Costco is obviously known for selling items in large quantities. While a bonus for many, the bulk items can be a deterrent to membership for others. Growing up, my family had an extra freezer in the garage and now my family has an extra freezer in the kitchen. We always liked being able to “stock up and save” on “regular” items (e.g., ice cream; bread) as well as “special” items (e.g., many years ago we bought multiple David’s cakes that were “97s” (Price endings are not random) after the holidays). We could not have stored these items without the extra freezer and I got used to planning on freezing items when I saw them. When I came across this article, I was curious about what others freeze, given that I tend to think mainly in terms of baked goods which freeze and defrost very well.
The article was based on Reddit comments and included the items themselves and suggestions for how to get the best results from freezing. Some items were items I would not freeze (e.g., milk), whereas others are items I absolutely would (e.g., bread).
Here are the top 8 Costco foods to Freeze:
1. Ciabatta Rolls
The article suggests freezing these rolls in a vacuum sealer and then defrosting them either by leaving them out for a few hours or heating them in the microwave and then finishing them in the toaster.
I have never had these rolls as the Costco breads are not technically kosher. However, in general, breads and rolls freeze very well. I do not have a vacuum sealer so I cannot compare it to just putting the rolls in a freezer bag but I find the latter is sufficient. Some types of rolls tend to get a little dry and flaky but most solid breads are great. I have read that it can help to sprinkle a few drops of water on frozen bread products before reheating them to prevent them from being too dry but I have not tried it. My family members tend to defrost the bread in the toaster oven to prevent drying out in the microwave and because they prefer it heated throughout rather than cutting and toasting it.
2. Kirkland Signature Pesto
Members suggest freezing pesto in ice cube trays and then storing the frozen cubes in freezer bags. These cubes can then be used for individual recipes. Others suggest that for people without ice cube trays it works to freeze in a flat bag and break off pieces which is easy due to the high oil content. Other suggestions include putting some of the pesto into cupcake liners or leaving it in the jar and then scooping it out as needed.
This pesto has come up in a lot of posts as it seems to be a very highly regarded item ((What Food Experts Purchase at Costco); (Even More High-Quality Kirkland Products)). I don’t buy it because it is not kosher but these tips may be used for other items as well. That oil content information is helpful to know. When I read the comment about people not having ice cube trays, I was very surprised but then I remembered how many fridges come with water and ice machines today (we have one and I take for granted how nice it is not to have to fill and freeze and then twist those plastic trays to get ice out!)
3. Pies
The article points out that the Costco pies weigh almost five pounds and therefore are good candidates for freezing. One method described in the article is to cut individual slices and freeze them. Then these pieces can be defrosted by leaving them out to thaw. This method has the added benefit of being able to buy and eat seasonal pies even when not being sold in the store.
I don’t eat much pie (but those apple pies sure look very good!) I like the idea of cutting individual pieces before freezing. With cake, although individual slices would be easier to remove from the freezer, I fear that cutting it will dry the pieces too much. Furthermore, because baked goods don’t seem to entirely freeze, I find it works to cut individual pieces even right out of the freezer (or after only a few minutes of thawing). However, because pies have flakier crusts, it might be more difficult to cut frozen. In addition, because of the “wetter” pie filling, drying out is probably less of a concern with presliced pieces. Again, the article recommends vacuum sealing but I would imagine that regular freezer bags are sufficient. I like hot pie so I would likely heat it in the microwave rather than thawing on the counter, especially if only cooking one piece. I also really like the idea of being able to eat seasonal food even when not sold.
4. Costco Bakery Croissants
The tips for freezing croissants are to store them in freezer bags (some suggest wrapping them first in plastic wrap). Then, the article recommends heating them in the oven for eating.
