5 Items Even Costco Fanatics Don’t Buy at Costco

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Safely, there’s no such thing as a true one-stop shop. These items have Costco shoppers going elsewhere. 

It will come as no surprise to anyone who has met a Costco fan, but they are some dedicated folks. Costco fanatics will happily tell you about all the great bargains they get at the store, as well as listing out the various Kirkland Signature items you simply have to try.

But even the most enthusiastic members of the Costco fandom have some lines they don’t cross, items they won’t buy. From things that go bad too quickly, to items that are simply bad — here’s a look at a few things even diehard Costco fans avoid.

1. Fresh produce

No matter how diligently I try to use it up, there always seems to be some fruit or vegetables turning to the dark side in the back of the produce drawer. Now multiply the size of what you’re buying to Costco proportions, and you’re looking at a veritable undead army of vegetation moldering in your fridge. Unless you happen to be feeding your own army, Costco fans suggest avoiding most of what you’ll find in the fresh produce bins.

2. Soda

The cost of soda seems to have skyrocketed over the last few years, and that applies to Costco as much as everywhere else. But what many other stores have that Costco doesn’t is regular sales on even name-brand sodas. (I like to stock up during buy-one-get-one sales at the local supermarket.)

Even Costco has admitted it can’t compete on price or brand recognition when it comes to soda, which is one of the reasons there’s no Kirkland Signature soda pop on store shelves.

3. Milk

Here’s one item where it’s not price or even quality that’s an issue — it’s ease of use. While folks agree that the Kirkland Signature whole milk tastes fine, many shoppers complain that the large square jugs that Costco sells are hard to handle, especially for kids. They also don’t seem to pour as well as a standard gallon milk jug.

4. Bagels

A bagel is more than just a donut-shaped piece of bread. Or, at least, it should be, which is the main reason so many dedicated Costco shoppers won’t touch the warehouse store’s bagels. In the words of one Redditor, “The bagels are just hard, chewy, bland bread. Blech.”

Even if you can get past the taste (but who can?!), it’s nearly impossible to get through the 12-count bag before they spoil.

5. Fresh meat

Costco fans seem to be split on this one. While everyone agrees that the quality is good, many folks think Costco’s meat counter is just too expensive. On the other hand, folks who are specifically looking for top-quality meat like Costco’s options. So do those who have a large chest freezer, smoker, or other way to preserve large quantities of meat so they can take advantage of bulk discounts.

Even Costco isn’t a one-stop shop

I suppose the moral of the story is that Costco, for all its endless aisles, isn’t quite a one-stop shop. Pretty much everyone has something they simply can’t get — or decidedly don’t want to get — at the warehouse giant.

And you know what? That’s perfectly fine.

From a personal finance perspective, the only consideration is to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth out of your membership cost. Given how much you can save on essentials, like paper goods and pantry items, you could easily recoup the cost without the produce or other potential misses on this list.

So, just do the math each year to make sure you’re still getting value from your membership, and make the weekly trip to the grocery store for fresh foods and meats. Don’t forget to take your grocery rewards card with you, and you’ll probably even earn better rewards than you do at Costco!

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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.Brittney Myers 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.

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