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Costco is one of the most popular grocery stores considering affordability and its price advantage! As a dietitian, I’m often asked about my grocery shopping habits—especially when it comes to Costco. While Costco is known for its bulk-sized products, it’s also a treasure trove of nutritious and budget-friendly foods. Today, I’m sharing my top 5 favorite food products to buy at Costco that align with my philosophy of healthy, balanced eating. Whether you’re meal prepping, feeding a family, or just looking for convenient options, these picks are dietitian-approved!
Healthy items at Costco and Dietitian's Costco shopping list:
1.Greek yogurt
Plain greek yogurt will be preferred. Any greek yogurt with fruit flavored or vanilla flavored tend to have higher amount of added sugar. I would definitely recommend plain greek yogurt as a smart choice!
Another reason for choosing greek yogurt is because it has higher amount of protein. In 3/4 cup greek yogurt, it has about 17 gram protein. In a 3/4 cup regular yogurt, it has about 8 gram protein.
2. Chickpea pasta
Having plant-based protein in our diet plays a very important role in our overall health. Plant-based protein obviously is a good source protein. Compared to animal protein, plant-based protein has a good amount of fiber, and does not contain cholesterol or fat.
Compared to regular wheat pasta, bean pasta such as this chickpea pasta has higher fiber and protein amount. For example, 100gram of chickpea pasta has about 23gram protein and 11 gram fiber. Not only that, beans are great of source B vitamins such as vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin B12.
3. Quinoa
Quinoa is a type of whole grains, and it is packed with nutrients. For example, quinoa has twice amount of fiber and protein than white rice. It is also great source of magnesium, folate, thiamin, zinc.
Quinoa also has flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol.
4. Kefir
Kefir is a fermented dairy product, and it is a good source of calcium.
Digestive health and gut health also require probiotic food. Kefir is fermented and has good bacteria such as Lactobacillus.
5. Turmeric drinks
Spices and herbs are not only flavorful and it also may promote overall health
Turmeric has an active compound called curcumin, and it may help with inflammation.
Turmeric also has antioxidant properties
Final Thoughts
Costco can be a great place to stock up on healthy and affordable foods. As a dietitian, I would like to emphasize the importance of having a well-balanced diet. With a little planning, you can make Costco work for your healthy eating goals too!
Cheers,
Elaine Vancouver Dietitian
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