Showing posts with label organic low-fat milk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organic low-fat milk. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Lifting my spirits at Costco Wholesale

Who knew? A slow cruise down Costco Wholesale's aisles in Hackensack led to the discovery of what is called "the purest salt in the world." Korean-Style Red Pepper Powder, below, is another product that caters to an increasing number of Korean-American shoppers.





More than a foot of snow followed by rain, fog and another sunless day.

I just couldn't get started on Monday, even after a second pot of coffee at mid-afternoon, so I jumped in the car, sure that my brightly lit Costco Warehouse store would lift my spirits.

Bad weather tends to keep Costco customers at home, and there were no lazy shoppers clogging up the entrance to the parking lot as they searched for a spot closest to the door of the Hackensack store.



Bad weather tends to keeps the crowds away.


I didn't have a list, but knew we were out of a few things. I also wanted to pick up fish for dinner. So, I took my time, and walked up and down most of the food aisles.

I've never heard of Himalayan Pink Salt, but liked that the pink, red and white crystals came in their own 13-ounce grinder bottle, great for cooking  ($4.49).



I didn't buy Kirkland Signature Organic Salsa, above, but did pick up fully cooked chickpeas in Asian Indian spices, below. Four, 10-ounce portions were $7.59.




I made sure I picked up a 42-ounce jar of Kirkland Signature Organic Strawberry Spread ($7.49), a pound of Earthbound Farm Organic Spring Mix ($4.99), three half-gallons of Silk Vanilla Soy Milk ($7.39) and 2 pounds of Jarlsberg Light Swiss Cheese ($9.99).

We were out of low-fat organic milk, so I bought three half-gallons for $10.99. 

Two dozen organic brown eggs were $6.99, and Costco is the low-price leader on 3 pounds of bananas for $1.39.



I've never cooked with Kirkland Signature Parchment Paper, but it might be better for the environment than using aluminum foil, which may not be recyclable.



A pound of Kirkland Signature Smoked Alaskan Wild Sockeye Salmon is still $15.39, perfect for omelets or rolled up with a slice of reduced-fat cheese and dipped in mustard for a snack.

In the fish case, I found baccala -- salted Pacific cod -- for $8.99 a pound.

A few other food purchases brought my total to $109.97, but Costco doesn't require a credit-card signature on purchases under $200, up from $100.


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Sunday, December 23, 2012

Costco's Kirkland Signature brand is sending mixed quality signals

Chicken wings for under $2.30 a pound at Costco Wholesale.


By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Kirkland Signature is the premium house brand at Costco Wholesale, but members are discovering the quality of products carrying that name isn't always the highest.

Last week, my wife came home with a 10-pound bag of Kirkland Signature Chicken Wings for $22.99 or less than $2.30 a pound, an unusually low price when compared to supermarket wings.

For a reason that eludes me, supermarkets charge more for chicken wings than for other, meatier parts, including drumsticks and thighs.

But with the Kirkland Signature wings, only the price is special. 

The wings are from chickens raised on antibiotics that have proven harmful to humans.

The same can be said of Costco's wildly popular, fully cooked Kirkland Signature Rotisserie Chicken, which is raised on antibiotics and non-vegetarian feed.


The ingredients label of Costco's rotisserie chicken should give you pause.
 

It doesn't make sense for Costco to sell inferior chicken wings and rotisserie chicken under the Kirkland Signature label side by side with other, high-quality products, including:

Preservative-free, smoked wild sockeye salmon from Alaska; a spread made from organic fresh strawberries, and organic diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Kirkland Signature also offers premium Green Tea Matcha Blend from Ito En, made with 100% Japanese tea leaves; organic low-fat milk and other items. 

When my wife wanted to buy more chicken wings from Costco, I told her to get antibiotic-free Empire kosher chicken.

But she couldn't find any Empire wings, and I couldn't find antibiotic-free or organic wings at the Paramus ShopRite.

The first time my wife brought home the Kirkland Signature wings she said she has assumed all along that Costco sells only naturally raised food at low prices.

Sadly, she is mistaken. Costco is not above trying to hide low quality under its Kirkland Signature label.


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