Based on my math and this particular haul, Costco generally offers lower prices.
However, the only way to reap the benefits is to purchase bulk-sized quantities, which isn’t for everyone. The real value depends on how much you can reasonably consume.
Produce is the perfect example. It’s hard to eat six heads of romaine or 10 pounds of potatoes before they go bad, even for veggie lovers.
Although these items are cheaper at Costco, large packages make it easier to waste food (and therefore money). The same goes for Costco’s mega-sized spices, chips, egg cartons, and beyond.
Plus, Costco has a $65 annual membership fee, so you’d have to spend enough to make it worth it — though breaking even is an achievable goal for most shoppers, especially families, since Costco carries more than groceries. Members also get discounts on things like travel, rental cars, tires, and gas.
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I’m a dietitian, and some of the best Mediterranean-diet staples I got this year came from Costco.
Kirkland Signature blueberries and PuraVida fire-roasted root veggies were freezer staples for me.
My favorite Costco buys this year included the Ithaca x Graza hummus and Safe Catch yellowfin tuna.
As a dietitian and devoted follower of the Mediterranean diet, my love for Costco runs deep.
An eating pattern rooted in fresh, whole foods, and a warehouse store famous for its bulk buys may seem like an odd pairing, but hear me out.
The Mediterranean diet is all about nutrient-dense staples like olive oil, nuts, whole grains, legumes, fresh produce, lean proteins, and other heart-healthy fats.
It’s a flexible, flavorful way of eating that prioritizes balance and sustainability — values that align surprisingly well with some of Costco’s offerings.
In my experience, Costco is a goldmine for high-quality, affordable staples that make sticking to this lifestyle not only easier but also more delicious (and at times, more affordable).
Here are some of the best things I bought there this year.
Safe Catch yellowfin tuna is great for quick meals.
At Costco this year, I was able to buy six-packs of 5-ounce cans of Safe Catch tuna. Lauren Manaker
I get Safe Catch canned yellowfin tuna in bulk at Costco to use in easy, nutrient-packed meals, like salads or grain bowls.
Tuna is a solid source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which help support heart and brain health. Though I love enjoying a piece of fresh fish, on busy days, the canned stuff is exactly what I need.
I like buying from Safe Catch because the brand says it tests every fish’s mercury levels to ensure they are well below the FDA action limit.
I heat up a Red’s Egg’Wich for a quick breakfast without bread.
I heat up a turkey-sausage Egg’Wich when I’m in a rush but want a breakfast with protein. Lauren Manaker
Even dietitians have busy days where cooking meals from scratch isn’t an option.
Found in Costco’s frozen section, Red’s Egg’Wiches are my go-to for a quick breakfast with protein. Each turkey-sausage sandwich has 17 grams of protein and uses two cage-free egg patties instead of a traditional bun.
I like to pair one of these with fresh fruit whenever I’m having a hectic morning but need a balanced breakfast.
Pompeian Smooth & Fruity extra-virgin olive oil is perfect for everyday cooking.
I grabbed a 2-liter bottle of Pompeian Smooth & Fruity extra-virgin olive oil at Costco this year. Lauren Manaker
A good extra-virgin olive oil is non-negotiable in a Mediterranean kitchen, and the limited-edition Pompeian Smooth & Fruity EVOO I picked up at Costco has been a standout this year.
Its smooth, fruity flavor makes it incredible for drizzling over salads, finishing roasted vegetables, or using as a dip with crusty bread.
High-quality olive oil provides antioxidants and “good” monounsaturated fats; this one also delivers an exceptional taste.
Pop & Bottle chocolate-pistachio lattes were one of the best ways I got my caffeine fix this year.
The Pop & Bottle almond-milk lattes have a satisfying, decadent flavor. Lauren Manaker
These Dubai-style lattes from Pop & Bottle have been perfect for when I want a decadent, satisfying treat that also gives me a caffeine boost.
Each 11-ounce bottle has 5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein, which is impressive for a ready-to-drink beverage. I also like that they’re made with quality whole ingredients, including almond milk, pistachio butter, and cacao.
PuraVida’s fire-roasted mix made it easier to eat more vegetables this year.
Vegetables are a key part of any balanced diet. Lauren Manaker
I’ve been keeping this 64-ounce bag of sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and onions from Costco in my freezer to use as a quick side dish alongside fish or chicken.
They’re simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil — and the fire-roasting process brings out a wonderful, deep flavor in the root vegetables.
This is definitely one of my favorite buys from Costco this year for creating a balanced meal with minimal effort.
Pure Flavor Poco Bites cucumbers are crunchy, fresh, and versatile.
Poco Bites are small, crunchy cucumbers. Lauren Manaker
Fresh, crunchy cocktail cucumbers are a staple in my kitchen.
