Saint Pizza wrote:Lots and lots of high-quality, well-priced food and merchandise. I didn't see some key produce there, such as the box of salad greens or mushrooms...maybe I just wasn't looking in the right spot. (I did see the grapes & tomatoes - you'd think they'd be right there!)

I'm not sure which Costco you went to, but a lot of them have a separate refrigerated room for perishable produce.

Cogito wrote:I've never been to a Costco or looked into it because I had the impression that you need to buy large quantities to get good deals. Since I am single, I do not want to buy 24-packs of toilet paper or cases of canned goods, etc. But this talk of good/cheap meat is interesting. Is it worth it for a single person? What kind of things do you guys typically buy there that I might also need? Just curious. BTW, is Sam's Club any better/worse than Costco?

1) At the club stores, you have to buy larger quantity of many BUT NOT ALL products. There are a lot of items - gasoline, clothing , etc. that are singole items.\

2) I would strongly suggest that you visit both stores - as well as BJs Wholesale Club (if you are not in Chicago) and see which works best for you. In Cleveland, we used BJs as they had the best "to order" deli counter. Where I live, Sam's is the most convenient and a lot better than the local Costco store.

3) I can justify my Sam's Club membership on fuel purchases alone. Sam's is generally .05-.10 per gallon cheaper than the major stations. Otherwise, it would be difficult to justify either membership. When I need something from Costco, I meet up with frinds who have memberships.

stevez wrote:I'm not sure which Costco you went to, but a lot of them have a separate refrigerated room for perishable produce.

Thanks, Steve! That first time, I'd gone to the one on Clybourn. I remember seeing an open room in the back, but I didn't go in, because I mistakenly assumed it was a stockroom for the employees. Then I read your reply and went to the Costco on Touhy and found the grapes that time.

BTW I stopped for a churro at the snack bar on my way out, and it was SO good! A perfect blend of crunch and softness.

Does Costco sell beer? I remember seeing a lot of wine & liquors, but no beer. (either the one on Clybourn or the one on Touhy, specifically)

Costco does sell beer. I remember looking at a case of Goose Island Harvest Ale, but I was shopping for work stuff and such a purchase would not be reimbursed.

Saint Pizza wrote:Does Costco sell beer? I remember seeing a lot of wine & liquors, but no beer. (either the one on Clybourn or the one on Touhy, specifically)

Our Costco (Willow Road/Glenview) sells beer but the selection is somewhat limited.

=R=

They always have beer. Look by the wines. Usually standard American macros, corona, plus at least two or three decent smaller/regional/Euros. Usually some Goose, Stella, often Sierra Nevada, and, this time of year, Spaten or some other Oktoberfest. No real selection past that, in contrast to the wines.

OK, thanks. The next time I go (which will be SOON...I'm almost out of laundry detergent) I will look.

The bread I got from Costco the other day was only so-so. It was too mushy for my taste. I think it was called "Great Beginnings." I like the oat bread from Aldi much better.

The meat I've tried so far has been fantastic. The other day, I made Ribs Braised in Ancho Chile Sauce using Costco boneless short ribs, and the result was marvelous. Mmmm. I'm going to buy more ribs and make it again.

Saint Pizza wrote:The meat I've tried so far has been fantastic. The other day, I made Ribs Braised in Ancho Chile Sauce using Costco boneless short ribs, and the result was marvelous. Mmmm. I'm going to buy more ribs and make it again.

I've always considered Costco one of the best sources for conventional, choice beef. They sell a lot of it and they are essentially a logistics company, so what's on hand is usually extremely fresh, too.

=R=

Not sure where to put this so here seems good enough...

Costco in Chicago had 8 qt round or oval Le Creuset French Ovens for $167.99 (pretty sure on price based on memory from last night, call to confirm if you are about to run out and grab one). Quite a deal at that price, and they seemed to have assorted colors.

Jamie

Jamieson22 wrote:Not sure where to put this so here seems good enough...

Costco in Chicago had 8 qt round or oval Le Creuset French Ovens for $167.99 (pretty sure on price based on memory from last night, call to confirm if you are about to run out and grab one). Quite a deal at that price, and they seemed to have assorted colors.

Jamie

I saw the Le Creuset too last night at that price in the Lake Zurich Costco. Nice looking cookware!

Three things I was unable to find that were mentioned as being there, were the Trident Ultimate Fishsticks, saffron, and marinated tri-tip. They did have unmarinated tri-tip. Did they discontinue these items?

The Trident fish sticks are greatly missed in our household, as Costco has not had them for a few months. I have inquired about them at the service desk and they appear as a "deleted" item, but the woman said they have been getting a lot of requests to get them back. I really hope they do. The regular, non-refrigerated soy milk disappeared for awhile as well, but has returned. This all pertains to the Oakbrook location.
I hope they get the Guiness in cans back as well, I don't recall the price, but it was a good deal.
LO

imsscott wrote:I saw the Le Creuset too last night at that price in the Lake Zurich Costco. Nice looking cookware!

It must be everywhere. I saw it today in Merrillville,In

If anyone is interested, the Lincoln Park Costco has 8-quart enameled cast iron French ovens available for $167. I saw blue and red for sure; there may have been other colors available. I would've added to my collection of kitchen gear, but I think I have to buy a bigger house before I'm allowed to do that.

-gtgirl

I intend to shop at Costco today, and I was wondering if they have any boxed, frozen steaks at a bargain price.

I will look when I get there, but would be nice to know ahead of time.

