I Love Costco -- but Here Are 5 Things I Refuse to Buy There

Costco is great, but it doesn't always offer the best products or deals.

Some people with Costco memberships shop there once a month. But for my family, Costco is a weekly errand. We buy a host of food items at Costco, from milk to cheeses to salad mixes.

But while I happen to be a big fan of Costco, there are certain items I won't pick up while I'm shopping there. Here's that list. 

1. Pasta

Pasta is a staple item in my household, fueled largely by my children's love of macaroni and cheese. (I try to at least make the home-cooked kind with actual cheese, as opposed to that neon orange powder you'll find in the instant stuff.) 

But pasta tends to go on sale at regular intervals at my local supermarket. When it does, I find that it's cheaper than Costco's price. And so I make a point to bypass the pasta section at Costco since it generally won't result in me saving any money. 

2. Cereal

Cereal is something I eat almost every day. And sometimes, Costco offers a good price on its bulk cereal boxes. 

But I'm also not a brand snob when it comes to cereal. And that means I'm more than willing to buy the generic or store brand version at my local supermarket at a much lower price point -- one that's even more competitive than what Costco normally offers.

3. Condiments

We go through a lot of condiments in my house. But my regular supermarket tends to heavily discount condiments during the summer. And since things like ketchup and mustard generally have a pretty decent "best by" window, I often find that I'm able to stock up over the summer without having to replenish my supply during the year. The result? A lower credit card tab.

4. Fruit bowls

I'm a big fan of buying produce at Costco. I find that it's fresh and reasonably priced. And since my family goes through a lot of it, I usually don't end up wasting anything when I buy it in bulk. 

But while buying fruit at Costco makes sense financially for my family, buying their bowls of pre-cut fruit doesn't. Not only have they gotten more expensive over the past year, but because the fruit is all cut and messed with, it has a pretty limited shelf life. 

Plus, call me picky, but when I pay a premium for pre-cut fruit, I want it cut into sizes that are suitable for the average human mouth. Costco's fruit bowls often feature massive chunks of pineapple or melon that even my husband struggles with (and he's been known to devour a slice of pizza in two bites). 

In fact, the last time I bought a bowl of pre-cut fruit at Costco, I wound up having to re-cut it. That was a giant waste of money.

5. Rice

Have you seen the size of Costco's bulk rice sacks? They're huge, and I'm fairly certain they weigh more than my seven-year-old. 

Now, I'm all for buying non-perishable grocery items in bulk and enjoying my share of savings. And it's not like rice isn't something we cook in my house. 

At the same time, storing a sack of rice the size of a small human in my pantry just isn't appealing. And while I know uncooked rice should have a fairly long shelf life, I can't imagine it's a great idea to have a partially opened bag sitting around for years on end (which is probably the amount of time it would take the average home cook to use it up). 

Shop at Costco judiciously

Costco offers a lot of bargains. But that doesn't mean it will always have the lowest price. And even when the price looks right, the item you're getting in return may not be the most suitable for your household (like a sack of rice that's meant to feed a small village for a month). 

That's why it pays to think carefully before making Costco purchases. And if you feel the need to compile a "do not buy" list like I have, so be it.