For those embracing the ketogenic lifestyle, Costco can be a treasure trove of affordable, keto-friendly options. The warehouse chain's bulk offerings and organic selections make it a popular destination for low-carb enthusiasts. This guide will navigate you through the aisles, highlighting the best keto products Costco has to offer, from everyday staples to convenient snacks and specialty items.
Why Costco for Keto?
Costco provides exceptional value with its mega-sizes and a growing selection of organic products appealing to the health-conscious, particularly those following a ketogenic diet. A Costco membership can unlock access to a wide array of keto-friendly ingredients and meals, often at prices lower than traditional grocery stores.
Keto Shopping at Costco: Aisle by Aisle
To make your Costco keto shopping experience more organized, let's categorize the best finds by food type:
Meat & Poultry
Meat is a cornerstone of the keto diet, providing protein and fat. Costco offers a variety of options:
- Chicken:
- Rotisserie Chicken: A convenient and affordable option for quick meals or meal prep. Its higher fat content compared to leaner cuts makes it ideal for keto.
- Chicken Thighs: High in protein and fat, chicken thighs are an excellent choice for reaching your daily fat intake goals.
- Boneless Chicken Breasts: A versatile source of lean protein.
- Chicken Strips (Unbreaded): Look for unbreaded varieties for a quick and easy protein source.
- Beef:
- Ground Beef: Opt for organic ground beef for added health benefits. It can be portioned and frozen for future use.
- Bacon: Kirkland Signature bacon is a customer favorite. This naturally low-carb, high-fat option is perfect for reaching your daily fat goals. Stock up when you find it, as availability can vary.
- Sausage: Costco typically carries several keto-friendly sausage varieties.
- Lunch Meat and Prosciutto: Great for quick meals, Costco's prosciutto is certified authentic from Italy.
Seafood
- Wild-Caught Salmon: Wild-caught salmon is a nutritional powerhouse, rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Costco offers frozen wild Alaskan sockeye salmon at a competitive price. It can be baked with lemon and Bulletproof-approved spices directly from frozen.
- Smoked Wild Salmon: Choose brands with pure ingredients and wild-caught salmon for enhanced omega-3 content. Be mindful of added sugars.
- Tuna: Costco-brand tuna is available in packs of eight, offering a convenient and long-lasting option for tuna lettuce wraps or tuna salad. Choose tuna in oil for added fat.
- Pre-Marinated Salmon Filets: These individually wrapped, frozen filets offer a convenient meal option.
Produce
- Avocados: Avocados are a keto staple due to their low carb and high healthy fat content. Costco offers them at competitive prices.
- Asparagus: Hampton Hills asparagus spears come in individual pouches for easy steaming. Asparagus is naturally low in net carbs and high in fiber and vitamins.
- Cauliflower Rice: Green Giant riced cauliflower comes in microwaveable pouches for quick and easy meal preparation.
- Leafy Greens: Baby chard, kale, and spinach are nutrient-rich and full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Lightly steam them to reduce oxalate content.
- Mushrooms: Organic mushrooms from Highline are affordable and low in net carbs.
- Berries: Berries are the best dessert and go well when prepped in a savory fashion (tossed into a salad) and sweet (paired with a drizzle of coconut butter).
Dairy & Alternatives
- Butter:
- Kerrygold Butter: Costco has historically offered Kerrygold butter at a competitive price.
- Kirkland Grass-Fed Butter: Costco's own brand of grass-fed butter is often even more affordable.
- Cheese: Costco's cheddar cheese is a budget-friendly option with just one gram of carbohydrates per serving.
- Ghee: Ancient Organics Ghee is typically stocked at Costco.
- Eggs: Costco's five-dozen container of eggs is a great value. Eggs are packed with complete protein sources and healthy fats.
- Coconut Milk: Look for coconut milk without carrageenan. The coconut milk carries all the same health benefits as coconut oil. It’s a great source of saturated fat - good for your brain and the most stable fat for cooking.
- Mayonnaise Alternative: Choose a mayonnaise alternative without refined vegetable oils.
Nuts, Seeds, & Flours
- Macadamia Nuts: Macadamia nuts are high in healthy fats and offer a modest amount of protein.
- Almonds: Kirkland Signature almonds are a budget-friendly source of nutrients, including healthy fats and protein.
- Almond Butter: Kirkland Signature almond butter contains only roasted almonds and is a healthy and affordable option.
- Pumpkin Seeds: Pumpkin seeds are a nutritious source of fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals with zero net carbs per serving.
