them a perfect solution for sack lunches, hik- betacarotene and thought to help prevent
ing trips and busy people on the go. cancer and heart disease and boost immu-
Costco’s organic food line nity—are in 5-pound bags in the coolers.
includes a variety of fruits Salad fixings and more I enjoy using these carrots raw as part of a
and vegetables, peanut The organic darling of the fresh green or potato salad, coleslaw or pasta top-
butter and milk from food department is ping. Additionally, I’ve been told that juicers
some very special cows. still Costco’s are passionate about these orange jewels.
USDA-certi- And don’t forget that these carrots make the
fied organic perfect snack, especially when paired with
IRIDIO S p r i n g Kirkland Signature Organic Peanut Butter.
PHOTOGRAPHY Mix. Many These are just a few of the organic prod-members will ucts showing up at Costco. Check your local
Milk and other staples recall the buzz warehouse for regional organic specialties.
One product I’m very interested in (be- created by this product when it was intro- Costco’s Heather Shavey sums up the
cause it’s an excellent source of protein) duced a few years back. Its quality and price story of Costco organics this way: “Organic
is Kirkland Signature Organic Soymilk. are still heads above the competition. Each produce is very exciting, and we’re anxiously
Kirkland Signature vanilla-flavored or- bag contains an average of 12 different U.S. researching new items to add to our line. We
ganic soymilk comes in a case of 12 32-ounce Grade No. 1 organic lettuces and greens (based are incredibly particular about growing prac-cartons. Soymilk, made from pressed, pro- on the season) at a ratio of 50 percent baby tices and pricing, looking for high-quality
tein-rich soybeans, is thought to play a posi- lettuces, 30 percent salad greens and 20 per- organic items at a great value.”
tive role in health. Members will be pleased cent endive. What’s not to like about organic foods?
to learn that this product is already such Organic peeled mini carrots—rich in Absolutely nothing … now! C
a hit that an unflavored version is in
the works for spring.
Another product I’m wild about
(I can’t get enough whiffs of its real
peanut aroma) is Kirkland Signature Organic Peanut Butter. This
protein-rich product, which comes
in a two pack of 28-ounce jars, is
made from peanuts grown on
pesticide-free land and tastes
like creamy, clean-roasted peanuts. No refrigeration or blending is required.
On the fruits and vegetables side of the aisle, Jeff Lyons, Costco‘s dairy queens
Costco’s senior vice president
of fresh foods, enthusiastically
reports, “Produce is the number-one organic category in the country. Costco’s aggressive involvement
in this arena translates into great
savings for members.”
I am pleased to report that many
of my favorite USDA Washington state
apples (Cameo, Pink Lady and Gala) have
been selected for Costco’s organic sliced-apple program.
These hearty-flavored, good-for-you,
crisp apples are pre-cored and cut into
wedges for ease of eating, then sealed in
an all-natural preservative of ascorbic
acid (vitamin C) and calcium carbonate to prevent browning (similar to my
home remedy of dipping fruit slices in
lemon juice). Equally nice is the fact that
these organic apples are packed in one-cup, single-serving portions (eight 6-
ounce bags that total 3 pounds), making
The cows on the farm have quite the life.
They feed on a balanced organic vegan diet
and have access to organic pastures for grazing. They have their own veterinarian, nutritionists and even a physical-therapy pool.
Sandy Custer, the Costco buyer
who accompanied me on my visit, notes, ing and bottling is certified organic and done
WHEN I WAS ASKED by Costco to
learn about organic products, one question I had was “What makes organic milk so
special?” To answer this, I visited one of the
farms that produces Costco’s Kirkland Signature organic milk.
FRANCE FREEMAN
“There are a lot of farmers who do a great right on the farm.”
job with their animals and farms. Organic Costco organic milk, boxed as three half
farmers take it one step further. They take gallons, offers savings that range from 66
extra care of their animals to keep them cents to $1.66 per half gallon.
healthy—which means greater quality and Good job, ladies. Great job, Costco.—PV
quantities of milk without the
need for antibiotics and additional hormones. All process-
Send your questions or comments for Pat Volchok
to:
buyingsmart@costco.com