New To Costco? Here's 12 Must-Have Items To Buy This Spring

That first trip to Costco might feel a bit overwhelming. After all, where else can someone shop for groceries, home goods, and car insurance — all while enjoying a $1.50 hot dog and soda and a plethora of free food samples? Shopping at Costco is unlike most other grocery shopping experiences, and that can leave a new member with more questions than answers.

The truth is, there is no one correct way to shop at Costco. But it's good to know which items to avoid and which to stock up on, and keep an eye out for limited-time, seasonal and other special items that could throw a curveball into any carefully-curated shopping list. 

Below, some new and returning items coming to Costco this spring, worthy of watching out for. These grocery items span the entire warehouse, from freshly-baked sweets to frozen foods. They have the potential to be the star of any dinner, or perhaps pantry staples that can keep a family happy for weeks to come.

Trader Joe's may have begun the "Everything But the Bagel" craze, but other grocery stores have joined in on the seasoning frenzy in recent years, including Costco. Once everyone realized the popularity of the taste of an everything bagel, some genius had the bright idea of bottling that up so it could be added to every meal, and the rest was history. So, for those who can't get enough of a savory dash of dried onion, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds, the Olde Thompson Everything Bagel Seasoning deserves a place on the shopping list. It can be added to practically any dish for a nice burst of flavor.

The seasoning was spotted and shared on Instagram, calling it "is a must-have in your pantry." The seasoning is much larger than what can be found at other grocery stores as well, coming in at 11.5 ounces, compared to the much smaller 2.3-ounce container typically found at Trader Joe's.

While shopping for seasonings, it's also worth noting that Costco offers a lot of other unique, pantry-worthy spices. Be on the lookout for the Kirkland sriracha seasoning as well.

Costco's bakery is a treasure trove for freshly-prepared sweets and baked goods, including muffins, cookies, and cakes. It can be hard to resist throwing all those goodies into the shopping cart, but over time the smart shopper will learn what go-to bakery items are mandatory on a Costco run.

In addition to the usual suspects, Costco offers a rotation of specialty desserts, particularly pies, that are sure to please a crowd. In the past, Costco has sold seasonal pies as well — such as the fan-favorite pumpkin pie each fall.

New this spring is a dessert that everyone seems to be talking about online: the Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie. Peanut butter and chocolate are one of those flavor combos that folks either love or hate, but those in the former category will want to keep their eyes peeled at their local Costco. Over on Instagram, the dessert has been described as "Worth every penny." Like other Costco pies, the Peanut Butter Chocolate flavor is large enough to feed a crowd, or just keep it to yourself. No judging.

Even folks who aren't cherry aficionados can spot the difference between a fresh one and a preserved one; since its season is typically on the short side, it can be hard to find fresh cherries year-round. So, it might be a good idea to watch out for high-quality preserved cherries that taste just as good. Fortunately, depending on location, a fan-favorite jar of cherries is hitting the shelves once again at Costco.

The Fabbri Amarena Wild Cherries in Syrup gets major points for having such pretty packaging. One Redditor shared that the returning item has been popping up in certain regions, so it may not be available at every Costco location just yet. But if you happen to spot these jars, it is worth it to pick one up. @costcodeals on Instagram points out that these cherries are "all natural, Non-GMO," with "no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors." They are a great addition to a drink or dessert, especially headed into spring and summer.

Everyone grew up obsessed with those blue boxes of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, but there are even more tasty options now that use real ingredients. It can be hard at times to shop for both good and tasty groceries, but that is where Goodles Cheddy Mac comes in. 

While the product is priced higher than competing brands, in large part that is due to its list of healthy ingredients, which includes chickpea protein and organic veggies like sweet potato, broccoli, and kale. Yup, there's kale in this macaroni and cheese, and based on what shoppers are saying online, kids might not even notice.

One parent shared on Reddit that "My kids can normally immediately detect any sort of blended or hidden vegetables, but with Goodles they cannot!" Although a box will run a bit costlier than the Kraft alternative, it's good knowing that the kids (or perhaps, yourself) are getting an extra dose of veggies.

With the arrival of spring comes Easter, and families who celebrate beginning wondering what to serve guests. Some of the traditional go-to dinners include ham, and Costco has that holiday staple covered. 

Costco's meat department is known for offering high-quality products at decent prices. Not to mention those $4.99 rotisserie chickens, which are next to legendary. Of course, like most Costco groceries, the meat is going to be sold in larger portion sizes than in a typical grocery store. So, be on the lookout during a Costco run for the Kirkland Signature Master Carve Half Ham.

Costco also offers a spiral ham, but one Redditor mentions that the Master Carve Half Ham is "easier to work with," making it "an inexpensive meal that tasted like a million bucks!" The copious amount of leftover meat for the following serves as a huge plus, too. So, give the Master Carve Half Ham a try this Easter, or any time a high-quality protein could serve as the ideal dinner.

There are few Costco developments more exciting than finding a beloved restaurant item available for sale. What could be more satisfying than enjoying a go-to breakfast or lunch without having to step out the front door? 

By that logic, why go through the hassle of driving all the way to Starbucks when its Sous Vide Egg Bites can be enjoyed in the comfort of the kitchen? Shoppers were quite excited when they discover that the bite-sized egg treats were becoming available in the frozen food aisle at their local Costco.