Mostly water, they’re a hydrating, low-calorie way to add volume and nutrients (like Vitamin K) to any meal. I use them in everything from refreshing salads and hearty grain bowls to summery sandwiches and simple snack platters.
Costco usually has these Poco Bites at a great price point — $7.37 for a 1 ½-pound bag at the time of writing — so they’re easy for me to keep on hand.
POM Wonderful pomegranate juice is delightfully simple.
I use POM Wonderful in cocktails and marinades. Lauren Manaker
Pomegranates are a source of powerful antioxidants, and I use POM Wonderful’s juice to easily incorporate them into my diet.
Each bottle contains just the juice of whole-pressed pomegranates — no added sugars or fillers.
I love grabbing 64-ounce bottles of it at Costco because I know I’ll use it up, whether I’m mixing it in marinades to add a tangy, slightly sweet flavor to various proteins or pouring it into my favorite 3-ingredient cocktail.
My freezer has stayed stocked with Kirkland Signature frozen organic blueberries.
I often pick up frozen fruit, like Kirkland Signature organic blueberries, at Costco. Lauren Manaker
Throughout the year, I’ve enjoyed the frozen Kirkland Signature organic blueberries, a solid source of fiber and antioxidants that are perfect for adding to oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothies.
Frozen fruit can be just as nutritious as fresh, and sometimes even more so since it’s typically picked and preserved at peak ripeness.
Plus, their shelf life is significantly longer than that of their fresh counterpart, which helps me avoid food waste.
I reached for Wonderful’s shelled sweet-cinnamon pistachios all year long.
The fact that these Wonderful pistachios are pre-shelled is a convenient bonus. Lauren Manaker
Finding a 22-ounce bag of this limited-edition Wonderful pistachio flavor at Costco was a delightful surprise.
Pistachios are a nutrient-dense nut, offering healthy fats, protein, and fiber. They’re one of the few plant-based protein sources that provide all nine essential amino acids your body can’t make on its own.
Plus, these pistachios have a pleasant hint of cinnamon that satisfies my sweet tooth, and their pre-shelled convenience makes them a perfect snack.
The Ithaca x Graza hummus tastes homemade and goes with everything.
I snagged a 26-ounce container of the Ithaca x Graza hummus at Costco this year. Lauren Manaker
Hummus is a classic Mediterranean dip, and this collaboration between Ithaca and Graza is exceptional.
I give this hummus bonus points for not containing any unnecessary fillers or artificial flavors. Made with high-quality ingredients, like Graza olive oil and chickpeas, it has a rich, smooth texture and bright, zesty flavor.
It’s a delicious way to add plant-based protein and healthy fats to my diet, whether I’m using it as a dip for fresh vegetables, spreading it into sandwiches, or scooping it onto grain bowls.
Two dozen eggs, a gallon of milk, 30 rolls of toilet paper — and one ounce of 24 karat gold.
While that might be one of the more expensive grocery runs a Costco shopper might make, it is one that could realistically happen.
Costco sells hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of gold and silver each month. There are two ways to buy bars and coins from the wholesale club: online and in-store at certain warehouses. Here’s what that looks like.
The first step — step zero, if you will — is to get a Costco membership, since precious metals are exclusively available to members. The basic Gold Star membership gives you access, but if you’re planning to spend several thousand dollars on gold and silver, it might make sense to spring for the executive upgrade.
For the additional $65, executive members get 2% rewards on most purchases, including precious metals. At the recent price of about $4,480, the reward on a one-ounce gold bar or coin would be around $89, which is more than the price of an upgrade. (Executive members can also shop early at the warehouse, but that’s another story.)
Equipped with a membership, the options to buy precious metals depend largely on the availability of supply.
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How to buy gold and silver from Costco online
Gold, silver, and platinum are listed on Costco.com on a precious metals page in the jewelry and watches category. (The items were previously listed under sports memorabilia and collectibles, which made them a bit harder for the casual buyer to track down.)
Costco.com’s precious metals offerings on October 13, 2025.
Costco
When products are priced at or near the commodity market’s “spot” price, they can sell out extremely quickly.
Silver also tends to sell out quickly and follows a similar pricing pattern. In fact, silver’s market rally of more than 130% year-to-date as of Tuesday morning has outpaced gold’s nearly 70% increase. Plus, silver’s lower unit price — it’s at an all-time high of $69 per ounce — means more options for shoppers who are curious about buying metals but don’t want to fork over the price of a well-used car just yet.
Costco has responded to fluctuations in demand by limiting the quantities of a particular item a member is allowed to purchase in one transaction and over a 24-hour period.
Once an online purchase is completed, Costco estimates about three to five days for delivery, typically via UPS or FedEx. Same-day grocery orders must be placed separately, via Instacart.
