The Dish: After reading this post you may be saying to yourself, "Huh?" And I probably would have thought the same thing about a year ago, but hear me out. Getting a Costco membership is a great way to save money while stocking up on your basic staples. Luckily, I was gifted a membership last Christmas, which saved me $50, but I plan on renewing next year. Here are some vegan treasures that Costco has to offer.
1) Canned Goods. I understand that a lot of vegans prefer to cook their own beans, and use only fresh ingredients. I totally support this, and would do the same if I had the time, but at this point in my life, canned goods is where it's at! On my recent trip to Costco, I bought a big package of kidney beans, which included about 10 or so cans for a very reasonable price. I also picked up diced tomatoes and coconut milk, and now my pantry will be stocked with these items for at least the next several months. You can also find bulk packages of vegan soup from Amy's Kitchen—the package I bought included lentil and vegetable barley soups.
2) Nuts and Nut Butters. You will most likely find a better selection of nuts in the bulk section of your local grocery store, but I guarantee that the selection is not half bad. This is especially true when it comes to the more basic items, such as almonds. My parents bought me a huge bag of raw almonds from Costco last year, and I still haven't finished the package—they are nestled away in my freezer. You can also find a good selection of nut butters, including almond and peanut butter from varying brands. And I want to mention again that these butters come in huge containers—you'll be set for months!
3) Spices. As we all know, spices are really expensive, and I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the prices for the bulk spices at Costco. I nearly bought them all, but I restrained myself and bought two of the ones I use a lot, including chili powder and white pepper. Needless, to say, I won't need to purchase these spices again for about a year or so.
4) Miscellaneous. If any of you have ever stepped foot in a Costco, you'll understand that this list could go on for quite a while, so I'll stick to the ones I recently found at my local Costco. For wine lovers, there are big bottles of Yellow Tail wine, whose red wines are vegan. For snackers, there are big variety boxes of Clif Bars and big bags of trail mixes. I also purchased maple syrup, soy sauce, and soymilk—all in super-big quantities!
The Final Word: One thing to understand. When you shop at Costco, you will most likely be spending $100 to $200 on any given trip, but that is a full (and heavy) cart of goods that will last you several months, if not more. This type of shopping may not be for everyone, but it has worked very well for me so far. As a member, you also receive a book of coupons each month which will offer you even more savings. I would suggest trying it out for a year, if you are able to, and see for yourself! Costco is definitely a unique shopping experience.
