We love shopping at Costco for the discounts on everything from paper products to travel and gas, but it’s also a great place to shop in bulk and pay much less per unit or serving. One great example of this is stocking up your spice rack.
Check out Costco deals
Herbs and spices are a great way to add flavor to your dishes, so you’re more likely to eat at home and not break the budget on takeout. But you’ll need to invest in an arsenal of spices, and that can quickly get quite expensive.
One way to maintain a collection of frequently used spices is to shop at places like Costco and stock up on frequently used spices that don’t expire while still being able to handle bulk purchases. This can include buying items like peppercorns, sea salt, and cinnamon in bulk and spending much less per unit, knowing that they will always be used and remain fresh.
For those who don't use spices that much, buying large containers of, say, crushed pepper flakes or turmeric and handing them out to friends and family can be a cost-saving measure. This way, the cost per unit is lower than buying in bulk, so no one really has to own and use a lot of spices themselves. This can be useful for single people who don't cook much and are afraid of using too little or too slowly, causing the spices to lose their potency before they can be used.
Costco Membership Details
Before we dive deeper into the world of spice shopping and saving money at Costco, it's important to know that you'll need a Costco membership to shop most products at this wholesale retailer.
If you’re not yet a member, now is a great time to join. Not only will Costco be raising its annual fee on September 1 (from $60 to $65 per year), but there are also special promotions that will give you even more savings on your current membership.
When you sign up as a new Costco member online and enroll in annual automatic membership renewal, you'll receive: $40 Digital Costco Shop Card. Meanwhile, if you join as an Executive member (annual membership fee $120), you can also receive the following benefits: Get $60 off your order of $200 or more at Costco.com with promo code..
Don't miss out on this membership deal
How to Save Big on Spices at Costco
Okay, back to spices. Here are some examples of how the per ounce price mentioned above works when it comes to saving on spices at Costco.
Kirkland Signature, Minced California Garlic, 48 oz
This minced garlic is 100% California garlic and sells for $8.49 for a 48 ounce container. Compare this to a similar minced garlic product grown, processed, and packaged in California, which sells for $8.99 for an 8 ounce container, and the savings are huge. You get several times more and spend less.
$8.49 at Costco
Kirkland Signature, Whole Black Pepper, 14 oz
Black pepper powder doesn't taste as fresh and flavorful as buying whole black peppercorns and grinding them in a pepper grinder. Since pepper is something we use every day, it's an ideal item to increase your supply. You can use it before it loses its potency. And at $5.99 for 14 ounces, it's a bargain compared to similarly sized products that cost more than three times as much elsewhere.
$5.99 at Costco
Kirkland Signature, Crushed Red Pepper, 10 oz
I love spicy food, and I use crushed red pepper all the time at home. I put it on pizza, pasta, and even avocado toast. Costco sells a 10-ounce can of crushed red pepper flakes for under $5. That’s a huge deal considering you can get a similar sized can of the same spice for almost twice as much elsewhere.
$4.79 at Costco
Kirkland Signature Ground Turmeric, 12 oz, 2-count
Turmeric is used in a variety of recipes, from Indian to Middle Eastern, and because it is a specialty spice, it can sometimes be expensive to find. However, Costco sells two 12-ounce containers (total 24 ounces) for less than $20. Considering that you can spend $7 for 3 ounces elsewhere, it is worth buying in bulk.
$19.99 at Costco
McCormick, Ground Cumin, 14 oz
I use cumin in everything from enchiladas to chili at home, and I use a lot of cumin in between, so this is one of the essentials that I like to buy in bulk. Ground cumin is available at Costco in the major mainstream brands (compared to most store brands that Costco carries) for less than $8 for a 14-ounce can. You’ll pay almost half the price elsewhere for a much smaller container (under 2 ounces).
$7.99 at Costco
Lawry's Seasoned Salt, 40 oz
Seasoning salt is a staple in many home kitchens, and Lawry's is a major brand of this seasoning. While Costco sells a 40-ounce bottle for under $10, places like Target will charge you almost $4 for an 8-ounce bottle.
$9.49 at Costco
Full Thread Greek Saffron, 14 grams
Saffron is not an everyday spice, but it is a luxury to stock up on for special occasions or dishes like paella. It is quite expensive, costing $80 for a 14g bottle at Costco. That's less than $6 per gram, or $5.71. Considering that organic saffron costs $9 per gram on Amazon, this is a bargain.
$79.99 at Costco
Expert-Approved Tips for Stocking Up on Spices
When stocking up on spices, keep expert advice in mind to make the most of your spices and investment.
1. Store your spices in a more visible place to help inspire your kitchen.
“If it’s hidden away somewhere in a high or low cabinet, it’s easier to say, ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ and you’ll likely use it much less often,” says Lior Lev Sercarz, owner and founder of La Boîte and a four-time author of The Art of Spice Use and Blending. It’s best stored on an exposed shelf or cabinet near where you prep or cook, so your spices can excite and inspire you.
2. Consider carefully which spices you buy in bulk.
When buying spices in bulk, it's a good idea to focus on the ones you'll use most often to avoid them losing their potency before they're used.
3. Check inventory frequently
In that case, you can tell if it’s still good by smelling or tasting it. “Spices don’t actually expire long enough to make you sick. They lose their aroma and flavor over time. At some point, they just don’t need to be used,” Sercarz said. The easiest tests are to smell and taste them, and if neither are present, throw them away.
4. Try blending
Instead of buying items like Italian seasoning blends or taco seasoning blends, create a homemade blend that's tailored to your exact tastes using individual spices you already have. “If you're new to the art of blending, start blending with established spice recipes from chefs or spice experts before taking an innovative approach. That way, you'll have an idea of how to use the prep tools and blending techniques before you start on your own,” Sercarz says.
When blending, it’s helpful to write down your recipe so you can remember how to make it later when you get the flavor you want. “At La Boîte, we write down everything in precise quantities to make sure we’re blending it perfectly. That way, we know exactly how to repeat it, so we can make it perfect every time,” Sercarz said.
5. Pursue your own flavor, not someone else's
There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to spice essentials or must-haves. “Everyone has a different palate and cooking style,” Sercarz said.
Be honest about what you actually use or will use. “If you cook a lot, you may need a more comprehensive collection,” Sercarz says. But if you rarely prepare meals that require more than the basics, keep it simple.
6. Check the price per ounce
Don’t think you’re spending more when you buy in bulk, because you’re getting a lot more for your money. Compare Costco’s per-ounce price with the prices of smaller packages at other stores to get a better idea of how much you’re actually spending (and saving) on spices.
The post Why Costco is the Best Place to Shop for Spices (and Save Money) first appeared on RetailMeNot's The Real Deal.
