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7 Amazing Costco Buys That Cost Less Than $20
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Between paying for back-to-school expenses and awaiting costly energy bills as we close out the last month of a doggedly hot summer, many of us could use a break for our budgets. Costco's competitively low prices can help you save on everyday products, but let's face it -- some deals are simply better than others, especially when they cost less than $20. Whether you're shopping for school lunches or getting ready for Labor Day weekend, here are some of my favorite Costco items currently under $20.
1. SunChips (30 count): $18.99These are great for school lunches and great for Labor Day parties. This box of SunChips comes with the classic flavors -- Original, Harvest Cheddar, Garden Salsa, and French Onion -- and is priced at about $0.63 per bag.
2. Kirkland beef hotdogs (36 links): $18.19Cookouts with friends and family need not blow your budget. These three 1.5 pound bags of dogs may not be as cheap as Oscar Mayer hotdogs, but they're thicker and may leave you more satisfied with less links consumed.
3. Golden Star mandarin orange cups (20 count): $10.39Great for school lunches, this twenty pack of 4-ounce cups is a good price when bought at Costco stores. In comparison, you can find the same twenty pack on Gold Star's Amazon store for more than triple the price.
4. Corn on the cob, fully husked (8 count): $10.39If you're going to grill out with hotdogs, you might as well throw on some corn while you're at it. These 8-count packs are $10.39 online, but you'll likely find them cheaper in store. While you're there, you could also pick up some bulk-sized butter packages for less than $20.
5. Hillshire Farm lunch meat (96 deli slices): $16.79These packages come with Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, Honey Ham, and Smoked Turkey Breast. With food inflation being particularly unkind toward meat, buying deli meats in bulk could be a way to fight back.
6. Noka superfood smoothies (12 count): $17.99Noka Smoothies are a healthy alternative to high sugary pops, but they're pretty pricey at the grocery store. Costco gives you an excellent deal on a package of 12 strawberry-pineapple smoothies, which comes out to about $1.50 apiece. Throw in some organic apples ($5.49) or dried apricots ($10.99) to give your kids (or yourself) some more healthier snacks.
7. Kraft macaroni and cheese (18 count): $18.99The classic after-school snack or dinner, this package of 18 boxes comes out to about $1.06 per box, which is a cheaper price than in many grocery stores. For example, my local Fred Meyer store sells Kraft Mac & Cheese for $1.25 a box, while my local Target sells boxes for $1.19.
Costco only takes Visa credit cards, but that doesn't mean you can't earn extra rewards on your spending. You could use the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi for an extra 2% back, which becomes 4% when you pair it with a Costco Executive Membership.
However you decide to pay, these seven Costco deals can help you save on everyday spending and give your personal finances some much-needed assistance. Don't forget to check Costco's website every now and then to see what Member-Only savings events might be going on, especially near holidays like Labor Day.
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28-Year-Old Throws A Costco-Themed Birthday Party — With Hot Dog Floats And Free Samples
"Ain't no party like a wholesale party"
This TikToker bought in bulk to celebrate her 28th birthday.
Jasmine Pak held a Costco-themed birthday party and it featured all the best parts of the big box retailer: food court items, samples, and hot dog floats. Pak showed off the elaborate (and impressively accurate) bash in a video posted on Tuesday.
"Things from my Costco-themed birthday party that just make sense," she wrote at the start of the video before showing off the massive spread of food court staples.
From rotisserie chicken Caesar salad (and just a plain rotisserie chicken!) to hot dogs, pepperoni pizza and churros, all the classic Costco hot food items were there. Plus each was labeled with the Costco-style price tag
Even the pool accessories fit the theme, with hotdog and pizza floats available for partygoers to enjoy.
The guests stepped up to the plate with their themed outfits. The birthday girl wore a t-shirt with an image of the famous $1.50 hot dog and drink combo sold at Costco. Some pals wore the classic uniform with red aprons and name tags, while one even handed out samples.
Related: Social Media Users Detail Their Favorite Hack When Ordering Pizza from Costco's Food Court
Another friend wore an orange safety vest and carried spare boxes while more matched with red vests. The social media user followed up the original video about her party with another clip detailing each guests' outfit.
For dessert, Pak served a vanilla cake with vanilla frosting and a custom sign that said "Happy Birthday Jasmine" with her name written in the style of the Kirkland Signature logo.
"Ain't no party like a wholesale party," she wrote in the caption, tagging Costco's TikTok account and adding, "I love u"
The video quickly blew up online, gaining 325,000 likes in the first day it was posted. If the likes weren't enough, the praise in the comments section showed viewers appreciation for the theme.
"Omg there was even a sample lady! Y'all stuck to that theme," one user wrote. "Wait this is iconic," another commented.
This is not the first time a party dedicated to the wholesale store blew up online. Back in 2019, parents Sebastian and Josie Gonzalez threw their 1-year-old son a Costco-themed birthday party.
Similar to Pak, the parents served (mostly) food from Costco and there were display signs in front of each item in the same style as those in-store. Some were clearly jokes, like the meatball dish sign in honor of "their little meatball Mason," which had height and weight properties that reflected those of 1-year-old.
