12 Nutritionist Approved Costco Finds

I’ve always really enjoyed shopping at Costco (minus the crazy line-ups), and lately I’ve been finding more and more healthy organic options lining their shelves. Today I want to share a few of the the items I would totally recommend. It goes without saying that organic fruits and vegetables should always be apart of your grocery store haul, but I think it’s important to talk about the other items that don’t fall under those two categories. We’ve all heard the suggestion to keep to the perimeter of the store when grocery shopping, but what about when you wander into the isles? Is EVERYTHING in the middle to be avoided altogether? Not necessarily. The items below are all items that are found down the middle isles, are not fruits and vegetables, and can still be apart of a healthy diet. In no particular order…

#1. Wholly Guacamole

I actually don’t mind making my own guacamole, but this is a great option if you’re wanting a healthy snack on the go. It’s USDA organic and all the ingredients are simple.

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#2. Frozen Organic Fruit

Did you know that frozen fruit is actually more nutrient rich than fresh fruit? It’s because the fruit is picked at the point of peak ripeness and then flash frozen to preserve its nutrients. Fresh fruit is often picked before it’s completely ripe, then it continues to ripen through travel, on the store shelf, and then in your home. By the time you eat it, it’s actually lost some of it’s nutrient quality. Since strawberries are #1 on the dirty dozen list, it’s important to ALWAYS make sure you stick with organic grown strawberries. These organic frozen berries are great for adding to smoothies, desserts or as a topping to yogurt.

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#3. Organic Coconut Oil

I always have one of these in my pantry. It’s great for all kinds of things, even beyond the kitchen. I use it as cooking oil for almost everything, and use it instead of vegetable oil in all my baking. I also keep a small jar of it in my bathroom and use it as a hair mask and moisturizer. Coconut oil also has antiviral, antibacterial and anti fungal properties and can help keep your immune system strong.

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#4. Red Lentil Pasta

This is a great pasta option if you’re wanting something that’s gluten-free. Typically gluten-free pasta is packed full of random ingredients that aren’t doing your body any favours. Check out the ingredient list below on this red lentil penne though. The ONLY ingredient is red lentil flour! Now this is what you’re looking for on an ingredient list.

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#5. Mary’s Crackers

Mary’s Crackers are a great cracker option to enjoy with hummus, guacamole or salsa. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and all the ingredients are things you can understand. They’re actually a great deal at Costco too.

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#6. Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This is another oil that is always in my pantry. I use it for cooking at lower temperatures and it’s perfect for seasoning my cast iron frying pans. It’s USDA Organic and great quality. I also use it to make my own salad dressings. Freshly squeezed lemon juice, sea salt and olive oil is such a simple and yummy dressing to add to your salad.

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#7. Organic Avocado Oil

Avocado oil and coconut oil are great oils to use for cooking at higher temperatures. The label on this brand says it can be heated all the way to 260C. Use this oil for cooking at higher temperatures when you need to.

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#8. Marinara Sauce

I love the ingredient list on this marinara sauce. It’s all ingredients you will know, there are no additives and most importantly no added sugars. It’s USDA approved organic and it comes in a glass jar so you don’t have to worry about BPA lined cans. I use this to make sauce for zucchini noodles, adding to Shepard’s Pie and for homemade pizza sauce.

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#9. GT’s Kombucha

This is one of my favourite brands of kombucha because it doesn’t have sugar added back to it after the fermenting process. Incorporating raw fermented foods like kombucha is so beneficial to your health because it supports the growth of good bacteria in you gut. Did you know that you actually have more bacteria cells in your body than human cells? Did you also know, the bacteria in your gut make up for about 80% of your immune system? Eating and drinking fermented foods help add good bacteria to your microbiome helping to keep you healthy!

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#10.  Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts

Typically I would recommend the organic version of these hemp hearts (the ones that come in the green bag), but this shopping trip they only had these ones. Hemp hearts are a great source of protein and the essential fatty acids omegas 3 and 6. EFA’s are very important to include in your diet because our body cannot make them on it’s own and the only way get them is through the diet. EFA’s are important for healthy skin, hair, nails, joints, and they also feed those probiotics you get when you drink that kombucha I mentioned above. I add three tablespoons of hemp hearts to my morning smoothie for a complete source of protein and EFA’s.

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#11. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are a total superfood! They are a great source of fibre and great for digestive health too. They also contain antioxidants, essential minerals and omega 3 fatty acids. Be sure to drink extra water when you eat chia, because they absorb water in the intestines and can slow things down if you don’t give them enough water down there. If you’re not sure what to do with chia seeds check out my chia pudding recipe.

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#12. Organic Dates

Dates are natures candy. They can be used for so many different things like energy balls, sweetener for nut milks, or you can slice one open, add a little almond butter and a whole pecan, and you have yourself a “turtle” …. you’re welcome!

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So there you have it! My 12 Costco finds that are healthy and great to buy in bulk. The next time you’re in Costco check out some of these awesome whole foods and if you’re curious about anything else you see send me a message. What are your healthiest Costco finds? Let me know in the comments below 🙂