Costco Food Finds - 1st QTR 2011 - Old

[njkori]

On another poster's suggestion, I am starting a quarterly thread for food finds at Costco.

I was there the other day, and picked up a 2 lb box of Medjool Dates (yum), a bag of dark chocolate covered blueberry/acai berry gel things (I usually get the pomegranite ones), and a 6 pack of Kirkland chicken broth. Usually I go there for non-food items (i.e. cat litter), but always manage to find some tasty treats. The fresh baked multigrain bread (sold in bags with 2 loaves) is very good but we did not need bread this week.

Any suggestions out there?

[fara]

Durham, NC: individual small packages of Sabra hummus. The Sabra hummus is great but tastes funny after about a week, so individual packages are better for me.
Some kind of all natural fish sticks that were declicious and fairly low in any strange ingredients.
I mean the $13 frozen mixed berries is such a steal. I think there's at least 8 lbs of berries in it, and they are very good quality.
I always see Chinese customers buying Ling Ling dumplings so I tried them again and made them the pot sticker way, not bad.
Tilapia filets that look nice, at a deal. I figure tilapia is always frozen in the supermarket anyway I might as well try it.
I like their kirkland brand frozen pizza, the crust is very good as the chow review suggests.

[givemecarbs]

I can't believe those TJ's fans beat us out again!!!! I'm too shy to start a thread for the second quarter for Costco. It's opening day for the Phillies, maybe another hound will step up to the plate?
Anyhow been having very good luck with the Costco produce all winter long. I still have one grapefruit left from the bag I got three weeks ago and I don't keep them in the fridge.

[givemecarbs]

Might need a new thread come April but today at my Costco in a suburb of philly I found creme brulee in the prepared food section near the refrigerated ravioli and such. It seemed to be new and I paid ten bucks for six reusable glass ramekins of creme brulee. The package also included six packs of sugar to sprinkle on top and then burn. I had the option of a bbq grill lighter or stick the ramkin under the broiler. I tried the second method and was very happy. Yum!
And soon I will have six glass ramekins in case I want to make some from scratch!

[kbhagen]

In case you're still reading (or got here late): Costco Q2 is here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/775920

[kbhagen]

From the Houston: Galleria (Richmond) location:

I was really pleased that Costco started carrying Chobani Champions yogurt for kids. It's made with 2% milk, so it's not fat-free. I wish they carried the plain Fage in whole or 2%, as well. Unfortunately, I got a mixed-verdict from the daughter on the Champions yogurt: she likes the berry but not the banana-honey. (And in fairness, I tried it too, and it was really bland. Maybe if you added bananas and honey...)

And, though I realize I may be run out of Chowhound for saying it, I'm REALLY pleased with the Trident Seafoods Ultimate Fish Stick. Far less breading than regular fish sticks, and made from fillets, not minced fish. They're so good, my husband and I will even eat them. They've been around since sometime last year.

I'm also consistently amazed at how long the Earthbound Organics Spring Mix will last in the fridge.

[givemecarbs]

Finally got a case of coconut water at my Penna Costco! Fico brand and I'm not sure it was any cheaper than TJ's but I'm more in schlepping mode when I hit Costco.

[Jeri L]

Today (at Costco #1 in Seattle) I picked up Skotidakis jalepeno probiotic yogurt dip. I planned to use it as a salad dressing and it works for that, though it is definitely "dip" thick. Holy cow (or, to be exact, cow and goat)! Great stuff. It's in the refrigerated section with the hummus, salsa and pesto.

[Steve Green]

The jalapeno was good, but a bit spicy for me. A couple of months ago they did a roadshow where I sampled various flavors of the Skotidakis yogurt dips -- the artichoke/chipotle was excellent, as was the red pepper. French onion was OK; the tzatziki was way too salty. Bought one each of the red pepper and chipotle/artichoke, and came back for another of the red pepper later.

Anyway, this may all be moot because the jalapeno one was the only flavor they carried on a regular basis, unless that's changed.

[susancinsf]

Don't know if it is new or just new to me, but my Costco in Merced, CA has great peanut brittle (in plastic tubs; located in the bakery section).

[algct]

Has anyone tried the Udon Noodles yet?

I've seen them in the refrigerated section in Orange, CT.

[monavano]

Is my Costco (VA) the only one that stopped selling Fage??
I'm bumming!!

[cstr]

We still have it, like the texture and taste. Write a comment card out.

[givemecarbs]

Just bought some Fage at mine, monavano, maybe they were just out of stock?

[monavano]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm hopeful that Costco was just out of stock, but I'll fill out a card if I don't see Fage the next time I go.

[Rella]

Fage is here still in Winchester, VA. However, Polly-O is gone, but I got some this week in Manassas, VA. Grana Padano has been gone for ages now, but still in Maryland, which is not that close. I stocked up.