Costco-themed decorations including shirts, aprons, and name-tags were handed out at the party.
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The 9 'Retired' Costco Food Court Items Shoppers Miss The Most
They say it's better to have loved than lost, but some Costco shoppers are truly lost without their favorite food court items. A recent thread on the Costco subreddit basically turned into a primal scream for hand-dipped ice cream, combo pizza and other favorite retired Costco food court menu items.
"Which food court item do you miss the most?" said Reddit user u/USSZim. "For me, it's between the cinnamon sugar pretzel from the early 2000s or the giant hand-dipped ice cream bar."
The Redditor also asked Costco to bring back a menu that included retired legends like the Polish sausage, berry smoothie (which appeared back in stores days after this post!) and the beloved combo pizza.
Redditors aired their grievances on the Costco food court items they miss the most.
Related: Listen Up: Here's the *Only* Correct Way To Take Food Samples at Costco
The #1 Most Missed Costco Food Court ItemRedditors had a ton of thoughts about retired Costco food court fare they'd like back. However, one former offering came up more than any others (with the most emotional pleas for it to return, too): The Combo Pizza. The mega-slice of pizza was discontinued during the pandemic. It featured a combination of toppings, like pepperoni, green peppers, onions, sausage and mushrooms. It was huge, greasy and delicious, and fans still can't believe it's gone.
"Hot take: The pandemic isn't over until the Combo Pizza is back," wrote one.
"It's been years already, but I can still remember how it tastes," said another.
"Combo pizza. Costco visits just aren't the same," said a bereaved fan.
"I didn't even care that I had to pull about half the olives off," commented another. "The pepperoni and the cheese just don't cut it."
8 More Discontinued Food Court Items Costco Fans Want Back Hand-Dipped Ice Cream BarThe super-popular ice cream bar coated in chocolate was $1.50, and customers could make it their own by dipping it into almonds.
"It was like a Haagen Dazs bar but better," said one. "I loved how smooth and creamy the chocolate was."
"Hand-dipped ice cream bar, no doubt — can't find anything like it," said someone else.
"I had totally blocked this loss out of my mind, and now I need to go back to therapy — Thanks," read another comment dripping in sarcasm (but, sadly, not chocolate coating).
Polish DogThe clamoring for the Polish Dog to come back was so great that Costco has a page dedicated to explaining its reasoning for discontinuing it.
"In order to simplify our menu and make room for healthier options, we have decided to offer only the all-beef Hot Dog," Costco said when it retired the Polish Dog in 2018. "Sales show this is what the majority of members prefer. Though we understand many members loved the Polish Dog, we hope you enjoy our new offerings."
It's been about five years, and fans have not found a new favorite.
"Polish Dog because the hot dogs have no flavor," said a rather blunt fan.
FYI, it's still available in Canada. Road trip, anyone?
Condiments for the Polish Dog (or Hot Dogs in General)The Polish Dog grief session prompted fans to lament the loss of a group of food court items: Condiments.
"Polish Dog with sauerkraut, onions and brown mustard," wrote one person. "Am I imagining things, or didn't they have more than just yellow mustard?"
No, your eyes are correct, Redditor.
"Deli mustard was in the dispenser," said one.
"Onions and Dijon mustard for the dogs," wrote another. "They disappeared around the pandemic and never returned."
"Why must you remind me of what we lost?" cried a third.
Berry SmoothieA hit since its debut in the early-2000s, Costco replaced the beloved Berry Smoothie with a mango smoothie, and shoppers are not happy about it. They've especially missed their old standby during the heat of summer.
"It's so hot where I live," one said. "I had [the Berry Smoothie] a lot for lunch or dinner.
The good news? Costco heard shoppers' pleas and recently brought back the berry smoothie. Buh bye, mango smoothie!
ChiliFall is coming, and you'll have to live without food court chili.
The savory favorite combined beef, kidney beans, pinto beans, peppers and onion for a meal that screamed "football tailgates." Fans who do like hot dogs loved pairing them with chili. These shoppers — good sports about the Polish Dog's retirement — are screaming for the return of chili.
"Our Costco had a bowl of chili that, with a hotdog, is sorely missed," wrote one.
Carne Asada BakeIt's been more than a decade since Costco retired the Carne Asada Bake in 2012 (and replaced it with turkey and provolone). Fans are still sad about it.
"I was starting to think I'd hallucinated it," said a Redditor. "I loved it so much."
Original Caesar SaladAfter their pandemic-inspired hiatus, Costco brought salads back to the food court this year. Fans miss the old Caesar salad.
"I used to get one and split it over two lunches for work — so good and always fresh," recalled one. "The new one is the biggest disappointment [in] the food court because I had expectations."
Chicken BakesCostco removed several food court items in 2020 but actually brought one back: Chicken Bakes. There was a twist: It was frozen and pre-made. The newest iteration of the favorite grab-and-go item made with chicken, cheese, bacon and Caesar dressing hasn't landed.
"The current ones are frozen and pre-made and merely heated up," said one. "They used to be made on-site with pizza dough. The Caesar dressing was brushed on after it was cooked, so you could get it on the side or not at all (my preference). They were MUCH fluffier, crispier on the outside, and the chicken was juicier."
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