwave first, despite the package not saying to do so. The trail mix that has only nuts (pistachios, walnuts, almonds), cherries, and cranberries. I hate raisins and am not interested in dried bananas and apricots. Giant tub of Almond Roca for insanely cheap (may only be at Xmas time, but they have them now) Fiji and Voss water, good prices on both I was SO happy when I saw that they had my English Cotswold (cheddar with chives) it was such a great price, but after that first time, I never saw it again. :( Sat Nov 21 12:43:50 -0800 2009 4881975 258252 Azizeh