4 Costco Foods to Always Keep in Your Pantry

Costco can be a great place to shop for all sorts of products -- especially groceries. The warehouse club has a great selection of food products at prices that are friendly to your checking account. 

If you want to make sure you always have a well-stocked pantry, but you don't want to run up big credit card bills doing it, consider stocking up on these Costco staples that are always nice to have around.

1. Olive oil

Costco offers multiple choices of olive oil, including Kirkland Signature, Refined Olive Oil and Kirkland Signature Extra Virgin Italian Olive Oil, as well as an organic alternative, Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

At just $9.49 per liter for the regular extra virgin olive oil if bought online and a little less in store, the price is well below what many competitors charge for similar products. With an 18- to 24-month shelf life for most olive oils, you should have plenty of time to use this product up before it goes bad. 

It's convenient to have on hand as a vast majority of recipes require cooking oil, and Costco's plastic bottle ensures you won't have to worry about it getting broken on your pantry shelves in between uses. 

2. Pancake mix

You can make starting off the day with a good breakfast easy if you keep your pantry stocked with Bisquick Pancake and Baking Mix. 

The Costco box makes around 155 pancakes for $10.99 per box sold online. It's cheaper per ounce than a smaller box purchased at Walmart, and its versatility -- including the fact you can make so many things with it, from muffins to bread to waffles to coffee cake and beyond -- means you're very likely to use up the big box once you buy it. 

3. Diced tomatoes

Diced tomatoes are a pantry staple because they can be used to whip up a quick soup or sauce for dinner. And the Kirkland Signature Organic Diced Tomatoes from Costco definitely deserve a place in your pantry. 

You'll get eight cans of these organic tomatoes for $7.99 online, which is just under $1 per can. That's a lower price than many competitors charge, even for non-organic alternatives. The tomatoes have received rave reviews from many online users, so keep them on hand in case you get the urge to make sauce, chili, or a salad. 

4. Garlic salt 

Garlic salt can enhance many meals, but it can be expensive to buy, with a six-ounce jar priced at $0.623 per ounce at Walmart. You can get a huge jar for less than half that amount at Costco, and will have 33 ounces of garlic salt to enhance your dishes. Meat, fish, soups, and stews can all be made zestier with a few simple shakes, simplifying the process of figuring out what to cook for dinner.

Each of these pantry staples can go a long way toward simplifying your efforts in the kitchen. They're more affordable from Costco than from many other sources, and they have a long shelf life so you won't have to worry about buying in bulk. Give them a try today so you'll be stocked up and ready to make meals at a moment's notice.