[EM23]

GoGo Squeeze Appleapple, Applesauce on the Go - just apples and apple concentrate, no added sugar. These are great! The come in a 3.2 oz. resealable squeeze pouch with a built-in straw, equal one fruit serving per pouch and are 2 Points Plus points on Weight Watchers.
I think they are marketed as a snack for kids but I see no reason why grown-ups can't enjoy them too.
Edit - and they are only 5.99/ 12 pack @ Costco vs. $17.79/ 12 pack on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004...

[rockandroller1]

Forgive if it's been mentioned but I bought this bean concoction today in the fresh foods area, it is surprisingly SO GOOD. I think it's called Cowboy Caviar and it has black eyed peas, black beans, red peppers, onions, corn, and some other "salsa" type ingredients but it's not tomato-y and not like a sauce. It's great completely on it's own (as I had it for lunch today, side dish for my chicken salad) or with tortilla chips, as mr. RNR had. Surprisingly good.

[estnet]

Just found Vietnamese spring rolls in N Calif. Very fresh, tasty, healthy - 4 rolls with 2 sauces for around $6.

[RWCFoodie]

estnet: what city/store?

[estnet]

Foster city and redwood city

[RWCFoodie]

Yep - saw them in Redwood City the other day...

[givemecarbs]

Been eyeing that for awhile rockandroller1, now I'll have to try it!

[cstr]

Just saw organic sugar, 10lbs for 8.99, a steal.

[givemecarbs]

Scored some Brillat-Savarin cheese today. My Costco (north wales Pa) had a whole refrigerated tub of different kinds of artisan cheeses. Cost me 9.99 for eight ounces but since I've been watching old Honeymooners episodes all I gotta say is one taste and "straight to the moon!"

[ediblover]

Kirkland brand Cashew Clusters was surprisingly good (#440493). Only 4g of sugar per serving, but the sweetness really comes through and works with the cashew, almond and pumpkin seed blend.

The chocolate covered berries aren't worth it, as they're chocolate covered fruit juice concentrates. No matter how much antioxidants they pack, that's completely offset by the huge amounts of sugar (much too sweet).

[cstr]

A Costco near me, So CA, just received Bison ribeye steaks, ground Bison and Bison sausages. Excellent.

[goodhealthgourmet]

now *that* is potentially great news...fresh or frozen?

[cstr]

Fresh cryovaced steaks, fresh ground meat and fresh sausage, at the Morena Costco. I also think they're at Mission Valley.

[goodhealthgourmet]

fantastic, thanks! i'll have to check my LA store...considering that i had to practically petition them to bring in the Maranatha Almond Butter that every location in SD carries, there's a chance we may not have it here...

[taiwanesesmalleats]

Which Costco?

[cstr]

Costco on Morena and Mission Valley in SD.

[Jeri L]

La Terra Fina egg white quiches are back! This time the flavors are Lorraine and Caramelized Onion. Haven't tried the onion yet, but the Lorraine is up to standard.

[divadmas]

only tj sushi is worst. produce is cheap but iffy in quality. yellow onions lately have to be heavily trimmed. box of mixed greens sometimes lasts over a week, sometimes barely overnight, independent of sell by date. spinach always look too much but it cooks way down and is so good with peanut sauce. nuts have really gone up, 2.5# of cashews now just under $15. meat is very good. i love costco but they really need to raise produce standards.

[algct]

Orange CT

Now out of Medjool dates! They had Isreali (pretty good) and California (much better). I guess I'll have to wait it out.

Did not have a bone in pork loin roast this year - boo butcher it yourself for some awesome chops.

Kashi Heart-to-Heart Cinnamon cereal is mostly a non-item, when a pallet shows up - it's gone.

The Chilean blueberries are a good deal, cheaper and better quality than the nearby Trader Joe's and don't even think about the Whole Food/Paycheck next door.

Too bad on nixing the Hebrew National dogs, but when Conagra bought HN, something got lost (and soybeans were added - Kosher, yes - but).

[Divamac]

Yes, the organic blueberries are very good and a good deal right now, too.

[Peachie]

I picked up some truffle pecorino today---can't wait to try it.

[Leepa]

I've had truffle pecorino before and it was wonderful. Where are you located? I'm going to Costco today and I'll add it to my list.

[Peachie]

This is in the Boulder/Superior Colorado store. And yes, this truffle pecorino is from Tuscany. I'm trying it out tonight.

[Leepa]

Enjoy! Ours didn't have it. Oh, well.

[msgenie516]

Hi,

I was just made aware that I posted on an old thread. Here is a link to where I posted my reply:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/712263

BTW, I just went to Costco today and they had a lot of samples to try. I purchased the frozen shrimp wonton soup last week without ever trying it. They had samples available today. Wish they would have had them sooner because it is too salty for me and I wouldn't have purchased it. Darn!

