Costco Wish List 2

Several years ago I wrote a Costco wish-list consisting of items I would like Costco to sell (Costco Wish-Lists). I have no influence over Costco, so it will not make a difference, but I was thinking about some foods I’ve started or continue to want. I don’t expect readers care about what I want. However, maybe someone with influence will reads this post (hey, I can dream…) In addition, I like to write about my favorite foods.

As I was writing this post, I realized how much of what I eat is from Costco! I really am satisfied with most of my meals being largely based on Costco food. However, it is hard to know if this is because Costco happens to sell what I like or because I started eating these foods because Costco carries them and I got used to them. Either way, I had a harder time than anticipated coming up with additional items that I want Costco to sell. I also would not want my requests to take the place of my current favorites (It’s Gone? Discontinued Products). 

Here are ten items I’d like them to carry and ten that I do not want them to stop carrying. 

Please Sell

1. Breyers Ice Cream two-pack (full half gallon each)

I love ice cream. It has always been my favorite food. We always had multiple cartons of ice cream at home. We bought multiple brands, generally what was on sale at the store in a given week (although once we got a garage freezer we could buy our favorites and store them and have our pick). Growing up, ice cream actually meant ice cream and we didn’t first have to look for whether or not it was “frozen dairy dessert.” One of our favorite brands was Breyers, known for being all natural. These days, I still like Breyers but many flavors are frozen dairy dessert (it doesn’t make sense to me that, although they sell both vanilla and mint chocolate chip ice creams, their chocolate chip ice cream is frozen dairy dessert…they have the vanilla and the chips!) I’d love for Costco to sell actual half gallons (no more of this 48-ounce nonsense), ideally in a two-pack of my two favorite flavors, chocolate and mint chocolate chip. I acknowledge that this combination would be an odd pair for a two-pack. However, it is my wish list. I’d also be ok with chocolate and vanilla or two half and halfs. Can I write about ice cream or what?

2. Golden Blueberry Blintzes (2-pack)

Blintzes were on my original wish list (Costco Wish-Lists) but with half blueberry, half cheese. Since then, I have not been eating the cheese variety, so I’d prefer double blueberry. BJ’s and Wegmans actually used to sell these double packs, so it’s possible! As blintzes have gotten quite expensive (and I can only buy so many when they are on sale for Chanukah), I’d love to know that I was getting a good deal at Costco. 

3. Abe’s Coffee Cake (3 or 4 pack)

Last year, I was looking for non-dairy muffins. I had heard of Abe’s brand before but had never tried any of their products. I saw them and tried both lemon poppy (my favorite muffin) and blueberry. Both were very good. They also sell a non-dairy coffee cake. It is small and caloric, and therefore a good choice for me as a way to get calories without having to eat tons of food. The cakes have a mild vanilla flavor (actually, sometimes I think it has a little hint of banana) and a cinnamon streusel topping. I love streusel topping. My grandparents used to buy a chocolate babka that was dairy (unusual for babka as Jewish desserts tend to be pareve so that they can be served with or right after meat) and I used to eat the fallen crumbs with a spoon. Entenman’s also used to make an  Ultimate Crumb Cake that had a delicious topping. I’d love for this Abe’s cake to have a little more topping, but there is a decent amount. I also love the edges that have a sticky, slightly less dry texture. These cakes are small and expensive, so I would definitely want Costco to sent several cakes together. 

4. Van’s Gluten free Original Waffles ( 4 pack.)

I have always liked waffles. My dad used to make them in the waffle iron and would often add chocolate chips to the batter. Obviously frozen waffles are much easier to make. A few years ago, I started eating Van’s waffles and like them very much. I eat them with hot syrup (Product Review: Kirkland 100% Pure Maple Syrup) but have also had them with almond butter (Product Review: Kirkland almond butter); and I think they’d go well with peanut butter (Product Review:Kirkland organic creamy peanut butter)) They are light and soft. Although they can be relatively expensive, they are often on sale. However, Costco could sell them in larger quantities, which would be good because the pack of six doesn’t last long!

