4 of the Least Healthy Food Items You’ll Find at Costco

This post may contain affiliate links which may compensate us based on your interaction. Please read the disclosures for more information.

You may want to steer clear of these. 

Whether you shop at Costco once a week or once a month, you might really appreciate the savings your Costco membership buys you. And the great thing about Costco is that it offers a wide range of grocery items at ultra-affordable price points.

Need a week’s supply of salad and fruit for your family? Costco’s got you covered. You can also buy lean meats and fish in bulk if you have a larger household to cook for.

But while Costco certainly stocks its share of healthy foods, some of its offerings are anything but. Here are some of the most unhealthy products you might be tempted to buy.

1. Yakisoba vegetable bowls

When you need a quick lunch that’s easy to transport to work and pop in the microwave, you may be tempted to buy a bulk pack of Yakisoba vegetable bowls. But don’t let the word “vegetable” trick you into thinking this is a health food item.

Each bowl contains 10 grams of fat. But that’s not the worst part. A single bowl also contains a whopping 1,160 milligrams of sodium, or 50% of the recommended daily value. Wowsa.

2. Kirkland Signature Butter Croissants

It’s hardly a secret that Costco’s fresh bakery section isn’t exactly loaded with health food items. But while it may be obvious that a giant cheesecake or a muffin the size of your head isn’t good for you, Kirkland croissants might seem to fall into a different category. After all, they’re not so large.

But actually, those croissants contain 300 calories apiece, plus 17 grams of fat (22% of the recommended daily value). And so while it may not be a problem to indulge in one on occasion, you’ll need to be careful when picking up a bulk pack, because this is not the sort of food item you want to eat for breakfast every day. (Or rather, you may want a daily croissant, but your doctor might caution against it.)

3. Any bulk bag of chips

The chip aisle at Costco is loaded with bulk bags of potato chips, tortilla chips, and snack mixes. And while you might pledge to limit yourself to a single serving each time you break into one of those bags, chances are, you won’t.

If you buy a regular-sized bag of chips at the supermarket — say, one that comes with eight servings — you’re apt to notice if you consume four servings’ worth in a single sitting, since you’ll have depleted half the bag. But when you’re buying a bag of chips with 22 servings, maintaining any semblance of portion control can be difficult. So unless you’re hosting a party, you may want to steer clear of the Costco chip aisle.

As an example, Costco sells a massive bag of Chex Mix with 39 servings as per its label. Each serving contains 130 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, and 230 milligrams of sodium, or 10% of the recommended daily value. So accidentally eating four servings could mean consuming 520 calories, 14 grams of fat, and 40% of your daily sodium in one sitting.

4. The $1.50 hot dog and soda combo

Costco has maintained its competitive $1.50 price point for its hot dog and soda combo for years — and it’s pledged to continue to do so indefinitely. But while $1.50 is clearly a steal when it comes to lunch on the go, a hot dog and soda combo is just about the most unhealthy thing you can put in your mouth.

First of all, hot dogs tend to be loaded with fillers and sodium that could make even a healthy heart race. And unless you’re drinking diet soda with it, you might consume a day’s worth of sugar alongside your emulsified meat trimmings and salt. In fact, a Costco food court hot dog has 580 calories, and the total calorie count from the combo could reach 850, depending on the type of soda you choose and the amount of ice you fill your cup with.

Shopping at Costco can result in a lower credit card tab than shopping at a regular supermarket. But if you load up on too many unhealthy products and consume them regularly, what you save on food, you might spend more on doctor bills. So if you’re going to indulge in the items above, your best bet is probably to do so in moderation.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR until 2024

If you’re using the wrong credit or debit card, it could be costing you serious money. Our expert loves this top pick, which features a 0% intro APR until 2024, an insane cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee.

In fact, this card is so good that our expert even uses it personally. Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

Read our free review

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Maurie Backman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 Read More