[givemecarbs]

You can return it if you think it is worth the trouble msgenie

[msgenie516]

Hi,

Thanks for the advice, but I'll probably just keep it and eat it anyway, since the flavor is good. Just wish they would have used less salt. Thanks again!

[goodhealthgourmet]

givemecarbs is right, Costco has a very generous return policy. BTW, i hope you weren't offended that i directed you to this thread - some of us tend to neglect the older discussions once a new one takes off, and i figured your post was more likely to be read - thus benefiting more Hounds - if it was on the new one.

[msgenie516]

Oh, no, goodhealthgourmet, not offended at all! I'm just new to this board and I wasn't aware that I should be looking for newer threads. Thanks for your help!

[goodhealthgourmet]

ok, just wanted to be sure :) and welcome to CH!

[janeyoc]

Just add more water to dilute.

[amyzan]

Castelvetrano olives in a 3# bag for $6.99, item # 559025 here in the KC area. They were refrigerated with the cheeses in the Lenexa store, haven't checked the other area stores yet. I also haven't cracked the bag yet, as I'm still eating the pricey few I got at Whole Foods last week (9.99/#) which kills me, but was really one of the least expensive sources for olives with pits UNTIL NOW. Yeah, olives with pits for cheap! Now, please let them be good. Will report back.

[ferret]

While the Castelvetrano olives (the Rolls-Royce of olives, as far as I'm concerned) are an excellent value and are pretty good, they're not on par with my standard of Castelvetrano. At under $2.50/lb I'm nowhere near complaining but, at least for the bag I purchased, the olives were a little inconsistent. I'd still recommend them to all.

Oh, and as for Whole Foods' pricing on olives - they're pretty obscene, even by Whole Foods standards. I was previously buying Castelvetranos online and still paying less, even with shipping costs.

[goodhealthgourmet]

they were sampling the jars of Castelvetrano at my Costco here in LA last week - one of the rare occasions i was actually interested in a sample there! they're SO good, unfortunately it just makes no sense for me to buy them there because i won't finish the jar before they spoil.

as for WF, be careful buying olives there...i know every store is different, but the ones here in SoCal are terrible about turnover - they leave spoiled product out on the bar all the time (the spreads - hummus, baba, tapenade, etc - are particularly problematic). besides, a lot of them are just the same stuff (e.g. Divino) that you see on the shelf, dumped into a bin.

[ferret]

They're packaged in a resealable bag floating in brine. The package I bought had a May 2011 freshness date. You'd be surprised at how quickly a 3lb bag will disappear. I picked them up Sunday morning and set out about 1/2 in a bowl for snacking as we did some chores. My wife and I finished it in no time. The other half is almost gone and it's only Tuesday.

[goodhealthgourmet]

