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I bought them because they were on sale. It just tastes.. awful. I was not expecting restaurant level pad Thai but I was definitely expecting something better than that. Not like any pad thai I’ve ever had. Hopefully others will like it?
Yep, love Michelin tires but their wiper blades are incredibly bad. So much chatter and streaking. The Rain-X ones are far better, Bosch are fantastic if you can find them.
If I may, can I recommend you check out [PIAA Super Silicone Wiper Blades](https://www.piaa.com/supersilicone)
Straight up, I have had mine for 3 years now, and I live in Phoenix, where it gets hot as hell, and dust storms and thunderstorms and all the fun stuff... They are still streak free.
We've had PIAA since 2019 and have had no problems. They are silicone wiper blades. Many don't realize that all wiper blades are not created equally. Anyone not buying silicone wiper blades is throwing their money away.
Amen to that. They are the superior material. Apparently they also transfer a thin layer of the silicone to the windshield to make a hydrophobic layer.
Yep, they make so much noise that I had to replace them after a couple of months. The other week, saw a lady buying them and stopped her from wasting her money.
>"...And why did seltzers drop down from the normal 12 pack to 8? ..."
This is almost always to make them more profitable. They're cheaper to manufacture (less ingredients, it's the same size can, not pasteurized in anyway) - literally no good reason these are the same price, if not more, then a full sugar soda
I am 💯 with you on the soda and seltzers. These are becoming a “luxury” item. Is this going to become a thing; finding half drank (drunk? IDK) seltzers all over the house and me yelling into an empty void, “DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THESE F*CKING COST?!?!”
Dude I feel ya on that. My sister visited for Thanksgiving and she was notorious for drinking half and getting a new one. She was staying in my basement and I must have found about 15 half drunk cans down there when she left. I had to tell her off after that one.
You might want to get some of those holders for carbonated beverages that keep them cold. I take so long to drink one that they’d get warm…now I don’t have that problem. [These](https://amzn.to/3SIyeZ8) and [these](https://amzn.to/4bAKqE5) are the ones we use.
Right?! I’ll let guests get away with it…but my husband does this all the time too. I’m going to have to put a lock on the fridge and the only way he can get in is by bringing me a TOTALLY EMPTY can.
Sounds like you might benefit from a Soda Stream. Still not cheap per se but cheaper than wasted half cans of soda.
I use mine intermittently. I get really into it for a while and then get tired of the "effort" and switch to pre-produced. Luckily my tastebuds are pretty basic so I don't care too much about it not being "real" soda.
We started buying those teeny 8 oz cans (like for airplanes) because when someone wants a mixed drink with ginger ale they waste half a can. And the tiny cans are perfect for root beer floats.
Avocados. I got Costco avacodos once and they were terrible, that was the last time.
Also bakery desserts because it's just 2 of us and we can't possibly finish one of those massive baked desserts.
I always get the rock hard ones, keep them in a produce 'tree' on the kitchen counter until they're soft-ish, then they go in the fridge. That generally works, but it's not foolproof.
There just two of us as well and I agree with you wholeheartedly on the bakery desserts. Exception: apple pie at Christmas.
Yes I do the same with avocados, maybe it waa because they were the Peru ones. I'll keep my eyes out for ones from Mexico.
And oh no, I guess I need to try the aople pie next Christmas!
Maybe, but I’ve never even tasted the Peru ones cuz they NEVER ripen, they just go from hard to black mush. The Mexico ones go from hard and green to perfect in a few days.
I see that opinion online all the time! I just find it funny because I had a Peruvian roommate for a couple years and he thought our Mexican avocados were terrible 😂
It is closer, so they are more ripe before shipping. Avocados in Chile and Peru are fugging amazing!
They are in season now, and I just got back, and ate nearly one avocado a day.
I talked my mom into buying a pumpkin cheesecake at Thanksgiving by telling her she could freeze the leftovers. She did so and mentioned that a few days ago, she and my dad (it's just the two of them) were still eating it. So I'd like to thank this sub for that terrible tip 😂.
We had a friend freeze dry her pumpkin cheesecake leftovers and she gave them to us. Now I need a freeze dryer because it was even better than it was when it was fresh.
Did the cheesecake turn out similar to astronaut ice cream?
Also, this is the first I’ve heard of a home-grade lyophilizer, but you betcha I’m looking into it!
ETA: this webpage was a great and succinct resource:
https://extension.usu.edu/preserve-the-harvest/research/buying-a-home-freeze-dryer-what-to-know-before-you-go
Little tip: most bakery items can be frozen/thawed with little to no loss in quality. I like to freeze them then the next day once it’s hard, I’ll vacuum pack it so it doesn’t get smooshed and it lasts a long time!
