How to Shop Plant-Based: Costco Edition
Costco in one word: overwhelming. And while they do actually have a number of great organic, whole-food, plant-based, and healthy options, there’s a whole lot of other stuff thrown into the mix. Things I look for while shopping:
Organic (as much as possible)
High protein content
Low sugar, high fiber
Low carb (if I’m cutting fat)
Micronutrient content (lots of vitamins & minerals)
Easy to cook!
Put your blinders on, stay out of the baked goods section, and keep an eye out for my top picks on your next trip:
Impossible Burgers, Nuggets, and Steak
I’m sure this is a relatively popular opinion, but this is my favorite alternative meat brand at the moment. The flavor, the texture, everything is just *chef’s kiss. 10/10 would recommend.
All of Impossible’s products are protein-rich and low-carb with few ingredients.
Banza Pasta
High-protein pasta? Sign me up. Banza is made from chickpeas and packs 20g of protein and 8g of fiber per 3.5oz serving. I’ve tried other plant-based pastas and in my opinion, this one is the closest in taste and texture to grain-based pasta.
One of my favorite easy weeknight recipes is pasta and ‘meat’ sauce made with crumbled Impossible burgers. I’ll also use the marinara sauce in my next pick for a full-on Costco-based meal.
Kirkland Signature Organic Marinara
Straight outta Tuscany, this marinara is low in sugar (meaning they used riper tomatoes that they didn’t need to flavor-correct), and is super tasty. Italy does it best.
NuTrail Low Carb Keto Nut Granola
This one’s for my low-carb friends. You’ll honestly hate me for this one because this stuff is ADDICTING. I add it to my oatmeal in the morning and eat it by the handful by evening. It’s great by itself as a cereal as well.
One Degree Sprouted Rolled Oats
I have this for breakfast basically every day. I throw in some almond butter, walnuts, chia seeds, and whatever fruit I have on hand.
One Degree takes pride in sourcing clean, organic ingredients, and ensuring their farmers are using plant-based cultivation methods only. This oatmeal is free from glyphosate, and sprouted for enhanced vitamins & minerals, as well as easy digestion.
Orgain Protein Powder
This is my favorite protein powder, and Costco carries it in vanilla, chocolate peanut butter, and strawberry if you like to mix it up.
This plant-based powder packs 21g of protein and only 1g of sugar, is gluten-free, and contains prebiotics. Plus, I think it’s pretty tasty.
Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk
This serves as an amazing substitute for any dishes with a cream or milk base. I typically use it as a base for curries or soups, but you can also use it for smoothies, or to make whipped cream, yogurt, or ice cream if you’re feeling ambitious.
Thai Kitchen’s coconut milk is USDA organic and uses a non-BPA lining for their cans.
House Foods Organic Tofu
Tofu scrambles, stir-fries, tofu tenders… the possibilities are endless, and you can try them all since these come in a giant pack of 12. With 30g of protein per container, you can make sure you’re hitting your macro goals while eating plant-based.
House Foods’ tofu is USDA organic, gluten-free, and non-GMO.
Catalina Crunch Cereal
This is my absolute favorite guilt-free late-night snack for when my stomach is still grumbling. I love a good nighttime bowl of cereal (just me?), but don’t want to spike my blood sugar before bed. This stuff has 11g of protein and 9g of fiber per serving, and boasts ZERO sugar. As if that isn’t enough, it’s also gluten and grain-free.
Fiber and protein work funders for keeping you fuller longer, so when you get those late-night cravings, go for a bowl of this tasty stuff.
UNREAL Dark Chocolate Coconut Minis
I love this brand. Certified vegan, gluten-free, and sustainable fair trade ingredients - UNREAL checks all the boxes. To top it off, each bar of chocolate contains 3g of sugar, and is made with 3 ingredients.
One of my absolute favorite brands, and hands-down favorite chocolatey snack.
Aside from these picks, I almost always grab a few Costco-sized bags of walnuts, almonds and pecans to top my morning oatmeal with, as you’ll be paying a lot more for nuts elsewhere. Their Organic Honeycrisp apples are supreme, and I also recommend checking the misty produce room where they usually have at least a few organic berry options and some giant containers of mushrooms.
Let me know what I’m missing, and keep an eye out for more from this series to see how to shop plant-based at all your favorite stores!
