It’s once again time for me to highlight some of the best things you need (maybe not need but highly should get) at Costco this month. During my research trip this week I actually ran into one of my blog readers!

With the outdoor grilling season on the horizon I will try to highlight some items that you can pick up to make your next cookout a success as well healthier. We will also take a look at what’s happening in the produce department as we have made it past the end of winter/beginning of spring doldrums. I found something that I am super excited to share with you but you are going to have to wait until later in the post (I know the anticipation!).

For you organic fans I have a lot of goodies in this post for you. See ways of how shopping at Costco can save you money on organic products.

Cookout Essentials

Want to go with a more healthier burger option for your next cookout. Here are some fabulous choices:

Kirkland Organic Ground Beef | 4 pound package for $19.99 ($4.99/lb)

Now that’s a deal on organic ground beef. Lots of places you will pay $4.99/lb just for conventional ground beef. It comes in 4 1-lb packages. Easy to freeze for later cookouts or plenty of meat for when you are having a larger event.

Ground Bison | 2.5 pound package for $19.99 ($7.99/lb)

Have you ever tried bison? It tastes very similar to beef. I don’t find it too be too gamey tasting, just richer in flavor. Bison is also leaner (be careful not to overcook it) than cow but still packed with protein. The way it is raised is better too. You don’t have the large “factories” for bison as you do for cows. Even bison that is not certified organic is likely to be better than conventional beef.

Here is a list of websites that talk about the health benefits of bison – Livestrong | Dr. Axe | Chicago Now

As you can see by the price it is more expensive than beef. The price at Costco is among the cheapest for ground bison I have seen. Most stores you are going to at least pay $9.99 a pound.

Butterball Organic Ground Turkey | $4.99/lb

Want to avoid the red meat all together, go with turkey burgers. When cooked perfectly, I like a turkey burger as much as a “regular” beef burger. Whenever i go to Red Robin I actually order their turkey burger every time. Until you get a feel for cooking turkey burgers, try using a thermometer to know when it is cooked to the proper temperature. Costco offers organic ground turkey from Butterball under their Farm to Family line.

Connie’s Kitchen Spinach & Feta Chicken Sausage | $13.79 for 48oz ($4.59/lb)

Of course anyone can throw hot dogs on the grill. Don’t forget to give sausage a chance as well. It can be a healthier alternative in a bun. The kids might not like the alternative but it’s good to have them give a try in a no pressure situation.

Here is some information from the package of Connie’s Kitchen sausage:

Finlandia Cheese Slices | $7.69 for 32oz package ($3.85/lb)

If you are going to buy sliced cheese for your burgers, why not buy a pack that comes with options. Finlandia cheese comes with the choice of Swiss, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Colby Jack. I love giving my guests options and this is a simple way to do it that won’t break the bank.

Produce

Apriums | $6.99 for 2 lb container ($3.49/lb)

Without a shadow of a doubt this is what I was most excited about during my May Costco visit. It has been a long time since I have had a good piece of stone fruit (peaches, nectarines, plum, apricots, etc). The ones that get imported from Chile during the winter are rarely ever worth eating. So not only is their California grown stone fruit to buy, there are apriums to buy. I heart apriums! From the photo they look exactly like an apricot, right?. However an aprium has plum in it’s DNA as well as apricot. It is more on the apricot side where pluots are more plum than apricot. What I love about apriums is that they sweet and not mealy like some grocery store apricots often are.

They have a short season so grab them now while you can. They are usually usually available at the beginning of the season and then again near the end. So we are talking May-June and then August. If you must stop reading this post to get your car and go to Costco, feel free to just pick back up where you left off when you have them safely in your cart.

Here is a photo from the side of the box the apriums were in. This tells you the exact variety you are getting. Watch for these anytime you buy peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, and pluots at Costco so in the future you can know what the good varieties are.

Organic Strawberries | $4.99 for 2 lb clamshell

$4.99 for a 1 pound container of organic strawberries is common in most stores. Whole Foods goes about as low as $3.99 when on sale. So 2 pounds for $4.99 is a deal worth taking advantage of.

Organic Blueberries | $7.49 for 18oz clamshell

While not as cheap as the strawberries, organic blueberries aren’t always available at Costco. These ones are from Hippie Organics, a company I had not heard of until this season. They put fun little art work on the packages, to make it, well more fun! Here is a video I found that shows more about them:

Grapes | Black for $8.99 for 4lbs, Green for $9.49 for 4 lbs

Believe or not, now isn’t a bad time to get grapes. The last of the Chilean grapes for the season are in and at their peak of sweetness. Soon the first California grapes hit the market, way before they are sweet enough. Prices aren’t too bad now either. So grab some grapes and then hold off for better grapes again in August and September.

Thanks everyone for checking out this month’s Costco Food Finds. I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment below.

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