You'd be surprised at how quickly a 3lb bag will disappear.
~~~~~~~~~~~
not in my house unless i'm entertaining...it's just little ol' me here, and i never want more than 2 or 3 at a time!

[amyzan]

I've read that olives can be frozen in tubs with water. I haven't tried it yet, so can't vouch, but I may give it a try and will report back if I do. Better than mold, surely, and I could always make them into a mushier tapenade, I suppose.

[walker]

I looked for these olives today at the store in South San Francisco. No luck. the Mgr and I both looked at the list of olives in the computer and could not see them listed for any store in northern CA.

Maybe they'll be coming in soon? Will just have to keep getting my olives from WF.

[ferret]

In my Costco (Chicago) they were in the refrigerated coolers by the big bags of peeled garlic and the tubs of jalapeno-artichoke dip - to give you an idea of where to look for them in the future.

[goodhealthgourmet]

ha! you don't have the olives up there, and we don't have the GF ravioli down here...trade ya? ;)

[walker]

What's GF? Gluten-free?

[goodhealthgourmet]

yes. sorry - i sometime forget there are people out there who are fortunate enough not to be familiar with that particular shorthand :)

[plantainchips]

I tried the Rocky gourmet chicken meatballs in the refrigerated section as they were listed as sustainably farmed but was disappointed as I kept getting bits of bone (some tiny but still noticeable).

[taiwanesesmalleats]

I've recently become quite enamored with the Season Brand Skinless and Boneless Sardines packed in olive oil. They were my first experience with canned sardines and I found them to be delicious on the toasted organic bread that I also buy from Costco for breakfast. Each tin is about 100 grams worth and there are 5 tins to a pack for $7.39 the last time I got some.

[costcofavs]

Okami Fish Taco Kit......they are delicious!!! Available in Livermore CA

[mcel215]

What section are they in? Thanks.

[costcofavs]

They are in the deli section! :)

[mcel215]

Thanks

[baseballfan]

Glad to hear that these are good. I saw them there today and debated whether or not to buy them. I will for sure try them next time.

[sparkareno]

Kirkland frozen turkey patties. They are $9.99 for 12 and they are 1/3 pound each. There is no shrinkage so these really fill up a bun. It's nice to have these in the freezer for when I can't think of anything else--they are indivually separated by paper. I just throw them on the grill after seasoning them up.

[Divamac]

San Diego, Mission Valley location: Morningstar Farms Chipotle Black Bean Burgers. Huge 1/4 pound veggie burgers that are full of flavor. I found them once before in early fall, then they disappeared until now. Different from (and better than) the Morningstar black bean burgers you can get in the regular market. 15 stacked in a box for ~$12.

[artemis]

I like these too, especially with a smashed avocado mixed with some mayo on top.

[pine time]

Agree--the Costco ones are not only larger than the grocery store versions, but much spicier, too. Delicious and super filling.

[coney with everything]

Detroit area, although a Cincinnati-area hound reports this as well: Sy Ginsberg corned beef apparently in honor of St Patrick's Day.

Sy Ginsberg is the stuff.
http://www.savethedeli.com/?p=20

[MisterBill2]

Has anyone seen the stuffed french toast lately? It was in the cheese area. I almost bought it once and noticed that the expiration date was the day I was buying it so I didn't, then I was waiting for my son to come home from college before buying it, and now I can't find it.

[givemecarbs]

I saw it recently but at my Costco Mr. Bill, it was near the refrigerated pasta and such. Right in that section I found Sukhi's chicken tikka masala. I liked having the packet in the fridge, ready to heat on a snow day here in Penna. Had it tonight with some naan from the bakery section and some rice. Very tasty. But I knew it would be good because they were sampling it and I tried it. Everyone was grabbing a pack and I got the second to last one.

[MisterBill2]

Thanks, I'll look for it again next Saturday. My son goes back to school on Sunday so we can have it for breakfast then if I get lucky and find it. Good to hear that it tastes good, I did not find a sample of it.

[givemecarbs]

Gah Mister Bill, am I bad. Sorry for the sloppy wording. Didn't get the toast but got the Indian chicken. I do want to try that french toast though.

[MisterBill2]

Good luck finding the french toast :-).

[givemecarbs]

Yeah checked last night and no sign of it. Bah.

[missylrn]

LOVE Sukhi's Chicken Tikka Masala from Costco. Also from time to time they have Sukhi's Samosas - which are very good too. BTW - I just found individual Sukhi's entrees at Whole Foods here in NJ.

[Chowrin]

pouch chickpeas (tasty). Panned. Much less good for putting on rice than their former products (palak paneer, etc)

[plantainchips]

Hope it's ok if I post some questions on Food Finds before I actually try them? Saw the following and wondering if anyone has tried them and have any thoughts:

- Zucchini souffles in the freezer section (6 souffles)
They look healthy, but are they filling enough to make a lunch/dinner ?

- Gluten-free cheese ravioli in the refrigerator section (2-pack)
New item? I like gf spaghetti but wondering how gf ravioli tastes?

- Dried Chinese sausage /lap cheong (2-pack)
These have been around for a while but I have been afraid to buy such a large quantity

[ipsedixit]

Re: Chinese sausage.

They're fine, esp. at that price point. And don't worry about the "large quantity". They freeze well.

[njkori]

I haven't tried any of these, but the Chinese sausage is intriguing. Where in the store is that?

[plantainchips]