Comments on the CostcoPM subreddit indicate that some packages can take longer to deliver, especially around periods of high demand and near the end of the week.
How to buy gold and silver at a Costco warehouse
Precious metals are also occasionally available at some warehouses — if you know where to look.
Sometimes it’s easier to spot: the store will put a large sign near the entrance encouraging arriving shoppers to check out seasonal or specialty bars. Some stores will let you know what they have in stock if you call ahead.
At other times, a sample of the available inventory will be displayed in the warehouse’s jewelry case near the electronics section.
Still, it’s not as simple as tossing a bar into your cart and proceeding to checkout. The jewelry case also has a stack of paper forms that shoppers must fill out with the item SKU and the quantity they wish to purchase.
A merchandise pickup slip is used to buy precious metals at a Costco warehouse.
Dominick Reuter/Business Insider
Shoppers then bring the completed slip to the front office, where an employee will retrieve the order and assist with payment. Voila — they now own a small slab of expensive metal. Don’t lose it.
3 things Costco shoppers should know before buying gold or silver
There are three last things Costco shoppers should note.
Although Costco stands behind everything it sells, precious metals are excluded from the company’s unusually generous return policy. It also will not adjust the price of gold, silver, or platinum after purchase. Once the deal is done, that’s it.
The second thing is that it generally does not make mathematical sense to finance gold or silver purchases with credit card debt or other interest-bearing payment options.
While some metals buyers use credit cards in order to take advantage of rewards schemes, it’s widely understood that any balance should be promptly paid off with cash, since interest charges can offset any card points or increase in the metal’s value.
Lastly, some gold and silver buyers have found that selling metals can be harder than buying them (at least at the prices they would prefer). Coin shops are not likely to offer the full spot price for gold or silver, since they need to leave room to make a profit when they sell the metal.
Metals dealers and advisors generally recommend planning to hold onto physical precious metals for the long term. Selling without a strategy can have unexpected costs.
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Costco reported first-quarter net sales of nearly $66 billion, up 8.2% from last year.
In the US, comparable sales grew 5.9% with increases in both traffic and ticket size.
CEO Ron Vachris said the company’s expansion is both faster and more productive than just two years ago.
Costco just keeps cruising.
The wholesale club delivered net sales of $65.98 billion for the quarter, up 8.2% from $60.99 billion for the same period last year.
US stores saw strong comparable sales growth of 5.9%, propelled by a 2.6% increase in traffic and a 3.2% increase in transaction size.
CFO Gary Millerchip also said the holiday season has been a record-setting one for its US warehouses.
The food court sold 358,000 whole pizzas for Halloween, and more than 4.5 million pies in the three days leading up to Thanksgiving.
“That’s over 7,000 pies per warehouse over a three-day period,” he said.
Memberships also grew by more than 5%, ending the quarter with nearly 146 million cardholders. The company now operates 923 warehouses worldwide, including 633 in the US.
“The success of our new warehouse expansion has allowed us to consistently drive top-line revenue well in excess of our comparable sales and gain significant market share,” CEO Ron Vachris said.
The last fiscal year’s openings are generating annualized sales of more than $190 million per warehouse, compared with $150 million just two years ago, Vachris said.
Earlier in the month, Costco filed a lawsuit against the US government seeking a refund for all tariffs paid under President Donald Trump’s executive order.
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I’m a dietitian and mom who relies on Costco staples to make healthy meals for my family of four.
Taylor Farms salad kits and raw veggies help me prep dinner in under 30 minutes.
I also use Amylu meatballs and proteins from Kevin’s Natural Foods to make easy weeknight meals.
Even though I’m a registered dietitian, the question “What’s for dinner?” always weighs heavily on my mind.
Getting a decent dinner on the table quickly can be a challenge, particularly when I factor in late work meetings and my two kids’ after-school activities.
No matter how busy I get, though, I always try to prepare a balanced, nutritious dinner with a high-quality protein and at least one vegetable for my family.
Here are seven products I get at Costco to prep flavorful weeknight dinners I feel good about serving my kids.
I rely on Amylu chicken meatballs for quick meals.
Amylu chicken meatballs are versatile enough to eat with a variety of cuisines. Ana Reisdorf
Amylu chicken meatballs are a versatile option for a weeknight meal, packing about 3 ½ grams of protein per meatball.
I can prepare them on their own or pair them with sides like brown rice and veggies. I’ve also served them over pasta, zoodles, or crusty bread for a filling weeknight dinner.
These meatballs reheat well and don’t require any time-intensive chopping or prep. They’re also great for nights when my kids need something quick and satiating before rushing out the door.
