Clean Eating Shopping At Costco
Costco is a fabulous place for clean eaters. If you can avoid all the taste testing tables (say that five times fast!), you can actually find some pretty good bargains there and stock your clean eating kitchen or pantry at the same time!
Please keep in mind that the prices listed can vary greatly by region. Also, please note that this is a combination of what I know to be available in my area, and what I actually buy. This is not an all inclusive list. Just a place to start. I tried to include a variety of both organic and non-organic items.
OTHER CLEAN EATING SHOPPING LISTS
ORGANIC PRODUCE
Tip: If you want organic, look for the green hang tags.
- SPINACH, organic,fresh, 1 lb tub (around $3)
- KALE, organic,fresh, 1.5 lb bag (around $4)
- SPRING MIX LETTUCE, organic,fresh, 1 lb. tub (around $3)
- APPLES, organic,fresh, by the box, 5.5 lbs. (around $7)
- PEARS, organic, fresh, by the box, 6 lbs. (around $6)
- STRAWBERRIES, organic,fresh, by the tub (around $4)
- GRAPES, organic,fresh, by the tub (around $4)
- CARROTS, organic,fresh, 5 lb. bag (around $4)
- CARROTS, baby, organic, fresh, peeled, 5 lb. bag (around $4)
- CAESAR KIT MIX, organic, fresh, 1 lb bag (around $ 4) – Dressing is not clean
- CELERY, organic, fresh, 2 lb. bag (around $5.00)
- RASPBERRIES, organic,fresh, 24 oz. package (around $3 when in season)
- BLUEBERRIES, organic,fresh, 1 lb package (around $5 when in season)
- BLUEBERRIES, organic,frozen, 1 lb. bag (around $10)
- TRIPLE BERRY MIX, organic,frozen, 1 lb bag, Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries – Radar Farms brand (around $10)
NON-ORGANIC PRODUCE
Tip: When choosing non-organic produce, opt for thicker skinned produce so that you peel off most of the pesticides with the peel or skin.
- AVOCADOS, conventional, fresh, by the bag (around $7)
- BANANAS, conventional, fresh, by the box (around $5)
- ASPARAGUS, conventional, fresh, by the bag (around $6)
DAIRY
Tip: Dairy is always best purchased organic. But not everyone can afford it. Costco used to sell organic milk, but stopped. If they still carry it in your area, that’s always the better choice. If not, buy the best you can afford.
- GREEK YOGURT, Fage brand, conventional (around $4)
- MILK, conventional (around $9)
- COTTAGE CHEESE, conventional, (around $ 5)
POULTRY
Tip: Again, organic is best. But if you can’t afford it, Costco at least has some more affordable options.
- CHICKEN BREASTS, conventional, boneless, skinless, Kirkland brand (around $16)
- TURKEY, conventional, ground, lean, 4 packages totaling about 5 pounds ( around $15)
- TURKEY, organic, ground, lean, 2 packages totaling about 2 1/2 pounds ( around $15)
- EGGS, organic, 2 dozen (around $6)
- EGGS, conventional, 2 dozen (around $ 4)
PORK
- PORK, conventional, boneless chops (around $14)
NUTS AND NUT BUTTERS
- PEANUT BUTTER, conventional, two 40 oz. jars (around $10)
- ALMOND BUTTER, conventional, one 26 oz. jar (around $5)
- NUTS IN GENERAL, conventional (range varies depending on type and season)
GRAINS
- BROWN RICE, organic, 6 lb. bag (around $10)
- QUINOA, organic, 4 lb. bag (around $10)
- OATS, conventional (around $6)
PANTRY ITEMS
- GARLIC POWDER, conventional, 18 oz. plastic bottle (around $4)
- ONION POWDER, conventional, 19.5 oz. plastic bottle (around $3)
- DEHYDRATED ONION, chopped, conventional, 11.7 oz. plastic bottle (around $4)
- CUMIN, ground, conventional, 14 oz. plastic bottle (around $4)
- CHILI POWDER, conventional, 20 oz. plastic bottle (around $5)
- CINNAMON, conventional, 10.7 oz. plastic bottle (around $3)
- BLACK PEPPER, conventional, 12.7 oz. plastic bottle (around $5)
- HONEY, regular, 40 oz. bottle (around $10)
- MAPLE SYRUP, grade A, 1 liter (around $15)
- COCONUT SUGAR, organic (around $12 a bag)
- DRIED APPLES, bake-dried (around $6 a bag)
- DRIED FIGS, unsulphured (around $10 a bag)
My husband is a Sr. Merchandise Manager at Costco and is always bringing home “new” products for me to try that are clean. They are constantly bringing in new items and they sometimes leave as quick as they come just because the manufacturer can’t keep up. I live on the west coast and we have seen so many new organic clean items. Some consistant ones are Pita Pal Organic Hummus(2lbs), Nature Path, Hemps hearts, chia seeds, Bobs Red Mill products, and chia waffles are coming. They are pursuing the organic and whole products and having great results so it would be worth it to start Costco shopping….once you are in the roll of it, it is cheaper to maintain than to shop elsewhere. Yes the executive membership is well worth it also. We just got a $223 back from last year. It always goes right back into Costco. : )
Heather – Thanks for the insider info! 🙂
I noticed a possible typo. You have frozen berries listed at 1 lb for ten dollars. My Costco does not sell sizes smaller than 3 lbs for frozen berries and the bag you mentioned is 4 lbs for ten dollars. Aside from that, thank you so very much for this post and your website in general. 🙂
Lucy – You’re probably right. I’ll double check next time I go. Thanks!