In my local Costco (SF bay area), the Chinese sausage is in the aisle with the beef/turkey jerky, i.e. it's not a refrigerated item.

Thanks for the advice and tip about freezing ipsedixit! Think I'll give them a try..

[plantainchips]

Ok, so I tried the gluten-free cheese ravioli.

They definitely didn't taste gluten-free, in fact they were very tender, more like fresh than dried pasta (be gentle, I boiled them a bit too vigorously and some of the filling fell out). Cheese filling for ravioli is usually not my preference (I prefer spinach) and they did turn out quite rich and maybe needing a pinch of salt. But overall, definitely a pleasant surprise. I would try them next time with a tomato based sauce instead of pesto, to cut down on the cheesiness.

[goodhealthgourmet]

well now, that's a pretty positive review! what brand? is it Conte's?

[plantainchips]

Just checked and the package is labelled Pasta Prima. I should mention that if you like al dente, mine wasn't exactly that, though maybe that was overcooking - I was trying to multitask and didn't read the instructions on the package which call for 4 minutes of gentle boiling. Maybe my expectations were not that high? But I did think the pasta was nice and thin, more delicate than the (non-gf) raviolis I've tried before which are sometimes a bit thick and gluey on the corners.

[goodhealthgourmet]

interestingly there's no mention of it on the company's website. i wonder if they have an exclusive deal with Costco for it...?

i did find this review, which says that it's available in all the Northern CA stores but makes no mention of SoCal...
http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/califor...

i'll look for it when i go next week. what's the sodium content like?

[plantainchips]

Yes, that's it. It's 410mg per serving, though that's assuming 4.5 servings per package. I would take that with a pinch of salt :) and say it's closer to 3 servings per package.

[goodhealthgourmet]

that's what i was afraid of :) thanks!

[goodhealthgourmet]

looked for the GF ravioli today, no dice. there were 3 or 4 different wheat flour varieties of Pasta Prima in the case, but no GF...yet. i guess they're doing a limited test run in NorCal to see how it sells before rolling it out to other markets. thanks for the heads-up anyway, i'll keep an eye out in case we get it down here.

[plantainchips]

Sorry to hear that.. I do think they're worth trying if they get to your area.

[Berheenia]

Went to Dedham MA yesterday and there was a new item in the non-costco ready to eat food section (I don't know how else to describe it- refrigerator section with fresh pasta etc.). So we bought a Huxtable whole grain vegetable lasagna that serves 5 and has a nice low calorie count. Looks delicious- will probably save for the next storm.

[Berheenia]

Update: What a great find. Totally healthy and delicious. Went back for more on the Monday holiday.

[givemecarbs]

I had that too recently here in Philly. I kept it in the fridge for a few days just waiting for a night when I didn't feel like cooking or going out. Now that I know for sure that it is good I'll enjoy having a package waiting in the wings even more.

[givemecarbs]

Scored a pan of Shepard's pie in the prepared food section near the chicken soups and massive pot pies. Was tasty and satisfying this time of year. Grabbed a chicken caesar salad from the food court as a side dish. I'll use the chicken strips from the salad in a nice chicken sandwich for monday's lunch.

[monavano]

Love Costco's Caesar salad. It hold for 3 days or so, which means big dinner salads and salad lunch. I love the dressing, although I'm sure it's loaded with calories!

[goodhealthgourmet]

not sure if you really did want to know, but...

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0...

[monavano]

Wow, thanks! I'll print that out. I'm betting there will be some surprising data there.

[operagirl]

Thanks for this. I get the berry sundae about twice a year -- now I know just how much damage I'm doing! Not too bad. Well, maybe too bad, since they say a serving is 12 ounces and I'm sure the thing weighs at least a pound, if not a pound and a half . . .

[EM23]

Bought a 4 lb. box of Meyer lemons for $6.99 at the Westbury, NY Costco today.

They were selling prime beef steaks (sirloin, rib-eye and 1 other that I can't recall) at a good price.

[walker]

I don't know if this is in all Costcos but I just found it (new item, I'm sure) at San Francisco Costco: a 2-pack of Ines Rosales tortas de aceite -- there are a few anise seeds in it. They are from Spain and they cost about double elsewhere (like WF). So, the 2-pack costs $6.49.

[mamueller]

Our Costco in St. Louis has been having specialty breads lately - really nice- blue cheese & walnut, pecan and raisin, semolina, fig and something a few weeks ago. Also, in produce, I think I've gone through a dozen containers of fresh blackberries. They have been so much better than the ones in the supermarket.

[Maggie19]

Minneapolis - Like to buy the 1 gallon Gedney whole dills.. for $5. Wholesome Organic Blue Agave sweetener .. 6 pack for $8. Used to also get the 1 gallon jar of sliced jalapenos, but they have not been found here for a couple of years. 8 packs of fire roasted diced tomatoes, olive oil, and the 8 pack of chicken thighs ... all good deals.

[JoanN]

Just picked up some newly repackaged Marcona almonds, in the plastic jar as opposed to the can as previously, and was disappointed to find an inferior product. The almonds in the can were all, or at the very least almost all, whole almonds. I would guess that about 50% of the almonds in the jar are halves. The almonds in the jar are also more heavily roasted, and not in a pleasant way. Some are almost on the edge of burned. This is a real shame as I adored those canned almonds. These are only so-so and I'm not sure are any longer worth the calories.

