Costco's Produce Has This Big Issue, Members Say

One of the many reasons the 100+ million Costco members love the warehouse chain is the size of the products sold. Convenience is key, and stocking up the house with cleaning and other staples, the pantry with beloved snacks, and the freezer with popular items is Costco's specialty. But there's one section of the warehouse some members say should be approached with caution—the produce.

At one time or another, we've all discovered a forgotten bag of fresh greens in the back of the fridge a few weeks after buying it, but imagine the bag is bulk-sized. That's a lot of food that can go bad quickly, and a reason some members don't buy produce at the warehouse chain.

One member on Reddit brought up the debate in a post on May 10, noting they bought a container of around a dozen peaches but only five were not covered with mold on the inside.

Fruits and vegetables go bad, of course, but this isn't the only instance of concern from members. Even during the cooking-at-home phases of the pandemic, they were noticing this issue. Last fall some explained why produce does not make it on their grocery list when shopping at Costco.

"We very rarely buy fruit & veg because it's just the two of us and we don't go through it before it goes off," one said.

"Finally smartened up (after about a dozen bags) and stopped buying the refrigerated broccoli because we can't go through it fast enough. Starts getting slimy and gross. Picked up the frozen on my last trip," another noted.

Swapping for frozen alternatives is a great strategy to ensure the fruits and vegetables you buy at Costco will last. But if you want to stick to fresh, this route can be avoided if things like potatoes, bell peppers, apples, carrots, and garlic are stored properly. Doing so can expand their freshness for quite a bit longer than other fruits and vegetables like berries, peaches, apples, bananas, and lettuce.

Unfortunately, produce isn't the only item that should be avoided in the warehouse. Here are 18 Foods You'll Regret Buying in Bulk at Costco.