- Hemp Hearts: Hemp hearts provide an ideal ratio of protein and fat and are low in carbs.
- Almond Flour: Almond flour can be used as a breading substitute, in pancake recipes, or as a pizza crust.
Snacks & Beverages
- Kiss My Keto Gummies: These fruity gummy bears are low in sugar and net carbs.
- No Sugar Chocolate Mint Keto Bars: A dessert-like bar with no sugar.
- Unreal Dark Chocolate Coconut Minis: A keto-friendly alternative to Almond Joy.
- Kirkland Signature Extra Fancy Mixed Nuts: A high-fat, low-carb snack.
- Country Archer Grass-Fed Beef Stick Minis: A protein-rich snack.
- No Sugar Dark Chocolatey Caramel Pecan Shellz: Low-calorie caramels with a gooey caramel and crunchy pecan center.
- Kiss My Keto Tropical Ring Gummies: A keto-friendly version of a childhood favorite.
- Golden Island Korean Barbecue Pork Snack Bites: Savory snack bites with 10 grams of protein per serving.
- Kirkland Signature Organic Roasted Seaweed: A light and healthy snack.
- No Sugar Chocolate Caramel & Peanut Metabars: A multi-layered snack bar with caramel, peanuts, whey protein crisps, a nougat cookie, and a dark chocolate base.
- Roasted Kale Chips: Made with kale, sea salt, and olive oil, these chips are a tasty and convenient snack.
- Cold Brew Coffee: Carb-free and low-calorie.
Other Keto-Friendly Finds
- Kirkland Organic Virgin Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-viral, and stands up to high-heat cooking. It can also be used as a natural moisturizer.
- Del Destino Capers: Capers are full of fiber and antioxidants.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Costco offers a giant bottle of pure vanilla extract at a good price.
- Almond Flour Chips: Crunchy and flavorful chips made from almond flour.
- Keto Pancake Mix: Gluten-free pancake mix made from almond flour.
- Keto Brownie Mix: A simple way to create fudgy and flavorful brownies.
- Keto Peanut Butter Cups: No sugar added keto peanut butter cups.
- Keto Chocolate: Bags of keto chocolate.
- Keto Cereal: Keto-friendly cereal options.
- Keto Granola: Keto-friendly granola options.
Specific Products Mentioned:
- Wonderworks Cereal: A cereal made by General Mills and is available at Costco and Walmart.
- NuTrail Granola: A top keto granola option.
- Real Good Foods: A company that makes keto-friendly frozen foods like pizzas, enchiladas, entrée meals, and ice cream.
- Inno Foods: Some items by Inno Foods at Costco may be disappointing in terms of quality and taste.
Ingredients to Consider
- Eggs: Eggs are a staple on the Bulletproof Diet, and for good reason - they’re full of healthy fats and high in protein.
- Almonds: A few almonds will do the job,” says Schmidt. Note: You want to go easy on the nuts - they can be high in mold toxins and spoil easily.
- Sea Salt: Compared to table salt (which we should avoid), sea salt has important trace minerals in it,” says Schmidt. Sprinkle this salt over all your meals to give you a good dose of minerals and electrolytes.
Important Considerations
- Hidden Carbs: Be aware that pre-packaged meats may contain added carbohydrates.
- Mold Toxins: Nuts can be high in mold toxins, so consume them in moderation.
- Emulsifiers: Some coconut milk brands use carrageenan as an emulsifier, which can damage your gut lining. Guar gum is an acceptable alternative.
- Added Sugars: Be mindful of added sugars in products like smoked salmon.
- Moderation: Dairy products contain natural sugars, so moderate your intake.
- Quality: Pay attention to the quality of ingredients, opting for organic and wild-caught options when possible.
Recipes to Try
- Wild Salmon and Buttered Kale: Use Costco's wild Alaskan sockeye salmon and leafy greens in this recipe.
- Baked Salmon With Thyme-Ghee and Cucumber Noodles: Combine Costco's salmon with ghee and cucumber noodles.
- Cauliflower Berry Smoothie: Use Costco's cauliflower rice to bulk up your smoothie.
- Vanilla Keto Fat Bomb: Incorporate Costco's coconut oil into this recipe.
- Keto Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Glaze: Use Costco's pure vanilla extract in this cake.
- Keto Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies: Use Costco's pure vanilla extract in these cookies.
- Vanilla Shortbread Berry Crumble: Use berries from Costco to make this crumble.
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