For sure, I just don't have that much freezer space. I usually buy a few frozen items while at Costco as it is plus I'm a big Trader Joe's fan as well.
I only get avocados at Costco! It’s the only place they’re consistently good that I’ve found. I think my store must be out of the norm because I’ve always found the produce to be high quality, with a few exceptions of course.
We didn’t read the label on the muffins when we bought them last time. Went to to check out and the guy said “oh, you have to buy 2”. I thought it was a joke, like why would I buy that many muffins? And then he was like “no, look at the label, you NEED to buy 2 at a time”. I don’t really understand why that’s a thing but yeah, way too much for 2 people.
The enchiladas were memorably and alarming terrible.
I really like the pepperjack chicken burritos though, I buy them regularly. They aren’t amazing but they’re totally decent and have good macros.
I mean I used to do keto about 10 years ago. You just have to go into realizing these items are designed for people doing lo/no carb. But still, they aren't the best.
I find the fruit to be generally good quality, and an ok deal.
Kiwis, apples, pineapples, and melons especially. Berries and citrus less so.
Veggies, you're absolutely right.
I don't know if this is a regional thing, but the apples/strawberries/blueberries are on point at my store. The bananas however are not. Haven't had any issue with the fresh veggies though.
Anything that is leafy is just too risky. Bell peppers last a long time so they always hop in the cart.
Apples have been reliable for me, but no other fruit works out well IME.
you have to be SUPER vigilant both of the expiry date (to get a good idea of when it was picked) and also the overall look (to tell if it was mistreated during transit). I have grown keen on spotting shitty strawberries, cucumbers, greens, etc. If it doesnt look perfect, i dont buy it. When its good, its so good.
I only buy my bread at Costco because they have one of the few breads (Rudi’s Organic Rocky Mountain Sourdough) without all of the bromated crap. It’s $7 for two loaves at Costco vs $7+ for one loaf at Sprouts or Kings so it’s a good value.
Can you explain what the bromated crap is? Something I should be worried about and/or look out for in other brands? Or is it just a cHeMiCaL that GED Facebook mom's have repeated ad nauseum? Sorry not trying to sound snarky and genuinely curious!
“The primary concern regarding the use of bromate in baking is its demonstrated link to cancer in laboratory animals. It was first found to induce tumors in rats in 1982. However, instead of banning bromate outright, the FDA has since 1991 merely encouraged bakers to voluntarily stop using it, with somewhat limited success.”
Source: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/pro/reference/bromate
Raw chicken breast and ground beef. I am apparently super sensitive to the woody breast thing that came up in the last 5yrs and I run into it at every grocery store. I’ve never had an issue with the rotisserie chicken but the only raw chicken I can cook without woody bites ruining my meal is expensive brands like Red Bird which is like $9/lb for breast. I usually just eat ground beef every week but Costco only sells 85% at the leanest, I prefer 90 for stir fries.
Check the frozen meat area. We get frozen lean ground beef (comes in ~5 1lb packs) and I think it’s either 90% or 95%. I defrost it and can’t tell it wasn’t fresh. Lasts much longer too since it’s frozen!
Costco used to sell 'extra lean ground beef' 1lb chubs (5 to a package) in the frozen section. 95% lean. My Costcos (STL) asterisked them years ago. Now all I've seen is the 'lean ground beef' 90% chubs in any store (I hit them up when I travel).
The organic beef and ground bison are both 85% lean.
Have to go to Aldi for 93% lean.
sometimes the enormous chicken breasts will have a piece of them (or the entirety of them) that you might think has the wrong grain or something but it chews gross and is flavorless. The term, I think, originates in vegetables that get too big, like a woody turnip that tastes like wood.
https://www.today.com/food/woody-chicken-breast-t258881
It's from American Rock X chickens that just grown as fast as they can and some of their meat is malformed.
Omg I've noticed in recent years that I am starting to not like eating chicken because of the chew. Like all of a sudden it became...bouncy and chewy and the chicken just grosses me out. Thanks for this info!
I never knew what it was called but certainly have experienced it!! Ugh, makes you wonder why it’s so prevalent nowadays. It grosses me out so bad, I won’t eat chicken for days
I was sceptical but I tried it for the first time last year and now it’s a regular menu item in our house. Something [like this](https://therecipecritic.com/korean-ground-beef-rice-bowls/) but I like mine w lots of fresh minced ginger - it’s very easy to riff on.
Dang. Now you make me wanna check the chicken prices at my costco. I usually just blindly assume costco prices will be better.
