If you're doing your summer grocery shopping anywhere other than Costco, you're almost certainly making a financial mistake. The math isn't complicated — Costco's prices on the brands you already buy routinely beat what you'd pay at a regular grocery store, Target, or specialty retailer, often by a significant margin.
That's especially true in June, when you're going through more of everything: sparkling water for cookouts, frozen protein for quick weeknight dinners, coffee for iced lattes, and frozen treats for every warm evening. Buying in bulk at Costco's prices simply makes sense.
Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.
Peet's Coffee Major Dickason's Blend, Dark Roast Whole Bean
Price: $24.99
If you're still buying single-pound bags of Peet's at your grocery store or a coffee shop, Costco's 2-pound bag of Major Dickason's Dark Roast whole bean is an immediate upgrade. It's the same bold, complex blend — just sized for a household that actually drinks coffee, and priced accordingly.
A single-pound bag of Major Dickason's runs $13 to $16 at specialty retailers and coffee shops. Costco's 2-pound bag comes in just below double that, which means you're getting more coffee for less per ounce. Peak iced coffee season is a good reason to keep a bag in the pantry.
S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
Price: $26.99
Twenty-four bottles of S.Pellegrino is the kind of Costco buy that makes an immediate difference in your summer — for cookouts, dinner, or just a Tuesday when still water isn't cutting it. This is genuinely the best price you'll find on this pack size, and it's the kind of thing you'll go through faster than expected once the warm weather hits.
The same 24-pack runs around $39 at Walmart. At Costco, you're paying roughly $1.12 a bottle for mineral water that feels a little elevated, which makes the math on a membership look very good.
RXBAR Protein Bars Variety Pack
Price: $20.99
RXBAR has earned its reputation as one of the cleanest protein bars on the market — minimal ingredient list, real food, and actually filling. The 14-count variety pack makes it easy to keep a stash going all summer, whether that's in your bag, at your desk, or in the car for road trips and beach days.
Individual RXBAR bars at a regular grocery store run $2.50 to $3.50 each. Buy 14 of them there and you're easily spending $35 or more. Costco gets you the same 14 bars for around $21 — and the variety pack means you won't get stuck eating the same flavor all summer.
Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil Spray
Price: $24.99
Avocado oil spray disappears fast in grilling season — coating grates, sheet pans, and vegetables on repeat. Chosen Foods is a trusted brand known for 100% pure avocado oil with a high smoke point, no chemical propellants, and a neutral flavor that won't compete with what you're cooking. That alone is reason enough to stock up now and not think about it again until fall.
Nongshim Udon Premium Noodle Soup
Price: $18.99
Nongshim's udon bowls have developed a devoted following at Costco for good reason: thick, chewy noodles in a rich savory broth, ready in minutes. For summer nights when nobody wants to spend time over a hot stove, having six of these in the pantry is a genuinely practical solution.
Tyson Panko Breaded Chicken Breast Tenderloins
Price: $20.24
Five pounds of Tyson's panko-breaded chicken tenderloins is the kind of freezer investment that makes summer weeknight dinners a non-issue. Quick in the oven or air fryer, loved by the whole family, and versatile enough to go into wraps, salads, or alongside a dipping sauce without any real effort.
At a typical grocery store, you'd pay $6 to $8 per pound for a comparable fully-prepared, breaded chicken product. Costco's bulk price works out to about $4 per pound — and with 5 pounds in the freezer, you're covered for weeks.
Bibigo Beef Bulgogi Mandu
Price: $15.20
Bibigo's Beef Bulgogi Mandu have become one of the most talked-about freezer finds at Costco — Korean-style dumplings packed with seasoned bulgogi beef, ready to pan-fry or steam in under 10 minutes. They work as an appetizer, a side, or an honest-to-goodness full dinner on nights when cooking isn't happening.
Three pounds of quality dumplings from a comparable brand at a specialty grocery or Asian market runs $19 or more. Costco's price is meaningfully lower, and the quality is there to back it up — worth picking up an extra bag while you're in the freezer aisle.
Amylu Organic Caramelized Onion & Aged White Cheddar Chicken Burgers
Price: $16.47
These are not your average frozen chicken patties. Amylu's organic burgers come loaded with caramelized onion and aged white cheddar, fully cooked, and ready in just a few minutes on the grill, in a pan, or in the air fryer. They're the move for a June cookout when you want something a little elevated without a lot of cleanup.
Comparable organic chicken burgers at a specialty grocer typically run $12 to $15 for fewer patties. At Costco you're getting eight for around $16, which works out to about $2 per burger for organic, antibiotic-free chicken with genuinely good ingredients.
Nestle Drumstick Variety Pack
Price: $12.95
Few things signal summer more reliably than a box of Drumsticks in the freezer. Nestle's 16-count variety pack covers the classics — vanilla, vanilla caramel, and vanilla fudge — and Costco's price works out to under $1 per cone for a name-brand ice cream treat that everyone in the house will go for.
At a typical grocery store, an 8-count box runs $6 to $8. The 16-count Costco pack is the better value by a wide margin, and one that will disappear faster than you expect once the warm evenings get going.
- 18-29
- 30-39
- 40-49
- 50-59
- 60-69
- 70-79
- 80+
Oikos Triple Zero Greek Nonfat Yogurt Variety Pack
Price: $15.27
Oikos Triple Zero earns its name: zero added sugar, zero artificial sweeteners, zero fat — and it doesn't taste like any of those things are missing. The 18-cup variety pack is the smart way to keep a high-protein breakfast or snack option stocked all week without multiple grocery trips.
A 6-cup pack at a typical grocery store runs $6 to $7, which means you'd spend $18 to $21 for the same number of cups elsewhere. At Costco, the math is significantly better, and 18 cups means you're actually set for the week.
DeeBee's Organics Superfruit Freezie Pops
Price: $10.82
Freezie pops for the health-conscious crowd: DeeBee's uses real fruit juice, no artificial colors, and no added sugar — making these a much better pull-from-the-freezer option than most traditional pops. Forty for around $10 is exceptional value for a brand that usually commands a premium at natural grocery stores.
At that price, you're paying about 27 cents per pop. These are an easy win whether you've got grandkids visiting or just need something cold and sweet after dinner every night all summer long.
Sabatino's Antibiotic-Free Smoked Mozzarella Chicken Sausage
Price: $16.27
Sabatino's has earned a loyal Costco fan base, and this smoked mozzarella with artichoke and garlic chicken sausage is exactly why. Fully cooked, versatile enough to go on the grill, into a pasta, or sliced onto a sheet pan with summer vegetables — it makes weeknight dinners feel effortless rather than improvised.
Artisan-style chicken sausages at a specialty grocer can easily run $8 to $12 per pound. Costco's price for 3 pounds is a fraction of that, and at this quality level, the value is genuinely hard to match anywhere else.
Bottom line
Costco's value on groceries doesn't require a monthly sale to be real — these are the everyday prices it charges on name brands you'd buy anyway. From the coffee in your pantry to the dumplings in your freezer to the frozen treats for summer evenings, the savings compared to a regular grocery store add up fast. Shop Costco's full food selection to see everything available for members and find what fits your household best.
Most items in this roundup are available both in-warehouse and online for members, so even if a store run isn't in the cards, you can still restock from your couch. A Costco membership pays for itself in the food aisle — and summer is one of the better times of year to prove it.
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