Costco is plenty of folks favorite place to grocery shop. Its got bulk buys for wholesale costs and generally offers high-quality grocery items. Also, the 50-pack of flour tortillas, eight jars of peanut butter, and huge olive oil jug may seem like must-haves at the time, but they can cost a lot. Even though Costco has low prices and is supposed to save you money, the bill you get when you leave can be shockingly high. The problem is that it’s not always clear if buying in bulk will save you money in the long run or if you’re just wasting money by buying too much of something you don’t need.
There are three shelf-stable grocery items that are absolutely worth the Costco hype, though. At Costco, take advantage of bulk pricing on cereal, canned food, and dry beans. These last a long time and are sold at a great price per item that most grocery stores, even on their best sale day, couldn’t even dream of.
As an avid home cook and Costco shopper I often get asked if Costco sells dried beans. The short answer is yes Costco does sell dried beans! In fact, they offer a pretty good selection of bulk dried beans at affordable prices.
In this article, I’ll give a comprehensive overview of the types of dried beans available at Costco, their typical pricing, and how their quality compares to beans from other stores. Whether you’re looking to stock up your pantry with nutrient-rich legumes or planning to cook up a big batch of chili, read on for the full scoop on Costco’s dried bean selection!
An Abundance of Bulk Dried Beans
One of the biggest benefits of shopping at Costco is that you can buy food staples like beans in large bulk quantities. This allows you to stock up your pantry while saving money. Costco offers a variety of beans in big bags that typically weigh around 5-25 pounds.
Some of the most common dried beans you’ll find at Costco include
- Black beans
- Pinto beans
- Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
- Kidney beans
- Cannellini beans
- Navy beans
- Lentils
- Split peas
They also often have less common bean varieties as well like anasazi, appaloosa, and mayocoba beans. The selection may differ a bit depending on your location, but most Costcos carry a diverse array of bulk dried bean options.
Compared to a typical grocery store where beans are sold in 1-2 pound bags, you can get over 10 times as many beans for just a little more money at Costco. Even if you don’t need 20 pounds of pinto beans right now, you can portion out the excess and store it to have beans on hand for months to come.
Affordable Pricing for Bulk Beans
One of the main reasons people love shopping at Costco is for the savings. You’ll pay much less per pound when buying dried beans in bulk there compared to other grocery stores. As a rough average, you can typically expect to pay around $1 per pound or less for dried beans at Costco.
Of course, pricing will vary a bit depending on the type of bean. For example, basic pinto or black beans may cost around $0.79 per pound while more specialty beans like anasazi or appaloosa may cost $1.49 or more per pound. Even at the higher end of the spectrum though, Costco’s bulk pricing generally beats out grocery store prices for beans.
To give an exact example, a 25-pound bag of pinto beans often costs around $19.99 at Costco. If you break it down, that comes out to only $0.80 per pound. To buy a 2-pound bag of pinto beans at my local supermarket costs $3.29, making the per-pound price $1.65 – more than double! Over time, those savings really add up.
High Quality Beans at Low Costco Prices
Another impressive thing about the dried beans at Costco is that they consistently maintain a high quality despite the low prices. The beans are always uniform in size and have a nice, smooth exterior with no blemishes. You’ll never find rocks, stems, or debris mixed in – just clean, unadulterated beans.
I’ve also found Costco’s dried beans have a good firm texture and hold their shape well when cooked. The outer skin remains intact instead of splitting or peeling off like you sometimes see with low quality dried beans. All of this indicates they are likely relatively fresh beans that have been properly handled in the production and packaging process.
In my experience, the flavor and performance of Costco’s store brand dried beans meet or exceed national brands you would buy in the grocery store for a lot more money. So not only are you saving on cost, but you’re also getting tasty, nutritious beans to enjoy in your kitchen.
A Healthy and Versatile Pantry Essential
Another reason I love having a good stock of dried beans from Costco is that they are such a healthy, versatile pantry staple. Beans are packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and key micronutrients like iron, potassium, magnesium and folate. They make a budget-friendly alternative to meat as well.
Dried beans need to be soaked before cooking, which takes a little planning, but then they can be used in so many ways. Cook up a pot and add them to salads, soups, chilis, rice bowls, veggie burgers, tacos…the possibilities are endless! I like to make a big batch and freeze individual portions in freezer bags to have on hand for quick meals.
Canned beans are undeniably more convenient, but with Costco’s low dried bean prices and bulk sizes, enjoying home-cooked beans is easy and affordable. I always try to keep a variety of bags stocked in my pantry.
An Easy Substitution for Canned Beans
For recipes specifying canned beans, such as chili or certain soups, dried beans from Costco can easily be substituted. The general rule of thumb is that 1 pound of dried beans equals 4-5 cans of beans after cooking.
So if your recipe calls for two 15-ounce cans of kidney beans (drained), you would just cook up about a pound of dried kidney beans from Costco as a substitute. Adjust any additional seasonings or liquid in the recipe accordingly if needed. But otherwise, you can swap in home-cooked dried beans for canned in most recipes with great results.
One tip is to make sure dried beans are fully cooked and tender before using as a substitution for canned. Undercooked beans won’t work as well and can throw off the timing of some recipes. It does require a little planning, but the payoff is freshly cooked beans with a superior texture.
Trying New Bean Varieties from Costco
In addition to pantry staples like black and pinto beans, Costco also offers some interesting dried bean varieties you don’t see everywhere. I’ve discovered some new favorites over the years by branching out and trying beans I spot at Costco that I otherwise wouldn’t buy at the regular supermarket.
Some of the unique bean types I recommend keeping an eye out for include:
-
Anasazi beans – These large white and purple speckled beans hold their shape nicely in soups and salads. They have an earthy, almost mushroom-like flavor.
