We’re huge Costco fans—after all, we’ve been members for over 20 years and hit the warehouse weekly. We know all the best deals and must-buy items. But what about the don’t buys?
Some Costco products just don’t make sense for us, whether it’s due to portion size, quality, or practicality. Here are the items we never put in our cart—and why skipping them could save you money.
🧀 Shredded Cheese
We picked it up during the pandemic when options were slim, and while the quality was solid, we could never finish it before it went bad. Freezing it in smaller portions worked, but it was time-consuming and took up too much freezer space. Now, we grab shredded cheese at the grocery store when it’s on sale for $1.99 per pound.
🍶 Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is having a moment thanks to the high-protein craze, but we pass on Costco’s massive three-pound tub. Breakstone’s just doesn’t hit the spot (Good Culture is miles better!). With a short expiration date (according to the USDA) and 12 servings to get through, we’d never finish it in time.
🍕 Kirkland Signature Pepperoni Pizza
Not all Costco pizzas are a no-go (we love Milton’s Cauliflower Crust and Detroit Motor City Pizza), but the Kirkland Signature Pepperoni? Hard pass. The grease overpowers the flavor. Instead, we buy the Kirkland Signature Cheese Pizza and add our own pepperoni slices.
☕ Coffee Filters
We bought a pack of Costco coffee filters in 2000—and we still have them. We don’t even own a coffee maker that uses filters anymore! Unless you run a café, you’ll probably never go through the bulk pack.
🍤 Precooked Shrimp
We’ve tested every frozen shrimp at Costco, and while Gulf Shrimp is a weekly staple, the pre-cooked variety? No thanks. It’s tempting (just thaw and eat!), but the texture turns rubbery. Since shrimp cooks in minutes, we prefer to buy raw and cook it fresh.
🫒 Light Olive Oil
“Light” sounds healthy, right? Not in this case. It doesn’t mean lower in calories or fat—it just means more processed. That extra refining strips away flavor, color, and nutrients. We stick with Kirkland Signature Organic Olive Oil for a better balance of nutrition and neutral taste.
🌾 Flour
Costco’s price is tempting, but unless you bake a lot, it’s not worth it. Unopened all-purpose flour lasts about a year, but once opened, it drops to 6-8 months (even less for whole grain flour). Unless you’re churning out baked goods non-stop, smaller bags from the grocery store make more sense.
We would love to hear what you skip! What’s your #1 product you regret buying at Costco? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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