5. Produce

Frozen meats, canned soup, dried goods, and snacks are great deals at Costco. However, pay attention when evaluating those giant boxes and bags of produce. They are rather suitable for the restaurant industry and significant catering events, which cook much more food than you do at home. So ask yourself if your family will eat three heads of broccoli before the flower buds begin to wilt.

As with the laundry detergent we mentioned on No. 1, the price per unit is only a great deal if you use what you purchased before it expires. Unless you’re going to cook the produce promptly, only your compost pile will benefit.

But that’s not all; many produce items you find at Costco cost more per unit than the alternatives at Kirkland or other local grocery stores. However, this changes season by season and case by case, so make sure you do your research before buying.