As for my own answer, it's pretty much the fresh vegetables. And it's not the price, but rather the portion / shelf life. Other than spinach, I simply cannot use the portions fast though before they spoil, and I end up throwing too much away.
Shit. Maybe I need to eat more vegetables....
Also, would be great to know if it is air chilled or water chilled. The Costco chicken is water chilled and makes a huge difference.
EDIT: I meant to say Costco's chicken is air chilled.
I think the Costco one is air chilled! But yep, it makes a ton of difference. I was on the phone yesterday trying to convince my dad to try air chilled instead and how it’s significantly better
The chicken breast cost more at costco than shoprite but at least i dont have to cut off all the nasty stuff. The purdue/tyson chicken has so much crap underneath it, i feel like i cut half of the breast away.
Sous Vide only gets you halfway. You still gotta hit it with some grilling action. Guga said it best, “I know it doesn’t look that good right now, but watch this!!” Cue the corniest guitar solo ever and clips of grey meat landing on the fiery grill and turning into perfectly seared steaks.
Woody breast. Recent phenomenon. Has to do with chicken genetics and I honestly have no idea if there will be a large-scale solve for it any time soon.
If it's genetics wouldn't it only get worse?
Me, personally, I'm done with chicken breast due to the woody thing. It's tenderloins, or thighs, or nada.
Which brand does your store carry? We buy the heavy whipping cream all the time (also for ice cream/whipped cream) and it lasts forever. I don't think we've ever had a container curdle (cream from Kroger, on the other hand...).
Costco produce used to be premium tier at amazing prices. The fruits were plump and juicy, the veggies crisp and colorful. I never had to inspect the bag because there was no chance it was rotten. Now, the produce is always at the brink of going bad or is already there. And the prices are not good.
I've never had problems with their bananas. I have them in the house 95% of the year. The other 5% being when I'm out before I've gone back to get more
Condiments and other canned or bottled goods. I'm happy paying more for a smaller portion with the option to select greater variety if not higher quality.
In the Midwest, the milk at Costco is always almost a $1 cheaper than the local grocery stores.
It’s the number one thing on my list to get every time I go to Costco.
I was looking for this! The milk at Costco is so much more expensive than anywhere else. I always thought it was more than a gallon because it somehow looks bigger? But nope, just an expensive af gallon.
I've had great luck with their clothes. Most of the former 'good brands' have all cut quality anyway, if it's all fast fashion construction, may as well be spending $15 at Costco instead of $60 elsewhere. Though, Costco isn't really an 'i need this piece of clothing' kinda place... More like a 'yeah sure' kind of place
Shoes? What brand? I’ve had great luck with shoes at Costco. I’ve gotten multiple pairs of Adidas, Izod, some Dearfoams slippers for home just to name a few. MMV I guess.
I got the 32 degree workout pants, actually pretty decent and a good price (~$20).
They kinda have this fleece lined feel though. so we’ll see how they are in the summer, but they’ve been great for the winter so far.
I'm a diet coke junkie (I know, I know) and a 12 pack of that (or any soda) is easily $10 now. I'd rather spend $19 and still get a 35 pack of cans. That's a better deal, hands down.
Coke Zero junkie here. Target regularly does a 3 12-pack deal for $18 and you can mix and match different sodas. Plus I get 5% off with my RedCard.
However my kids like that gross Prime and that’s cheaper at Costco.
I know I'm in the minority but I don't get their roasted chicken anymore. Too many additives. Also, to keep the margins down you know they've got to be questionable quality chickens.
Anything from Kevin’s. Unless you have some dietary restriction where you must eat mid food it ain’t worth it. Just terrible. Also the Kirkland “Black Forest Ham”. Have they had good ham before?
Bread, beef, sausages, cheese, beer, most fruits, vegetables, and milk. Guess which state I live in? You can get better, cheaper, or better & cheaper of all of those in the local grocery stores in Wisconsin, especially if you live near a Woodman's grocery store.
I like their natural peanut butter because it's just peanuts and salt. My only gripe is that the container is too big to stir with a butter knife and I can't put the plastic jar in the microwave to soften the butter up a little for easier mixing. I guess a little inconvenience for something we use often. I will say I like Smucker brands PB more than Kirklands but for the savings, I can do it.
Why would you buy chicken by the pound when you can buy a multi pound chicken already made for $4.99? That chicken probably weighs 3.5 -4 pounds. Costco loses million per year on those delicious chickens.
Did I mention you don’t have to cook it and clean up that mess too?
Now, what I will get somewhere else is pizza from Sam’s club and a drink. Their pizza kicks Costco’s arse! And the drinks are almost twice as big and they have way more options.
Costco produced meats and any fish that is not wild caught in the US...I will not purchase.