Our Costco recently started carrying Kirkland brand natural peanut butter! 2 40 oz jars for 10 dollars or so. I was so excited! The taste and consistency are excellent!
Vanessa – Fantastic! 🙂
I have not seen the organic apples, grapes, pears strawberries or coconut sugar at our Costco. They also have organic ground beef approx. 4 lbs for $16.99 and Raw organic sugar for Around $8, and Raw organic coconut oil for $15.99. They are wonderful for organic products. Sam’s doesn’t offer much as far as organic. They have organic spinach, spring mix and now coconut oil. I think that Sam’s is starting to get a little more since its what the consumers want.
Jessica – Thanks!
Hi Tiffany — I just discovered your website last week and am planning to take your advice of making a few small changes at a time to convert my family to clean eating. I have so many questions, but my first is about bread. I have looked over your bread recommendations and noticed that Dave’s Killer Bread is not on your list. I looked at the ingredients and I think it is clean, but honestly I really have no idea. Are you familiar with Dave’s bread? We usually buy the “21 Whole Grains” variety at Costco. I did notice it contains organic dried cane syrup (sugar) so maybe that’s why it isn’t on your clean list? Thank you!
Kristin – Welcome! I’ve never heard of this bread, but I would avoid it due to the cane syrup, yes.
They just open a Costco a couple of blocks away from my house and I’m so happy that they open five days ago and I’ve been there four times already. Lol
Im so happy because this one is much bigger than the one I used to go 20 minutes away from my home and this one has so many more organic items like Almond flour, coconut flour, chia seeds etc. They also have a lot more milks.
Wendy – That’s awesome! 🙂
Interesting…. No Seafood options at COSTCO?? I Love salmon
Pam – The last time I looked, it was all farmed. But I’ll check again…
Costco is definitely my go-to place for produce! Always the cheapest price (except direct from farm, which is only available during our short growing season) and their return policy if it goes off too quickly is fantastic. Mine does stock wild fish too! We just got a BBQ this summer and I love to pick up a big fillet, grill it, and eat it for all three meals 😀
Lindsay – Absolutely!!! You should try grilling on cedar planks. The flavor is unequaled! Especially with salmon!
We are just starting to eat clean, and your site has been a huge help. Thank you!
We often find wild tuna at Costco, and can sometimes fins wild salmon. One of our favorite Costco items is frozen Sunrise Growers Organic Sweet Cherries. Our store stopped carrying them for a while, so every time we went I filled out a comment card asking that they bring them back. Eventually they did. If your readers can’t find an item that is listed here, i would encourage them to complete a card (or several!) asking for it.
Wesley – Yes! Coscto is great with taking requests!
Thanks but all these prices have gone up by $5 so costco is very much more expensive or as much as whole foods. i rather buy 3 avocados for $1.99 at super target then spend $7 on 4. i dont think costco sells brown organic eggs, blue diamond vanilla almond milk either. doesnt sell Just Mayo anymore which lasted me a long time. they change Quinoa brands too much and always ones i hate. Lol. they dont sell Powder peanut butter by PB2 anymore. its like they sell it for 2 weeks and stop. im kind of sick of how costco keeps doing this. chicken and meat at costco is a lot more expensive and is around the same amount of pounds as the market but cheaper.
Anyway you (the blogger) can update the prices? these are old and we are not in 2015
Natalie – The prices listed were the prices I found when I created this list. Prices and availability change from region to region. All I can offer are the products and prices in my area. This is just a general suggestion. You still need to do the research in your own store.
Thanks for the list! I buy their Orgain organic plant based protein powder which is clean!
Heather – Technically, no protein powder is clean. But some are definitely better choices than others! Glad you found one you like! 🙂
Costco deleted my favourite Maple Syrup – #1 Light. It was one of the best listed on the “Graded Maple Syrup” Listing done by Consumer’s Distributing…. I now buy instead PC President’s Choice 100% Pure Maple Syrup Canada No. 1 Light – a 500mL bottle on sale at $9.00. It’s excellent.
Ellen – Good to know! Thanks!