Costco might have a warehouse vibe, but it's a secret adult playground because every corner is packed with tasty treats and great deals that'll instantly catch your attention.
From ready-to-eat meals to pies and even chicken, Costco Canada has a lot to offer. But while there are plenty of salty and sweet treats available for you to stock up on, you can also find a wide range of healthy snacks at Costco that you might not see anywhere else.
Winter is the unofficial snacking season, and what better way to enjoy the warmth of your home than with a bowl of chocolate and granola bites?
During my most recent visit to Costco in Toronto, I scoured the aisles for everything that looked healthy and cost less than $15, and there were many things that I would've taken home if I had enough storage space.
Here are 12 healthy and cheap items you should grab from Costco next time you run low on snacks.
Brookside
Brookside Acai and Blueberry Flavours.
Price: $10.99
Brookside is a chocolate-covered fruit snack and there are many varieties to choose from, but the one I found at Costco might be the best kind.
For less than $11, you can get an 850-gram bag of acai and blueberries covered in dark chocolate. They are crunchy on the outside yet soft and chewy on the inside. For context, a 235-gram bag of the same snack costs $5.86 from Walmart, so this is a major steal.
Kirkland Dark Chocolate Covered Mango
Kirkland Dark Chocolate Covered Mango
Price: $12.99
While we're talking about chocolate-covered fruits, this Kirkland looks delicious. Mangoes are pretty pricey if you try to get a bunch from the supermarket, but this could be a cheaper alternative if you were looking for one. Also, chocolate-covered mangoes seem like a sweet that many would love.
The mangoes in the bag are dried and sourced from the Philippines. Additionally, the Costco product is not puree; they are made with pieces of real fruit.
Unreal Dark Chocolate Covered Coconut Bars
Unreal Dark Chocolate Covered Coconut Bars
Price: $13.99
If you love Bounty chocolate, you'll certainly want to grab a bag of these. The Unreal Dark Chocolate Covered Coconut Bars are made with three ingredients: organic coconut, organic cassava syrup and dark chocolate.
The chocolate bars are vegan and gluten-free and an excellent alternative for kids and adults who are looking for less sugar but still want to indulge in a sweet treat.
Fontaine Sante Mini Hummus
Fontaine Sante Mini Hummus
Price: $7.49
Cutting up carrots and celery is not a great snack; they don't feel satisfying on their own, but dipping them in hummus elevates the experience to the next level.
However, taking a massive tub of hummus to work might not be ideal. Thankfully, Costco has mini hummus versions of the bigger ones and they are so cute they'd fit right into your lunch box.
The box at Costco has 16 individually wrapped servings of hummus, and they taste delicious and fresh.
Wholly Guacamole
Wholly Guacamole
Price: $13.99
Guacamole and tortilla chips are a match made in heaven, but what if you want to enjoy this snack on the go?
Wholly Guacamole has a mini version, just like the hummus, and for the price of $13.99, you can get 12 individually packaged servings of organic and classic guacamole. One of these will slide right into your backpack for school or work.
Stonefire Naan Crisps
Stonefire Naan Crisps
Price. $8.99
Lays Ketchup Chips are always a great snack, but they're not so healthy because they're fried, heavily seasoned potatoes. Luckily, Costco has several healthy options that'll still give you that satisfying chip-like crunch, including these tasty baked naan crisps.
The sea-salted naan crisps are "made for snacking & sharing," as the box states. They are also flame-baked in flavour and have no artificial preservatives or colouring.
Garden Crisp
Garden Crisp
Price: $9.99
These gluten-free snacks are made with spinach, kale, red bell pepper and carrot. With 80 calories per 12 crackers, the light snack is perfect for a midday pecking session. They're apparently made with 50% real vegetables.
Mary's Organic Crackers
Mary's Organic
Price: $9.99
Mary's Organic are crunchy crackers that are healthy, delicious and gluten-free. They are made with brown rice, quinoa, flax seeds, sesame seeds, tamari and sea salt, so you can expect each bite to be packed with flavour.
Mary's crackers might not be new to you. They can be found at your local grocery stores, but the prices at Costco cannot be overlooked.
At Costco, you can find a 566-gram box for less than $10. On Amazon, a box of the same crackers cost $6.62 for 184 grams. So, if you like snacking and making charcuterie boards, this purchase from Costco is undoubtedly a must for you.
Made Good Granola Minis
Made Good Granola Minis
Price: $11.89
Do you like organic granola? Well then these bites are something you need to stock up on. The Made Good Granola Minis are bites filled with nutrients from vegetable extracts and a source of vitamins C and D.
Each bag includes 10 granola-and-chocolate balls and 10 berry-and-granola balls for you to snack on.
Welch's Fruit Snacks
Welch's Fruit Snacks.
Price: $14.99
Welch's fruit snacks are the kind of treats you want if you grew up liking jelly beans or Fruit Roll-Ups. The box comes with 60 individually wrapped pouches filled with fruity goodness.
The snack is made with "real fruit" and has no artificial colouring or flavour, according to the label. They are also preservative-free and gluten-free.
A box of 28 pouches from Walmart costs $8.53, so the Costco deal is definitely one you won't want to miss out on, especially if you have kids who love fruit snacks!
Aussie Bites
Aussie Bites
Price: $14.99
If you're a fan of two-bite brownies but you want to lay off the chocolate, these Aussie Bites are the perfect nutritious substitute. They're made of rolled oats, dried apricots, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, honey, coconut, quinoa, chia seeds and more. They're also great for packing up and taking with you on a hike or some other sort of outdoor excursion.
The bite-sized Costco snacks are gluten-free but not vegan, as they contain milk.
Veggie Straws
Veggie Straws
Price: $7.49
Veggie Straws are a perfect potato chip alternative that taste good but are also very versatile. They can be eaten straight from the bag or used to dip in things like hummus and guacamole.
They are made with potatoes, tomatoes and spinach and topped with sea salt. According to the brand, Veggie Straws have "30% less fat than the leading potato chip."
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.