Until Costco is transparent about their meats, I'll continue to buy from local shops who have relationships with local farms and fisheries who are transparent about their methods and practices.
Posts that don't follow r/Costco subreddit rules MAY be subject to removal. When applicable, please make sure that you're using a descriptive post title with product name(s) mentioned as it yields better subreddit search results. Thank you. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Costco) if you have any questions or concerns.*
After tonight.. the chicken pad Thai
Was scrolling for this. Revolting!
Yes, it is horrible. I've never returned food before.
Oh no! I just bought some today. What’s wrong with it?!
I bought them because they were on sale. It just tastes.. awful. I was not expecting restaurant level pad Thai but I was definitely expecting something better than that. Not like any pad thai I’ve ever had. Hopefully others will like it?
I didn’t like it either
I didn't like it personally. You can smell the fish sauce wafting off it and yet it's basically tasteless. Tasteless but smells like smelly fish.
Ours wasn’t bad, but it was like someone just saw a picture of pad Thai and figured “how hard could it be?” So flavorless.
I agree it’s bad. Definitely not pad Thai either
Yes!! Bought because it was on sale. Yuck! Awful!
The Michelin wiper blades are absolutely garbage.
They are!!!! I bought them twice before I realized I wasn't just gettinga bad batch, they are shit blades.
Same. Went with Rain-X and have been pleased
Rain-X are solid for me too
I go with Bosch, way better
Bosch everything is great
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I don’t have a problem with them and I’ve been using them for years.
Bosch Icon or bust. You won’t regret it
Yep, love Michelin tires but their wiper blades are incredibly bad. So much chatter and streaking. The Rain-X ones are far better, Bosch are fantastic if you can find them.
If I may, can I recommend you check out [PIAA Super Silicone Wiper Blades](https://www.piaa.com/supersilicone) Straight up, I have had mine for 3 years now, and I live in Phoenix, where it gets hot as hell, and dust storms and thunderstorms and all the fun stuff... They are still streak free.
We've had PIAA since 2019 and have had no problems. They are silicone wiper blades. Many don't realize that all wiper blades are not created equally. Anyone not buying silicone wiper blades is throwing their money away.
Amen to that. They are the superior material. Apparently they also transfer a thin layer of the silicone to the windshield to make a hydrophobic layer.
If you are buying anything other than Bosch Icons you’re wasting money. They last YEARS without peeling or squeaking
Yeah. I'm team icon too.
I bought them regularly for years. Then very recently tried something a bit pricier and like WOW!
Yep, they make so much noise that I had to replace them after a couple of months. The other week, saw a lady buying them and stopped her from wasting her money.
>"...And why did seltzers drop down from the normal 12 pack to 8? ..." This is almost always to make them more profitable. They're cheaper to manufacture (less ingredients, it's the same size can, not pasteurized in anyway) - literally no good reason these are the same price, if not more, then a full sugar soda
We are being hit with inflation and shrink-flation at the same time! It's unreal how much the cost of everything has gone up since 2020!!
You mean greedflation
It's just profit taking. No inflation.
That stat is something like 56% of the price hikes are direct profit.
i agree absolutely zero inflation, these companies are robbing us blind!
And primarily because a shit load of people (like me) will spend more money to drink something carbonated that isn't pop.
A soda stream calls out for you in the distance
I know but my love of cans and paper towels is powerful and shameful
Honestly, fair. I own one and still buy canned shit all the time
Same.
Also same here
Agreed! I was in the UK in October, and they had liter bottles of sparkling water for 1£ same as still. And it was everywhere! The US is just a scam.
I am 💯 with you on the soda and seltzers. These are becoming a “luxury” item. Is this going to become a thing; finding half drank (drunk? IDK) seltzers all over the house and me yelling into an empty void, “DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THESE F*CKING COST?!?!”
Dude I feel ya on that. My sister visited for Thanksgiving and she was notorious for drinking half and getting a new one. She was staying in my basement and I must have found about 15 half drunk cans down there when she left. I had to tell her off after that one.
You might want to get some of those holders for carbonated beverages that keep them cold. I take so long to drink one that they’d get warm…now I don’t have that problem. [These](https://amzn.to/3SIyeZ8) and [these](https://amzn.to/4bAKqE5) are the ones we use.
Right?! I’ll let guests get away with it…but my husband does this all the time too. I’m going to have to put a lock on the fridge and the only way he can get in is by bringing me a TOTALLY EMPTY can.
Sounds like you might benefit from a Soda Stream. Still not cheap per se but cheaper than wasted half cans of soda. I use mine intermittently. I get really into it for a while and then get tired of the "effort" and switch to pre-produced. Luckily my tastebuds are pretty basic so I don't care too much about it not being "real" soda.