5. Dave’s Killer Bread Raisin’ the Roof

I started eating Dave’s Killer Bread several years ago. Local Costco stores sell a few varieties of this brand but not cinnamon raisin. I prefer wheat bread to white bread and enjoy cinnamon bread (I’d prefer the cinnamon without raisins but that is virtually impossible to find) so I was pleased to find this brand as most cinnamon raisin bread is white bread. It can be expensive (even when the brand is on sale, cinnamon raisin is not always included) for a relatively small loaf. Therefore, I’d like for Costco to carry it both for the cost and to be able to purchase a few loads in one package. 

6. Shakshuka

Several years ago, Trader Joe’s started selling a frozen shakshuka bowl. It contained the sauce, which was a mixture of peppers and onions in a spiced tomato sauce. It could be microwaved or cooked on the stove and only took a few minutes to make. The traditional recommendation for serving was with eggs. However, I ate it with tofu. I had it about once a week and loved it. Unfortunately, like Costco, Trader Joe’s has a reputation for discontinuing items (It’s Gone? Discontinued Products) and this was one that disappeared. I’d love for Costco to sell frozen shakshuka bowls.

7. Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups

I always loved Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Chocolate and peanut butter…what’s not to like? Several years ago I saw Justin’s brand and decided to try them. They were very good and I started buying them when on sale. I don’t eat much candy these days because my tolerance for sweet food has significantly decreased. However, for the times when I want a little bit of candy, I would be interested in Costco selling a large bag of the miniature dark chocolate cups. 

8. Seven layer cake

For the past several ears, during Passover, Costco has carried a delicious (and not even just by Passover standards) seven layer cake by World of Chantilly (Product Review: World of Chantilly Passover 7-layer cake). My family always buys extra cakes because I eat it after the holiday ends. However, we don’t always buy enough extras because we worry about freezer space and/or assume we will be tired of the cake after too many. I would love for Costco to either sell this version all year or carry the company’s non-Passover variety the rest of the year. If not this brand, I have recently discovered another delicious cake by Molly’s bakeshop. However, not many stores carry it by me so if Costco carried it, I’d be very happy. 

9. Carvel Ice Cream Cake cups

I have always loved Carvel ice cream cake. It was my request for birthday cakes (and I think family members sometimes bought them for other special occasions…anyone remember Fudgie the Whale?) Carvel was really the only  ice cream cake sold in supermarkets when I was growing up (when we were much younger, we had cakes made by a local ice cream store…I remember my Cabbage Patch Kid cake). Then other companies started making them, one of those being Friendly’s, a northeast ice cream brand. The past few times I had Carvel cakes, I did not like them as much as I had in the past. It may be because they were smaller cakes that were less dense and melted quickly or because the quality of ice cream has gone down overall. However, I still like the idea and positive associations I have with them. Therefore, when I saw that Friendly’s sold ice cream cake cups, I figured they were worth a try. Friendly’s has largely gone out of business but there were a lot of them when I was growing up. In addition to the food and ice cream sold in the store, they had a freezer case in front with half gallons and little sundae cups. These cups were fairly expensive and a real treat (my favorite was the mint one with the mint ice cream, fudge, dollop of whipped cream, chocolate chips, and a chocolate cookie on top…even as they expanded the variety this never reappeared…and the Reese’s pieces one because it had the peanut butter sauce I liked). Wow, do I digress when it comes to ice cream! Anyway, once the sundae cup line started being sold in supermarkets (they were actually sold in Costco for a brief period of time (Big savings on ice cream!)) and expanded into a larger selection, the ice cream cake variety appeared. It contains a layer each of vanilla and chocolate ice cream, crunchies, and the whipped topping. I tried it and it was a decent replica of ice cream cake. However, I would still prefer a Carvel sundae cup. Therefore, I’d like Costco to sell a multipack of cups. Now, Carvel doesn’t actually make these but I have a feeling that they could for Costco. (Yes, all that for my one line request!) It would be nice to have a little Carvel ice cream cake treat without the expense or special occasion needed for a full size cake.

10.  Vanilla Cookies

I never really liked animal crackers growing up. They were classic “”kid snack” food but I found them bland. However, there was a store brand that I liked because it had more of a graham-vanilla flavor. Then, when I went to college and we were browsing Costco for food to keep in my dorm room, we found big tubs of vanilla flavored cookies (at different times, they were in the shapes of sea creatures or letters, numbers, and shapes). They were so good. I used to eat them at night with my hot chocolate while doing my schoolwork. They were definitely a large (no pun intended) contributing factor in my freshman weight gain. I also ate a lot of them over the summer, dipping them into ice cream. I still miss these cookies. Vanilla wafers just ate not the same because they are much thinner than the Costco cookies. I’d love to see these cookies back.  

