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I'm a dietitian on the Mediterranean diet who loves Costco. Here are 10 of the best things I bought there this year.

boxes of pomegranates at costco
It's finally pomegranate season, and Costco has a great deal on the fruit.

Lauren Manaker

  • I'm a dietitian who follows the Mediterranean diet, and I shop for pantry staples at Costco.
  • Costco is my go-to spot for pistachios, salad kits, riced cauliflower, and olive oil.
  • I also really enjoyed some of its seasonal products this year, like churro-flavored ground coffee.

As a dietitian, I'm dedicated to the Mediterranean diet โ€” a way of eating that highlights wholesome grains, fats, proteins, and produce and avoids processed foods and refined sugars.

Costco is home to bulk bargains and oversized shopping carts that nearly require a license to navigate, but it also happens to be filled with Mediterranean-friendly treasures.

Here are my favorite grocery finds of 2024.

I don't drink much soda, but I love Olipop

Strawberry-vanilla Olipop
Olipop is a prebiotic drink with less sugar than most traditional sodas.

Veronica Thatcher

Soda isn't a staple on the Mediterranean diet, but I enjoy it occasionally.

Olipop prebiotic soda allows me to indulge while packing up to 9 grams of fiber per can. It also has far less sugar than regular sodas.

Costco sells single-flavor bulk packs, but I like to snag the 24-can variety pack when it's available.

Pom Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice is a fun winter treat

hand holding a bottle of pom pomegranate juice at costco
I like making pomegranate mocktails.

Lauren Manaker

When the weather gets cooler, I love having pomegranate juice on hand for festive holiday mocktails (the natural red hue elevates any concoction beautifully).

Plus, Pom Wonderful just uses whole-pressed pomegranates โ€” no added sugars or fillers.

The organic Mediterranean-crunch salad kit from Taylor Farms is a staple

chopped salad kits in the fridge at costco
It's nice to have a salad kit in the fridge for quick lunches or dinners.

Lauren Manaker

On busy weeknights, salad kits are a go-to for easy meal prep.

This Mediterranean-crunch kit from Taylor Farms is packed with a variety of veggies and feta cheese. I like to add some pistachios or cooked fish for extra protein.

I still keep an eye out for my favorite seasonal flavor of Copper Cow Coffee

At the beginning of the year, my local Costco had Copper Cow Coffee's churro flavor, and I still keep an eye out for if it'll return to shelves.

The Vietnamese coffee is made with a blend of robusta and arabica coffee beans and fresh ground cinnamon for a warming cup with a touch of spice.

I still snag regular-sized bags of the flavor at other stores, but the 2-pound bags at Costco were a convenient find. I hope to see them again in 2025.

I buy Purely Frozen organic riced cauliflower for my smoothies

Costcoo frozen organic riced cauliflower
The riced cauliflower blends smoothly.

Elizabeth Blasi

The huge bags of Purely Frozen organic riced cauliflower at Costco are a good value for me.

I add some of it to all of my weekday smoothies to stay consistent with my veggie intake each morning.

Wonderful Pistachios are my go-to snack

crates of pistachios on shelves at costco
I like the salt-and-pepper flavor from Wonderful Pistachios.

Lauren Manaker

Plant-based proteins are a big component of the Mediterranean diet, and pistachios are a complete source โ€” meaning they provide all of the essential amino acids.

Costco sells big bags of Wonderful Pistachios' salt-and-pepper-flavored nuts.

They're a no-brainer at snack time, or anytime I want to add some more nutrients to a meal.

I'm glad I came across the Savannah Bee Company honey trio

boxes of a honey trio kit at costco
The pack comes with acacia honey, raw honeycomb, and orange-blossom honey.

Lauren Manaker

Honey is a natural source of antioxidants, and it's delicious.

I came across the Savannah Bee Company three-pack at Costco, which offers acacia honey, raw honeycomb, and orange-blossom honey.

I like to mix and match flavors depending on the dish I'm preparing.

JohnnyPops organic sunrise pops were great in the summer

Dietitians need treats, too.

This summer, my local Costco sold JohnnyPops frozen fruit pops, which are made with simple ingredients (minimally processed) and taste really good.

Plus, since they're individually wrapped, they're great for portion control.

I'm definitely keeping my eye out for them next summer.

I'm a big fan of the Kirkland 100% Spanish extra-virgin olive oil

bottles of spanish olive oil at costco
Spanish olive oil has a nice flavor.

Lauren Manaker

I go through a lot of olive oil as it's a staple of the Mediterranean diet.

Although I don't have a favorite variety, per se, I'm partial to Spanish olive oil because of its fruity, nutty, and peppery notes.

The Kirkland Spanish olive oil is cold-extracted and comes in a dark bottle, which should help preserve its quality (and flavor) over time.

The Seeds of Change organic quinoa and brown rice pouches are lifesavers

boxes of quinoa and rice packs at Costco
The microwaveable pouches make it easy for me to serve whole grains.

Lauren Manaker

I like to keep Seeds of Change's organic quinoa and brown rice pouches on hand. They help me get a whole grain (another Mediterranean-diet staple) on the dinner table in 90 seconds.

Although I prefer making brown rice and quinoa the old-fashioned way, precooked grains make life a little easier on busy nights.

Click to keep reading Costco diaries like this one.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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