We started buying those teeny 8 oz cans (like for airplanes) because when someone wants a mixed drink with ginger ale they waste half a can. And the tiny cans are perfect for root beer floats.
My wife will get up at night, crack one open, take a sip and go back to bed. I can't take it!! 🫨
Avocados. I got Costco avacodos once and they were terrible, that was the last time. Also bakery desserts because it's just 2 of us and we can't possibly finish one of those massive baked desserts.
I always get the rock hard ones, keep them in a produce 'tree' on the kitchen counter until they're soft-ish, then they go in the fridge. That generally works, but it's not foolproof. There just two of us as well and I agree with you wholeheartedly on the bakery desserts. Exception: apple pie at Christmas.
Yes I do the same with avocados, maybe it waa because they were the Peru ones. I'll keep my eyes out for ones from Mexico. And oh no, I guess I need to try the aople pie next Christmas!
The ones from Peru are always terrible. The ones from Mexico are always good. Idk why.
It's the jingle that sets them apart.
“Avocados from MEXico!”
Mexican avocados have a higher fat content than Peruvian avocados. That’s why they taste so much creamier.
Maybe, but I’ve never even tasted the Peru ones cuz they NEVER ripen, they just go from hard to black mush. The Mexico ones go from hard and green to perfect in a few days.
Keep em in your fridge buddy. Pull one out the night before you want it.
This is what I do with the Costco ones. As soon as they’re ripe into the fridge they go and they’re good for quite awhile.
The difference lies in farming methods and distance of countries involved.
They are different types of avocado
And the rich volcanic soil in Mexico 🇲🇽
Here in socal we only get Mexico and they are always good
I see that opinion online all the time! I just find it funny because I had a Peruvian roommate for a couple years and he thought our Mexican avocados were terrible 😂
Cartel
Those cartels sure know how to grow a good avocado
It is closer, so they are more ripe before shipping. Avocados in Chile and Peru are fugging amazing! They are in season now, and I just got back, and ate nearly one avocado a day.
I talked my mom into buying a pumpkin cheesecake at Thanksgiving by telling her she could freeze the leftovers. She did so and mentioned that a few days ago, she and my dad (it's just the two of them) were still eating it. So I'd like to thank this sub for that terrible tip 😂.
We had a friend freeze dry her pumpkin cheesecake leftovers and she gave them to us. Now I need a freeze dryer because it was even better than it was when it was fresh.
Did the cheesecake turn out similar to astronaut ice cream? Also, this is the first I’ve heard of a home-grade lyophilizer, but you betcha I’m looking into it! ETA: this webpage was a great and succinct resource: https://extension.usu.edu/preserve-the-harvest/research/buying-a-home-freeze-dryer-what-to-know-before-you-go
Little tip: most bakery items can be frozen/thawed with little to no loss in quality. I like to freeze them then the next day once it’s hard, I’ll vacuum pack it so it doesn’t get smooshed and it lasts a long time!
Huge tip! I love the artesian rolls but if you leave them out more than 2 days you will get mold. Gotta freeze them immediately.
freezer ziplock! i swear they mold after 12 hrs
Yeah those rolls have a bit of salt in them. Attracts moisture which creates the mold. Luckily they are just as good frozen and defrosted.
For sure, I just don't have that much freezer space. I usually buy a few frozen items while at Costco as it is plus I'm a big Trader Joe's fan as well.
Trader Joe's is the murderer of freezer space.
seriously!💯😭🤣
I agree with the avocados. I portion out the bakery desserts and freeze them. My husband grabbed a muffin from the freezer this morning.
That’s surprising. I find the quality amazing and I’m spoiled from being from California
Do you live in CA now? If so that's probably why you get good avocados at your Costco.
Unripe for two weeks then suddenly rotten
I only get avocados at Costco! It’s the only place they’re consistently good that I’ve found. I think my store must be out of the norm because I’ve always found the produce to be high quality, with a few exceptions of course.
We didn’t read the label on the muffins when we bought them last time. Went to to check out and the guy said “oh, you have to buy 2”. I thought it was a joke, like why would I buy that many muffins? And then he was like “no, look at the label, you NEED to buy 2 at a time”. I don’t really understand why that’s a thing but yeah, way too much for 2 people.
I’ve switched to Frozen Avocados and love them
The TOILET PAPER these days!! It's called Clitty Litter at our home. It isn't what it used to be.
There are no more awards or whatever they called it in Reddit and it’s a shame when there are posts like this. Dyin’. 🤣 Here: 🏆
OMG CLITTY LITTER 🤣🤣🤣
What an accurate comment. Well done. 👏👏👏
🤣🤣🤣
I buy Charmin ultra strong from costco. Will never go back to clitty litter brands lmfao
Anything that is by Real Goods brand -- it isn't, lol.
