Why You Might Be Better Off Skipping The Bakery Section At Costco

Few can resist the alluring scent of the Costco bakery section. From fluffy rolls to doughy bagels, the warehouse's fresh-baked bread and pastries are hard to pass up, and the prices can be even more tantalizing. But there's a compelling reason not to cash in on that mountain of bread the next time you're there.

Costco is best known for selling foods in bulk, and the bread and pastries are no different. When you roll up to the bakery, you won't just be purchasing a few bagels — you'll be buying a whole sleeve of them. (Or two dozen cookies, or a whole tray of croissants.)

Unless you have many mouths to feed for a potluck or party, it can be tough to polish off the whole container before the baked goods start to go bad. For that reason, it's probably for the best to get your baked goods in slightly smaller quantities.

It's not just the bulk packaging that makes Costco baked goods so hard to eat in time. You can see just by walking into the store that bakers are churning out these loaves of bread and pastries in real time, fresh-made from the oven to the shelves. Baked goods as fresh as these don't have any preservatives or ingredients to help them stay fresh longer, which means the window of time you have to consume them is extremely small.

Baked goods kept at room temperature and stored properly in airtight containers will keep for less than a week — some will start to become stale in as little as just one to two days. Though there are plenty of recipes out there that can use up stale bread and pastries, such as French toast or bread pudding, nobody wants to deal with a rock-hard baguette. (Or worse, mold!) Such is the trade-off for freshness.

Can't help yourself from buying those delicious Costco treats, even if you know you won't be able to finish them in time? We can't blame you, especially when it comes to those croissants. If you really must have them, luckily there's a way to stretch their freshness longer than storing them on your countertop: putting them in the freezer.

Baked goods usually freeze well when stored correctly. Be sure to wrap these items tightly in plastic wrap individually, and then place them into freezer bags to prevent freezer burn. Most bakery items will stay good for up to three months in the freezer, or even longer. Before you dive into them, remember to thaw them slowly at room temperature for best results.

No room in the freezer? One final way to get rid of those baked goods quickly is to share them with others. Take them in to work, bring them to a birthday party, or otherwise offload them so you're not stuck with a counter full of stale treats.