How is Costco for basic grocery shopping?

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Although I am the second biggest CostCco whore on AT (mugs being the first)

You're too modest. :laugh:

I'm looking to buy a house now. I wonder when Costco will start selling houses...

It's only a matter of time. The biggest WTF item they sell is caskets which I still don't get.

We shopped at CostCo today where I spent a lot less than usual ($14.99)

$13.99 pistachio nuts (4 pounds)
$1.00 hot latte

 

[helpme]

Everybody is forgetting the beef jerky!!! The beef jerky!! Try beating that price/quality a grocery store 😉

 

[nismotigerwvu]

If you can find one around you, you can't beat the value of ALDI. They also have some of my favorite things in life (buffalo fries, low cal ice cream sammiches, salsa thats to die for)

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: nismotigerwvu
If you can find one around you, you can't beat the value of ALDI. They also have some of my favorite things in life (buffalo fries, low cal ice cream sammiches, salsa thats to die for)

Aldis? the place you need to put a quarter into the cart to even get it? where you ahve to bag it yourself?


I am all for saving money. BUT i refuse to shop at the store. some of the stuff is disgusting.

 

[nismotigerwvu]

You get the quarter back when take the cart back to the side of the store and the parking lots are TINY. This way they don't have to pay someone to push them around, which means you are paying less and don't have to worry about stray carts dinging the crap out of the car. I'll gladly bag my own groceries (no different than the places with the self checkout by the way) to cut my monthly grocery cost from 200 bucks to below 90.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: nismotigerwvu
You get the quarter back when take the cart back to the side of the store and the parking lots are TINY. This way they don't have to pay someone to push them around, which means you are paying less and don't have to worry about stray carts dinging the crap out of the car. I'll gladly bag my own groceries (no different than the places with the self checkout by the way) to cut my monthly grocery cost from 200 bucks to below 90.

yeah and the stuff you buy sucks.

though i understand why people buy from there. you can get a cart full for $100.



but man some of the stuff is just nasty.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt

Originally posted by: thomsbrain


Plus, their stuff generally has much later sell-by dates. For instance, you might have to buy two gallons of milk instead of one, but the sell-by date is 3 weeks later than at Safeway, AND the milk tastes WAY better than anything you'll find at Safeway (maybe because it's so much fresher!). I would buy Costco milk even if it cost more than the stuff at Safeway, because it is so much better. Yet Costco milk actually costs about 50% less than typical Safeway prices.

What kind of fantasy-land Costco are you shopping at? See, your entire fanboy crush on Costco falls apart when you use outright lies to support it. 3 weeks difference between Costco milk and supermarket milk? What color is the sky in your delusion world? Supermarkets get their milk fresh from the dairy anywhere from 3 to 5 days a week. At most the difference in freshness between Costco and any other store is going to be a couple of days tops and a busy supermarket will get deliveries as often as Costco and sell exactly the same milk.

In fact, federal law mandates that the sell-by date on milk is no more than 14 days from the date it is pasteurized, so it's absolutely impossible for Costco's milk to have a 3-week longer life and it it does, it means Costco is breaking the law and selling out of date milk.

Idiot!

He may be confusing organic milk with regular milk. Organic milk has a much later sell by date and keeps fresh longer. It's much cheaper at Costco too.

Nice try. But the sell-by dates on organic milk at Costco are still no different than the dates on organic milk at other outlets.

Please allow me to clarify my original intent:

He may be confusing organic milk (at Costco) with regular milk (at Safeway).

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: nismotigerwvu
You get the quarter back when take the cart back to the side of the store and the parking lots are TINY. This way they don't have to pay someone to push them around, which means you are paying less and don't have to worry about stray carts dinging the crap out of the car. I'll gladly bag my own groceries (no different than the places with the self checkout by the way) to cut my monthly grocery cost from 200 bucks to below 90.

I wish all stores had the carts that you have to put money into. I hate assholes who are too lazy to put their cart where it belongs.

 

[Qacer]

From my experience, I spend on average about $150 on, mostly, groceries when shopping at Costco. Usually, some of the fruits and meats that we buy just go to waste because there's only two of us. The bread also goes to waste because two people can't finish it all before they start showing some mold.

Currently, we limit our Costco shopping to dried foods, juice, cereal bars, and other items that do no go bad right away. For meats and fruits, we normally go to the local grocery store to shop for our stuff.

Also, the best time to shop in Costco is Sunday around lunchtime. The free samples will get you full after a few rounds. Wouldn't you consider that a good deal to go shopping and score a free lunch? 🙂

 

[SlickSnake]

Originally posted by: Paladin3
I moved a few months back and only have a very overpriced Safeway in town for grocery shopping. There is also a Costco nearby though.

