Why Costco Is the Best Place to Shop (and Save) on Spices

We love shopping at Costco to find deals on everything from paper products to travel to gas. But it’s also a great place to shop in bulk and pay much less per item or portion over time. A great example of this is stocking the spice rack.

Herbs and spices are a great way to add layers of flavor to your cooking, making it easier to eat at home and stay within your takeout budget. However, this requires investing in an arsenal of spices, which can get expensive pretty quickly.

One way to maintain your spice collection is to shop at places like Costco and stock up on those heavily used spices that will last through large purchases without going stale. This can involve buying things like whole peppercorns, sea salt, or cinnamon in bulk and spending much less per unit, knowing that they will be used over time and will stay fresh.

For those who don’t use spices as often, another way to save money might be to buy a large package of, say, crushed chili flakes or turmeric, and then split it between friends and family. That way, you all benefit from the lower unit price of buying in bulk, without having to stock up on a larger amount of spice and use it yourself. This can be useful for single people who live alone, or those who don’t cook as much and are afraid of using spices so sparingly or slowly that they will start to lose their potency before they’ve been used up.

Costco Membership Details

Before we delve into the world of shopping and saving on spices at Costco, it’s worth noting that a Costco membership card is required to purchase most products from this wholesaler.

If you’re not a member yet, now is the best time to sign up. Not only will Costco raise its annual membership fee on September 1st (from $60 per year to $65), but you can also take advantage of a special promotion that will let you save even more on your membership.

When you join as a new Costco member online and sign up for auto-renewal of your annual membership, you’ll receive: $40 Costco Digital Store Card. Meanwhile, if you join as an Executive Member ($120 membership per year), you will also receive Get a promo code for $60 off your Costco.com order of $200 or more.

How to Save Big on Spices at Costco

OK, now back to spices. Here are a few examples where the price per ounce – which we mentioned above – comes into play when saving on spices at Costco.

Kirkland Signature, Minced California Garlic, 48 Ounce

This ground garlic is 100% California garlic and comes in a 48-ounce container for $8.49. Compare that to a similar product, also ground garlic, that is grown, processed and packaged in California, that sells for $8.99 for 8 ounces and the huge savings become obvious – you get several times more and spend less.

Kirkland Signature, Whole Black Pepper, 14 oz

Ground black pepper will never be as fresh and flavorful as buying whole black peppercorns and grinding them in a pepper mill as you use them. Pepper is the kind of thing you’ll use every day, which makes it the perfect product to bulk up on — you’ll use it up before it loses its potency. And at $5.99 for 14 ounces, it’s a steal compared to paying more than three times as much for a similarly sized product elsewhere.

Kirkland Signature, Crushed Red Pepper, 10 Ounce

I love everything spicy, and I use crushed red pepper all the time in my house. I add it to pizza, pasta, and even avocado toast. Costco sells a 10-ounce package of crushed red pepper flakes for under $5 — a steal, considering you’ll pay almost twice as much for a similar amount of the same spice elsewhere.

Kirkland Signature Ground Turmeric, 12 Ounce, 2 Pack

Turmeric is often used in recipes from Indian dishes to Middle Eastern menus, and because it’s something of a specialty spice, it can be expensive. Costco, however, sells two 12-ounce packages (for a total of 24 ounces) for under $20. Considering that you can spend about $7 elsewhere for a little less than 3 ounces, it’s worth buying in bulk.

McCormick, Ground Cumin, 14 Ounces

I use cumin at home in everything from enchiladas to chili and a ton of other things — so it’s one of my staples that I love to buy in bulk. Ground cumin is available at Costco in a mainstream brand (compared to the store brand where you can find most Costco spices) in a 14-ounce bag for under $8. Elsewhere, you’ll spend almost half that amount for a much smaller package (less than 2 ounces).

Lawry’s Seasoning Salt 40oz

Seasoned salts are a staple in many home kitchens, and Lawry’s is the go-to brand for this seasoning. It’s available in 40-ounce bottles for under $10 at Costco, while you’ll pay almost $4 for just 8 ounces at a place like Target.

Full strand of Greek saffron, 14 grams

Saffron isn’t exactly a spice you’d use every day, but it’s worth having on hand for special occasions and dishes like paella. It’s pretty pricey, and even at Costco it’s $80 for a 14-gram jar — which works out to a little under $6 per gram, or $5.71. Since organic saffron costs $9 for about 1 gram on Amazon, it’s a steal.

Expert Tips for Stocking Up on Spices

When stocking up on spices, keep a few expert tips in mind to make sure you get the most out of them—and your investment.

1. Consider storing your spices in a place where they will be more visible and can inspire you in the kitchen.

“If you put them away in a high or low cabinet somewhere, it will be easier to hide them from view, and you will probably use them much less often,” said Lior Lev Sercarz, owner and founder Box, four-time author on the art of using and mixing spices. They’re best kept on an exposed shelf or cabinet near where you’re prepping or cooking to keep them exciting and inspiring.

2. Think carefully about which spices to buy in bulk

If you are buying large quantities of spices, it is best to focus on those that you will be using in large quantities to avoid losing their properties before use.

3. Check your inventory frequently

Once you do that, simply smell and/or taste them to see if they’re still good. “Spices don’t expire in a way that would make you sick or anything like that. Spices lose their smell and taste over time. At some point, it just doesn’t make sense to use them,” Sercarz said. The easiest test is to simply smell and taste them, and if they don’t have both of those qualities, you can throw them out.

4. Try your hand at mixing

Instead of buying products like Italian seasoning mixes or taco seasoning blends, use individual spices you already have on hand to create your own homemade blends, exactly to your taste. “If you’re new to the art of blending, before you take an innovative approach, start by blending with existing seasoning recipes from chefs or spice experts to get a feel for how to use the preparation tools and blending techniques before you go off on your own,” Sercarz said.

When mixing, be sure to keep track of your recipe so you can remember how to remake it so you can recreate it when you achieve your preferred flavor. “At La Boîte, we write down everything with exact amounts as we work to perfect our blends. That way, we know exactly how to replicate it to get it right every time,” Sercarz said.

5. Choose your flavor profiles, not someone else’s

There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to basic or essential spices. “Everyone has a different palate and cooking style,” Sercarz said.

Be honest with yourself about what you actually use or plan to use. “If you cook often, that may justify a more comprehensive collection,” Sercarz said. But if you rarely prepare meals that require more than the basics, keep it simple.

6. Check the price per ounce

When buying in bulk, don’t think you’re spending more because you’re getting so much more for the price. You can do this by comparing the price per ounce at Costco to the price of smaller packages at other stores to get a better idea of ​​how much you’re actually spending (and saving) on ​​these spices.

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