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What pro chefs actually buy at Costco

Professional chefs reveal the Costco staples they actually buy, from salmon and steaks, to pantry essentials and cooking oil

Omar Abascal / Unsplash

Costco $COST -0.83% has a way of turning an ordinary grocery run into a test of restraint. You went in for eggs and somehow found yourself contemplating a three-pound cheesecake, a new patio set and enough batteries to power a small village. But according to professional chefs, the warehouse club is also a surprisingly smart place to stock up on ingredients you’ll actually use.

Reader’s Digest spoke with five culinary professionals about the Costco purchases that regularly make their way into their carts. Their choices range from high-end ingredients to everyday staples.

Buying in bulk only saves money if you can actually use what you buy before it goes bad. The chefs featured by Reader’s Digest seem to approach Costco with that practical calculation in mind. Some favor freezer-friendly proteins that can be portioned out over time. Others stock up on pantry staples that are unlikely to spoil quickly. A few simply appreciate having restaurant-worthy ingredients available without paying specialty-store prices.

Their recommendations also reflect very different cooking styles, and you probably don’t need to buy everything on this list. However, if you’re looking for ways to make a Costco membership work harder in the kitchen, these are five of the purchases Reader’s Digest says professional chefs themselves consider worth adding to the cart.

1. Salmon is a chef-approved Costco staple that works for quick meals and dinner parties alike

Caroline Attwood / Unsplash

Salmon earns a spot near the top because it manages to be both practical and impressive. Reader’s Digest found that professional chefs recommend Costco $COST -0.83%’s salmon in both fresh and frozen forms, depending........

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