If You Really Want To Save Money, Don’t Buy These Items From Costco

For most people, getting to purchase pantry essentials at a lower price might seem like a huge blessing. However, this isn’t always the case. Buying things in bulk is great if you have a big family, if you run a business, or if you’re putting together a huge gathering. Otherwise, you might end up with more losses than savings.

The thing is, food can often expire before you manage to finish it all off. So, before you go stock up on the latest sale items at bulk foods superstore Costco, consider our list first. You’re trying to save money, not go into bankruptcy after all.

Freshly-made Baked Goods

Even if you’ve got quite the sweet-tooth, you might want to steer clear of the freshly baked cookies and other treats at Costco. Yes, they look enticing and for $18 a tray they’re also quite the steal. The question is, will you and the rest of your household be able to consume all of it before they lose their freshness and go stale? The healthy and cost-effective answer would be: NO.

Instead, put those investments towards your favorite local bakery! You’ll get something that’s freshly-baked and in the right amount. This way, you won’t end up wasting food as well.

Jerky Goes Bad Really Fast

If you think these are great to stock up on because it’s likely preserved due to all the spices, then read the packaging. Many jerky products will tell you to eat it within days after you open it up. Unless you plan on making investments towards a vacuum sealer to repack the uneaten jerky, then the meat will go bad within days even if you refrigerate it.

Experts recommend purchasing individually-packed ones and opting for smaller quantities at a time. Doing so would ensure a longer shelf-life since you can eat it one at a time and simply purchase more when needed.

Milk Goes Bad Too Quickly To Purchase In Bulk

If you’ve ever experienced accidentally drinking spoiled milk then you know there’s no saving it once it goes bad. The fact is, you can only consume milk a few days after its expiration date. Any more than that and you’ll be risking possible stomach upsets. So do think twice before purchasing one of those gallon packs unless you live in a household that can finish it off within days.

What about alternatives? You can opt for soy milk. Not only are these the greener investment, but they are also sold in multi-packs instead of in jugs, which allows for lower chances of contamination issues and a longer shelf-life.

Keep Your Morning Brew Flavorful And Fresh

Bulk coffee? Sounds like the jackpot, but before you purchase a stock that’s enough to last you months—pause for a moment. Did you know that the best coffee is brewed within two weeks of roasting the beans? The more time elapses, the more flavor your coffee loses. By the month and a half mark, you’re likely going to double your dose just to replicate the initial aroma and flavor it had. Our opinion? Not worth it.

Opt for bags that you can finish within a week or two. The tubs sold at Costco are very tempting but don’t make good investments.

Consider Your Daily Egg Consumption

Sounds a little funny, but if you’re planning on purchasing the 20 or 30 pack of eggs sold at the superstore then know that these have a 3- to 5-week expiration. Sure, if you live in a particularly large household then this makes for a wise investment. If you live by yourself or with one other person, then this amount might be more than what you’re going to consume before the expiration period.

Let’s do the math, shall we? If you go for the 30 eggs and want to maximize your purchase, you’d have to eat one with each meal. Ready for that commitment?

Any Type Of Oil Only Lasts For Three To Six Months

It isn’t uncommon for some consumers to believe that oil can last for a year, maybe even more. However, every variety of cooking oils can go bad within a few months of being opened. Even if you plan on using these every single day for culinary needs, the vats they sell at Costco are simply too big for the average household to use up.

Instead, settle for a smaller bottle that’s enough for a couple of months of use. The vats might seem a degree cheaper, but you’ll only end up with food waste and money loss once the expiration dates on those are up.

Spices Do Lose Their Flavor After A Period Of Time

No, spices do not last for years. This is especially true if you don’t keep them in air-tight containers. People tend to buy spices in bulk believing that since these were made from dry ingredients, they could be stored away for years without any issues. Unfortunately, if you want to keep their flavor potent, you’d have to top up every six months.

Keep in mind that you’ll only be using a few pinches of these each time you cook—with some ending up on the flooring at times. To maximize your purchase, buy these in smaller amounts and use it up before it goes stale.

Flour Needs To Be Stored Properly

Much like spices, flour only has a six-month period of usability. The good thing, however, is that you can extend that to a year by doing one simple trick. Flour actually attracts water so keeping it in the pantry, even if it’s in the original bag or zip-loc, will likely decrease its lifespan even further. The trick? Transfer it to an air-tight container before storing it in the fridge.

Unless you’re using cupfuls of it every day, you’ll only end up with a bag of unusable powder once the six months are over. Too bad you can’t use it to clean the flooring, unlike baking soda!

Baking Essentials Such As Yeast And Baking Powder

Like flour, baking powder also tends to soak in moisture. Instead of keeping it in the fridge, however, you can effectively increase its shelf-life by choosing an air-tight container and keeping it somewhere cool and dark. Because only a little of this product is required each time you use it, buying in bulk can only lead to food waste and investment losses on your part.

The same issue applies to dried yeast. This only has six months of shelf-life and there’s not much you can do in order to extend it. If you’re purchasing fresh yeast, its efficacy would fade even sooner.

Different Varieties Of Seeds And Nuts

One of the most commonly purchased products in bulk are seeds and nuts. Some people believe that they’d be able to snack on these long before they spoil. However, this isn’t always the case and that’s why many end up with wasted bags of it. Keep in mind that these products, though dried, are full of unsaturated fats and oils—two things that go bad quickly.

There are a couple of exceptions to this, however. If you find a bag of hazelnuts macadamias, then go ahead and get some. These are great pantry investments that can last a year if you freeze and store them appropriately.