How is Costco for basic grocery shopping? Is everything in bulk? How are they on fresh fruit, canned goods and basic food needs? Do they have decent sales or are prices low already?

Thanks!

Costco is a shopping fantasy, much like fantasy island. The illusion is you must be getting a good deal because you are getting a LOT of it, but naturally paying more to get it. The trade off is, selection and frequently a higher price per item than a regular grocery store.

To stack a pallet of some item, say a type of soup, you naturally can not stock every type of soup the company makes. So they pre decide for you, what soup sells the most of, and those few types are all you see. Like clam chowder? well, most people do not, so you can mostly buy chicken noodle or beef vegetable for instance. Like a large selection of brands to choose from? Forget it in the grocery isle. You will see either very popular cheap food brands, or uber expensive food brands to cater to the gourmets. And very little in between.

Now, their fresh foods, like meats, veggies and bakery goods are very good, even compared to most stores. That is where their grocery areas are strongest, in my opinion. But for overall grocery shopping trips where you do not want a 24 pack case of Vienna sausages (regular style only) or a 6 pack of yellow mustard, and you do not have a 10x10 foot walk in pantry to store it all in, you are better off going to the regular store for normal groceries and overall selection of items.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: nismotigerwvu
You get the quarter back when take the cart back to the side of the store and the parking lots are TINY. This way they don't have to pay someone to push them around, which means you are paying less and don't have to worry about stray carts dinging the crap out of the car. I'll gladly bag my own groceries (no different than the places with the self checkout by the way) to cut my monthly grocery cost from 200 bucks to below 90.

I wish all stores had the carts that you have to put money into. I hate assholes who are too lazy to put their cart where it belongs.

I don't know why it hasn't been done yet.

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: Paladin3
It's a 20 mile drive one way, but I might keep going to the Winco across town if bulk only is the case.

Although I am the second biggest CostCco whore on AT (mugs being the first), I think WinCo would better suit your needs assuming you live alone or with a girlfriend/wife.

Closer, good prices, no membership fees and the ability to buy non-bulk.

What good is it to buy bulk bread/beef/seafood/chicken/veggies if it's going to spoil? There's only so much food you can freeze and it doesn't taste as good compared to fresh.

Spoil........ bah....... that's what the bulk spices are for 😉

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[sandorski]

Great selection of Frozen, Canned, and other long shelf life items! Oh, Chocolate Bars by the Box!!!

 

[Itchrelief]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt

Originally posted by: TastesLikeChicken

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt

Originally posted by: thomsbrain


Plus, their stuff generally has much later sell-by dates. For instance, you might have to buy two gallons of milk instead of one, but the sell-by date is 3 weeks later than at Safeway, AND the milk tastes WAY better than anything you'll find at Safeway (maybe because it's so much fresher!). I would buy Costco milk even if it cost more than the stuff at Safeway, because it is so much better. Yet Costco milk actually costs about 50% less than typical Safeway prices.

What kind of fantasy-land Costco are you shopping at? See, your entire fanboy crush on Costco falls apart when you use outright lies to support it. 3 weeks difference between Costco milk and supermarket milk? What color is the sky in your delusion world? Supermarkets get their milk fresh from the dairy anywhere from 3 to 5 days a week. At most the difference in freshness between Costco and any other store is going to be a couple of days tops and a busy supermarket will get deliveries as often as Costco and sell exactly the same milk.

In fact, federal law mandates that the sell-by date on milk is no more than 14 days from the date it is pasteurized, so it's absolutely impossible for Costco's milk to have a 3-week longer life and it it does, it means Costco is breaking the law and selling out of date milk.

Idiot!

He may be confusing organic milk with regular milk. Organic milk has a much later sell by date and keeps fresh longer. It's much cheaper at Costco too.

Nice try. But the sell-by dates on organic milk at Costco are still no different than the dates on organic milk at other outlets.

You didn't read his post correctly.

 

[alkemyst]

I don't know what people are taking as bulk at costco esp in the meats/seafood. You can get 2-5 lbs pretty easily and should not require months of freezing.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
I don't know what people are taking as bulk at costco esp in the meats/seafood. You can get 2-5 lbs pretty easily and should not require months of freezing.

i buy all my meat in bulk (local butcher) its cheaper and taste fine when you thaw it out.

we also buy most stuff in bulk (at sams club. wish we had a costco near). But then again its a 30 minute drive to any real store anyway.

 

[Jawo]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
I don't know what people are taking as bulk at costco esp in the meats/seafood. You can get 2-5 lbs pretty easily and should not require months of freezing.

I love their seafood....where else can you get 12-15 count shrimp for $10/lb, or salmon for $6/$8 per lb (farm raised / natural). Their beef is excellent as well...you can buy a whole ribeye and get like a dozen steaks out of it for like $6/lb.