I was actually surprised to see croissants listed here after reading about them NOT freezing well in another article ((To Buy or Not to Buy From the Bakery (Part 2 of 2): (Advice From a Bakery Employee)). However, I guess people have different tastes and standards. The recommended 5-7 minute baking time sounds like a lot for such a thin pastry. I also wonder how they would turn out in the microwave (but only for a few seconds). Croissants also seem like a good item with which to use the sprinkling water tip mentioned above. I don’t like croissants but would like to know if it works by those who do try it.
5. Costco Bakery Plain Cheesecake
The article mentions that the cheesecake freezes well and that the biggest concern is the frosting. Suggestions include freezing the slices in containers vs vacuum seals so that the icing is not smashed. However, they caution that the containers will not keep the slices fresh for as long and that they might get icy. Other recommended ways to preserve the icing are to use extra icing to keep the cake from getting dry and to unwrap the slices while frozen to prevent losing icing. People mentioned the pleasure of being able to eat an individual piece whenever they want.
I have mentioned before that I have never had these cheesecakes but that I have had the delicious one from BJ’s. Whereas the cake from BJs is already cut into pieces, the Costco one does not seem cut through, although the pieces are marked. The BJs one comes out great after freezing. I actually prefer it only partially thawed because I prefer very firm cheesecake. The BJs cake does not have whipped topping so the tips regarding preserving icing are moot. I was surprised when i learned that the Costco icing is whipped cream. Whipped cream does seem more difficult to freeze. I don’t fully understand the suggestion about saving extra topping as I don’t know where it would come from! I also wonder what the frozen icing would taste like. What comes to mind is the frosting on a Carvel ice cream cake (slightly odd consistency but I like it in small doses). I also agree that it’s great to be able to have a piece of cheesecake anytime without needing to use up the entire cake.
6. Costco Muffins and Bagels
The recommended freezing technique for bagels and muffins is to store them in freezer bags. Some suggest slicing the bagels before freezing them so that they can then be thawed or microwaved and then toasted more easily.
I agree with the tips of muffins. Although I don’t buy muffins at Costco, I freeze other muffins and find them to thaw beautifully. The bagels are a different story. My family does not buy them at Costco (bagel snob alert!) Instead, we buy frozen bagels that are better than any fresh bakery bagels we have found outside of New York (Ray’s bagels for anyone interested). However, if we were to buy the bagels at Costco and freeze them, I’m sure we would freeze them whole as we usually prefer the soft, chewy inside to toasted. I grew up learning that microwaving bagels is a big “no no”!
7. Cheeses
There are two suggestions for storing the blocks of cheese. People suggest shredding it and storing smaller amounts in freezer bags. A less labor intensive suggestion is to grind it in a food processor and store it, taking out the desired amount as needed.
I don’t eat much cheese and would only buy kosher cheese. However, for the many people who love cheese, I am still surprised as I don’t think of cheese as a commonly frozen item. However, I guess if you want to benefit from the many good deals on cheese at Costco (“Strong” and “weak” sections of Costco). In addition, because cheese is used in many frozen dishes such as ravioli, lasagna, cheese blintzes, etc., there is no reason it could not be frozen.
8. Kirkland Signature Walnuts
There are a few tips in the article for freezing nuts. Some people use containers and others use vacuum sealing.
I have mentioned before that chefs suggest freezing nuts if the large bags cannot be used quickly enough so that they remain fresh (What Food Experts Purchase at Costco). My family has frozen nuts in their original bags with success so I am not convinced that they need to be vacuum sealed.
It is good to remember that nuts can be frozen. With the mixed nuts (Product Review: Kirkland Signature Extra Fancy Unsalted Mixed Nuts), I can go through them quickly enough to make it worth buying it then. But for others that I may not snack on (e.g., walnuts or almonds) but may want for oatmeal or baking, I would use smaller quantities and therefore benefit from freezing them.
Do you buy items at Costco and freeze them? Any additional suggestions of items to freeze? Any additional tips for freezing and/or defrosting? Any items to put have tried to freeze with little success?
Cruising Costco 