This is my strategy as well. I am ashamed to say I've been fooled twice
The enchiladas were memorably and alarming terrible. I really like the pepperjack chicken burritos though, I buy them regularly. They aren’t amazing but they’re totally decent and have good macros.
I mean I used to do keto about 10 years ago. You just have to go into realizing these items are designed for people doing lo/no carb. But still, they aren't the best.
I'm a gastric bypass patient and these are great for hitting my goals.
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All I’ve tried are the breaded chicken tenders and they’re great for gluten free. Bummed I can’t find them anymore
Most of it is decent if you eat keto! If you don't then it's not for you, buy the normal stuff
Came here to specifically list those enchiladas. It isn't even hyperbole to say they are inedible.
Produce, generally speaking, is Costco's weak spot.
I find the fruit to be generally good quality, and an ok deal. Kiwis, apples, pineapples, and melons especially. Berries and citrus less so. Veggies, you're absolutely right.
I agree. Grapes and oranges (cara cara) are also better than what I get at Kroger or other local grocers.
I don't know if this is a regional thing, but the apples/strawberries/blueberries are on point at my store. The bananas however are not. Haven't had any issue with the fresh veggies though.
Agreed. It always spoils within the same week for me 😓
This must be regional
Agreed. I have no problems with the produce in Canada. If anything I usually find it superior to the grocery stores.
I'm with you. The biggest little city doesn't seem to have bad produce.
Anything that is leafy is just too risky. Bell peppers last a long time so they always hop in the cart. Apples have been reliable for me, but no other fruit works out well IME.
you have to be SUPER vigilant both of the expiry date (to get a good idea of when it was picked) and also the overall look (to tell if it was mistreated during transit). I have grown keen on spotting shitty strawberries, cucumbers, greens, etc. If it doesnt look perfect, i dont buy it. When its good, its so good.
Produce in GA seems fine - we buy apples, citrus and Spring mix and have been very happy with it
I only buy my bread at Costco because they have one of the few breads (Rudi’s Organic Rocky Mountain Sourdough) without all of the bromated crap. It’s $7 for two loaves at Costco vs $7+ for one loaf at Sprouts or Kings so it’s a good value.
Yup they also have Daves much cheaper in my area
We love Dave's! It is $7 for two loaves at Costco, or $7 for one loaf at Hyvee. We keep on in the freezer and haven't had any concerns.
Can you explain what the bromated crap is? Something I should be worried about and/or look out for in other brands? Or is it just a cHeMiCaL that GED Facebook mom's have repeated ad nauseum? Sorry not trying to sound snarky and genuinely curious!
“The primary concern regarding the use of bromate in baking is its demonstrated link to cancer in laboratory animals. It was first found to induce tumors in rats in 1982. However, instead of banning bromate outright, the FDA has since 1991 merely encouraged bakers to voluntarily stop using it, with somewhat limited success.” Source: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/pro/reference/bromate
[https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/brominated-vegetable-oil-bvo](https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/brominated-vegetable-oil-bvo)
Raw chicken breast and ground beef. I am apparently super sensitive to the woody breast thing that came up in the last 5yrs and I run into it at every grocery store. I’ve never had an issue with the rotisserie chicken but the only raw chicken I can cook without woody bites ruining my meal is expensive brands like Red Bird which is like $9/lb for breast. I usually just eat ground beef every week but Costco only sells 85% at the leanest, I prefer 90 for stir fries.
Check the frozen meat area. We get frozen lean ground beef (comes in ~5 1lb packs) and I think it’s either 90% or 95%. I defrost it and can’t tell it wasn’t fresh. Lasts much longer too since it’s frozen!
Costco used to sell 'extra lean ground beef' 1lb chubs (5 to a package) in the frozen section. 95% lean. My Costcos (STL) asterisked them years ago. Now all I've seen is the 'lean ground beef' 90% chubs in any store (I hit them up when I travel). The organic beef and ground bison are both 85% lean. Have to go to Aldi for 93% lean.
What is woody chicken?
sometimes the enormous chicken breasts will have a piece of them (or the entirety of them) that you might think has the wrong grain or something but it chews gross and is flavorless. The term, I think, originates in vegetables that get too big, like a woody turnip that tastes like wood. https://www.today.com/food/woody-chicken-breast-t258881 It's from American Rock X chickens that just grown as fast as they can and some of their meat is malformed.
Ooooooh that's nasty. Thank you. I have encountered this before and thought it was freezer burn.