Please Don’t Stop Selling

1. Golden Taste Tuna Deluxe

I have written a review of this tuna and still eat it 1-2 times each week, generally with potato and vegetable (Product Review: Golden Taste Tuna Deluxe).

2. Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon

I wrote a review of this lox several years ago and eat it 1-2 times week (Product Review:Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon). I know that most people (at least in my family) eat lox on bagels. However, I also like a large portion with a potato and vegetable. I actually discovered that the lox tastes better heated, as it takes on a softer texture and a less salty flavor. (I discovered this when some got stuck under the hot potato). Since then, I started “cooking” some of my lox inside the potato (of course the microwave might be an easier solution but cooking it inside the potato has the added bonus of a lightly salted potato. I like potatoes this way because I eat them plain versus with butter or sour cream; (Product Review: Russet Potatoes).

3. Kirkland Organic Greek Yogurt

Over the years, Costco has sold a variety of Greek yogurts. I have been satisfied with all of them. The variety that has lasted the longest and which I’ve had the most of is excellent. I eat it each week and like being to purchase such a large carton (Product Review: Kirkland Organic Greek Yogurt).

4. Kirkland Ancient Grains Granola

I love this granola (Product Review: Kirkland Ancient Grains granola). I have tried many other varieties of granola but often find them far too sweet. I had found another ancient grains based granola that I enjoyed very much. However, I stopped being able to find it last year. 

5. Foppen Hot Smoked Salmon 

Over the years, Costco has sold different varieties of cold salmon. The salmon has been in different sized portions and different flavors (e.g., pepper; maple). I have enjoyed all of them and was disappointed when they stopped selling them without a replacement. The most recent variety is a three-pack of salmon in three flavors (Review: Foppen Hot Smoked Salmon). It is not my favorite variety they have sold (my favorite was the two-pack by Royal Fjord; (Product Review: Royal Fjord salmon)) but I would still prefer that they continue selling it.

6. World of Chantilly Passover Seven-Layer Cake (During Passover)

I listed Seven-Layer Cake above among the items I’d like Costco to sell all the time. In the absence of that (or if they sold a non-Passover version), I at least want to know I can buy this cake for the holiday. As I wrote in my initial review of the cake, it is excellent, even if it were not kosher for Passover (Product Review: World of Chantilly Passover 7-layer cake).

7. Bluehill Bay Smoked Whitefish Salad

I wrote a review of this whitefish salad several years ago (Product Review: Bluehill Bay Smoked Whitefish Salad). I don’t eat it very often. It is very strong tasting and sold in a large tub. On the rare occasions that l buy it, I eat it many times in a short period of time. Then, I do not want it for awhile. However, I like knowing that it is available, especially because it is hard to find in supermarkets (and when I do find it, it tends to be expensive for a very small container). 

8. Smoked Whitefish 

I have written about the Sunday brunches at my Grandparents’ house many times. One of the special items was the whole whitefish. It was the only time I ever ate it…until Costco. We started buying them a few times a year (generally for Rosh Hashanah lunch and Yom Kippur break-fast; (Product Review: Blue hill Bay smoked whitefish)). They are almost always very good, with lots of fish (vs bones) and a strong flavor. We don’t buy them often but they are a special treat.

9. Grape Tomatoes

I love grape tomatoes. I can eat a lot at a time and prefer them to candy. Yes, I can get grape tomatoes almost anywhere and they are actually often tastier from stores other than Costco. However, because I eat so many, I like being able to buy a large pack for a good price (Product review: grape tomatoes). 

10. Kirkland Organic Creamy Peanut Butter 

I have not eaten much peanut butter lately but when I do, I want this variety. Natural, not too sweet, creamy, and with an extremely strong peanut flavor, it is delicious on bread, crackers, fruit, or just a spoon (Product Review:Kirkland organic creamy peanut butter).

So my lists reveal that I want Costco to sell more of my favorite desserts and to keep selling my favorite fish. What additional items would you want Costco to sell these days? What would you not want it to discontinue?