[goodhealthgourmet]

"These are only so-so and I'm not sure are any longer worth the calories."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
that's almost a relief :) but i really wish they would try to *cut down* on plastic packaging instead of switching to it.

[walker]

A few months ago I sprang for the Truffle almonds in the can; I like them.

But, once (lights were out) I picked up a few in my hand and threw them in my mouth, started chewing and suddenly realized I was chewing on a white plastic thing about the size of a nickle, only thicker. I GUESS it's something to keep everything dry but no where on the can do I see any notice of such.

[Bob W]

Instead of the canned or jarred Marcona almonds, our Costco is now carrying Planters Flavor Grove skinless almonds in sea salt and olive oil. These look like Marconas but come from Cali so they are much cheaper. I have a 30-oz bag here in my office that I will be breaking into in the next day or two. I will report back as to taste but they look great!

[ferret]

The Planters sea salt and olive oil are pretty awful. Just a bad idea. Our Costco still has Marcona but in the plastic tub. and we're still mourning the loss of Salt & Pepper Pistachios.

[Bob W]

Thanks -- now I have to eat 30 oz of a bad idea. 8<D

At least I was able to pick up some real marconas at BJ's yesterday.

[ferret]

Perhaps I got a bad batch but the addition of olive oil gave the almonds an off-taste, almost like a stale or rancid oil. While I'm sure that a tapas-style preparation of toasting blanched olives in olive oil and serving them hot is an excellent idea, once they cool down and are stored for a while, it's less of a treat.

[Bob W]

Well, I'm reporting back, and I think these almonds are very good. The almonds themselves are smaller than the spanish Marcona variety, but they are nice and crunchy.

Believe, me, I've eaten enough almonds to know when they have turned rancid (it happens to Marconas pretty quickly) and these are just fine.

There will be no almonds for the break room. 8<D

[coney with everything]

Take it to work...people will eat anything in the break room if it's free.

[Bob W]

I used to think that until last week, when a bag of Indian "Flour Rings" snacks went unopened for days and then finally vanished. LOL

[Leepa]

I was in Walmart yesterday and they had small bags of the Salt and Pepper Pistachios. I didn't check the price.

[ferret]

I can still find them, but Costco had 3lb bags for a steal. The regularly-priced ones in grocery stores are more than twice the cost.

[JEN10]

Here in Boulder Co. I like to purchase the baby back ribs, they are really meaty. I usually pick up 2 containers of the Roma Tomatoes to roast and have on hand for various occasions. The red bell peppers are usually good (firm) and come in a bag of 6, gotta have my bells. They have had the large bags of Ghiradelli (sp?) bittersweet chocolate chips, so I have purchased a few of those. I am then forced to make peppermint bark and peanut butter choc chip cookies. Let's hope they stop carrying them for awhile. The rest is mostly maintenace items.

[imhungryletseat]

I noticed they changed the hot dog in the food area from a Hebrew National 1/4 pound Kosher Dog (yum) to a Kirkland 1/4 pound all beef dog (yuck!!) Bring back the Hebrew National dog!

[Cathy]

November 2008...

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/569644

[IndyGirl]

I just got the huge bag of Stacy's pita chips, as well as the huge container of spinach. I also got the big box of Boca burgers, some olive oil, calcium chews, and a big bag of peeled garlic that was incredibly, almost unbelievably cheap.

I wish they carried unsweetened rice milk. All of the varieties at our costco are sweetened!

[cheesymama]

Ask and they may start carrying it!

[IndyGirl]

I guess that's a good point! I think I'll do that the next time I'm in the store. I would definitely buy it regularly.

[goodhealthgourmet]

they carry unsweetened almond milk, so you really might be able to get them to do U/S rice milk too.

[Sal Vanilla]

Yep. Other stores carry it. It does pay to request. I begged for unsalted butter and much to my joy and surprise there it was in the fridge!

[pine time]

CostCo has a booth (ours is up front) with slips to request that they carry certain products. I've had great luck with that.

[pbjluver]

I love the Gold Coast Smoked Salmon Spread!
So delicious on a toasted bagel.

[Leepa]

Yum. I've only seen the blue crab and the lobster spreads.

[Bob W]

Our Costco (Chantilly VA) carries all three and they sample them almost every Sunday. These are delicious spreads.

[Leepa]

I was in Costco yesterday and they *still* don't have the smoked salmon spread. They do have the other two, but I was so disappointed. I have tried the crab and lobster but I think I'd like the salmon better.

[Berheenia]

Leepa, where are you located? Costco in Dedham MA had it (smoked salmon dip) Saturday.

[Leepa]

Western North Carolina. I was in the Costco in Spartanburg, SC.

[IndyGirl]

I also forgot to mention the great albacore tuna.

[mcel215]

Ditto on the tuna.

[givemecarbs]

Their beverage section could use some new choices. I keep hoping for coconut water since I somehow became addicted to TJs zico coconut water, but it is 1.50 for a little container even if you buy a case. I like it room temperature, at least this time of year. Would love to see coconut water at Costco.

[lizzy]

We have coconut water at our Costco, SC, so if you haven't already you might want to ask.

[givemecarbs]

Oooo thanks! I will.

[Sal Vanilla]

Are you just drinking it or using it for cooking? I saw that in my regular store the other day in a four-pack and was curious about it.

