I would like to make it perfectly clear right now that I am not into buying gigantic jars of spaghetti sauce, multi-packed oversized ketchup bottles or too much of anything at one time; however, the only place my husband loves to shop (and I really mean “loves” to shop) is at Costco so I will often accompany him for the “couples” shopping experience. I have to admit that I’ve gotten some great bargains there and my favorite things to buy are cookware, food storage items and kitchen appliances. I also think that you could save some money buying bulk food items if you use them on a regular basis.
On our trip to Costco last night, I observed some bulk packages of vegan foods which are worth mentioning. Most notably, I saw bulk packages of organic quinoa (which I did not buy because I am partial to the “Ancient Harvest” brand which is pre-washed), Vegan Boca Burgers, Lightlife brand vegetarian “meat” crumbles, packaged tabbouleh, Hains’ Celestial brand “Veggie Stix”, organic soymilk, various organic fruit juices, frozen organic mixed vegetables (great for stir-fries), hemp seeds, Clif Bars, spices and an assortment of nuts (including pistachios, almonds and pine nuts). These are just a few things I noted from a quick walk-through of the aisles. I’m sure there were many other great steals and deals.
Here is a list of some of the things I bought last night at Costco…
1. A variety 12-pack of “Naked” all natural fruit and 100% juice smoothies. Although I am not a big fan of pre-packaged juices and smoothies (I prefer to make my own in my Vitamix blender), I really like this brand of juices and smoothies and their small bottles are often convenient to grab from my fridge after a workout at the gym or a tennis match. The variety pack contains four flavors: mighty mango, green machine and berry blast. I am partial to the “green machine” because it contains Vitamin B-12. The “Nakeds” have no sugar added, no preservatives, non-GMO and is clearly marked vegan and Certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
2. A 12-pack carton of “Vita Coco” pure coconut water. Throughout the year, I don’t drink much coconut water; but I think it’s a great way to stay hydrated in the sweltering summer heat, especially after exercising outdoors. I also want to start experimenting with fruit and coconut water blended drinks in my Vitamix.
3. Kim’s “Magic Pop” Cakes. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried these, but they make great little quick snacks if you are looking for something crunchy. I first discovered these at my local Fairway supermarket and now they carry them at Costco. You could eat them alone or use them with dips and hummus. They are all natural, fat-free, low calorie and vegan.
4. Eli Zabar’s “Health Loaf” hearth baked bread. At the outset, let me state that this bread is not vegan because it contains honey. Although I am basically a militant vegan, I will buy this bread a couple of times a year and overlook its honey ingredient. It is an all natural, high fiber, dense bread which makes an excellent breakfast when toasted.
5. A 12 pound sack of Lundberg Farms Organic Short Grain Brown Rice. Although I usually don’t buy bulk sacks of anything, Lundberg Farms Organic Short Brown Rice is a mainstay of my diet and I know I will use every grain of rice in this sack. I am also partial to the Lundberg Farms brand products.
6. A “Kirkland” Signature brand 6 quart Hard-Anodized Aluminum Deep Saute Non-Stick pan. After re-reading “The Fire Engine 2 Diet” book and some other books by Dr. John McDougall, I decided to experiment with cooking without oil. This type of cooking works best with non-stick cookware. I was always nervous to use non-stick cookware in view of the controversy surrounding its safety; however, this particular pan appeared to be one of very high quality and it was reasonably priced at $34.99. Apparently, the anodized aluminum is treated to create a finish that is scratch resistant, nonporous, nonreactive and two times harder than stainless steel. I will give this pan a try and let you know how it goes.
It is worth mentioning some of the other great kitchen products which I purchased at Costco throughout the years. I use these products very often…
This triple-ply stainless steel wok came with a huge steamer basket and glass lid. I absolutely love it. Some nights I use it to cook stir-fries and other nights I use it to steam large amounts of vegetables…
This “Aroma” brand rice cooker sits on my kitchen countertop and I use it almost every single day. Please note that I saw a fabulous all-in-one “Aroma” rice cooker/steamer/slow cooker at Costco last night for $39.99 I would have bought it myself but I already have my rice cooker and slow cooker.
Lastly, I bought this slow cooker at Costco last year. I use it more in the winter when I make a lot of slow cooked bean stews and soups. It is also great for cooking oatmeal overnight so that it is ready for breakfast the next morning when you wake up.
All in all, I think that Costco is a great source for some vegan essentials including bulk food products and kitchen appliances. I have been really happy with my previous Costco purchases and I believe that everything is very well-priced. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little blog. Happy Costco shopping!
I once spent a long time standing there in the aisle reinadg the labels of every boxed mix that TJ’s had and pleasantly discovered that the coffee cake as well as a few other mixes are vegan. I purchased every mix that was and have tried most of them the coffee cake is actually next on my list! There are brownies as well as pumpkin, apple and cranberry breads. As my egg replacer I use a mashed banana or flax powder and water or applesauce which makes each of the baked goods even more delicious, moist and nutritious!
Unfortunately, labels lie. I was addictied to these juice blends and would buy them from costco on a weekly basis. Then I started to notice that there were slowly disappearing from the refrigerated juices section. (Naked Juice doesn’t use certified organic or verified non-GMO soy.) Naked Juice intentionally used misleading language to give consumers “the false impression that the beverage’s vitamin content is due to the nutritious fruits and juices, rather than added synthetic compounds.” And the PepsiCo subsidiary contained a laundry list of synthetic chemicals, including calcium pantothenate (synthetically produced from formaldehyde).
https://www.nakedjuiceclass.com/
Thank you for this information. It is always upsetting when you find out that labels lie. I will not be purchasing these juices anymore. Thanks again.