Is A Costco Membership Worth It? Here's What To Buy At Costco

Grocery store expert Joanie Demer of Krazy Coupon Lady on whether or not a Costco card is worth it, and what to buy.

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Costco is one of America's favorite places to shop. So what products should be on your list?

1. Baked goods
Costco cannot be beat for its in-house bakery treats such as pies, cakes and cheesecakes. Costco sells half a sheet cake that serves 48 people for $18.99.

2. Cheese
Blocks of basic cheeses like cheddar and mozzarella are well-priced at Costco.

Costco sells 32-ounce blocks of mild cheddar cheese under its store brand, Kirkland Signature, for $4.59, according to local New York City prices analyzed by CNBC using Basket, a grocery price comparison app.

A two-pack of Kirkland shredded mozzarella (2.5-pound bags) is $10.49, according to Basket. That's about 26 cents per ounce. In contrast, Basket finds Walmart sells a bag of Kraft shredded mozzarella for $2.38, or about 30 cents per ounce.

3. Chicken
Whether it's cooked or fresh, Costco has great prices on chicken. Its $5 rotisserie chicken is so popular, the company is building a brand-new production center in Nebraska to keep up with demand. NPR reports it sells about 60 million birds a year.

The value here comes in the chicken's size, not the price, Joanie Demer, co-founder of The Krazy Coupon Lady, tells CNBC Make It. A bird at Costco is usually a pound larger than a typical grocery store.

Fresh, organic chicken is also typically a good value at Costco since many retailers don't put this product on sale as frequently. Costco sells packages of organic boneless, skinless chicken tenders in pre-portioned packs (usually a total weight of about 6 pounds) for $4.99 per pound, according to Basket.

4. Frozen fruit
Especially if you're buying organic, frozen fruit can get pricey. Not at Costco. Plus, the chain offers a wide selection of fruits, from bags of mixed berries to pineapple — perfect if you're a morning smoothie person.

A 4-pound bag of Kirkland organic frozen strawberries is $4.95, according to Basket.

5. Olive oil
If you use olive oil on a regular basis, check out Costco's organic, extra virgin olive oil.

Independent consumer testing organization ConsumerLabs analyzed 10 popular olive oils to see which provides the best quality and value. It named Kirkland's $16.99 organic extra-virgin olive oil one of the top three, beating out more expensive brands like Colavita and Newman's Own.

The Kirkland bottle delivers a full 2 liters, so make sure it's something you use frequently before purchasing. A similarly sized bottle (68-fluid ounces) of Colavita extra-virgin olive oil sells for $17.98 at Walmart, according to Basket.

6. Maple syrup
A "big cult item" is Costco's Kirkland organic pure maple syrup, Haugsven says. Costco sells a 33.8-ounce bottle for $12.79.

7. Snack foods
Snack foods are generally cheaper at Costco when the store offers coupons for them.

This is especially helpful if you need snacks for school lunches. Currently, Costco says, it's offering $2.70 off a 45-count box of Cheez-It 1.5-ounce bags and $2.50 off a 65-count box of Kirkland soft and chewy granola bars. That brings the price of the Cheez-Its down to $9.79 and the granola bars down to $7.29.

8. Vanilla
One of the best deals at Costco is on vanilla extract, Demer says. Costco sells its Kirkland pure vanilla extract for $26.99 for a 16-fluid ounce bottle and "it's the good stuff," she says. Food and cooking site Kitchn also names it its pick for best budget vanilla.

The Kirkland brand is about half the price offered by other stores, too. Acme, ShopRite and Stop & Shop all sell an 8-fluid-ounce bottle of McCormick pure vanilla extract for $22.49.

9. Wine
"The wine is absolutely one of the best deals," Demer says.

The wine prices vary by variety and vintage. Basket reports that Kirkland California pinot grigio is $7.89 for a 1.5-liter bottle — a variety ReverseWineSnob.com calls "cheap and good" — and you can get Kirkland Carneros California pinot noir for $9.99 for a 750-milliliter bottle.

Note: You don't always need a membership to shop at Costco. If you know someone with a membership, ask them to pick up Costco Cash next time they're shopping. It's the store's version of a gift card and it will get you in the door without a membership fee.

Here are the non-grocery items you should buy at Costco: https://cnb.cx/2TbsY4y

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9 foods and grocery items you should always buy at Costco | CNBC Make It.