@costco_doesitagain shared the news on its Instagram page, with one comment saying that the bacon and gruyere egg bites "taste exactly the same as the in store," noting that they were making it a point to head back to Costco to stock up on more boxes. Not only will these save time in the morning, serving up a beloved Starbucks snack at home, but it will help save money, too. Even if unfortunately, it won't earn any stars on the Starbucks app.

It can be tricky at times to meal plan for the week, especially coming up with new lunch or dinner ideas to keep things fresh and interesting. No matter what meals are on the plan, rice is a common go-to side dish that is easy to heat up, can be modified in a number of different ways, and is filling. So the sighting of any new flavored rice is cause for celebration. Say hello to Ritika's Global Grains Organic Cilantro & Lime Rice.

For anyone who counts Chipotle's cilantro lime rice as a favorite, this new Costco find is a must-have. The flavor is near-identical, which will come as a relief to those increasingly forking over their budget to burrito bowls from Chipotle. Even better, the rice from Costco can be ready to eat in just 90 seconds, which is a whole lot faster than getting into a car and driving over to Chipotle.

As the temperature steadily rises in the spring, an ice cream cone seems more and more like the perfect cool pick-me-up snack. In the United States, Costco sells a couple of frozen treats at its food court, including cups of soft-serve vanilla ice cream sundaes with either chocolate or strawberry sauce. But in Canada, Costco members have been able to take advantage of a new food court treat that will hopefully soon be arriving stateside: Soft-Serve Ice Cream Cones.

Currently, Canadian Costco members can order vanilla, chocolate, or a vanilla-chocolate swirl in an ice cream cone at their local food court, leaving American shoppers green with envy. As one U.S.-based Redditor aptly puts it: "Cries in US food court." Hopefully, the ice cream cones find their way to other Costco locations in the coming weeks and months, too.

The arrival of the spring season means a few of America's favorite pastimes are returning: baseball, barbecues, and Girl Scout cookies. The sweets have become a part of local communities for a century, growing from a locally-baked snack to a massive nationwide empire, with scores of fans eagerly awaiting their local troop to start knocking on doors, order forms at the ready.

As it turns out, Girl Scout cookies have been harder to find this year due to supply chain issues, making Thin Mint cravings even worse. Luckily, Costco is coming to the rescue with a snack that might be difficult to curbing into appropriately-sized portions: Girl Scout Thin Mints Pretzels. 

What could be better than an already-perfect Thin Mint cookie, or an already-perfect chocolate-covered pretzel? How about combining them both? Girl Scout Thin Mints Pretzels are likely to fly off shelves, so grab a bag (or several) upon spotting them out in the wild.

Spring has arrived when the Mini Carrot Cakes show up at Costco. 

Carrot cake, in general, seems to become more plentiful in the spring, perhaps due to the association between carrots and rabbits, which also become more plentiful around neighborhoods as weather improves. These Mini Carrot Cakes come with plenty of cream cheese frosting, each adorned with a cute little carrot design. They are part of a lineup of other mini cakes that Costco churns out from its bakery throughout the year, with other fan favorites including snickerdoodle and lemon flavors.

The fact that these are considered "mini" is a bit comical; each is more like a personal-sized cake. But the large portion size is no problem to fans of carrot cake over on Reddit, with one user noting that the dessert is "phenomenal," and that the "cream cheese icing is to die for!" Either way, there are plenty of Mini Carrot Cakes to go around for Easter brunch. They should be prominently featured at any local Costco, so keep an eye peeled on the next grocery run.

There are few things as comforting as waking up in the morning and smelling a warm waft of freshly-baked cinnamon rolls coming from the kitchen. For those who have overnight guests, or simply want a delicious sweet for themselves, the Cinnamon Pull-A-Part is a welcome addition to any Costco grocery list. These have been available in the past, and the internet seems all sorts of thrilled to see that they are making a comeback to Costco warehouses nationwide.

Instagrammers have spotted them far and wide, as the tasty yumminess has made its triumphant return to Costco, with commenters turned into excited shoppers. One Redditor said their spouse believes these are the "best store bought cinnamon rolls she's had," which is high praise considering the number of store-brand cinnamon rolls there are out there on the market. These are tasty as-is, but the real magic happens when you heat them up for a few minutes.

Costco is a great place to shop for everyday items in bulk; it's also a place where you might spot some snacks you've never considered buying before. A perfect example of this might be the Irvins Salted Egg Salmon Skin, recently spotted by @costco_doesitagain on Instagram. At first glance, it seems like a very questionable snack. Who exactly would dive head-first into a bag of crispy salmon skin? Reactions seem to be mixed online, but like many Costco food items, you simply have to hand over your trust and take that first bite.

One Redditor noted that the snack is popular in Singapore, adding that "it can be an acquired taste." They compared the snack to a chicharron, but less airy. Another Redditor pointed out that the Salted Egg Salmon Skin is a great value at Costco, noting that you can get nearly double the amount of food for a fraction of what you would pay at an Asian market. If you're in the market for a new kind of salty snack, and are willing to try crispy salmon skin, be on the lookout for a bag at your local Costco.