11 Costco Exclusives Shoppers Say You Have to Try
Costco is famous for selling your favorite items in larger quantities and at cheaper prices than traditional grocery stores. However, the warehouse is also the purveyor of many exclusive and hard-to-find items. This is why so many chefs and foodies swear by their Costco membership. From pure cooking oils to the finest cheeses and meats, here are the 11 best Costco exclusives shoppers say you have to try.
Aged Parmesan and Romano
The cheese selection at Costco is unparalleled, especially for harder Italian cheeses. “24 month aged Parmesan cheese. It’s difficult to find elsewhere, and is expensive when you do find it. It’s amazing,” one person says. “And the pecorino romano. They’re both so good,” adds another. “My wife and I have blind taste tested Kirkland’s D.O.P. Parmigiano Reggiano against the Rienzi brand’s D.O.P. equivalent (whose logo is on the back of the Kirkland one). We’ve also tried other D.O.P. equivalent cheeses, too. Kirkland is easily the best; it’s the perfect blend of nutty flavor, creaminess, firmness, etc.” a third chimed in.
Also, Cheddar Cheese
Costco also sells the most authentic Irish cheddar, per Europeans. “I moved to America from the UK and spent years looking for real cheddar. Finding it at Costco was the moment I knew I’d found my safe place,” one shopper wrote. “The white cheddar is my favorite to smoke. Absolutely delicious,” adds another.
Real Avocado Oil
Chosen Foods “Real Avocado Oil is a must buy. “With exception of the two brands at Costco, most avocado oil is fake,” one Redditor declares. “Chosen Foods and… Marianne’s I think? About the only 2 verified real Avocado oil you can readily get,” another says. It is also the best deal you will find on the cooking oil.
Crazy Cuizine Orange Chicken
Shopper swear by Crazy Cuizine Orange Chicken. “Their brand of orange chicken. It’s the best quality out there. I used to like Trader Joe’s version but it’s become pretty bad. Other brands also just don’t hit the spot,” one says. “They have the best orange chicken. In an air fryer it is so on point,” another said.
Imported Alcohol
While all alcohol is a great deal at Costco, “specifically the Japanese whiskeys hibiki, hakushu and yamazaki,” are niche. “I’m not sure I could find these anywhere else. The costco price is also unbelievable,” says one shopper.
Fruit Riot Variety Pack
Fruit Riot recently dropped a $10.99 variety pack at Costco, and “it’s fire!” says Costco Finds. “3 flavors in one bag for $10.99! Mixed Berry, Lemon Lime, and Green Apple. Mixed Berry got me hooked,” they wrote.
Honey Smoked Salmon
“Honey smoked salmon. Not the cured stuff, the hard smoked kind,” is another must-buy. {Must have been a bear in a previous life because I kill that stuff off like it’s the last food on earth. Have one pack frozen and I’m clinging onto it like a Korean ghost clings onto a grudge,” one reveals. “You’re not wrong, that stuff is incredible. I tried to get my kids to eat it and called it “the bacon of the sea”. I’ll put it on top of a salad for a quick (delicious) meal :)” another says.
Grillo’s Pickles
According to shoppers, Costco is the only place to get supersized tubs of Grillo’s Pickles. “For real. Though, I did start seeing them in my local WalMart recently, just in a pathetically small container. If I want pickles, I want pickles! Not a bite of a pickle,” one said.
Stuffed Olives
“The olives stuffed with garlic and jalapeño! I am obsessed with them. I don’t buy it anywhere else,” one shopper says. “I buy two jars at a time because everyone in my house eats them like popcorn,” another writes.
USDA Prime Beef
“USDA Prime beef, no other grocery store has as big of a selection,” one shopper maintains. “I’ve heard people worrying about this for years but I’ve never once heard of anyone getting sick from Costco beef. I regularly cook all my beef to medium rare and neither myself, my family, nor any dinner guests have ever had an issue,” another attests.
Primal Kitchen Mayo
The large jar of Primal Kitchen Mayo, an avocado oil mayo that tastes delicious, is a must buy, one person says. “Oh this is so true. It’s horrifying how expensive a tiny jar of that stuff is at our local grocery if its ever in stock,” another writes.
