5 Surprising Groceries You Can Get at Costco

I recently saw a YouTube video made by a very funny husband-and-wife duo about the hilarity of shopping at Costco, and all the unexpected (and irresistible) items that can be found just by browsing the aisles. It hit home. I admit that when I shop at Costco, I often am hopelessly optimistic, popping in for a few boxes of snacks and a package of toilet paper and finding myself, 45 minutes later, struggling to navigate my overloaded cart because the items are piled so high that I can barely see over them.

And who could blame me? There are tons of surprising items at Costco, both in-store and online, and they go far beyond frozen snacks, high-value alcohol, and well-curated clothing options. Some of them are well out of my budget or wheelhouse, but after exploring Costco’s catalog, I continue to be amazed by the store’s range. Here are a few of the most unexpected Costco groceries I discovered.

If you carry a mother-of-pearl spoon in your purse at all times, then you should consider picking up one of these royal blue tins of roe, packed with caviar that comes directly from Costco’s own curing room — the existence of which, I admit, was also a surprise! The golden osetra caviar is farmed and salt-cured in Greece, and there’s enough here to go around at a party of 30 to 50 discerning gourmands. Two mother-of-pearl spoons are even included with purchase.

If your preferences for luxury eats run more turf than surf, Costco’s got you covered. The wholesaler offers several varieties of Waygu beef, the highly marbled Japanese steak. This New York Strip, at roughly $86 per pound, is pricey, but just think about how flavorful dinner will be!

An entire leg of the world’s finest Iberian ham — that’s acorn-fed Bellota, by the way — is useless if you can’t store it, present it, and serve it. Luckily Costco sells an all-in-one version so you can impress all of your guests. The ham comes from Spanish pigs who roam freely on several acres of land in Southern Spain, feasting on black acorns amid oak trees in the Valle De Los Pedroches. It’s then aged for three years before heading to your your favorite big-box store.

If you tend to think like a Boy Scout and always want to be prepared, then this selection of emergency nutrient-dense food, which contains 122 servings (enough to feed someone for a full two weeks) might need to go on your shopping list. The cans have a shelf life of 10 years, and there’s plenty of variety, too — there’s mac and cheese with cheddar and Parmesan; a Southwestern medley of beans, peppers, and rice with jalapeño and paprika; and hearty apple cinnamon oatmeal. Just make sure you have enough room in the basement.

If you want to get cheesy in a big way, this wheel of cheese that weighs as much as a 10-year-old and costs nearly $1,000 is for you. Crafted with milk from Italy’s famous Parma and Reggio Emilio provinces and aged for two years, the cheese is sharp and satisfying. With its significant heft, it should last you for years — ›or at least much longer than your favorite Italian vacation.

What’s the most surprising grocery you’ve spotted at Costco? Tell us in the comments below.