Costco Recommendations please!

[OhBanana]

Oh wise mumsnetters, I’m tagging along with some friends to Costco later this week. I’ve never been before so have no idea what to look out for!

I have a baby so thinking to pick up nappy’s in bulk etc but what bargains or Costco only items do you recommend? What can you get that’s just at Costco?

[tapdancingmum]

@Clarice99

Are these in the freezer section already frozen? If not, where can I find them please?

Thank you!😁

They aren't frozen. Not sure where they are as I walked round a corner and saw them 😀

[jaundicedoutlook]

Usually get some or all of:

Large bag of chocolate coated brazil nuts
frozen gyoza (the proper Japanese ones)
multi pack of san pellegrino fizzy water
mango lassi
second the wagyu burgers mentioned above
humongous slabs of Parmesan - wrap in paper and sealable bag and it lasts ages
Kirkland dishwasher tablets
big pack of chicken thighs

[Skiphopbump]

I love the fresh olives
https://www.costco.co.uk/Business-Delivery/Business-Delivery/Chilled-Food/The-Fresh-Olive-Company-Vinci-Olive-Mix-600g/p/128592_BD

Tuna, dishwasher tablets, fresh strawberries/raspberries, pecans, almonds.

I don’t like the sausages, too greasy and gristles. Not everything is cheaper and I often wait for good deals to stock up on items like coffee and dishwasher tablets. My family don’t really like the cakes and fresh bakery goods as they are very sweet and artificial tasting.

[calmandcaffeinated]

If you get the chance, watch the Netflix series 'Costco, is it really worth it' it's brilliant and helpful

[AquaButton]

@redavocado

One thing to mention is that (at least in my Costco in Chingford) there is little to no phone reception and no customer wifi. I've always assumed this is intentional!

I'll need to check reception at my local one. The local Morrison's has no reception and they lose a lot of my business because of it as I can't use the slimming world app in store so tend to put stuff back on the shelf with the intention of checking before my next visit but I always forget so just buy the basics. Saves me money in the long run :)

[FinallyHere]

Benefit from my experience: if you give into the temptation to buy a big tray of delicious, moist, fruity danish pastries, you put them in the boot on the way home and do not leave them, undefended, on the passenger seat beside you.

I guarantee they will evaporate

The smoke left behind when they evaporate will get into your body, leave your stomach swollen and distended and you generally not feeling very well.

I know this happens, I had to keep trying it out to see. 🤭

[Cookerhood]

Even worse is the nut & seed toffee bark stuff in with the fresh cakes. OMG that stuff evaporates from the passenger seat so quickly.

[FinallyHere]

@Cookerhood 😆

[ZenNudist]

I was in costco today. Went for petrol (dh company card) and ds wanted to try the free samples so I went in to check out prices of kitchen and loo roll which I decided not worth it as expensive and then you have to store it.

My view is its good for entertaining if you don't want to cook. It would be good for catering companies or massive families or really large group holiday shopping. Otherwise it's just really expensive and end up buying odd food you would nt normally buy.

The cafe on the way out is cheap.

[munchbunch12]

YY to PP who said the marinated anchovies and big blocks of cheddar. I also found my contat lens solutions to be cheap there, and packs of 6 X A4 Pukka pads. DH bought some diesel for his car there last time and said it was a good price but it was premium one too.

[BuffyWillow]

We love a Costco trip. Our staples include:
The packs of wraps - you get 3 packs and they normally have a really good date on them
Burgers
Cheddar cheese
Babybel
Kirkland loo roll
We always get strawberries and Raspberries not because they are cheaper but they are the best tasting
Avacado
Pepsi
Tea and coffee
Fruit shoots, if you have a child the right age they are great value
The Kirkland water is also amazing value, we like to keep bottles in the car as a just in case

I'm sure there is more

The book table is normally worth a look and pretty much always really good value

Oh and fuel, 100% worth topping your car up!

[LutherRalph1]

Their pistachio spread is amazing

[Eomt]

I buy the huge container of Canadian maple syrup and the huge bag of pancake/waffle mix. My daughter loves just adding water to the mix to make pancakes for our Sunday morning treat.
Frozen chicken kievs are good too.