Their prices or spices are simply unbeatable. 1oz saffron for $30, $5 for 14oz cinamon, $4 for 16oz garlic powder. And spices don't really spoil, but eventually lose their effectivness over the years.

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: Jawo

Originally posted by: alkemyst
I don't know what people are taking as bulk at costco esp in the meats/seafood. You can get 2-5 lbs pretty easily and should not require months of freezing.

I love their seafood....where else can you get 12-15 count shrimp for $10/lb, or salmon for $6/$8 per lb (farm raised / natural). Their beef is excellent as well...you can buy a whole ribeye and get like a dozen steaks out of it for like $6/lb.

Their prices or spices are simply unbeatable. 1oz saffron for $30, $5 for 14oz cinamon, $4 for 16oz garlic powder. And spices don't really spoil, but eventually lose their effectivness over the years.

six dollars a pound for beef??????????? especially when buying bulk??? are you kidding?
I buy my beef non-bulk for $1-2 a pound in my local HEB grocery store!

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: MegaVovaN

Originally posted by: Jawo

Originally posted by: alkemyst
I don't know what people are taking as bulk at costco esp in the meats/seafood. You can get 2-5 lbs pretty easily and should not require months of freezing.

I love their seafood....where else can you get 12-15 count shrimp for $10/lb, or salmon for $6/$8 per lb (farm raised / natural). Their beef is excellent as well...you can buy a whole ribeye and get like a dozen steaks out of it for like $6/lb.

Their prices or spices are simply unbeatable. 1oz saffron for $30, $5 for 14oz cinamon, $4 for 16oz garlic powder. And spices don't really spoil, but eventually lose their effectivness over the years.

six dollars a pound for beef??????????? especially when buying bulk??? are you kidding?
I buy my beef non-bulk for $1-2 a pound in my local HEB grocery store!

I think he's talking about more expensive cuts of beef... not ground beef?

 

[Parasitic]

I love Costco. Damn you all for reminding me that there isn't one around here! Not within a 50-mile radius.

Stupid upstate 🙁 No Chipotle, no Costco, what else?

$1.50 hot dog + refillable drinks FTW. Costco beats inflation, year after year!
Plus where else can a single college student get a year supply's of Charming toilet paper for $15?

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: MegaVovaN

Originally posted by: Jawo

Originally posted by: alkemyst
I don't know what people are taking as bulk at costco esp in the meats/seafood. You can get 2-5 lbs pretty easily and should not require months of freezing.

I love their seafood....where else can you get 12-15 count shrimp for $10/lb, or salmon for $6/$8 per lb (farm raised / natural). Their beef is excellent as well...you can buy a whole ribeye and get like a dozen steaks out of it for like $6/lb.

Their prices or spices are simply unbeatable. 1oz saffron for $30, $5 for 14oz cinamon, $4 for 16oz garlic powder. And spices don't really spoil, but eventually lose their effectivness over the years.

six dollars a pound for beef??????????? especially when buying bulk??? are you kidding?
I buy my beef non-bulk for $1-2 a pound in my local HEB grocery store!

you can NOT buy steak for $1-2 a pound. it helps to read and understand what is said.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Parasitic
I love Costco. Damn you all for reminding me that there isn't one around here! Not within a 50-mile radius.

Stupid upstate 🙁 No Chipotle, no Costco, what else?

$1.50 hot dog + refillable drinks FTW. Costco beats inflation, year after year!
Plus where else can a single college student get a year supply's of Charming toilet paper for $15?

what? you pay for toilet paper?

whe i was in college my roomate would steal it from the dorms heh. i don't think we paid for TP the whole time.

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: Parasitic
$1.50 hot dog + refillable drinks FTW. Costco beats inflation, year after year!

Damn straight. I miss Costco after I came back to Houston from Silicon Valley internship 🙁
Used to get that giant hot dog every visit 🙁



..and sorry about steak beef

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: waggy

Originally posted by: Parasitic
I love Costco. Damn you all for reminding me that there isn't one around here! Not within a 50-mile radius.

Stupid upstate 🙁 No Chipotle, no Costco, what else?

$1.50 hot dog + refillable drinks FTW. Costco beats inflation, year after year!
Plus where else can a single college student get a year supply's of Charming toilet paper for $15?

what? you pay for toilet paper?

whe i was in college my roomate would steal it from the dorms heh. i don't think we paid for TP the whole time.

keyword stealing.

 

[alkemyst]

local butchers here are pretty expensive on meats compared to any grocery store. They bill their meats as higher quality yadda yadda yadda and carry cuts/types that you cannot find (smoked liver is one thing we needed that was only found at a butcher).

Occassionally they do have excellent sales, but unfortunately they are not actively advertised....you can only see a sampling of them on their billboards in front of the store or buy stopping by/calling.