The $11 Costco Find I Buy Once a Week and Use Every Single Day

When you become a Costco member, you gain access to the warehouse’s famous food court, discounted gasoline, travel deals, and more. But the biggest draw, IMO, is the shelves stacked high with some of the best groceries — at the best prices — around. 

I’ve been a proud card-carrying member for more than 13 years, and I’ve tried hundreds of Costco’s products. In that time, I’ve noticed a common thread among my favorite buys: So many are items from Costco’s store brand, Kirkland Signature. 

One area of the store where I head straight for the Kirkland Signature label is the freezer section. Behind those glass doors are frozen fruits, vegetables, and desserts that taste delicious and are often more affordable than their name-brand counterparts. This week I’m restocking my freezer with Kirkland Signature Organic Frozen Strawberries, and I hope you consider doing the same.

Strawberries are the sole ingredient listed on this bag, so there’s no reason to pay a premium for fancy packaging elsewhere. Costco’s Kirkland Signature Organic Strawberries are reliably plump and sweet. Unlike fresh strawberries, which have a limited shelf life, the frozen ones are picked at their peak and individually flash frozen. I buy organic when I can, and Costco offers that option here. 

The 4-pound bag of organic frozen strawberries costs $10.99, or $0.17 per ounce, in store. My local grocery store sells much smaller, 10-ounce bags for $3.87, or $0.39 cents per ounce. (If you want even more berries for your buck, Costco also sells a 6-pound bag of conventional frozen strawberries for $12.99 in stores or $15.99 online.) 

Smoothies are always my first stop when I bring home a bag of frozen fruit. My current morning routine involves this strawberry cloud smoothie that is as satisfying to sip as it is to look at. Frozen strawberries play nice with other fruits, too. Try this tropical strawberry-mango smoothie, or this classic strawberry banana smoothie. You can start with frozen strawberries for three-ingredient strawberry nice cream, or blend them into a soda-shop-style strawberry milkshake. 

When thawed, frozen strawberries have a softer texture than fresh berries. So while they might not be a good substitute in a dessert like strawberry shortcake, there are plenty of other recipes to try. When you thaw the strawberries, you can use them in place of fresh berries in baked goods like strawberry cobbler, upside-down strawberry skillet cake, or strawberry-rhubarb pie. Try simmering the frozen strawberries into a glaze or strawberry purée to add to your morning yogurt or spoon over store-bought cheesecake. 

Find it in stores: Kirkland Signature Organic Frozen Strawberries, $10.99 for 4 pounds in store or $13.99 at Instacart

This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: The $11 Costco Find I Buy Once a Week and Use Every Single Day