[Dinosauratemydaffodils]

We had the chicken gyros from their ready meal fridge section for tea tonight. It was delicious.

I love the gravlax (three different flavours and can be frozen), the king prawn fried rice (freezer section), the lemon drizzle cake and the frozen avocado. Dh also buys his hay-fever medication because it tends to be cheaper.

I also like their baby wipes and floor wipes

[SnaccidentsHappen]

@tapdancingmum

These ice pops are lovely as well as everything else people have mentioned 😀

These are great

[roundcork]

Absolutely bugger all.

Till you walk past the ginormous swimming oool that is too big for your garden and will take a month to fill.

Or the life size Santa you didn't know your roof needed.

Or the huuuuuge Lego set your DS DEFINITELY needs.

or the water bomb kit you get home and realise is just plastic tat that's bad for the environment and is now in tiny pieces all over your grass.

Or the dozen bottles of Prosecco you think are cheap but then you find them cheaper in Tesco the day after, you'd have got clubcard points on them and you'd have fitted everything into you car without putting the massive tray of Cookies on your lap on the way home which now aren't massive.

it is good however for feeding a lot of people. I go to buy ready meals for harvest workers on the farm. My kids play the game what random stupidly expensive purchase has Mum got this time l!!

[SistersNotCisters]

Cling film for sure and the double choc chip muffins that are made out of pure deliciousness.

[Moonshine5]

Fairy liquid
Avocado
Lemons (they are gigantic)
From the freezer Oriental veg noodles (I think it's 6 in the pack) micro or pan. Good work halloumi / chicken etc
Also do not miss the cafe smoothies / gelato
Diamond Earrings
Chocolate birthday cake

[Moonshine5]

Fresh avocados

[CalmDownBoris72]

@redavocado

One thing to mention is that (at least in my Costco in Chingford) there is little to no phone reception and no customer wifi. I've always assumed this is intentional!

my local one has signal and I walk around with my grocery app out. My local Sainsbury’s, however, has nothing at all which drives me mad.

I buy really boring stuff like bog roll. The maple syrup is good, little moons ice creams are actually cheap compared to the supermarkets and taste so good.

[CuriouslyDifferent]

Can’t believe no one has mentioned the Bacon.

Foil has been mentioned. It’s amazing quality and seems to last a long long time.

We think the Pasta im there is a notch above anything else - but the organon not so much.

Chicken breast used to be good (price and texture) but it’s gone the way of the other supermarkets sadly - up and downhill.

Keep an eye out for their fillet steaks. It’s a whole fillet, so will need carving up and freezing, but it’s great value.

beef Flank - i suspect a lot of Chinese restaurants use Costco flank. So if you make this at home or enjoy playing with spices - it’s perfect when sliced thinly.

Pesto - great vfm, better than supermarket quality.

Fuel. If you are going that way.

Tyres.

Sugar is cheap.

Goats cheese is high quality.

The in store pizza is tasty and the fridged one is damn decent too.

Mozzarellla Sticks.

Laundry Powder etc. all usually better value than supermarkets, even when on offer.

As with other posters - know your prices before you go and always check unit prices and figure out the vat.

[minisoksmakehardwork]

We're a fan of Costco but as has already been said, it's worth checking prices on your regular buys as they're not always cheaper. That said;

We always get
Kirkland toilet roll
Kirkland kitchen roll
Men's tissues are usually cheaper there (FIL gets through loads)
Maple flavour pork loin.
Chicken breast
Bacon
Batteries in bulk
Cornflakes are good value compared to our local good value option as are coco pops and crunchy nut cornflakes.
Big bag grated mozzarella
Their twin pack of chocolate spread goes down as well as Nutella in this house.

Check on their voucher books - they automatically apply them if you make that purchase.

Plus, they sell cheesecake factory cheesecake. Husband wanted one. It was yummy!

[AlphaAlpha]

@LutherRalph1 came on to say exactly the same - bloody glorious stuff!

[minisoksmakehardwork]

@CuriouslyDifferent - yep. Defo the bacon!!

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

My kids love American style pancakes (as opposed to the crepe style we normally have), so I always get the massive bag of pancake mix. You just measure out as oer the wrapper and add water and hey presto, proper fluffy american style pancake mix.