The Costco Food Database Is A Game-Changing Tool For Costco Shoppers

Variety might be the spice of life, but making a simple choice can be extremely difficult when presented with endless possibilities. While Costco might not offer six varieties of mac and cheese as a traditional supermarket would, when it comes to grocery shopping, no retailer is responsible for more cases of decision paralysis. From its variety of specialty baked goods (hello pumpkin pie) to the non-food items lining the aisles, it's a challenge to not buy everything your heart desires. And with the prices lower than your standard store, decision-making can truly be painful.

For every indecisive shopper, there's another who prefers to pore over ingredient lists and field product reviews on Reddit before investing in a new brand of frozen pizza. For these people, a grocery list isn't so much a guidance tool as it is a document of painstaking research that must be adhered to. Thanks to the Costco Food Database, which was created less than a year ago, that research just got a whole lot easier. 

Costco claims to sell 4,000 SKUs (stock-keeping units) on average, compared to the 30,000 at its competitors, in order to prioritize products based on "quality, price, brand, and features." Its newly minted Costco Food Database serves as a directory for those items, allowing prospective and existing customers to compare prices, read customer reviews, and prepare for their next trip to the bulk retailer. "We strive to provide our readers with the most up-to-date content and reviews on all of Costco's food items," Costco Food Database creator Greg Larkin told Digital Journal. "We want to create more informed and better Costco shoppers." 

Rather than a thread of customer feedback, reviews in the database include helpful info on the type of product at hand. An entry for Kirkland Signature Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, for example, includes where to find it in the store, cites some issues customers have had with the packaging, and lists other Costco mozz options.

Since not all Costco outposts sell the same products, some items are bound to be missing from the database. But according to Larkin, the database strives to stay on top of newly added products. If a customer can't find a review for a product they're looking for, they're encouraged to use the database's contact form to get it up on the site. 

In addition to product reviews and price comparisons, the Costco Food Database also features guides to whole categories of food sold at the chain. A "Costco Beef Guide" covers nearly everything, including USDA grades, prices, tips for picking the best cuts, halal options, and the best ways to store meat at home. A chicken breakdown touches on the store's "unique and versatile packaging" of poultry, which forgoes styrofoam trays. If you are currently in your fish era, you can study a guide to wild Pacific sockeye salmon versus fresh Atlantic. 

Also featured are a few recipes that make use of the products sold at the store. You'll find a 15 Minute Homemade Gyro and Tzatziki Dip, a Peanut Butter Banana Mini Naan Flatbread, and an easy Extra Crispy Crunchy Baked Bone-In Chicken Thighs. These resources are meant to "transform you into a seasoned Costco shopping pro," per the website. All you have to do is review this site, master Costco's price tags, and have your shopping list ready to go.