The 7 Best Things to Buy From Costco, According to Professional Chefs

Chefs, they're just like us.

Even if you’re smitten with sampling the latest food court offerings and strolling through the aisles to spy what’s new, it’s tough to deny that even the most seasoned Costco shopper can feel intimidated by sorting through all of the options. How is a home cook supposed to choose from dozens of different barbecue sauces? Which of the supersized pantry staples are actually worth it—and what’s better to buy in smaller portions at a regular grocery store?

In the past, we've tapped Allrecipes teammates who are longtime Costco members and scoured Reddit threads and social media to reveal the 10 products Costco obsessives swear by. But how about the professionals? Turns out, several of them are seasoned card-carrying members, too.

Our Panel of Costco Product-Judging Chefs

• Anthony Castro, executive chef at Palmetto Marriott Resort & Spa in Palmetto, Florida

• Costco member for about 10 years

• Suzy Karadsheh, an Atlanta, Georgia-based New York Times bestselling author, founder of Th Mediterranean Dish, and author of the upcoming cookbook "The Mediterranean Dish: Simply Dinner"

• Costco member for about 10 years

• Sonny Pache, executive chef at The Guild House in Columbus, Ohio

• Costco member for 5 years

• Michelle Rounsaville, chef/owner of My Michelle’s in Oxford, Mississippi

• Costco member for 13 years

• Jacob Schroeder, chef/owner of Crafted Food Services and Moxie Kitchen + Events in Des Moines, Iowa

• Costco member for 5 years

The 7 Costco Products That Are Chef Approved

The chefs confirm that they often purchase items for their restaurants, events, and for home use, and they have a wide array of favorites. To help narrow things down, we asked them each to spill about the Costco products they add to their carts during almost every visit. Perhaps you’ll discover some “sleeper hits” that will inspire you to do the same.

Kirkland Signature Pecan Halves

According to Schroeder, “the Kirkland brand pecan halves are a great quality product. The pecan halves are not broken into small pieces, they are perfectly clean, and they are very low in tannins,” he explains, referring to the factor that can make some nuts and some other foods taste bitter and astringent. Plus, the price is right at $12.99 for two pounds. (For reference, this is less than what you’d pay for a single pound of pecans at most supermarkets.)

How to use them: Schroeder is sweet on candied pecans for snacking or tossing on top of salads. He also suggests blitzing the pecans into a flour to use as the base of a showy financier.

Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

If Castro was forced to select one favorite Costco product, he’d choose the Kirkland Signature 100% Italian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. “It offers consistent quality, great flavor, and is sold at an excellent price point compared to other brands,” he tells us, nodding to the impressive 2-liter price of $22.99. Pache says that the EVOO is also one of his pantry staples.

How to use it: Castro uses this oil to drizzle over salads, sauté vegetables, finish pasta dishes, or use as a base for homemade salad dressings.

Kirkland Signature Wild Caught Chilean Sea Bass

Karadsheh admits that fresh, wild-caught fish can be challenging to source in her current home of Atlanta, Georgia. “Being far away from my original Mediterranean home, the freezer section at Costco comes in handy” to source stellar seafood, she says. Deeming it “mild and buttery” and applauding its fair price point as well as the fact that it “really plays well with most seasonings,” Karadsheh adds that this allows her to “make a mean fish dinner in less than 30 minutes with simple sides to accompany.”

How to use it: Karadsheh is particularly fond of using this freezer-section find for a 20-minute Chilean Sea Bass Recipe with Basil Pesto. Allrecipes has many sea bass dinner ideas, including stews, skillet meals, sheet pan dinners, and more.

Kirkland Signature Organic Pasture-Raised Eggs

In addition to olive oil, Pache confirms that “each Costco visit, I stock up on eggs.” Costco offers many different package sizes, ranging from two dozen to a whopping 15 dozen (180!) eggs. The packages for those eggs also boast different claims, including “free range,” “cage-free,” “organic,” and “pasture-raised.” Choose whichever meets your needs. They’re all very affordable and ideal for large families, bakers, or individuals who enjoy egg breakfasts frequently.

How to use them: At his restaurant, Pache eggs are all over his breakfast line-up—the lobster and eggs menu item is calling our name! Besides frying, boiling, poaching, and scrambling, ourpros are keen on keeping plenty of eggs in stock for meringue, custards, DIY mayo, and fried rice.

Kirkland Signature Wines

“I have to drive an hour to Memphis to visit Costco, so you know I’m loyal,” says Rounsaville, who lives in Oxford, Mississippi. “One Costco product I cannot live without is Kirkland Signature Wine. It’s the perfect price point and is always a crowd favorite.” Available in varieties from Bordeaux and Brunello to Sancerre and Chardonnay, the budget-friendly store brand’s wines often top out at $26.99 per bottle.

How to use it: Rounsaville buys it by the case for catering events, but Kirkland wines are available by the bottle, too.

Kirkland Signature Organic Blueberries

“Many people may not realize that Costco carries a good amount of organic produce,” Karadsheh says. Since that’s the case, when they’re in season, “I am always grabbing boxes of fresh organic blueberries. When it’s outside of peak blueberry season, which runs from April to July in the South where he lives, Castro invests in bags of frozen wild blueberries and calls them an “essential” part of his shopping list.

How to use them: Fresh blueberries shine in salads, fruit salsas, and one of Karadsheh’s signature cocktails: sangria. Frozen blueberries make an antioxidant-rich addition to smoothies, scones, sauces, and more.

Kirkland Signature Organic Non-Dairy Oat Beverage

Milk and milk alternatives come in a spectrum of textures and flavors, and the “best” often is a matter of personal preference. If Pache can have his pick, he’s all about Costco’s oat milk. “I love the Kirkland Signature Organic Non-Dairy Oat Beverage. It never separates, and the flavor, value, texture, and shelf-stability are tough to beat.”

How to use it: Pache turns to this oat-based milk substitute to help lend richness to creamy soups. It’s also an addition to his daily coffee, and comes in clutch for smoothies and as a dairy alternative when baking, he explains.

Read the original article on All Recipes.