Does anyone know if they still carry the Toscano extra virgin olive oil in the squarish bottle? It is often recommended by mrbarolo. If so, what does the label say now b/c my sister couldn't find it for me. Thanks

Pucca wrote:Does anyone know if they still carry the Toscano extra virgin olive oil in the squarish bottle? It is often recommended by mrbarolo. If so, what does the label say now b/c my sister couldn't find it for me. Thanks

Pucca, I will look for it today, if that helps... (I'm going to the one at Clybourn & Diversey)

BTW the Costco in Clybourn Square has finished its food court renovation. So far I've sampled the churro, the cheese pizza, and the iced capuccino. All were delicious. Granted, I don't have highfalutin' standards.

(edited to add: I'm looking to beat or match Aldi's price of $6.49 per 1.5lb box of thick sirloin steaks)
.

Now that the holiday season is almost upon us, Costco is a great place for wrapping paper and holiday cards. After spending ungodly amounts of money for years at The Paper Trail in Andersonville for such things, I was absolutely gobsmacked when I saw what I could get at Costco. I don't recall specific prices, because honestly, I haven't bought paper or cards in 2 years after stocking up at Costco. I do recall that buying a 4 pack of 'fancy' wrapping paper that came with cards, bows and ribbon, and 2 more rolls of 'regular' wrapping paper, each the size of moderate tree trunks, I spent about the same as buying one small 20 or 30 sq ft roll at The Paper Trail. You might not get the cutting edge of funky wraps, but the quality is spot-on, and the value is stunning.

Schatz MacArthur wrote:Now that the holiday season is almost upon us, Costco is a great place for wrapping paper and holiday cards. After spending ungodly amounts of money for years at The Paper Trail in Andersonville for such things, I was absolutely gobsmacked when I saw what I could get at Costco. I don't recall specific prices, because honestly, I haven't bought paper or cards in 2 years after stocking up at Costco. I do recall that buying a 4 pack of 'fancy' wrapping paper that came with cards, bows and ribbon, and 2 more rolls of 'regular' wrapping paper, each the size of moderate tree trunks, I spent about the same as buying one small 20 or 30 sq ft roll at The Paper Trail. You might not get the cutting edge of funky wraps, but the quality is spot-on, and the value is stunning.

If I remember correctly, they have a huge selection of ribbon (most with wire in it, which is great for making bows) at about $6 for 50 yards. A quick glance at Container Store's website shows they're selling 10 yards of wired ribbon for $6.99.

Pucca, The Toscano Olive Oil is now under the Kirkland Label. It is still in the square glass bottle. The quality is still very good.

kafein wrote:Pucca, The Toscano Olive Oil is now under the Kirkland Label. It is still in the square glass bottle. The quality is still very good.

kafein - do you know which price point it is? My sister said the Kirkland olive oil was in a plastic square bottle for $10.99, which is the same price point mentioned in the old threads. I don't know if there were other square glass bottled olive oil when she went.

Saint Pizza wrote:I intend to shop at Costco today, and I was wondering if they have any boxed, frozen steaks at a bargain price.

I will look when I get there, but would be nice to know ahead of time.

No. You'd have better luck at Super H-mart for fresh, but bargain-priced. Costco is the place to go for fresh, choice-grade steaks at a semi-decent price.

As an aside, corn-fed meats have become costlier due to the drive for ethanol and increased prices for feed-corn subsequently, I've been told.

Thank goodness I prefer grass-fed lamb these days...

As a further aside, I just visited Costco's website and now see that they offer fresh meats and seafood for order. You can get sashimi-grade ono, mahi-mahi and bigeye (I didn't even know there was a such thing as sashimi-grade ono & mahi-mahi) as well as PRIME grade beef.

they have
chanterelle mushrooms

one pound for something like $10!

I'm making soup!

Pucca wrote:

kafein wrote:Pucca, The Toscano Olive Oil is now under the Kirkland Label. It is still in the square glass bottle. The quality is still very good.

kafein - do you know which price point it is? My sister said the Kirkland olive oil was in a plastic square bottle for $10.99, which is the same price point mentioned in the old threads. I don't know if there were other square glass bottled olive oil when she went.

Yes, that one is $10.99.

The one thing I haven't been able to find at Costco lately is fl*p st**k. It was cheap and delicious for a couple months, but it's never there anymore. It's possible I'm just missing out on the few they put in the case.

Hi,

I just returned from Costco. I was on the look out for fresh cranberries. They usually have them available in approx 4 pound bags at the beginning of November. As you approach Thanksgiving, they are sold out not to return until next November.

They're not in yet, though it should be anytime soon.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I just returned from Costco. I was on the look out for fresh cranberries. They usually have them available in approx 4 pound bags at the beginning of November. As you approach Thanksgiving, they are sold out not to return until next November.

They're not in yet, though it should be anytime soon.

Regards,

They have (or had) them at the Glenview Costco and the Lake Zurich Costco
I saw the big bags just inside the walk-in at both stores this week

JoelF wrote:The one thing I haven't been able to find at Costco lately is fl*p st**k. It was cheap and delicious for a couple months, but it's never there anymore. It's possible I'm just missing out on the few they put in the case.

I haven't seen them either

One rarity I saw recently were porterhouses/T-bones (a package of two which had 1 porterhouse and 1 T-bone) at the Naperville Costco. I was told they'd stopped carrying porterhouses a while back... Of course, haven't seen them at the Niles, Bedford Park, Schaumburg, Honolulu or Maui Costco's for a long while.

Why are the "*" there?

Are the missing letters "a" and "ea" ?