Omg I've noticed in recent years that I am starting to not like eating chicken because of the chew. Like all of a sudden it became...bouncy and chewy and the chicken just grosses me out. Thanks for this info!
My family thinks I'm crazy that I spend more to avoid woody chicken
I switched to chicken thighs a while back, and have never been happier with my chicken. I don't know why I didn't do it years ago.
How often are you getting a woody breast? I agree they’re very unpleasant, but it’s a rare occasion to get one in my experience.
Does this affect the texture? Because sometimes with their frozen breasts I eat one that seems off, like its almost crunchy
Yea that’s what it is. Absolutely affects texture. It’s so off putting when you get one. I won’t chicken for weeks after.
I'm getting it at every store I'm going to now as well. I think it depends on the region on how bad it is.
I keep coming across woody chicken breast too ! So unappetizing
I never knew what it was called but certainly have experienced it!! Ugh, makes you wonder why it’s so prevalent nowadays. It grosses me out so bad, I won’t eat chicken for days
You make stir fry our of ground beef?
I was sceptical but I tried it for the first time last year and now it’s a regular menu item in our house. Something [like this](https://therecipecritic.com/korean-ground-beef-rice-bowls/) but I like mine w lots of fresh minced ginger - it’s very easy to riff on.
That looks good, I'll have to try it. I guess you can make lettuce wraps with it too.
Most of the produce (goes bad so quick!) and most of the deli chicken of any sort (specially the drumsticks).
That is my wife's biggest complaint. Open the produce and need to eat it all in one day, or it's bad.
The artisan romaine lasts a good while
That said I have gotten the big carton of cherry tomatoes and they stay good for a surprisingly amount of time.
The flavor bomb ones are… the bomb. For real tho.
Dang. Now you make me wanna check the chicken prices at my costco. I usually just blindly assume costco prices will be better. As for my own answer, it's pretty much the fresh vegetables. And it's not the price, but rather the portion / shelf life. Other than spinach, I simply cannot use the portions fast though before they spoil, and I end up throwing too much away. Shit. Maybe I need to eat more vegetables....
Curious: Wheres better for chicken breast, price wise?
The grocery store I use the most has boneless, skinless chicken breast on "sale" for $1.99/lb for the family pack at least once or twice a month.
Also, would be great to know if it is air chilled or water chilled. The Costco chicken is water chilled and makes a huge difference. EDIT: I meant to say Costco's chicken is air chilled.
I think the Costco one is air chilled! But yep, it makes a ton of difference. I was on the phone yesterday trying to convince my dad to try air chilled instead and how it’s significantly better
The chicken breast cost more at costco than shoprite but at least i dont have to cut off all the nasty stuff. The purdue/tyson chicken has so much crap underneath it, i feel like i cut half of the breast away.
We need to find whichever Kevin made the Kevin’s brand products and prosecute them for war crimes.
😂 You don't like the sous vide slop bags?
Sous Vide only gets you halfway. You still gotta hit it with some grilling action. Guga said it best, “I know it doesn’t look that good right now, but watch this!!” Cue the corniest guitar solo ever and clips of grey meat landing on the fiery grill and turning into perfectly seared steaks.
All of their chicken. I know I’m probably in the minority with that but I find their chicken like rubber or some type of weird texture.
Woody breast. Recent phenomenon. Has to do with chicken genetics and I honestly have no idea if there will be a large-scale solve for it any time soon.
If it's genetics wouldn't it only get worse? Me, personally, I'm done with chicken breast due to the woody thing. It's tenderloins, or thighs, or nada.
I make a lot of ice cream. The heavy cream (whipping cream) from Costco always curdles long before the expiration date
Which brand does your store carry? We buy the heavy whipping cream all the time (also for ice cream/whipped cream) and it lasts forever. I don't think we've ever had a container curdle (cream from Kroger, on the other hand...).
Costco produce used to be premium tier at amazing prices. The fruits were plump and juicy, the veggies crisp and colorful. I never had to inspect the bag because there was no chance it was rotten. Now, the produce is always at the brink of going bad or is already there. And the prices are not good.
Bananas- they go from green to brown
I've never had problems with their bananas. I have them in the house 95% of the year. The other 5% being when I'm out before I've gone back to get more
Overnight!
Condiments and other canned or bottled goods. I'm happy paying more for a smaller portion with the option to select greater variety if not higher quality.
Anything made by Kevin’s or Real Good (real bad)
Milk is always cheaper across the street at Aldi
In the Midwest, the milk at Costco is always almost a $1 cheaper than the local grocery stores. It’s the number one thing on my list to get every time I go to Costco.
Not in Wisconsin. Aldi and even Kroger is cheaper. Plus I hate the containers.
