Why You Should Skip The Avocados At Costco
If you are hosting a fiesta and need pounds of avocados to make some trendy fried avocado tacos or your aunt's famous guacamole, Costco seems like the natural place to go. The membership-driven wholesale chain is one of the best stores to shop at when you need to buy items in bulk and are looking for a deal, a steal, or a bargain — and let's face it, with the rising popularity of avocado toast, avocado-themed restaurants, and even Shark Tank star Mark Cuban backing avocado entrepreneurs (via CNBC), these green babies can get pretty expensive depending on where you live and the season, according to USA Today. When it comes to avocados, need to save your pennies whenever you can.
Businesswire reports that the most popular type of avocado in the world is the Hass variety. In fact, of all avocados eaten in the United States, 95 percent are Hass — the number of which has tripled since the early 2000s. At Costco, it just so happens that, per Practical Stewardship, you can get a bag of five large Hass avocados for a little less than $7, which is about $1.40 per avocado; but you may want to think twice before you plunk down a Lincoln and two Washingtons to buy this emerald fruit at the discount warehouse chain.
Avocados may be cheaper at other stores than they are at Costco
Costco avocados may not be as great of a deal as you think they are. The U.S Department of Agriculture reports the average retail price nationally for Hass avocados is $1.45 each. While the Costco price does represent a 30 cent savings, every penny counts, and we think you can do better. According to a Reddit thread on the message board r/Frugal, you really want to shop around when it comes to avocados. One user said you can usually find them at Kroger for as little as $1, while others suggested buying them at Aldi. Another user noted they were able to purchase around 10 avocados for $1 from a roadside vendor in Southern California. Living in the Golden State certainly has its perks!
Eat This, Not That! also saliently points out that while the temptation to buy in bulk is great when you enter a Costco warehouse, you should resist. Buying too many avocados at once might result in a lot of them going to waste because you simply cannot eat them all before they turn into a mushy mess, as it's likely they will all ripen right around the same time. If you do stumble upon an incredible sale on these creamy and delicious fruits and can't pass it up, The Spruce Eats suggests making a puree with them and freezing it so it is ready to use in smoothies, guacamole, or salad dressings.