The Costco Snack We'll Never Touch Again

Dora Nuss-Warren/Mashed

There are many things that draw shoppers to Costco, from affordable bulk sizes and cheap gas to the famous $1.50 food court hot dogs. However, the warehouse club's snack selection is undoubtedly a top category of purchases. Although there are numerous tasty, budget-friendly options, there are unfortunately also a few worth skipping. At the bottom of our ranking of Costco's Kirkland brand snacks are the Kirkland Signature dried blueberries, which fall short in a variety of ways that will have us leaving them on the shelf in the future.

When it comes down to it, there's no more important factor in a snack than the taste, and these blueberries simply don't make the grade. Our reviewer described them as "mostly bland, a little sweet, and slightly chemical tasting," nothing like the fresh, fruity flavor most are likely expecting. While the snack may seem good for you, there's not much to speak of from a health perspective, either. Each third-cup serving includes a third of your suggested daily added sugars and 12% of your overall suggested carbohydrates, while providing next to no protein and scant amounts of vitamins and nutrients. The mere half-gram of fat and 10% of your daily suggested fiber intake are the only semi-redeeming qualities.

Dora Nuss-Warren/Mashed

Another downside is that you may be stuck with your bag of unappealing blueberries for quite a while. They're also sold in substantial 20-ounce package, an especially daunting quantity considering how underwhelming they truly are. That's enough for 14 servings of the suggested size.

All hope isn't lost for dried fruit lovers looking to score a Costco snack deal. Superior choices include dried mango or Montmorency cherries, two seasonal and regional offerings that may not be available at all clubs or at all times of year. Dried cranberries at Costco are also a steal. In our ranking of Costco snacks, Kirkland Nut Bars with Cocoa Drizzle scored the top spot overall thanks to their delicious taste, ideal texture, and how filling they can be.

The Kirkland brand offers an appeal to many shoppers that other store brands may not. Still, Costco isn't perfect, and even appealing-sounding snacks can sometimes come up short. That's precisely the case with Kirkland dried blueberries, which will be staying on the shelf on our next visit to the warehouse club.