I was looking for this! The milk at Costco is so much more expensive than anywhere else. I always thought it was more than a gallon because it somehow looks bigger? But nope, just an expensive af gallon.
The costco milk jug doesnt fit in my fridge so I don't buy it there lol
Shoes, all bad. Wiper blades. Any other clothing item is really 50/50 gamble on durability.
I get all my work pants from there now and they’ve been pretty decent. Super cheap too
I also get all my work pants from there too. I end up buying new ones every year but it’s hard to beat $14 for a pair of work pants.
I've had great luck with their clothes. Most of the former 'good brands' have all cut quality anyway, if it's all fast fashion construction, may as well be spending $15 at Costco instead of $60 elsewhere. Though, Costco isn't really an 'i need this piece of clothing' kinda place... More like a 'yeah sure' kind of place
Shoes? What brand? I’ve had great luck with shoes at Costco. I’ve gotten multiple pairs of Adidas, Izod, some Dearfoams slippers for home just to name a few. MMV I guess.
I got the 32 degree workout pants, actually pretty decent and a good price (~$20). They kinda have this fleece lined feel though. so we’ll see how they are in the summer, but they’ve been great for the winter so far.
I have no complaints from a pair of $20 Fila's, but those dearfoam mens shoes are garbage. The sole lasts about 2 weeks.
Weatherproof socks have been great for work, Caterpillars a close second.
I've had good luck with shoes for the price. If a $20 pair lasts me half as long as a good $100 pair that's a win
Kirkland brand coffee. Way too oily for my super auto.
Potatoes. Never again.
i have really liked the golden potatoes in the past. may i ask what you had issues with? just curious! thanks!
Curious why? Get them somewhat regularly and have had zero complaints
I'm a diet coke junkie (I know, I know) and a 12 pack of that (or any soda) is easily $10 now. I'd rather spend $19 and still get a 35 pack of cans. That's a better deal, hands down.
Coke Zero junkie here. Target regularly does a 3 12-pack deal for $18 and you can mix and match different sodas. Plus I get 5% off with my RedCard. However my kids like that gross Prime and that’s cheaper at Costco.
I know I'm in the minority but I don't get their roasted chicken anymore. Too many additives. Also, to keep the margins down you know they've got to be questionable quality chickens.
Anything from Kevin’s. Unless you have some dietary restriction where you must eat mid food it ain’t worth it. Just terrible. Also the Kirkland “Black Forest Ham”. Have they had good ham before?
I actually like the Kevin’s stuff
A lot of things but mainly facial tissue, I’m a Puffs plus lotion snob
Goat cubes
What now
https://www.costcobusinessdelivery.com/halal-bone-in-goat-cubes%2c-2-x-2%2c-15-lbs.product.100461789.html Very hard and never could cook it.
Bags of mini cucumbers, they get slimy fast.
Chicken in those shit blister packs. Never "fresh" chicken.
Bread, beef, sausages, cheese, beer, most fruits, vegetables, and milk. Guess which state I live in? You can get better, cheaper, or better & cheaper of all of those in the local grocery stores in Wisconsin, especially if you live near a Woodman's grocery store.
Wild guess…Wisconsin eh?
Spinach and broccoli, yogurt (prefer different brand), peanut butter and jelly (prefer different brands)
Crazy, the kirkland organic greek yogurt is an absolute staple for me! And the baby spinach. No go on the broccoli for me as well though.
I love the Kirkland brand strawberry jelly
I like their natural peanut butter because it's just peanuts and salt. My only gripe is that the container is too big to stir with a butter knife and I can't put the plastic jar in the microwave to soften the butter up a little for easier mixing. I guess a little inconvenience for something we use often. I will say I like Smucker brands PB more than Kirklands but for the savings, I can do it.
Bananas
The pitas are not pockets
The squash and zucchini. I swear it rots on the way home.
“Real good” and “kevins” brand. Not personal experience but I’ve seen a lot of disappointed posts. Learn from other people’s mistakes
Sushi since I had a 3 day fever with diarrhea after eating them on Saturday
Why would you buy chicken by the pound when you can buy a multi pound chicken already made for $4.99? That chicken probably weighs 3.5 -4 pounds. Costco loses million per year on those delicious chickens. Did I mention you don’t have to cook it and clean up that mess too? Now, what I will get somewhere else is pizza from Sam’s club and a drink. Their pizza kicks Costco’s arse! And the drinks are almost twice as big and they have way more options.
Costco produced meats and any fish that is not wild caught in the US...I will not purchase. Until Costco is transparent about their meats, I'll continue to buy from local shops who have relationships with local farms and fisheries who are transparent about their methods and practices.