[betterbeheaven]

I went to Richmond, CA store on Sunday and it looks like Pacific's chicken broth is no longer sold. Instead, they are offering Kirkland Signature chicken stock (6 packs for $7.99 or $8.99) and Kirkland Signature organic chicken stock (6 packs for $10.99). Perhaps the organic stuff is repackaged Pacific, but I'm not sure since it's now stock, not broth.

[jnk]

Union New Jersey store still carries Pacific.

[westaust]

Pacific is still available in Canada as well (Montreal, Bridge st.)

[bulavinaka]

Our local Costco in L.A. (Marina del Rey/Culver City) started carrying large jars of Better Than Bullion. It's good stuff IMO, and worth a try.

[goodhealthgourmet]

have you seen/bought the Maranatha almond butter? i'm trying to spread the word to fellow local Hounds - i'm afraid they'll take it away if it doesn't sell and i jumped through hoops to get it stocked in the first place!

[bulavinaka]

I'm trying to hit up Costco soon - will look out for it - thanks!

[goodhealthgourmet]

excellent. i really hope it sells well at our location because i'd hate to see them yank it. if only i could post a flyer on the shelf at the Venice Whole Paycheck telling their customers to save themselves a pretty penny and buy it down the street instead :)

[Strangewine]

Too runny IMHO.

[amyzan]

Maranatha is what they stocked here in the KC area for several years. Then, last year, they started selling this horrible stuff with fillers--sugar, flax, I don't remember what else. Nasty. I wrote them until the Maranatha returned. It's far superior.

[goodhealthgourmet]

glad they bought it back for you :) i was buying it in San Diego, and couldn't understand why it wasn't available here in LA so i contacted corporate & got them to stock it. i would NOT have been happy if they had brought in some low-rent substitute. FYI, TJ's has a good almond butter with roasted flax seeds, no sugar.

[pine time]

I always find it in San Diego. Saw it yesterday at Henry's for more than twice the price as CostCo. I use it in satays and it's delicious straight from the spoon.

[goodhealthgourmet]

i know - i got so used to buying it in SD that i freaked out when i got back here to LA and they didn't sell it. i just couldn't bring myself to pay what everyone else asks for it! so i put in a request at my local store and eventually pestered the corporate office about it, and they brought it in.

[mcel215]

Thanks. In the winter, I could use the large jar.

[baseballfan]

I bought the Kirkland organic chicken broth and used it for the first time tonight. It was quite good and I'm glad because that will probably be what they carry going forward. I am curious now as to whether it is the Pacific brand.

[Sal Vanilla]

How do you think it compares to the Pacific? Strangely, Our store (in Sequim, WA) is carrying both brands - maybe to phase out Pacific. I think the pacific was cheaper!

[baseballfan]

The Pacific was cheaper. Our Costco (SF Bay Area) now only carries the Kirkland brand. I liked it just fine and couldn't really taste a difference.

[RWCFoodie]

My usual Costco is Redwood City CA - picked up the Pacific chicken broth and really liked it. Next time all they had was the Kirkland Signature which I bought anyway. I don't think it's as flavorful as the Pacific was but it's still better than a lot of the others on the market...

[cstr]

Also, it's not organic like Pacific. Agree, Kirkland broth is way better than that canned stuff.

[ipsedixit]

Chinese mooncakes.

Boxes and boxes of them. Samples galore.

One of those yearly rituals ... god help us all.

[plantainchips]

Which Costco did you see mooncakes at? I don't think I've ever seen those..

[taiwanesesmalleats]

I see them every year at the Costco in Alhambra, CA

[ipsedixit]

Bingo.

Towards the back, right before you reach the seafood/meat dept.

[goodhealthgourmet]

just came from the Culver City, CA location...they got the Maranatha Almond Butter i requested. hooray!

and a heads-up for anyone who likes 0% Greek yogurt - when i went to grab my Fage out of the case i noticed they now have 12-packs of single-serve 6-oz containers [assorted flavors] of Chobani for $11.79.

[biga290]

Home Run Inn Pizza, IMHO the best frozen pizza ever, is back after a hiatus of 4 months, in Phoenix-area Costcos.

[cheesecake17]

I've seen the Chobani 12 packs for a while in the Brooklyn Costco. I always check the package when I buy it though- sometimes a clever shopper 'rearranges' the packages to take only the flavors they like.

[goodhealthgourmet]

doesn't surprise me...sadly, people have turned me into a cynic. i don't eat flavored yogurt and i rarely buy single-serving containers, so it's of no interest to me, but it's definitely a great deal for those of you who do! i think the local stores here in SoCal are charging at least $1.49 each for them.

[cheesecake17]

The regular price in nyc is about $1.50-$2/container. But every week a different supermarket puts them on sale for 10 for $10. Even if I'm paying a bit more, it works out b/c I can buy plain for myself and pinapple or pomegranate for my husband.

[Chowrin]

Consistent product: Agro Sevilla manzanilla olives. oh, so good! (variable in price and quality as the year progresses, but it's always fairly priced, and never as bad as the supermarket)

[Arthur]

As I've pointed out in the past on other Costco threads, this sort of topic will likely lead to wild goose chases because Costco merchandise (with the possible exception of Kirkland products) varies from state to state, and often even from store to store. I hope people who post here will at least say where exactly they found their "finds" so others in different regions are given some notice that it may be a waste of time trying to hunt those items down.

[Chowrin]