I keep at least one pack in the freezer for backup dinners. They’re reliable, kid-friendly, and take all the pressure off when I need something quick.
Rao’s Homemade marinara sauce is a staple in my house.
Rao’s marinara tastes better than any jarred alternatives I’ve tried from grocery stores. Ana Reisdorf
A good jar of marinara sauce can actually taste homemade, and Rao’s version is proof. I can’t beat its quality for the price, so I stock up on it whenever I see it at Costco.
I like that it has no added sugar (unlike many jarred marinara sauces). The flavor is also rich enough that I can use it without adding any spices or seasonings.
I often pair this marinara with the Amylu chicken meatballs and spaghetti, but I can also use it in my baked chicken recipe or as a quick pizza sauce.
It’s one of the few items in my pantry that consistently saves me time while still tasting fresh and flavorful.
Heat-and-serve entrées, like Kevin’s Natural Foods’ roasted-garlic chicken, require barely any effort.
The packaging around the roasted-garlic chicken keeps the meat fresh for longer than I expected. Ana Reisdorf
Costco offers a wide range of heat-and-serve protein options. Kevin’s Natural Foods’ roasted-garlic chicken is always a staple in our fridge, serving up 21 grams of protein per 5-ounce serving.
I find that each package lasts a long time, so I always keep one on hand for a quick weeknight meal. It’s easy to pair with my veggies and other sides of choice.
Cuisine Solutions’ sliced grass-fed beef sirloin makes steak nights a breeze.
Cuisine Solutions’ sliced grass-fed beef sirloin comes cooked perfectly. Ana Reisdorf
My husband loves beef, but I sometimes have trouble preparing it just the way he likes.
Thankfully, Cuisine Solutions’ sliced grass-fed beef sirloin comes fully cooked and feels impossible to mess up.
It has 19 grams of protein per 3-ounce serving, and is versatile enough to add to dishes like tacos, salads, or soups.
Getting my greens in is easy thanks to Taylor Farms salad kits.
Taylor Farms salad kits taste delicious and keep me from having to waste time chopping. Ana Reisdorf
To get a quick meal on the table, I throw a protein over a Taylor Farms salad kit, which comes with everything I need to make a tasty salad in less than five minutes.
The Costco near me carries a wide variety of kits in the produce section, so I get different ones each week to mix up the flavors and ingredients.
Raw vegetables, such as tomatoes and cucumbers, come together to make delicious side salads.
I snag the three-pack of cucumbers from Costco every time I shop at the store. Ana Reisdorf
My kids prefer their vegetables raw rather than cooked, so a cucumber and tomato salad is a staple side dish on weeknights. Every time I put a batch on the table, my family finishes it.
A three-pack of cucumbers from Costco lasts me the whole week, and I feel good about serving them to my family since they’re a source of fiber and vitamin K, which supports bone health.
The store also tends to sell a wide variety of tomatoes, which I use to add a dose of immunity-boosting vitamin C to the salad.
My tomato and cucumber salad is so easy to throw together. Just chop some cucumbers and halve the tomatoes. Then, mix them with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and vinegar.
I heat up Kirkland Signature’s chicken-tortilla soup on the busiest nights.
The chicken-tortilla soup has white meat and vegetables inside. Ana Reisdorf
If the week is especially busy, everyone is ravenous, and I have to get dinner on the table in less than 10 minutes, I have premade soups, like the Kirkland Signature chicken-tortilla soup, on standby.
Admittedly, some soups have more sodium than I prefer, but at least the Kirkland Signature chicken-tortilla soup also contains tomatoes, corn, and peppers — and 12 grams of protein per cup.
It’s a nourishing, cozy meal that keeps everyone’s bellies full.
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Costco filed a lawsuit to recover tariff payments imposed by the Trump administration.
The retailer challenged tariffs enacted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Costco is seeking a full refund of duties paid.
Costco is suing the government to recover tariff money.
The wholesale retailer has filed a lawsuit against the United States, the US Customs and Border Protection agency, and Rodney S. Scott, the Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection.
The suit asks the US Court of International Trade to strike down tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump by executive order under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
In a complaint submitted Friday, November 28, the retailer said it is seeking a “full refund” of duties it paid after Trump used the emergency-powers law to levy what he described as “reciprocal” tariffs.
The complaint cited a previous lawsuit, VOS Selections, Inc. vs. Trump, filed against the Trump administration, for which the US Supreme Court heard arguments in early November.
“This separate action is necessary, however, because even if the IEEPA duties and underlying executive orders are held unlawful by the Supreme Court, importers that have paid IEEPA duties, including Plaintiff, are not guaranteed a refund for those unlawfully collected tariffs in the absence of their own judgment and judicial relief,” the complaint reads.
Costco, the White House, and the US Customs and Border Protection agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
