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You may already be aware of mylove of Costco. I shop there at least twice a month, if not every week, buying fresh produce, frozen fruit,party essentials, clothes (really!) and more there. But one thing I feel that Costco really excels at is stocking high-quality pantry items at a great price—from oils and nuts to dried pasta and shelf-stable meals, there’s really something for everyone. If you have the space to store large quantities of these products—and will use them before they go bad—you really can’t go wrong. Here are nine of the pantry items I use every week from Costco.
1. Olive Oil
One of the healthiest oils around,olive oilis one I use every day. I use it for meal-preppingfrittatasandsalad dressing, cooking quick dinners likeBurrata Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes & Spinachand more. Since we go through so much of it, I typically buy it from Costco. A 2-liter bottle of organic olive oil comes in at just $17.99, and its flavor is rich and peppery without being overwhelmingly so.
2. Avocado Oil
On the flip side, when I want a neutral-tasting, high-heat oil, I turn toavocado oil. It’s rich in monounsaturated fats, which can help reduce LDL cholesterol (also known as “bad” cholesterol). Sometimes I swap half of the olive oil in a salad dressing with avocado oil so the olive oil doesn’t overpower it. I also use it to fryfalafel, make stir-fries and more.
3. Ranch Dip & Dressing Mix
I love crunching on crudités and dip as a healthy snack (carrots, cucumbers and bell peppers are my go-to). We’ll often have it as a side dish to dinners like sandwiches and pizza, too, and it’s a crowd-pleasing app when we have company. So I keep a large container of ranch dip and dressing mix around. I tend to mix it with strained yogurt, like Greek-style or skyr, since that’s what I have around (and our daughter has come to prefer that over sour cream anyway). Using it to make ranch dressing, too, is clutch—it tastes overwhelmingly better than what you find in a bottle. If it’s been a minute since you’ve made homemade ranch, do yourself a favor and try it!
4. Peanut Butter
From PB&Js andenergy ballstopeanut saucefor rice bowls, peanut butter is a staple at our house. Costco’s peanut butter comes in a two-pack, but you’ll only find creamy—sorry, crunchy peanut butter lovers. They have other nut butters too, like almond and mixed nut and seed, which I also tend to have around.
5. Rice
We also go through a lot of rice—for those aforementioned peanut-sauced rice bowls,Instant-Pot Mujadara,Arroz Rojo Mexicanoand more. The Costco near me sells a light brown rice, which tastes like a cross between white and brown rice. If you want to make the switch to brown rice but aren’t the biggest fan, this could be your gateway rice! It has 1 gram of fiber per serving and a mild nutty flavor that works well with just about anything.
6. Oats
This high-fiber whole grain is a staple in our house. My husband eats oats every other morning, and I makemuesliin bulk throughout the year. We also makehomemade energy ballsthat our daughter takes to school. The oats sold at the Costco near me are also gluten-free if that’s a concern for someone in your household.
8 Ways to Eat Oats That Aren’t Oatmeal
7. Balsamic Vinegar
Perhaps the most-used vinegar in our kitchen, my husband drizzles it on salads along with olive oil, I use it toseason all sorts of veggies, and theseSlow-Cooker Balsamic Short Ribsare a family fave. Perhaps the best part about this bottle is the built-in pour spout that pops up once you take off the cap, which makes it easier to drizzle accurately.
8. Chicken Stock
9. Almond Milk
My husband would really love to be vegan but hasn’t managed to make the switch completely. In the meantime, he has totally swapped cow’s milk for plant-based alternatives in his morning smoothies, oatmeal and coffee. He likes vanilla-flavored milks, but they often had added sugar, so I appreciate that Costco sells a multi-pack of unsweetened almond milk.
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