good points all! thou I'd treat it as "maybe we might have... XYZ" rather than "waste of time..."

[Chowrin]

Kirk. loaves of regular bread (not the gourmet stuff, the white and fluffy kind that comes presliced) varies WILDLY from store to store.

in midstate pa, they use pepperidge farm's bakery. good stuff!

[LuckyCharm]

For this reason, it would be great if people posted the item number so it will be easier to have looked up. The item number is usually 6 digits, and listed to the left of the item on the receipt. If the item is specially packaged for Costco, it will be on the packaging by the bar code.

[givemecarbs]

I've tried to keep a Costco thread running in my area, Philadelphia, especially if I find something wonderful that might only be at my Costco, for example david's cookies are sampling all this weekend and I really liked their xyz, but the post ends up here in chains.

[greygarious]

I agree completely, and am envious because the NH Costco seems to have a very limited inventory in comparison to what I read is available elsewhere. However, a lamentably small proportion of posters will give enough thought before posting to include their store location, exact item name, etc.

[southie_chick]

Greygarious, Nashua's my "home" Costco too - it's not the best but there are some food finds. I like the La Terra Fina artichoke dip in the refridgerated section (it's in a clear tub, to the left of the entrance of the fruit & vegetable "back room"). Also, the "house made" marinated shrimp with lime & cilantro (it's usually in with the salads & sandwiches) is very good. Serve that with the Trader Joes wasabi mayo if you want a dip (but you really don't need a dip for them) - &Trader Joes is only 5 minutes away from Costco too. The pita bite cracker at TJ's are great too.

[greygarious]

I live in MA so the Nashua, Danvers, and Waltham Costcos are equidistant but since Nashua is tax-free, and just a stone's throw from TJ's that's always been the one I go to but I should probably explore the others. I have read mention of so many tempting items on CH but can't find them in Nashua.

[njkori]

Who knew that such an innocent thread would make people so agitated?

BTW, my Costco is in Wharton, NJ, which is in Morris County. It does not sell alcohol or gas. Since I go there on a regular basis to buy "the usuals", what I do is peruse what other people have found at their Costcos (regardless of location), jot down anything that seems interesting to me, and go look for it. Sometimes I get lucky, other times not so much. But it rarely upsets or aggravates me. Zen Costco.

[givemecarbs]

Is Morris County like a mini Pennsylvannia? I dream of kirkland brand beer and vodka and TJ's two buck chuck. But I've been living under the iron thumb of the PLCB for too long to get agitated.

[njkori]

I don't know! This location has never had liquor, but certainly others in NJ do. I just assumed it was a local liquor license issue. The vagaries of liquor laws across the US never ceases to amaze me.

[Marcharlan]

Under NJ law, the corporation can only own two licenses to sell alcohol. I know that Costco sells wine/beer/alcohol in the Edison store. There is likely one more. There are other costcos where there is a vendor selling alcohol right next door in a costco like setting, but they are not the same. That is the case in the Hackensack store.

BTW Edison Costco will soon sell gas too.

[baseballfan]

My husband was underwhelmed with the Kirkland beer. It's been hanging around here for a while now. At first I put it off to my husband being too picky but even my 22yo son and his friends have given it a pass so I think it's the beer. Unusual because we usually like the Kirkland brands across the board.

[Bobfrmia]

What beer would your husband and son normally drink?

[baseballfan]

My husband is very into IPA's but also likes Hefeweizen for something lighter My son loves Hefeweizen as well most especially Pyramid. The case that we bought from Costco contained their Hefs, IPA, an apricot beer and one other that I can't recall. The hef was the best of the lot. My husband drank a couple of the IPA's. I used the others in cooking. The apricot beer is still in the garage fridge.

[Coogles]

Kirkland has different breweries producing their house labeled beers for different regions of the country. The ones sold in my area (Chicago) are brewed in Utica, New York. I believe the west coast beers are brewed in San Jose? Anyway, I buy the ones available in my area from time to time and have found them to be pretty good and always drinkable. Haven't seen the apricot variety though, probably would not have found it enjoyable either.

[baseballfan]

Interesting....I didn't realize that they used different breweries in different parts of the country. Next time I am back east, I will have to give them another try.

[MariaJ.]

It's sub-zero in Minnesota again, and if I had a bunch of unwanted beer, I'd make this fantastic Wassail recipe. I tried it once, in a fairly slapdash manner (didn't have time to do the apple baking bit, so just threw the sugar and chunked apples into the pot and simmered), and everybody loved it.
http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/ind...

[givemecarbs]

Thanks for starting this! I fell in love with the brie en brioche and bought it twice but I fear it is only a holiday item as I haven't been able to find any on the last three trips. My Costco has milton's multi-grain plus bread so I always get one of those. And the kettle corn. Amy's I think. But this time I also bought a bag of drizzled black and white kettlecorn by popcorn indiana that I have never seen before. It was supposed to be for NYE but somehow it never left my secret stash. Tragic mistake. Might bust that puppy open tonight, I'm sure it will be yummy.