I Spent 2 Hours In Costco Canada & Ranked All Of The Free Food Samples From Worst To Best
Who needs lunch if you have free samples?

A Costco store in Etobicoke. Right: A Hi-Chew in a Costco store.
The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
There's more to Costco Canada than just their bulk deals. In fact, I think a trip to Costco is one of the best shopping experiences out there and that's for one reason and one reason alone: those free samples.
Anyone who's ever visited a Costco location knows that dotting the store are little kiosks preparing hot samples for your tasting pleasure.
Not only is it a chance to get away from the monotony of shopping in a giant warehouse, but it's also a great chance to get some free bites.
So, to get an idea of what the average Costco is offering up right about now, I went into my local store — without a membership — and tried every available sample.
Here's how I ranked each item on offer, from the frozen worst to the sugary best.
7. Pelmen Perogies
Half of a pierogi in a cup.
I'm a freak for pierogies, but these ones didn't really do the job for me.
The sample was about half of a pierogi and it just didn't have a lot of the familiar flavours that I was used to.
It didn't have the rich, heartiness you'd expect with pierogies.
While it wasn't bad, I would find myself reaching for a classic bag of Cheemo pierogies before these ones.
Score: 1/5
6. That's It Mini Fruit Bars
A fruit bar in a paper cup.
This was by no means bad — these bars could easily find a place in your pantry — but it's not something I'd see myself reaching for.
The sample portion size was fair, about half of a bar, and it had a really mellow natural sweetness which would probably be good for kids.
However, as an adult, I don't really see the need to eat things like this anymore. Sorry!
Score: 2/5
5. Normandy Blend Steamed Veggies
Some veggies in a plastic cup and a fork.
How can I put steamed veggies above things made out of fruit or dough?
But honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by the warm steamed veggie selection I was given. The carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli all worked well together and had a subtle sweetness.
Honestly, I could see myself getting a bag of these for an easy serving of vegetables.
But also, it's just steamed veggies, it's not breaking any barriers.
Score: 2.5/5
4. Chicken Wonton
Half of a chicken wonton with a skewer in it.
It's not often that meat's on the menu in a free sample, so this was a welcome surprise on that front alone — albeit it was only a half wonton.
I was pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted for a frozen wonton. It had that rich, comforting taste that you expect with such a dish.
You can only go so far with a frozen wonton, but I would definitely recommend grabbing a sample if you come across one.
Score: 3/5
3. Bueno Chocolate bar
A piece of a Bueno chocolate bar.
This is one of the better chocolate bars out there, so I was delighted to get the chance to sample it for free.
While the sample was on the small side, I believe it was about one-third of a full chocolate bar, it still reminded me how good Buenos are. It made me think "I should buy more of these things."
But, while good, it was quite rich and would only be a special occasion treat for me personally.
Score: 3.5/5
2. Pesto
A piece of bread with pesto on it in a paper cup.
One thing that I was really pleasantly surprised by was this pesto and bread sample.
If I had fewer scruples, I would have swung by a few times and hit this one over and over again - it was that good.
It came with a small piece of bread covered in a generous dollop of some green basil pesto.
Unfortunately, it did really punch you in the face with salt, which relegated it to a mere second place.
Score: 4/5
1. Hi-Chew
A single strawberry Hi-Chew.
If you know, you know.
This is one of the God-tier candies you can buy.
Created as a Japanese replacement for chewing gum, this chewy, sweet and fruity candy is a blessing from the gods whenever you can get it.
So, imagine how happy I was to get the chance to eat a Hi-Chew in the middle of a Costco for free. Plus, they gave me my own individually wrapped piece.
It was exhilarating.
Score: 6/5
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