-
Appaloosa beans – Similar to pinto beans but smaller and more colorful. I think they have a richer, more complex taste.
-
Mayocoba beans – Also called canary beans, these have a creamy texture and sweet, nutty taste perfect for bean salads.
-
Cannellini beans – A white kidney bean variety with a smooth, buttery flavor. Great in minestrone soup!
Part of the fun of Costco is stumbling upon a unexpected 20-pound bag of an interesting dried bean you’ve never tried. It pushes you out of your bean comfort zone to experiment with new flavors.
How to Store Dried Beans from Costco
To take full advantage of buying dried beans in bulk quantities from Costco, you need to store them properly to maintain freshness. Here are some tips:
-
Transfer beans from the original bag into airtight glass jars or containers. This helps protect them from humidity, pests, and oxidation.
-
Add a packet of food grade silica gel desiccant to each container to absorb excess moisture.
-
Store beans in a cool, dark place like the pantry. Avoid warmer spots like beside the oven.
-
Label containers with the type and purchase date for easy identification.
-
Use oldest beans first and aim to use within 12 months for best quality.
-
For longer term storage, consider freezing portioned beans in airtight bags.
Following these steps will help your Costco beans stay fresh and delicious for many months to come. Rotate your stock and you’ll always have affordable beans ready to create healthy, homemade meals.
Are Costco’s Beans a Good Deal?
At the end of the day, is stocking up on bulk dried beans from Costco worth it compared to buying them elsewhere? In my opinion, the answer is a resounding yes!
For just $1 or less per pound, you can get a huge supply of high quality dried beans that will last you for months. The savings over grocery store prices are impressive. While selection may vary slightly by location, most Costcos offer an abundant mix of bean varieties at affordable prices.
Conveniently, you can knock out your bean shopping in one fell swoop instead of making multiple trips to buy 1-2 pound bags. Those big bags may seem intimidating initially, but proper storage techniques help the beans stay fresh. Plus it feels good to have a full pantry ready for all your recipe ideas!
So if you love cooking with beans as much as I do, be sure to take advantage of Costco’s quality bulk dried bean selection. Just make sure to budget plenty of space in your kitchen cabinets!
Stock up on canned food
Canned food is typically much more affordable than frozen or fresh options, but also totally underrated. Thats a shame because there arent generally major nutritional or flavor discrepancies between canned food and fresh. Don’t miss out on these costsco deals, which make food that was already pretty cheap even cheaper. You can buy good canned beans, tomato sauce, and corn to add as extra vegetables to a lot of different dishes. But, dont stop at canned vegetables. Costco also offers great deals on canned proteins like chicken, tuna, and even salmon. All of these are great for weeknight dinners when you need to make something quickly and affordably.
For example, Costcos Del Monte canned corn 12-pack of 15. 25-ounce cans is offered for just $12. 99, or around $0. 08 per ounce, whereas at Kroger, a single 15. 25-ounce can is sold for $1. 50, about $0. 10 per ounce. It may not seem like a big deal, but when you think about how much Costco charges per ounce, the savings add up quickly. Cotscos Kirkland brand tuna is not only decently priced ($2. 49 per can), but it also offers our top-rated tuna brand. Wild Planets Albacore Wilda Tuna in a 6-pack of 5-ounce cans for $19. 99, or roughly $3. 33 per can, while a single can of the stuff is $4. 00 at Kroger.
Cereal is a solid buy
It’s easy to see how expensive a box of breakfast cereal is by walking down the cereal aisle of a regular grocery store. That’s why many of us grew up eating the cheaper, off-brand cereals that came in bags. But, Costco manages to have the major brands for a fraction of the cost on a per-ounce scale. For instance, it offers a two-pack of 27. 5-ounce boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios for $10. 99, with a per-ounce cost of roughly 19 cents. On the other hand, Walmart offers a 18. 8-ounce box of the same cereal for $4. 93, which means it costs nearly 7 cents more per ounce than Costcos. And, the cost per ounce is almost an identical comparison for Cinnamon Toast Crunch. So, if you like cereal for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert, you should put it on your list of things to buy at Costco.
These are big boxes and bags of cereal, which means they run the risk of going stale. To avoid any food waste or spoilage, be sure to only open one box at a time. Once the cereal is open, you can put it in airtight containers to keep it fresh longer, or you can use a chip clip to close the bag properly.
7 Things I DON’T Buy From Costco
FAQ
Does Costco have dried pinto beans?
Are beans cheaper at Costco?
Can u get baked beans from Costco?
Is it worth buying dried beans?
Where to buy dried beans?
1. Best Place to Buy Dried Beans at a Low Price: Webstaurant Store 2. Best Place to Buy Online for Convenience: Amazon 3. Best Place to Buy High-Quality Dried Beans: Nuts.com 4. Best Place to Buy Organic Beans for Convenience: Costco 5. Best Place to Buy High-Quality Organic Beans: Thrive Market 6.
Where to buy organic beans?
Bulkeez is a site that sells all kinds of food products in bulk for low prices. When it comes to beans, their prices are almost half as much per pound than you’ll find in other places. They have an easy-to-use site with an excellent selection of organic beans.
Can you buy pinto beans at Costco?
Well, the answer is that it really depends on you: Local brick-and-mortar stores like Costco are really convenient if you want a popular type of bean like pinto beans. You can just drive over there and have a bulk bag at a low price immediately. The downside, however, is that your selection will be limited to what they carry.
Where can I buy beans at a low price?
They’re relatively inexpensive, they have a long shelf life, and they’re readily available at both brick-and-mortar stores, as well as online. If you want to buy beans in person, Costco is the best place to go. The best place to buy bulk beans online at a low price is webstaurantstore.com. For higher quality, nuts.com is a great option.