The Single Best Thing to Buy at Costco This November

Patty Catalano
Patty CatalanoFood Editor at The Kitchn
The only subject that has ever held my attention has been food, because there’s no end to what you can taste, smell, learn, and cook. I patchworked my way to recipe development and food writing by earning degrees in Family & Consumer Sciences (you may have known it as Home Ec) and Food, Nutrition, and Culinary Science, and working anywhere that would take me: university food services, local bakeries, and the set of Good Eats on Food Network. Early on, I asked my mom how she knew what a cookbook recipe (with no pictures) would look and taste like. While my mom was there to teach me, I realized that not everyone has someone to turn to for trusted cooking guidance. I try every day to be that person for The Kitchn’s readers by sharing smart recipes they can feel proud to serve. Recipe development is the most fun job I can imagine, but it also comes with a lot of dirty dishes and hours spent in the grocery store. I’ve found that I actually really love grocery shopping — especially at Costco and Aldi — and it brings me such joy to share my finds with The Kitchn readers.
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updated Nov 2, 2020
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Credit: Andriy Blokhin

Decades from now, many of us will remember 2020 as the year we all lived through a real-life Econ 101 lesson (among many other things we wish we could forget). The concept of “supply and demand” really hit home when attempting to source essentials like hand sanitizer, toilet paper, boxed pasta, dried beans, yeast, and so much more. The shock of seeing empty grocery store shelves during the early months of the pandemic is something that had a lasting impact on me.

One major consequence? I’ve resolved to never have less than half of a bag of all-purpose flour on hand at all times. That’s why if there is one thing you should buy in bulk from Costco this month, let it be King Arthur’s All-Purpose Flour.

Credit: Patty Catalano

Why King Arthur Baking Company’s All-Purpose Flour Is the Best Thing to Buy in Bulk This Month

King Arthur Baking Company’s All-Purpose Flour is the go-to brand for most Kitchn staffers, who love it so much that it even made it this year’s list of Kitchn Essentials. (Find the entire list here.) We’re not the only people who couldn’t get enough of it this year.

Find it: King Arthur’s All-Purpose Flour, $12.99 for 25 pounds at Costco

The surge in interest in sourdough baking and banana bread during the early days of the pandemic was exacerbated when coupled with a nationwide shortage of flour. King Arthur reports that flour sales were up 150% between April and June compared to the same time frame last year. Because people couldn’t find flour in their grocery stores, they sought out other ways to get their hands on this every day essential, including sourcing it from local restaurants and bakeries in bulk quantities.

Luckily, you can now find King Arthur Baking Company’s All Purpose Flour for a great price at Costco, where a 25-pound bag costs just $12.99. (At my neighborhood grocery store, I’d have to pay at least $10 more for the same amount.)

Read more: The One Flour You Should Buy, According to a Professional Bread Maker

Baking has pretty much been my therapy these past few months (as is likely the case with many), and as peak baking season quickly approaches that will certainly continue to be true. I want to be prepared to make every single cookie, cake, pie, and bread recipe my heart desires in order to achieve a smidge of normalcy in an otherwise abnormal year.

With 25 pounds of flour in tow, I plan to spend more than a few afternoons prepping all of the cookies I need for the holidays, and making and freezing biscuits to serve for breakfast. I can also use flour for gravy and pie this Thanksgiving. See, 25 pounds of this stuff won’t even last all that long!

What are you picking up from Costco this month?

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Baking
Grocery Shopping
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